Abarth Punto Evo 2012 Owner handbook (in English)

110
F0U108Abfig. 108
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Remember that, in the event of a violent
collision, back seat passengers not
wearing seat belts represent a serious danger
not only to themselves but also to the front seat
passengers.
WARNING
Ensure that the backrest is properly
secured on both sides so that it does not
fly forwards in the event of sharp braking and
injure passengers.
WARNING
IMPORTANT After putting the seats back to their
travelling position, restore the seat belt position to
make them ready for use.
Never press button C-fig. 106 when
travelling.
WARNING
The rear seat belts must be used as shown in the
diagram in fig. 107.
IMPORTANT When the red band next to the backrest
folding levers fig. 108 disappears, it means the backrest
is properly secured.
If you can still see the red band, the backrest is not
securely fastened. When returning the backrest to its
normal position, make sure that it is correctly fastened
and you hear the lock click.

111
PRETENSIONERS
To increase the efficiency of the seat belts, the car is
fitted with front pretensioners. These devices, in the
event of a violent crash, rewind the seat belts by a few
centimetres. In this way, they ensure that the seat belt
adheres perfectly to the wearer before the restraining
action begins.
The seat belt locks to indicate that the device has
intervened; the seat belt cannot be drawn back up even
when guiding it manually.
This car is equipped with a second pretensioner (in the
kick plate area). Its activation is signalled by the
shortening of the metal cable.
IMPORTANT To obtain the highest degree of
protection from the action of the pretensioning device,
wear the seat belt keeping it tight to the chest and
pelvis.
A slight amount of smoke may be detected during
operation of the pretensioners. This smoke is not
harmful and does not indicate a fire.
The pretensioner does not require any maintenance or
lubrication.
Anything that modifies its original conditions invalidates
its efficiency.
If, due to unusual natural events (floods, sea storms,
etc.), the device has been affected by water and mud,
it must be replaced.
S.B.R. SYSTEM
The car is fitted with the S.B.R. system (Seat Belt
Reminder), consisting of a buzzer which, together with
the turning on of warning light
panel, warns the driver and the front passenger (for
versions/markets, where provided) to fasten their seat
belts.
For permanent deactivation, contact an Abarth
Dealership.
With reconfigurable multifunction display, the S.B.R.
system can be reactivated through the set-up menu.
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112
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The pretensioner can only be used once.
Contact an Abarth Dealership to have it
replaced after it has been deployed. Consult the
label in the glove box to check the status of the
pretensioners. Contact an Abarth Dealership to
have the device replaced when the expiration
date approaches.
WARNING
Operations which lead to knocks,
vibrations or localised heating (over
100°C for a maximum of 6 hours) in the
area around the pretensioners may cause
damage or trigger them. These devices are not
affected by vibrations caused by irregularities of
the road surface or low obstacles such as kerbs,
etc. Contact an Abarth Dealership for any
assistance.
LOAD LIMITERS
To increase passenger safety, the front seat belt reels
contain a load limiter which allows controlled sag in
such a way as to dose the force acting on the chest and
shoulders during the belt restraining action in the event
of frontal impact.
F0U109Abfig. 109
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING
THE SEAT BELTS
The driver must comply with (and have all car
passengers follow) any local regulations in force
concerning the use of seat belts. Always fasten the seat
belts before starting.
Seat belts are also to be worn by expectant mothers:
the risk of injury in the case of accident is greatly
reduced for them and the unborn child if they are
wearing a seat belt.
Of course, expectant mothers must position the lower
part of the belt very low down so that it passes over the
pelvis and under the abdomen fig. 109.

113
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DELLA
VETTURA
The belt must not be twisted. The upper
part must pass over the shoulder and
cross the chest diagonally. The lower part must
adhere to the pelvis fig. 110 not to the
abdomen. Do not use devices (clips, clamps,
etc.) that prevent the belts from being tight
against to the passengers’ bodies.
WARNING
F0U110Abfig. 110
Maximum protection is obtained if the
backrest is kept straight: the passenger’s
back must lean against the backrest and the
seat belt must be tight on the chest and pelvis.
Always fasten the seat belts on both the front
and the rear seats. Travelling without seat belts
fastened increases the risk of serious injuries or
even death in the event of a crash.
WARNING
Under no circumstances should the seat
belt and pretensioner components be
removed or tampered with. Any operations
must be carried out by qualified and authorised
personnel only. Always contact an Abarth
Dealership.
WARNING

114
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If the belt has been subjected to a heavy
stress, for example after an accident, it
should be changed completely together with the
anchors, anchor fastening screws and the
pretensioner. In fact, even if the belt has no
visible defects, it could have lost its resilience.
WARNING
Each seat belt must be worn by one
person only; passengers should not have
babies or children on their lap and use the belts
to protect both of them fig 111. In general, do
not use the seat belts to hold any object against
the body.
WARNING
HOW TO MAINTAIN THE SEAT BELTS IN
EFFICIENT CONDITIONS
For keeping the seat belts in efficient conditions,
observe the following:
❒always use the belts with the tape well stretched and
never twisted; make sure that it is free to run
without impediments;
❒after a serious accident, replace the belt even if it
does not appear damaged. Always replace the belt if
the pretensioners were deployed;
❒to clean the belts, wash by hand with water and mild
soap, rinse and leave to dry in the shade. Never use
strong detergents, bleach, paints or any other
substance which could damage the belt fibres;
❒prevent the reels from getting wet: their correct
operation is only guaranteed if water does not get
inside;
❒replace the seat belt when there are significant signs
of wear or cuts.
F0U111Abfig. 111

115
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F0U112Abfig. 112
All child restraint devices must bear the type-approval
data, together with the control mark, on a label firmly
fixed to the seat which must never be removed.
Over 1.50 m in height, from the point of view of
restraint systems, children are considered as adults and
wear the seat belts normally.
GROUP 0 and 0+
Babies up to 13 kg must be carried facing backwards on
a cradle seat, which, supporting the head, does not
induce stress on the neck in the event of sharp
decelerations.
The cradle is held in place by the car seat belts fig. 112
and in turn it must restrain the child with its own belts.CARRYING CHILDREN SAFELY
For optimal protection in the event of a collision, all
passengers must be seated and wearing adequate
restraint systems. This is even more important for
children. This prescription is compulsory in all EU
countries pursuant to Directive 2003/20/EC. Compared
with adults, a child’s head is proportionally larger and
heavier than the rest of the body, while muscles and
bone structure are not fully developed. Therefore,
correct restraint systems are necessary which are
different from adult seat belts. The results of research in
relation to the best protection for children is
summarised in European Regulation CEE-R44, which
divides the restraint systems into five groups in addition
to making their use compulsory:
Group 0 up to 10 kg of weight
Group 0+ up to 13 kg of weight
Group 1 9-18 kg in weight
Group 2 15-25 kg in weight
Group 3 22-36 kg in weight
As you can see, the groups overlap partly and, in fact,
there are devices on sale that cover more than one
weight group.

F0U113Abfig. 113
GROUP 1
From 9 kg to 18 kg, children may be carried facing
forwards fig. 113.
116
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Do not place a cradle seat facing
backwards on the front seat if the
passenger side airbag is on. Deployment of the
airbag in an accident could cause fatal injuries
to the baby regardless of the severity of the
collision. It is advisable to always carry children
in dedicated child seats on the rear seat, which
is the most protected position in the event of an
accident.
WARNING
WARNING Should it be absolutely
necessary to carry a child on the front
seat in a backwards-facing child seat, the
passenger’s front and side airbags should
be deactivated through the setup menu.
Deactivation can be verified by checking the “
warning light on the instrument panel. Move the
passenger’s seat as far back as possible to avoid
contact between the child seat and the dashboard.
WARNING
The figures are only examples for fitting
purposes. Fit the child seat according to
the instructions mandatorily supplied with the
seat.
WARNING
There are seats with Isofix attachments
which enable secure fastening to the
seat without using the vehicle’s seat belts.
WARNING

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F0U115Abfig. 115
The diagram is indicative and for
assembly purposes only. Refer to the
instructions supplied with the child restraint for
the fastening.
WARNING
F0U114Abfig. 114
GROUP 2
Starting from 15 kg to 25 kg in weight, children may be
restrained directly using the car belts
fig. 114.
The only function of the seat is to position the child
correctly in relation to the belts, so that the diagonal
part adheres to the chest and not to the neck and that
the horizontal part clings to the child’s pelvis and not
the abdomen.GROUP 3
For children from 22 kg up to 36 kg suitable risers make
fastening the seat belt easier.
Fig. 115 shows correct child seat positioning on the rear
seat.
Children taller than 1.50 m can wear seat belts like
adults.
The figure is indicative for fitting purposes
only. Refer to the instructions supplied
with the child restraint for the fastening.
WARNING

118
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SUITABILITY OF PASSENGER SEATS FOR CHILD SEAT USE
The car complies with the new European Directive 2000/3/EC which governs the arrangement possibilities for child
seats on the various seats of the car as shown in the following table:
Front passenger Rear passenger
Group Weight range
Group 0, 0+ up to 13 kg U (▼)U
Group 1 9-18 kg U (▼)U
Group 2 15-25 kg U (▼)U
Group 3 22 -36 kg U (▼)U
Key:
U = suitable for child restraint systems in the “Universal” category, according to European Standard ECE-R44 for
the specified “Groups”.
(▼) on cars whose passenger seat is not adjustable in height, the backrest must be perfectly upright.

119
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Below is a summary of the rules of safety to be
followed for carrying children:
1) The recommended position for installing child seats
is on the rear seat, as it is the most protected area in
the event of a crash.
2) When disengaging the passenger airbag, always check
that the amber warning light on the instrument panel is
permanently on to make sure that the airbag has actually
been deactivated.
3) Carefully follow the instructions supplied with the
child restraint system which are mandatory by law.
Keep the instructions in the car along with the other
documents and this handbook. Do not use second-hand
child seats without instructions.
4) Always check that the seat belt is well fastened by
pulling on it.
5) Only one child is to be strapped into each retaining
system; never carry two children using one child seat.
6) Always check that the seat belts do not restrain the
child’s throat.
7) While travelling, do not let the child sit incorrectly
or release the belts.
8) Never carry children on your lap, even newborns.
No-one, however strong, can hold a child in the case of
an accident.
9) In the event of an accident, replace the child seat
with a new one.
Do not place a child seat facing
backwards on the front seat if the
passenger side airbag is enabled. Deployment of
the airbag in an accident could cause fatal
injuries to the baby regardless of the severity of
the collision. It is advisable to carry children in
an appropriate restraint system on the rear seat
which is the most protected position in the
event of an accident.
WARNING