2000 MITSUBISHI CARISMA Owners Manual

SEATS AND SEATBELTS
3–29
G28L087d
The front air bags ARE DESIGNED NOT TO DEPLOY when...
The front air bags are designed not to deploy
in conditions where they cannot typically pro-
vide protection to the occupant.
Such conditions are shown in the illustration:1-Rear end collisions
2-Side collisions
3-Vehicle rolls onto its side or roofBecause the front air bags do not protect the
occupant in al types of frontal collisions, be
sure to always properly wear your seat belts.

SEATS AND SEATBELTS
3–30
G28L088d
The front air bags MAY DEPLOY when...
The front air bags may deploy if the bottom
of the vehicle suffers a moderate to severe
impact (undercarriage damage).
Examples of some typical conditions are
shown in the illustration:1-Collision with an elevated median/is-
land or curb
2-Vehicle travels over a deep hole/po-
thole
3-Vehicle drives down a steep slope and
hits the groundBecause the front air bags may deploy in
certain types of unexpected impacts as
shown in the illustration that can easily move
you out of position, it is important to always
properly wear your seat belts. Your seat belts
will help you to keep a safe distance from the
steering wheel and instrument panel during
the initial stages of air bag deployment. The
initial stage of air bag inflation is the most
forceful and can possibly cause serious or
fatal injuries if you contact it at this stage.

SEATS AND SEATBELTS
3–31
G28G326a
WARNING
(1) Do not attach anything to the
steering wheel padded cover,
such as trim material, badges,
etc. It might strike and injure an
occupant if the air bag inflates.
(2) Do not set anything on or attach
anything to the instrument panel
above the glove box. It might
strike and injure an occupant if
the air bag inflates.
WARNING
(3) Do not attach accessories to or
put them in front of the wind-
screen. These objects could re-
strict the air bag inflation or strike
and injure an occupant if the air
bags inflate.
(4) Do not put packages, pets or
other objects between the air
bags and the driver or front pass-
enger. It could affect air bag per-
formance or could cause injury
when the air bag inflates.
(5) Right after the air bag inflation,
several air bag system compo-
nents will be hot. Do not touch
them; you could be burned.
(6) The air bag system is designed to
work only once. Once the air bags
have deployed, they will not work
again. They must promptly be re-
placed and the entire air bag sys-
tem inspected by an authorized
MITSUBISHI dealer.
(7) If the vehicle is involved in a
frontal collision but the air bags
are not inflated, have the air bag
system checked and, if necess-
ary, replaced by an authorized
MITSUBISHI dealer.
G28L015a
Side air bag system
(front seat only)*
EG29D-A
The side air bags are contained in the driver
and front passenger seatbacks.

SEATS AND SEATBELTS
3–32
Type 1
G28L177a
The label shown here is attached to the seat-
backs with a side air bag.
The side air bag is designed to inflate only on
the side of the vehicle that is impacted.
Type 2
G28L016aG28L055a
Deployment of side air bags
The side air bags ARE DESIGNED TO
DEPLOY when...
The side air bags are designed to deploy
when the vehicle suffers a moderate to se-
vere side impact to the middle of the passen-
ger compartment.
The typical condition is shown in the illustra-
tion.
The seat belts in your vehicle are your pri-
mary means of protection in a collision. The
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) side
air bags are designed to provide additional
protection. Therefore, for your safety and the
safety of all occupants, be sure to always
properly wear your seat belts.

SEATS AND SEATBELTS
3–33
G28L089d
The side air bags MAY NOT DEPLOY when...
With certain types of side collisions, the ve-
hicle’s body structure is designed to absorb
the shock to help protect the occupants from
harm. (The vehicle body’s side area may de-
form significantly as it absorbs the impact.)
Under such circumstances, the side air bags
may not deploy irrespective of the deforma-
tion and damage to the vehicle body.
Examples of some typical conditions are
shown in the illustration:1-Side impacts in an area away from the
passenger compartment
2-Motorcycle or other similar small ve-
hicle collides with the side of the ve-
hicle
3-Collision with a utility pole, tree or
other narrow object
4-Oblique side impacts
5-Vehicle rolls onto its side or roofBecause the side air bags do not protect the
occupant in all types of side collisions, be
sure to always properly wear your seat belts.

SEATS AND SEATBELTS
3–34
G28L090d
The side air bags ARE DESIGNED NOT TO DEPLOY when...
The side air bags are designed not to deploy
in conditions where they cannot usually pro-
vide protection to the occupant.
Typical conditions are shown in the illustra-
tion:1-Head-on collisons
2-Rear end collisionsBecause the side air bags do not protect the
occupant in all types of side collisions, be
sure to always properly wear your seat belts.

SEATS AND SEATBELTS
3–35
WARNING
(1) The side air bags are designed to
supplement the driver and front
passenger seat belts in certain
side impacts. Seat belts should
always be worn properly, and the
driver and front passenger
should sit well back and upright
without leaning against the win-
dow or door.
G28L029a
WARNING
(2) The side air bag inflates with
great force. The driver and front
passenger should not put their
arms out the window and should
not lean against the door, in order
to reduce risk of serious or poss-
ible fatal injury from a deploying
side air bag.
(3) Do not allow any rear seat occu-
pant to hold onto the seatback of
either front seat, in order to re-
duce risk of injury from a deploy-
ing side air bag. Special care
should be taken with children.
WARNING
(4) Do not place any objects near or
in front of the seatback of either
front seat. They could interfere
with proper side air bag inflation
and also could cause injury if
thrown free by side air bag de-
ployment.
(5) Do not place stickers, labels or
additional trim on the seatback of
either front seat. They could inter-
fere with proper side air bag infla-
tion.
(6) Do not install seat covers on
seats with side air bags. Do not
re-cover the seats with side air
bags. They could interfere with
proper side air bag inflation.

SEATS AND SEATBELTS
3–36
WARNING
(7) Never install a rear-facing child
restraint in the front passenger
seat. A forward-facing child re-
straint should be used in the rear
seat only, whenever possible. If a
forward-facing child restraint
must be used in the front passen-
ger seat, adjust the seat to the
fully backward position and take
care to ensure that the child stays
in the child restraint and away
from the door.
Do not allow the child to lean
against or close to the front door
even if the child is seated in a
child restraint system.
The child’s head should also not
be leaned against or be close to
the area of the seat where the side
air bag is located. It is dangerous
if the side air bag inflates.
Failure to follow all of these in-
structions could lead to serious
or fatal injury to the child.
WARNING
(8) Work around and on the side air
bag system components should
only be done by an authorized
MITSUBISHI dealer. Improper
work could result in inadvertent
deployment of a side air bag or
could render a side air bag inop-
erative; either situation could re-
sult in serious injury.
G28G153a
SRS warning lampEG29F-Ac
There is a supplemental restraint system
(“SRS”) warning lamp on the instrument
panel. The system checks itself and the
lamp tells you if there is a problem. When the
ignition key is turned to the “ON” or “START”
position, the warning lamp should illuminate
for several seconds and then should go out.
This means the system is ready.
The SRS warning lamp is shared by the fol-
lowing:

Driver’s front air bag

Front passenger’s front air bag

Side air bags

Seat belt pre-tensioners