Alfa Romeo 8C 2009 Owner handbook (in English)

19
2
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY
PRETENSIONERS
To further enhance the seat belt efficiency,
the vehicle seat belts are equipped with ETD
(Emergency Tensioning Device) pretensioners.
These devices “detect”, by means of a sensor,
that a severe collision is occurring and retract the
seat belts by a few centimetres. This way, they
help ensure that the seat belt properly adheres to
the occupant’s body before its restraining action
starts.
The seat belt locking indicates that the device
has activated; a small amount of smoke may be
visible.
This smoke is not toxic and is not indicative of
fire.
The pretensioners activate in the following cases:
- Head-on and rear collisions of a suffi cient
severity
- In certain roll-overs
The pretensioner only activates when the seat
belt is fastened.
After a pretensioner activation, the seat belt can
be unfastened as usual, by pressing the button
on the buckle.The pretensioner does not require any
maintenance or lubrication. Do not tamper with
or modify the pretensioner, as this will affect its
efficiency. If exceptional natural events (floods,
heavy storms, etc.) have caused the device to be
wet in water and mud, you must replace it.
To help ensure optimal protection from the
pretensioners, wear the seat belt in such a way
that it fits snugly against your chest and pelvis.
CAUTION
The pretensioners can be used
only once and activate only when
the seat belts are fastened. If the
pretensioners have been activated,
go to an Authorised Service Centre of
the Manufacturer’s Network to have
them replaced and disposed of. The
units have a 14 year service life from
the date of manufacture; they must be
replaced when their service life is near
to expiry. WARNING: Operations on the vehicle which
involve blows, vibrations or localised heating
(over 100°C for 6 hours max.) in the area of
the pretensioners may damage or activate them:
vibrations due to uneven road surfaces or small
obstacles, such as impacts with kerbs, do not
affect the units. Contact an Authorised Service
Centre of the Manufacturer’s Network if
service operations must be carried out.
CAUTION
Do not tamper with the
pretensioner components. Any
intervention must be carried out only
by qualified and authorised personnel.
Always contact an Authorised Service
Centre of the Manufacturer’s Network.

20
2
GENERAL WARNINGS
REGARDING THE USE OF
THE SEAT BELTS
CAUTION
It is mandatory for the driver
and passengers to properly use the
restraint systems of the vehicle.
CAUTION
To help ensure optimal
protection, you are advised to keep the
seatback in the most upright position
and the seat belt close to your chest
and pelvis. If the seat belt is loose,
in the event of an accident you would
move too far forward and could be injured. Travelling with the seatback
too far reclined could be dangerous:
even if the seat belts are fastened,
they may not work correctly.
The seat belt itself may not be close
enough to your body and, if it is
in front of you, it could cause neck
wounds or other injuries in an accident.
What is more, in an accident, the lower
section of the seat belt could press
against the upper part of your stomach
rather than the pelvic area, causing
serious internal injuries.
CAUTION
Always fasten the seat belts.
Travelling without the seat belts fastened increases the risk of serious
injury in the event of a collision, even
with the airbags. In the event of a
collision, the seat belts reduce the
possibility of the vehicle occupants
being thrown against the parts of the
passenger compartment or out of the
vehicle. The airbags are designed to
work in combination with the seat
belts, not to substitute them.
The front airbags only activate in the
event of head-on collisions of medium
or high severity. They will not be
activated if the vehicle rolls over, or in
the event of rear or low severity head-
on collisions.
CAUTION
Do not fasten your seat belt
using the buckle for the other seat:
in the event of an accident, the lower
portion of the seat belt could press
against the upper part of your stomach
rather than the pelvic area and cause
serious internal injuries.

21
2
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY
CAUTION
It is extremely dangerous to
travel with the seat belt positioned
underneath your arm. In the event
of an accident you would be thrown
forward and would very probably
suffer head and neck injuries. What is
more, if the seat belt presses against
your ribs, it could cause serious
internal injuries.
CAUTION
The seat belt itself must not be
twisted; make sure that it is snugly
fitted to the occupants’ bodies. In the
event of an accident, the restraining
force would not be distributed evenly
across the seat belt and would
consequently cause injuries. The upper
portion of the seat belt must pass over
the shoulder and diagonally across the
chest. The lower portion must adhere
to your pelvis, not the stomach, to
avoid that you slide forward in the
event of a collision. Do not use devices (clamps, fasteners
etc.) to hold the seat belts away from
the passengers’ bodies.
CAUTION
Never carry children on a
passenger’s lap using a seat belt to
protect both of them.
CAUTION
If the seat belt has undergone
strong mechanical stress, for
example during a collision, it must be
completely replaced together with its
anchorages, the anchor point screws
and the pretensioner. Even if there are
no visible defects, the seat belt could have lost some of its resistance.
CAUTION
Pregnant women must carefully
observe applicable local legislation
regarding the use of the seat belts.
Always make sure that the lower
portion of the seat belt fits well down
on the hips, below the abdominal
region of the body.
CAUTION
It is extremely dangerous and
moreover prohibited by law to travel
on the luggage shelf behind the seats.
In the event of an accident, persons
travelling in this position are more
exposed to the risk of serious injury.
Passengers must only travel seated in
the vehicle seats, with the seat belts
fastened properly. Always check that
you and your passengers have your
seat belts fastened correctly.

22
2
How to keep seat belts effi cient
1) Always use the seat belts with the belt
completely fl at, not twisted; Make sure
the seat belt can move freely and is not
obstructed by anything.
2) The seat belts must be replaced following
every pretensioner activation and whenever
the belt itself shows visible damages or
abrasions.
3) Wash the seat belts by hand using water
and neutral soap, rinse them and let
them dry in the shade. Do not use strong
detergents, bleaches or colorants and any
other chemical substance that could weaken
the fi bres.
4) Make sure the belt winders do not get wet:
they will operate properly only if they do
not undergo water infi ltration. SAFE TRANSPORT OF
CHILDREN
For optimal protection in the event of a collision,
all occupants must be seated and wearing
appropriate restraint systems. This applies also
to children.
This is mandatory according to Directive
2003/20/EC in all the member states of the
European Union.
Children’s heads are proportionally heavier and
larger than those of adults, while their bones
and muscles are relatively undeveloped. For this
reason, restraint systems different from adult
seat belts must be used.The results of research conducted on the best
child protection are summarised in the European
Regulation ECE-R44 which, in addition to making
restraint systems mandatory, divides them into
five groups:
Group 0 - weights up to 10 kg
Group 0+ - weights up to 13 kg
Group 1 9-18 kg weight
Group 2 15-25 kg weight
Group 3 22-36 kg weight
For the purposes of restraint systems, children
taller than 1.50 m and heavier than 36 kg are
considered equivalent to adults and must wear
the standard seat belts normally.
WARNING: Given the particular shape of the
vehicle seats, only one type of child seat can be
used and is available at the Authorised Service
Centres of the Manufacturer’s Network.

23
2
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY
CAUTION
If the passenger airbag
system is active, do not sit a child in a
rearward-facing child seat on the front
vehicle seat. The airbag activation in
the event of a collision may cause fatal
injury to the child, regardless of the
collision severity. CAUTION
SERIOUS DANGER
If you need to carry a child in a
rearward-facing child seat on the front
passenger seat, you must deactivate
the front passenger airbag using
the key switch. Make sure that the
airbag has been deactivated, checking
that the LED on the roof above the
words “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF”
is permanently illuminated (see the
chapter “Passenger airbag manual
deactivation switch”). In addition,
move the passenger seat as far back
as possible in order to prevent the child
seat from touching the dashboard.
GROUPS 0 AND 0+
Children weighing up to 13 kg must be
transported in a rearward-facing booster baby
seat, which provides head support and thereby
avoids neck strain in the case of sudden
decelerations.
The rocker is secured by the vehicle seat belts as
shown in the figure, and must restrain the child
with its own safety harness.

24
2
GROUP 1
Children weighing between 9 and 18 kg may
travel in a forward-facing child seat equipped
with a front cushion, by means of which the
vehicle seat belt secures both the child seat and
the child.
CAUTION
Figures are purely illustrative.
Secure the child seat according to the
instructions provided with the product.CAUTION
Child seats suitable for the
weight groups 0 and 1 with rear
fastening and their own safety harness
are available on the market. Due to
their weight, they may be hazardous if
incorrectly fitted (e.g. if secured using
the vehicle seat belts with a cushion
in between). Follow the instructions
provided with the product.
GROUP 2
Children weighing between 15 and 25 kg may
be restrained directly with the vehicle seat
belts. Child seats have the additional purpose
of positioning the child correctly with respect to
the seat belts, in such a way that the diagonal
portion of the seat belt closely adheres to the
child’s chest and never to the neck, and the
lap portion adheres to the pelvis and not to the
abdominal region.

25
2
A
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY
GROUP 3
Children weighing between 22 and 36 kg have
a chest circumference such that the extra seat
cushion is not necessary. The illustration shows
how the child should be positioned on the rear
seat.
Children taller than 1.50 m can use the seat
belts like adults.
CAUTION
Figures are purely illustrative.
Secure the child seat according to the
instructions provided with the product.
Below are the main safety rules to follow
when transporting children:
- When deactivating the front passenger
airbag, always check that the LED
A on the
roof panel above the words “PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF” illuminates permanently.
- strictly follow the instructions provided
with the child seat. Keep the instructions
in the vehicle together with the documents
and this manual. Only use the child seat
specifi cally designed for this vehicle,
included in the Alfa Romeo accessory line
and available at the Authorised Service
Centres of the Manufacturer’s Network.
- always pull on the seat belt to check that it
has locked in place;- all restraint systems must be used by a
single passenger only; never carry two
children in the same seat;
- always check that the seat belts are not
resting against the child’s neck;
- do not allow the child to sit improperly or
unfasten the seat belt /child seat safety
harness while travelling;
- do not carry children in your arms, even
new born children. Nobody would be able to
hold onto a child in the event of a collision;
- in the event of an accident, replace the
child seat with a new one.

26
2
CAUTION
If the passenger airbag
system is active, do not sit a child in a
rearward-facing child seat on the front
vehicle seat. The airbag activation in
the event of a collision may cause fatal
injury to the child, regardless of the
collision severity.
FRONT AIRBAGSThe vehicle is equipped with 2 airbags (2 front
ones) and electronically controlled pretensioners
for all of the seat belts.
The system components are the following:1) Electronic control unit2) Dual-stage front passenger’s airbag 3) Passenger’s airbag deactivation switch4) Passenger’s front seat belt pretensioner5) Driver’s front seat belt pretensioner
6) Airbag system failure warning light7) Dual-stage front driver’s airbag8) Clock Spring9) Diagnostic socket10)
Left-hand front Crash Zone Sensor
11)
Right-hand front Crash Zone Sensor.
12)
Passenger’s airbag deactivation warning
light
The vehicle is equipped with multistage front
airbags for the driver and the passenger.

27
2
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SAFETY
5
1
10
11
9
8
7
6
4
2
3
12

28
2
CAUTION
Never remove the steering
wheel. If necessary, have this
operation performed at an Authorised
Service Centre of the Manufacturer’s
Network.
In the case of low-severity head on collisions
(in which the restraining action of the seat belts
provides adequate protection), the airbags will
not be activated.
The airbags do not activate in the event of rear
and side collisions, as they do not provide any
supplementary protection.
Therefore, an airbag failure to activate in these
cases is not indicative of a system malfunction. “SMART BAG” SYSTEM
(MULTISTAGE FRONT
AIRBAGS)
The front airbags (driver’s and passenger’s) are
safety devices which activate in the event of a
head-on collision.
They consist of an instantaneously inflating bag
contained in a special housing:
- in the centre of the steering wheel on the
driver side;
- in the dashboard and with a larger size bag
(full size airbag) on the passenger side.
The front airbags (driver’s and passenger’s) are
safety devices designed to protect the occupants
in the event of head-on collisions of medium-high
severity. They act by placing a cushion (airbag)
between the occupant and the steering wheel or
the dashboard.
In the event of a collision, an ECU processes
the deceleration signals and activates, when
necessary, airbag deployment.
The airbag inflates almost instantaneously and
positions itself between the front passengers and
potentially harmful structures of the vehicle. The
airbags deflate immediately afterwards.Both are dual-stage airbags, therefore, their
deployment depends on the impact severity. In
low-severity collisions, the airbag inflates less
than in high-severity collisions.
CAUTION
In the event of a collision,
any occupants not wearing their
seat belt will be thrown forward
and will come into contact with the
airbag before it is fully inflated. This
reduces the protection offered by the
airbag. The front airbags (driver’s and
passenger’s, with passenger seated)
are not a substitute for the seat belts
but work in combination with them.
As a consequence, the seat belts must
always be worn as provided for by
applicable legislation in Europe and in
most non-European countries.