FIAT 500 ABARTH 2016 2.G Repair Manual

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
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
• After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do
not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward
because it can loosen the child restraint attach-
ments. Remove the child restraint before adjusting
the vehicle seat position. When the vehicle seat has
been adjusted, reinstall the 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 injury.2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59

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 ofthe 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 seat belt fit
periodically and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched.
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, or use
a booster seat to position the seat belt on the child
correctly.
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an
arm or behind their back. In a crash, the shoulder belt
will not protect a child properly, which may result in
serious injury or death. A child must always wear
both the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt
correctly.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type CombinedWeight 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) X2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61

Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren
(LATCH) Restraint SystemYour 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.
62 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
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

What is the weight limit (child’s weight +
weight of the child restraint) for using the
LATCH anchorage system to attach the child
restraint?65 lbs (29.5 kg) Use the LATCH anchorage system until
the combined weight of the child and thechild 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 two child restraints be attached 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 anchorages, use the seat belt to in-
stall a child seat in the center position next to a child seat using the LATCH anchor- ages in an outboard position.
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Can the rear-facing child restraint touchthe back of the front passenger seat? Yes
The child seat may touch the back of the
front passenger seat if the child restraint
manufacturer also allows contact. See your child restraint owner ’s manual for more information.
Can the head restraints be removed? YesYes, all may be removed
Locating 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.
LATCH Anchorages
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65

Locating Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages behind each
rear seating position located on the back of the
seat.LATCH-compatible child restraint systems will be
equipped with a rigid bar or a flexible strap on each side.
Each will have a hook or connector to attach to the lower
anchorage and a way to tighten the connection to the
anchorage. Forward-facing child restraints and some
rear-facing child restraints will also be equipped with a
tether strap. The tether strap will have a hook at the end
to attach to the top tether anchorage and a way to tighten
the strap after it is attached to the anchorage.
Center Seat LATCH
WARNING!
This vehicle does not have a center seating position.
Do not use the center lower LATCH anchorages to
install a child seat in the center of the back seat.
Rear Seat Tether Strap Mounting
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Always follow the directions of the child restraint manu-
facturer when installing your child restraint. Not all child
restraint systems will be installed as described here.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
If the selected seating position has a Switchable Auto-
matic Locking Retractor (ALR) seat belt, stow the seat
belt, following the instructions below. See the section
“Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat Belt”
to check what type of seat belt each seating position has.
1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on thetether strap of the child seat so that you can more
easily attach the hooks or connectors to the vehicle
anchorages.
2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. For some second row seats, you
may need to recline the seat and / or raise the head
restraint to get a better fit. If the rear seat can be moved forward and rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to
move it to its rear-most position to make room for the
child seat. You may also move the front seat forward
to allow more room for the child seat.
3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of the child restraint to the lower anchorages in the selected seat-
ing position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage. See the section “Installing Child
Restraints Using the Top Tether Anchorage” for direc-
tions to attach a tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward into the seat. Remove slack
in the straps according to the child restraint manufac-
turer ’s instructions.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 67

6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly bypulling back and forth on the child seat at the belt
path. It should not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm)
in any direction.
How To Stow An Unused ALR Seat Belt:
When using the LATCH attaching system to install a child
restraint, stow all ALR seat belts that are not being used by
other occupants or being used to secure child restraints. An
unused belt could injure a child if they play with it and
accidentally lock the seat belt retractor. Before installing a
child restraint using the LATCH system, buckle the seat belt
behind the child restraint and out of the child’s reach. If the
buckled seat belt interferes with the child restraint installa-
tion, instead of buckling it behind the child restraint, route
the seat belt through the child restraint belt path and then
buckle it. Do not lock the seat belt. Remind all children in the
vehicle that the seat belts are not toys and that they should
not play with them.
WARNING!
•Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of the re-
straint. The child could be badly injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint.
• Child restraint anchorages are designed to with-
stand only those loads imposed by correctly-fitted
child restraints. Under no circumstances are they to
be used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for
attaching other items or equipment to the vehicle.
68 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE