airbag off FIAT BARCHETTA 2003 1.G Owners Manual

58
AIR BAG
Description and operation
The front airbag (driver and passen-
ger) is a safety device which is imme-
diately triggered in the event of a front
impact.
It consists of an instantly inflatable
bag housed in a special compartment
located:
– in the centre of the steering wheel
on the driver’s side;
– in the dashboard on the passen-
ger’s side (larger bag).
The front airbag (driver and passen-
ger) is a device which protects the oc-
cupants of the car during a head-on
collision of a medium-high degree. The system was designed to protect
from injury caused by the body crash-
ing to the steering wheel or the dash-
board.
In a collision, an electronic control
unit processes the signals from a de-
celeration sensor and, where required,
inflates the airbag.
The bag inflates instantly and acts as
a soft protective barrier between the
front seat passengers and the struc-
tures in front of them that could cause
injury. The bags deflate immediately af-
terwards.
A passenger not wearing the seat
belt may crash into the bag before it is
fully inflated. In this case, the protec-
tion is considerably decreased.
The airbag, as a consequence, is not
a replacement for the use of seat belts
but rather a complement. We rec-
ommend that seat belts are worn at all
times as prescribed by legislation in Eu-
rope and most other countries world-
wide. In the event of front collisions at low
speed, the restraining action of the
seat belts is sufficient and the airbag
is not inflated.
For impacts against very deformable
or mobile objects (traffic sign poles,
heaps of gravel or snow, parked vehi-
cles), side impacts, wedging under oth-
er vehicles or barriers (e.g. under a
truck or guard rail), the airbag is not
necessary and may even be undesir-
able. In the event of frontal impacts in-
volving, for example, the mudguard
against a guard-rail, the airbags are not
triggered as they would not offer ad-
ditional protection with respect to the
seat belts and may be undesirable.
The fact that the airbag is not trig-
gered in these situations, this does not
signify a malfunction.
fig. 76
P5S00671m

59
AIRBAG PASSENGER SIDE
(where fitted)
The passenger side airbag was de-
signed and calibrated to protect a per-
son wearing seat belts.
When fully inflated, the bag will fill
most of the space between the dash-
board and the passenger. Manual deactivation
The passenger side airbag can be de-
activated if it is absolutely necessary to
carry a child in the front passenger
seat.
Turn the specific switch fig. 77
which can be reached by opening the
passenger side door with the ignition
key. The switch has two positions:
1 - Passenger side airbag on: (posi-
tion ON
P) instrument panel warn-
ing light off. Do not carry children on
the front seat.
2 -Passenger side airbag off: (posi-
tion OFFF) instrument panel warn-
ing light on. A child can be carried on
the front seat with a suitable restraint
system.
The instrument panel warning light
Fwill stay on until the passenger
side airbag is reactivated.
SEVERE DANGER:
if the car has a front
airbag on passenger side, do not
place the child seat on the front
seat.
WARNING
fig. 77
P5S10010m

61
Do not apply stickers or
other objects to the steer-
ing wheel or to the dashboard on
the passenger’s side. Do not travel
with objects on your lap or in front
of you nor with a pipe, pencil or
similar between your lips; you could
seriously hurt yourself if the airbag
inflates in a collision.
WARNING
The correct operation of
the front airbags and pre-
tensioners is only ensured if the car
is not overloaded.
WARNING
The airbag does not replace
seat belts but rather in-
creases their effectiveness. Further-
more, the front airbag is not fired in
the event of low speed front colli-
sions, side collisions, rear-end shunts
and roll-overs. In these cases, the
passengers are only protected by
the seat belts which for this reason
must always be fastened.
WARNING
Always drive with both
hands on the rim of the
steering wheel so that the airbag is
free to inflate during a head-on col-
lision, and protect you from serious
injury. Do not drive with your body
bending towards the steering wheel,
but sit in an upright position with
your back resting against the seat.
WARNING
If an attempt has been
made to steal the car, or if
it has actually been stolen or has
been vandalised in any way or sub-
jected to flooding, have the airbag
system checked over at a Fiat Deal-
ership.
WARNING
It is important to remember
that when the ignition key
is turned to MAR even if the engine
is off, the air bag can be fired when
the car is stationary if it hit by an-
other vehicle travelling at suitable
speed. As a consequence, Fiat rec-
ommends sitting children in their
specific retainer system on the back
seat, which is the most protected
position ossible. On the contrary,
the air bags will not be fired in the
car is crashed into when the key is
not insered or turned. Consequent-
ly, in this case, the fact that the
asystem is not fired does not indi-
cate a fault.
WARNING

159
INDEX
ABS ........................................... 56
Accessories purchased
by the owner .............................. 82
Accessory installation......... 149
Air cleaner................................... 122
Air recirculation ......................... 36
Airbags
– general information ............ 60
– switching the passenger side
airbag off .............................. 59
Ashtray ......................................... 43
Battery
– jump starting ................ 85-105
– liquid level ............................ 123
– recharging ............................. 105
Bodywork
– maintenance ......................... 130
– paint identification plate .... 137
– versions ............................... 137
Bonnet .......................................... 53
Boot
– opening/closing.................... 55
Brake fluid level .......................... 121Brake lights .................................. 96
Brakes
– fluid level............................... 121
– service and emergency
brakes .................................... 139
Bulb replacement ....................... 91
Car maintenance................. 111
Capacities ............................. 64-144
Catalytic converter .................. 66
Ceiling light.................................. 42
– bulb replacement ............... 98
Cellular phone setup................. 63
Central door locking................. 44
Cheap running ............................ 78
Children (safety) ........................ 24
Cigar lighter ................................ 43
Climate control system ............ 36
– controls................................. 36
– maintenance ......................... 130
Clutch ........................................... 139
CO
2emissions ........................... 147
Containing running costs
and pollution ........................... 76
Dashboard ................................ 7Defrosting.................................... 35
Demisting..................................... 35
Digital clock ................................ 29
Dimensions ................................ 142
Dipped-beam headlights
– controls ............................... 38
– bulb replacement ............... 93
Direction indicators
– controls ............................... 39
– front bulb replacement ..... 94
– rear bulb replacement ...... 95
– side bulb replacement ...... 95
Doors ........................................... 44
Driving your car..................... 67
Electric windows ..................... 45
Electronic alarm.................. 13-150
Electronic control units............ 125
Engine
– cooling................................... 138
– fuel feed/ignition ................. 138
– identification code .............. 136
– lubrication ............................ 138
– specifications........................ 137
Engine compartment washing . 132