FIAT 500 ABARTH 2014 2.G Repair Manual

Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight or Age Recommended Type of Child Restraint
Infants and
Toddlers
Children who are two years old or
younger and who have not reached the
height or weight limits of their child
restraint
Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible
Child Restraint, facing rearward in the rear
seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or
who have out-grown the height or weight
limit of their rear-facing child restraint
Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a
five-point Harness, facing forward in the
rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have out-grown their
forward-facing child restraint, but are too
small to properly fit the vehicle’s seat belt
Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the ve-
hicle seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the
vehicle
Children Too Large
for Child Restraints
Children 12 years old or younger, who
have out-grown the height or weight limit
of their booster seat
Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear seat of
the vehicle
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Infants And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rearward-
facing in the vehicle until they are two years old or until
they reach either the height or weight limit of their rear
facing child safety seat. Two types of child restraints can
be used rearward-facing: infant carriers and convertible
child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children from birth until
they reach the weight or height limit of the infant carrier.
Convertible child seats can be used either rearward-
facing or forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child
seats often have a higher weight limit in the rearward-
facing direction than infant carriers do, so they can be
used rearward-facing by children who have outgrown
their infant carrier but are still less than at least two years
old. Children should remain rearward-facing until they
reach the highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear facing infant seat in front of an
air bag. A deploying Passenger Advanced Front Air
Bag can cause death or serious injury to a child 12
years or younger, including a child in a rearward
facing infant seat.
•Only use a rearward-facing child restraint in a
vehicle with a rear seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and
convertible child seats used in the forward-facing direc-
tion are for children who are over two years old or who
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have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of
their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should
remain in a forward-facing child seat with a harness for
as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height
allowed by the child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a
belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts
fit properly. If the child cannot sit with knees bent over
the vehicle’s seat cushion while the child’s back is against
the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning booster
seat. The child and belt-positioning booster seat are held
in the vehicle by the seat belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchor-
ages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it
loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it
could strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause
serious personal inury.
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Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend
over the front of the seat when their back is against the
seatback, should use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use this
simple 5-step test to decide whether the child can use the
vehicle’s seat belt alone:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against the back of
the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front
of the vehicle seat – while they are still sitting all the
way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder
between their neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching
the child’s thighs and not their stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” then the
child still needs to use a booster seat in this vehicle. If the
child is using the lap/shoulder belt, check belt fit peri-
odically. A child’s squirming or slouching can move the
belt out of position. If the shoulder belt contacts the face
or neck, move the child closer to the center of the vehicle.
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an arm
or behind their back.
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Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type
Combined
Weight of the
Child + Child
Restraint
Use any attachment method shown with an “X” Below
LATCH –
Lower Anchors
Only
Seat Belt Only
LATCH –
Lower Anchors
+ Top Tether
Anchor
Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint
Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg)
XX
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint
More than
65 lbs (29.5 kg)
X
Forward-Facing
Child Restraint
Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg)
XX
Forward-Facing
Child Restraint
More than
65 lbs (29.5 kg)
X
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Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
Restraint System
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system
has three vehicle anchor points for installing LATCH-
equipped child seats. There are two lower anchorages
located at the back of the seat cushion where it meets the
seatback and one top tether anchorage located behind the
seating position. These anchorages are used to install
LATCH-equipped child seats without using the vehicle’s
seat belts. Some seating positions may have a top tether
anchorage but no lower anchorages. In these seating
positions, the seat belt must be used with the top tether
anchorage to install the child restraint. Please see the
following table for more information.
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints In
This Vehicle
•Lower Anchorage Symbol 2 anchorages per
seating position
•Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
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What is the weight limit (child’s
weight + weight of the child re-
straint) for using the LATCH an-
chorage system to attach the child
restraint?
65 lbs (29.5 kg) Use the LATCH anchorage system
until the combined weight of the
child and the child restraint is
65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the seat belt
and tether anchor instead of the
LATCH system once the combined
weight is more than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and
the seat belt be used together to
attach a rear-facing or forward-
facing child restraint?
No Do not use the seat belt when you
use the LATCH anchorage system
to attach a rear-facing or forward-
facing child restraint.
Can a child seat be installed in the
center position using the inner
LATCH lower anchorages?
N/A
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Can two child restraints be at-
tached using a common lower
LATCH anchorage?
No Never “share” a LATCH anchorage
with two or more child restraints.
If the center position does not have
dedicated LATCH lower anchor-
ages, use the seat belt to install a
child seat in the center position
next to a child seat using the
LATCH anchorages in an outboard
position.
Can the rear-facing child restraint
touch the back of the front passen-
ger seat?
YesThe child seat may touch the back
of the front passenger seat if the
child restraint manufacturer also
allows contact. See your child re-
straint owner ’s manual for more
information.
Can the head restraints be re-
moved?
Yes, all.
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Locating The LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round bars that are
found at the rear of the seat cushion where it
meets the seatback, below the anchorage sym-
bols on the seatback. They are just visible when
you lean into the rear seat to install the child restraint.
You will easily feel them if you run your finger along the
gap between the seatback and seat cushion.
Locating The LATCH Anchorages
In addition, there are tether strap anchorages
behind each rear seating position located on
the back of the seat.
LATCH Anchorages
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