Alfa Romeo MiTo 2009 Owner handbook (in English)

130SAFETY
The red and green warning lights work as follows:
❍off if the seat belts are already fastened when the ignition is
turned to MAR
❍red if the front seat belts are not fastened
❍flashing red (only those for the rear seats) if the front seat belts
are not fastened
❍green if the seat belts are fastened
When only the driver is present and all the seat belts are unfas-
tened, the first 4 warning lights (fig. 4) come on with a red light
and the last comes on with a green light.
The three central warning lights flash for approximately 30 seconds
and then stay on with a fixed red light.
The two side warning lights A and B-fig. 4 are associated with the
front seats (with left hand drive in this case), while the three cen-
tral warning lights are associated with rear passengers. The warn-
ing lights for the front and rear seats behave in different ways.
Front seats
Driver
If only the driver is present in the car, the situation as described in
fig. 4. Once the car exceeds 20 km/h or remains at a speed be-
tween 10 km/h and 20 km/h for a time greater than 5 seconds,
an acoustic warning cycle begins for the front seats (continuous
acoustic signal for the first 6 seconds followed by an additional
90 second beep) and flashing of the warning light. Once the cy-
cle is complete, the warning lights remain on with a fixed light
until the car is turned off. The acoustic signal stops immediately
when the driver’s seat belt is fastened and the warning light changes
to green. If the seatbelt is unfastened again while the vehicle is in motion,
the acoustic signal and the warning light flashing are resumed as
described previously
Passenger
A similar situation arises for the front passenger, except that the
warning lights becomes green and the signal also stops when the
passenger leaves the car. In the event that both front seat belts are
unfastened with the vehicle in motion, a few seconds apart, the
acoustic signal refers to the most recent event, while both warning
lights display a visual signal independently of one another.
Rear seats
A signal is only produced for the rear seats when any one of the
belts is unfastened . Under these conditions, the warning light for
the unfastened belt begins to flash for a duration of 30 seconds.
An acoustic signal is also emitted. If more than one belt is unfas-
tened, the visual signal begins and ends independently for each
warning light.
IMPORTANT
All the warning lights stay on if at least one of the front seats is
occupied with the belt unfastened.
All the warning lights go off (30 seconds after the last seat belt is
fast and) when all front seats are occupied, irrespective of the
status of the rear belts.
All the warning lights come on when at least one of the belts
changes from fastened to unfastened or vice versa.
All the warning lights stay off if all the seat belts have already been
fastened when the car is started.
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SAFETY131
2
PRETENSIONERS
The vehicle is equipped with front seat belt pretensioners, which
draw back the seat belts by several centimetres in the event of a
strong frontal impact. This guarantees the perfect adherence of the
seat belts to the occupant’s bodies before the retention action be-
gins.
The activation of the pretensioners can be detected from the re-
traction of the belt towards the reel.
The vehicle also features a second pretensioning device (fitted near
the kick plate): The activation of this device is indicated by the
shortening of the metal cable.
A small amount of smoke may be produced during the activation
of the pretensioners. This smoke is in no way toxic and does not
indicate an outbreak of fire.
IMPORTANT To obtain the highest degree of protection from the ac-
tion of the pretensioning device, wear the seat belt, keeping it close
to the chest and pelvis.
The pretensioner does not require any maintenance or greasing:
anything that modifies its original condition invalidates its efficiency.
If, due to unusual natural events (floods, sea storms, etc.), the de-
vice has been affected by water and mud, it must be replaced.
The pretensioner can only be used once.
Once it has activated contact an Alfa Romeo
Authorised Service Provider to have it replaced.
The expiry date of the device is shown on the label in the
glove compartment: Contact an Alfa Romeo Authorised
Service Provider when the time comes to replace the de-
vice.
Operations which lead to shocks, vibrations or lo-
calised heating (over 100
°C for a maximum of 6
hours) in the area around the pretensioners may
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 Alfa Romeo
Authorised Service Provider for any assistance.
LOAD LIMITERS
To increase passenger’s 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 case of front crash.
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132SAFETY
The seat belt must not be twisted. The upper part must cross the
shoulder and the chest diagonally. The lower part must adhere to
the hips (fig. 6), not to the abdomen. Do not use devices (clips,
etc.) to hold the seat belt away from your body.GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE
SEAT BELTS
Respect and ensure that all the other occupants of the car respect
the local laws in force regarding the use of seat belts. Always fas-
ten the seat belts before starting off.
Seat belts must also be used by pregnant women: risk will be sig-
nificantly reduced for both the expectant mother and the child in
the event of an accident.
Pregnant women must position the lower part of the belt very
low down so that it passes under the abdomen fig. 5.
For maximum safety, keep the back of your seat
upright, lean back into it and make sure the seat
belt fits closely across your chest and hips. 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.
fig. 6A0J0095mfig. 5A0J0094m
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SAFETY133
2
SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
❍Always use the seat belts with the belt taut and never twist-
ed; make sure that it is free to run without impediments;
❍Replace the belt after a serious accident even if it does not
appear damaged. Always replace the belt if the pretensioners
were deployed.
❍To clean the seat belts, hand wash with water and neutral soap,
rinse and leave to dry in the shade. Do not use strong deter-
gents, bleach, paints or any other substance which could dam-
age the belt fibres.
❍Keep the reels dry: correct operation may only be ensured if
the reels are dry;
❍Replace the seat belt when it shows significant wear or cuts.
Under no circumstances should the seat belt and
pretensioner components be removed or tampered
with. All interventions must be performed by qual-
ified and authorised personnel only. Contact an Alfa
Romeo Authorised Service Provider.
If the belt has been subjected to heavy stress, for
example after an accident, it should be changed
completely together with the anchors, anchor fas-
tening screws and the pretensioners. In fact, even if the
belt has no visible defects, it could have lost its resilience.
fig. 7A0J0096m
Each seat belt may only be used by a single person: Do not carry
children on your lap with one seat belt protecting both (fig. 7). In
general, do not place any objects between the passenger and the
belt.
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134SAFETY
CARRYING CHILDREN SAFELY
For optimal protection in the event of a crash, all passengers must
be seated and wear adequate restraint systems. This is even more
important for children. This prescription is compulsory in all EC coun-
tries according to EC Directive 2003/20/EC. Compared with adults,
their head is proportionally larger and heavier than the rest of the
body, while the muscles and bone structure are not completely
developed. For this reason, they require restraint systems which
are different from those used by adults to protect them in the event
of an accident.
The results of research on the best child restraint systems are con-
tained in the European Standard EEC-R44. This Standard enforces
the use of restraint systems classified in five groups:
Group 0 up to 10 kg in weight
Group 0+ up to 13 kg in weight
Group 1 9-18 kg in weight
Group 2 15-25 kg in weight
Group 3 22-36 kg in weight
All restraint devices must bear the certification data, together with
the control brand, on a solidly fixed label which must absolutely
never be removed.
When over 1.50 m in height, from the point of view of restraint
systems, children are considered as adults and have to wear the
standard seat belts.
Lineaccessori Alfa Romeo includes child seats for each weight group.
These devices are recommended, having been specifically designed
for Alfa Romeo cars.
Do not arrange child seats facing backwards if the
front airbag on the passenger’s side is enabled. De-
ployment 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 dedicated child
seats on the rear seat, which is the most protected posi-
tion in the event of an accident.
Should it be absolutely necessary to carry a child
on the front seat in a cradle seat facing away from
the direction of travel, the passenger’s front air bag
and Side Bag should be deactivated by using the
Set-Up Menu. Deactivation can be verified by
checking the
“warning light in the instrument panel.
Move the passenger’s seat as far back as possible to avoid
contact between the child seat and the dashboard.
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SAFETY135
2
FITTING “UNIVERSAL”
CHILD SEAT (with seat belts)
GROUP 0 and 0+ fig. 8
Children weighing up to 13 kg must be carried in cradle seats fac-
ing backwards, which by supporting the head, do not induce stress
on the neck in the event of sharp deceleration. The cradle is re-
strained by the car seat belts, as shown in the diagram and in
turn it must restrain the child with its own belts.
fig. 8A0J0097mfig. 9A0J0098m
The diagrams are indicative and provided for as-
sembly purposes only. Refer to the instructions sup-
plied with the child seat during assembly.
GROUP 1 fig. 9
Children from 9 kg to 18 kg in weight can be carried facing for-
wards if the child seat is fitted with a front cushion. Some types
of child seat have a front cushion through which the vehicle seat
belt restrains the child and the seat together.
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136SAFETY
GROUP 2 fig. 10
Children from 15 to 25 kg can be secured using the car seat belts
directly. The child seat is only needed to position the child correct-
ly with respect to the belts so that the diagonal section crosses
the child’s chest and never the neck and is snug on the hips, not
the abdomen.
GROUP 3 fig. 11
For children from 22 kg to 36 kg the child’s chest is so small that
a spacing seat back is no longer required. Figure 11 shows prop-
er child seat positioning on the rear seat.
fig. 10A0J0099mfig. 11A0J0100m
The diagrams are indicative and provided for as-
sembly purposes only. Refer to the instructions sup-
plied with the child seat when fitting.
Some child restraint systems for weight groups 0
and 1 have a rear attachment and seat belts for
securing the child. Due to their weight, they may
be dangerous if incorrectly mounted (e.g. if fastened to
the car seat belts with a cushion in between). Follow the
assembly instructions carefully.
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SAFETY137
2
PASSENGER SEAT COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS ON UNIVERSAL CHILD’S SEAT USE
The car complies with the new European Directive 2000/3/EC which governs the arrangement possibilities for child restraints on the
various seats of the car as shown in the following table:
Key:
U = suitable for child restraint systems of the “Universal” category, according to European Standard EEC-R44 for the specified “Groups”.
Passenger Passenger rear
Group Weight ranges front side and central
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
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138SAFETY
Main safety rules to be followed
when carr ying children:
❍Install the child seats on the rear seat, which is the most pro-
tected position in the event of an accident;
❍when the passenger-side front air bag is deactivated always
check that the
Fwarning light remains permanently lit to
confirm the deactivation;
❍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 papers and this handbook. Do
not use second-hand child seats without instructions;
❍always check the seat belt is well fastened by pulling the belt;
❍only one child is to be strapped to each retaining system;
❍always check the seat belts do not rest around the child’s throat;
❍while travelling, do not let the child sit incorrectly or release the
belts;
❍Never carry children on your lap, even newborns. No-one could
hold on to a child in the event of an accident;
❍In the event of an accident, replace the child seat with a new
one.
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SAFETY139
2
“ISOFIX” CHILD RESTRAINT
ASSEMBLY SETUP
Provision has been made on the car to mount a Universal Isofix
child restraint system, a new European standardised system for car-
rying children safely.
It is possible to mount at the same time both the traditional re-
straint system and the Isofix one. Fig. 12 shows a child’s seat by
way of example. The Universal Isofix child’s seat covers weight
group: 1.
Other weight groups are covered by a specific Isofix child seat
that can be used only if specifically designed, tested and approved
for his vehicle (see the list of vehicles accompanying the child seat).
fig. 12A0J0093m
WARNING The centre rear seat is not certified for any type of child’s
seat.
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