Alfa Romeo 166 2006 Owner handbook (in English)

50 FRONT AND SIDE
AIR BAGS
The car is fitted with front Air bags for
the driver (fig. 61) and front passenger
(fig. 62), side bags (fig. 63) and
front window bags.
FRONT AIR BAGS
Description and operation
The front Air bag (driver’s and passen-
ger’s) is a safety device that comes into
action in the event of a head-on collision.It is formed of an instantly-inflating
cushion contained in a special recess:
– in the centre of the steering wheel for
the driver,
– in the dashboard with a larger-sized
cushion for the passenger.
fig. 62
A0D0011m
598PGSm
fig. 61
A0D0012m
fig. 63

51
The front Air bag (driver’s and passen-
ger’s) is a device designed to protect the
occupants in the event of head-on colli-
sion of medium-high severity by the inter-
position of the cushion between the occu-
pant and the steering wheel or dash-
board.
In the event of a crash, the electronic
control unit processes the signals leading
from a deceleration sensor and when nec-
essary, triggers inflation of the cushion.
The cushion inflates instantly as a pro-
tective barrier between the occupants’
bodies and the structures which could
cause injury. The cushion deflates imme-
diately afterwards.
The front Air bag (driver and passenger)
has been designed to protect the occu-
pants in the event of head-on crashes of
medium-high severity, by placing the
cushion between the occupant and the s-
teering wheel or dashboard.In case of crash, a person not wearing
the seat belt moves forward and may
come into contact with the cushion while
it is still inflating. Under this circumstance
the protection offered by the air bag is re-
duced.
Front air bags are designed to protect
car’s occupants in front crashes and there-
fore non-activation in other types of colli-
sions (side collisions, rear-end shunts, roll-
overs, etc…) is not a system malfunc-
tion.In collisions against highly deformable
or mobile objects (such as road signs,
heaps of gravel or snow, parked vehicles,
etc.), in rear crashes (such as bumps
from behind by another vehicle), side im-
pacts, and in case of wedging under other
vehicles or protective barriers (for exam-
ple under a truck or guard rail), the Air
bag is not triggered as it offers no addi-
tional protection compared with the seat
belts, consequently, it would be pointless.
Therefore the failure to be triggered
does not mean that the system is not
working properly.

52
PASSENGER’S FRONT AIR BAG
The passenger’s front air bag has been
designed to improve the protection of a
person wearing a seat belt.
It volume at maximum inflation fills
most of the space between the dash-
board and the passenger.
MANUAL DEACTIVATION OF
PASSENGER’S FRONT AIR BAG
Should it be absolutely necessary to car-
ry a child on the front seat, the passen-
ger’s front Air bag can be deactivated.
Deactivation takes place operating the
special key switch on the right of the
dashboard (fig. 65) using the car’s igni-
tion switch. Access to the switch is only
possible with the door open.
SERIOUS DANGER: The
car is fitted with an Air
bag on the passenger's side. Never
place cradle child’s seats on the
front passenger seat of cars fitted
with passenger air bag since the
air bag activation could cause se-
rious injuries, even mortal. In the
case of need, always deactivate
the passenger's Air bag when a
child's seat is placed on the front
seat. The front passenger seat
shall be adjusted in the most back-
ward position to prevent any con-
tact between child’s seat and
dashboard. Even if not compulsory
by law, you are recommended to
reactivate the Air bag immediately
as soon as child transport is no
longer necessary.
WARNING
380PGSm
fig. 65

53
Deactivation/reactivation takes place
with ignition key at STOPand operating
it in the special key switch on the right-
hand side of the dashboard (fig. 65).
You can reach the switch only if the
door is opened.The key switch (fig. 65) has two posi-
tions:
1)Passenger’s front Air bag active
(ONposition
P) warning light on clus-
ter off; it is absolutely prohibited to carry
children on the front seat.
2)Passenger’s front Air bag deactivat-
ed (OFFposition
F) warning light on
cluster on; it is possible to carry children
protected by special restraint systems on
the front seat.
The
Fwarning light on the instru-
ment cluster glows steadily until the pas-
senger’s Air bag is reactivated.
Deactivation of the front passenger’s Air
bag does not inhibit operation of the side
Air bag.
With the door open the key can be in-
serted and removed in both positions.Operate the switch only
when the engine is not
running and the ignition key is re-
moved.
WARNING
Warning light Findi-
cates also warning light
¬failure. This is indicated by in-
termittent flashing, over 4 sec-
onds, of warning light
F. In this
event, warning light
¬could be
not up to indicate restraint system
failures, if any. Stop the car and
contact Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services to have the system
checked.
WARNING

54
SIDE AIR BAGS
(SIDE BAG -
FRONT WINDOW BAG)
Side air bags have the task of increasing
protection of the occupants in the event of
a side crash of medium-high severity.
They are made of two types of instantly-
inflating cushions:
– side bags, housed in the back rest of
the front seats; with this solution it is always
possible to have the air bag (cushion) in the
optimum position in relation to the passen-
ger, regardless of the adjustment of the
seat;
– front window bags, which are “curtain”
cushions, are housed behind the side roof
linings; this solution designed to protect the
head, makes it possible to offer the highest
degree of protection to the front occupants
in the event of a side crash, thanks to the
wide cushion inflation surface.
In the event of a side crash the electronic
control unit processes the signals leading
from a deceleration sensor and, when nec-
essary, triggers inflation of the air bags.The bags inflate instantaneously, setting
themselves between the body of the front
passengers and the car door. The bags de-
flate immediately afterwards.
In the event of minor side crashes (for
which the restraining action of the seat belts
is sufficient), the air bags are not deployed.
Also in this case it is of vital importance to
wear the seat belts since in case of side
crash they guarantee proper positioning of
the occupant and prevent the occupant to
be pitched out of the car in case of violent
crashes.
Therefore the side air bags do not replace
but are complementary to the use of belts,
which you are recommended to always
wear, as specified by law in Europe and
most non-European countries.
Operation of the side air bags and front
window bags is not disabled by the front air
bag deactivation switch, as described in the
previous paragraphs.IMPORTANTIn the event of side
crash, you can obtain the best protection
by the system keeping a correct position
on the seat, thus allowing correct front
window bag unfolding.
WARNING Never rest
head, arms and elbows
on the door, on the windows and
in the front window bag area to
prevent possible injuries during the
inflation phase.
WARNING
IMPORTANTThe front and/or side
air bags may be activated if the car is
subjected to heavy shocks or accidents
that involve the underbody area, such as
for example violent bumps against steps,
pavements or fixed obstacles on the
ground, falling into big holes or bumpy
roads.

55
IMPORTANTSThe triggering of air
bags releases a small amount of powder.
This powder is not harmful and does not
indicate a start of fire; also the surfaces
of the deployed bag and the car interior
may be covered with dusty residue: this
may irritate the skin and eyes. In the
event of exposure, wash with neutral
soap and water.
The air bag system has a validity of 14
years as concerns the pyrotechnic charge
and 10 years as concerns the coil contact.
Contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services as
this date approaches.IMPORTANTIf an accident has trig-
gered the air bag, Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services must be contacted to have the de-
vices activated replaced and to have the
whole system checked.
All operations involving checking, repair-
ing and replacing components concerning
the Air bag must be carried out by Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
If the car is to be demolished, Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services should be contacted be-
forehand to have the system deactivated.
If the car changes ownership, the new
owner must be informed of the instructions
for use and of the above warnings and be
given this “Owner’s Manual”.
IMPORTANTThe triggering of the pre-
tensioners, front air bags and side bags is
decided by the electronic control unit in a
differentiated manner depending on the
type of crash. The failure to trigger one or
more of them does not necessarily indicate
a system malfunction.GENERAL WARNINGS
Never lean head, arms
and elbows out of the
window.
WARNING
If the ¬warning light
does not turn on when
turning the ignition key to MAR or
if it stays on when travelling, this
could indicate a failure in safety re-
taining systems; under this condi-
tion air bags or pretensioners could
not trigger in the event of collision
or, in a restricted number of cases,
they could trigger accidentally.
Stop the car and contact a Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services to
have the system checked.
WARNING
Do not cover back rest of
front seats with trims or
covers there are not set for the
use of side bags.
WARNING

56
Never travel with objects
on your lap, in front of
your chest or with a pipe, pencil,
etc. between your lips; injury may
result in the event of the air bag
being triggered.
WARNING
Always keep your hands
on the steering wheel rim
when driving, so that if the Air bag
is triggered, it can inflate without
meeting any obstacles which could
cause serious harm to you. Do not
drive with the body bent for-
wards, keep the seat back rest in
the erect position and lean your
back well against it.
WARNING
If the car has been stolen
or an attempt to steal it
has been made, if it has been sub-
jected to vandals or floods, have
the Air bag system checked by Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
WARNING
Do not wash the seat
back rest with pres-
surised water or steam (by hand
or at automatic seat washing sta-
tions).
WARNING
When the ignition key is
turned to the MAR posi-
tion, the warning light
F(with
passenger’s front air bag deacti-
vation switch in the ON position)
turns on and flashes for few sec-
onds to remind that passenger’s
air bag will be deployed in a crash,
after which it should go off.
WARNING
Please remember that
with the ignition key at
MAR, the air bags can be triggered
also on a stationary vehicle, if it is
bumped by another moving vehi-
cle. Therefore, even with the car
stationary, never allow children on
the front seat. On the other hand,
remember that with the car sta-
tionary and ignition key at STOP
no safety device (air bags or pre-
tensioners) will be triggered in the
event of an impact; in this case the
failure to trigger safety devices
should not be considered as a sys-
tem failure.
WARNING
Please don’t apply stickers
or other objects to the
steering wheel, to the air-bag cover
on the passenger's side or on the
side roof lining to the upholstery on
the roof side. Don’t place objects on
the dashboard passenger’s side
(such as mobile phones) because
they could tamper with the correct
opening of the passenger’s air-bag
and than cause serious injuries to
the vehicle occupants.
WARNING

57
LIGHTS SWITCH AND
STEERING WHEEL
LEVERS
The device and services controlled by
the levers on the steering wheel can only
be activated when the ignition key is in
theMARposition (except the parking
lights which can always be switched on).
LIGHTS SWITCH (fig. 66)
Lights switched off
When the pointer on the knurled ring
(A) is opposite the symbol O, the exter-
nal lights are switched off.
The front air bag is trig-
gered for shocks greater
in magnitude than the pretension-
ers. For impacts between these
two thresholds, it is therefore nor-
mal that only the pretensioners are
triggered.
WARNING
Do not hook rigid objects
to the coat hooks and to
the support handles.
WARNING
The air bag does not sub-
stitute the seat belts, but
only increases their effectiveness.
Moreover, since the front air bags
do not come into operation in the
event of front impact at low
speed, side collisions, bumps from
behind or overturning, in these cir-
cumstances the occupants would
only be protected by the seat belts
which must therefore always be
fastened.
WARNING
fig. 66
A0D0146m

58
Sidelights
The sidelights are switched on by turn-
ing the knurled ring (A) from Oto
6.
The
3warning light on the instru-
ment panel will come on at the same
time.
Dipped-beam headlights
These are switched on by turning the
knurled ring (A) from
6to2.
Parking lights
When the pointer of the switch (A) cor-
responds with the
Fsymbol, the side
lights stay on regardless of the position of
the ignition key.
If moving the left-hand lever (fig. 67)
downward, only the left-hand side park-
ing lights switch on, while moving the
lever upward, only the right-hand side
parking lights switch on.Main-beam headlights (fig. 68)
When the knurled ring in the
2posi-
tion the headlights can be changed form
dipped-beam to main-beam by pushing
the lever towards the dashboard (stable
position).
The
1warning light will come on the
instrument panel.
To return from main-beam to dipped-
beam, once again pull the lever towards
the steering wheel and then release.
LEFT LEVER (fig. 67)
The left lever operates the high beam
lights and the direction indicators.
fig. 67
A0D0014m
A0D0017m
fig. 68

59
Flashing(fig. 69)
The headlights are flashed by pulling the
lever towards the steering wheel (unsta-
ble position) regardless of the position of
the light switch.
The warning light
1on the instrument
panel will come on at the same time.
IMPORTANT Only the main beam
lights are flashed. To avoid penalties, fol-
low local regulations.Direction indicators (fig. 70)
Moving the lever to the stable position:
Up (A) - engages the right-hand direc-
tion indicators.
Down (B) - engages the left-hand direc-
tion indicators.One of the warning lights
Îo¥will
light up on the instrument panel at the
same time.
The lever returns to its home position
automatically and the indicators are
switched off when the steering wheel is
straightened.
IMPORTANT If you wish to signal a
rapid change of direction involving only a
minimum movement of the steering
wheel, the lever can be moved up or
down without it clicking (unstable posi-
tion). When released the lever will return
to its home position.
A0D0018m
fig. 69
A0D0016m
fig. 70