belt FIAT 500L 2016 2.G Owner's Manual

The SABICs and SABs (“Side Air Bags”) are designed to
activate in certain side impacts and certain rollover
events. The Occupant Restraint Controller (“ORC”) de-
termines whether the deployment of the Side Air Bags in
a particular side impact or rollover event is appropriate,
based on the severity and type of collision. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of whether or not
Side Air Bags should have deployed.
Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt restraint
system. Side Air Bags deploy in less time than it takes to
blink your eyes. Occupants, including children, who are
up against or very close to Side Air Bags can be seriously
injured or killed. Occupants, including children, should
never lean on or sleep against the door, side windows, or
area where the Side Air Bags inflate, even if they are in an
infant or child restraint.
Seat belts (and child restraints where appropriate) are
necessary for your protection in all collisions. They alsohelp keep you in position, away from inflating Side Air
Bags. To get the best protection from the Side Air Bags,
occupants must wear their seat belts properly and sit
upright with their backs against the seats. Children must
be properly restrained in a child restraint or booster seat
that is appropriate for the size of the child.
WARNING!
•
Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not lean
against the door or window. Sit upright in the
center of the seat.
• Being too close to the Side Air Bags during deploy-
ment could cause you to be severely injured or
killed.
• Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could lead to
more severe injuries in a collision. The Side Air
Bags work with your seat belt to restrain you
(Continued)
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

WARNING!(Continued)
properly. In some collisions, Side Air Bags won’t
deploy at all. Always wear your seat belt even
though you have Side Air Bags.
NOTE: Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment.
Side Impacts
In side impacts, the side impact sensors aid the ORC in
determining the appropriate response to impact events.
The system is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags on
the impact side of the vehicle during impacts that require
Side Air Bag occupant protection. In side impacts, the
Side Air Bags deploy independently; a left side impact
deploys the left Side Air Bags only and a right side
impact deploys the right Side Air Bags only. The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side collisions,
including some collisions at certain angles, or some side
collisions that do not impact the area of the passenger
compartment. The Side Air Bags may deploy during
angled or offset frontal collisions where the Advanced
Front Air Bags deploy.
Rollover Events
Side Air Bags are designed to activate in certain rollover
events. The ORC determines whether the deployment of
the Side Air Bags in a particular rollover event is appro-
priate, based on the severity and type of collision. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of whether or not
Side Air Bags should have deployed.
The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all rollover events.
The rollover sensing system determines if a rollover
event may be in progress and whether deployment is
appropriate. In the event the vehicle experiences a roll-
over or near rollover event, and deployment of the Side
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Air Bags is appropriate, the rollover sensing system will
also deploy the seat belt pretensioners on both sides of
the vehicle.
If A Deployment Occurs
The Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to deflate
immediately after deployment.
NOTE:Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all
collisions. This does not mean something is wrong with
the air bag system.
If you do have a collision which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
• The air bag material may sometimes cause abrasions
and/or skin reddening to the occupants as the air bags
deploy and unfold. The abrasions are similar to fric-
tion rope burns or those you might get sliding along a
carpet or gymnasium floor. They are not caused by
contact with chemicals. They are not permanent and normally heal quickly. However, if you haven’t healed
significantly within a few days, or if you have any
blistering, see your doctor immediately.
• As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air
bag inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the
skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye
irritation, rinse the area with cool water. For nose or
throat irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation
continues, see your doctor. If these particles settle on
your clothing, follow the garment manufacturer ’s in-
structions for cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have de-
ployed. If you are involved in another collision, the air
bags will not be in place to protect you.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53

WARNING!
Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags,
seat belt pretensioners, and the seat belt retractor
assemblies replaced by an authorized dealer imme-
diately. Also, have the Occupant Restraint Controller
System serviced as well.
NOTE:
• Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
• After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact, if the communication network
remains intact, and the power remains intact, depending on the nature of the event, the ORC will determine
whether to have the Enhanced Accident Response Sys-
tem perform the following functions:
•
Cut off fuel to the engine.
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the hazard light button is pushed. The hazard
lights can be deactivated by pushing the hazard light
button.
• Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power or for 15 minutes from the
intervention of the Enhanced Accident Response Sys-
tem.
• Unlock the power door locks.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

assist in understanding how a vehicle’s systems per-
formed. The EDR is designed to record data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle
is designed to record such data as:
•How various systems in your vehicle were operating;
• Whether or not the driver and passenger safety belts
were buckled/fastened;
• How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
• How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better understanding of
the circumstances in which crashes and injuries occur. NOTE:
EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no per-
sonal data (e.g., name, gender, age, and crash location)
are recorded. However, other parties, such as law en-
forcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of
personally identifying data routinely acquired during a
crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equipment is
required, and access to the vehicle or the EDR is needed.
In addition to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties,
such as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have access to the
vehicle or the EDR.
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up at all
times, including babies and children.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59

Every state in the United States, and every Canadian
province, requires that small children ride in proper
restraint systems. This is the law, and you can be pros-
ecuted for ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride properly
buckled up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seats rather than in the front.
WARNING!
In a collision, an unrestrained child can become a
projectile inside the vehicle. The force required to
hold even an infant on your lap could become so
great that you could not hold the child, no matter
how strong you are. The child and others could be
badly injured. Any child riding in your vehicle
should be in a proper restraint for the child’s size.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for children
from newborn size to the child almost large enough for an
adult safety belt. Always check the child seat Owner ’s
Manual to make sure you have the correct seat for your
child. Carefully read and follow all the instructions and
warnings in the child restraint Owner ’s Manual and on all
the labels attached to the child restraint.
Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it has
a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. You should also make sure that you can install
it in the vehicle where you will use it.
NOTE:
•For additional information, refer to
www.seatcheck.org or call 1–866–732–8243.
• Canadian residents should refer to Transport Cana-
da’s website for additional information: www.tc.gc.ca/
eng/motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-childsafety-
index-53.htm
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and Tod- dlers 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 weightlimit 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 vehicle
seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the ve- hicle
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 vehicle2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 61

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 63

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.
64 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 65