2005 Alfa Romeo 159 Owner handbook (in English)

135
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
❒always check the seat belt is well fas-
tened by pulling the webbing;
❒only one child is to be strapped to
each retaining system;
❒always check the seat belts do not fit
around the child’s throat;
❒while travelling, do not let the child
sit incorrectly or release the belts;
❒passengers should never carry chil-
dren on their laps. No-one, however
strong they are, can hold a child in
the event of a crash;
❒in case of an accident, replace the
seat with a new one.
Below is a summary of the rules of
safety to be followed for carrying
children:
❒the recommended position for in-
stalling child’s seat is on the rear seat,
as it is the most protected in the case
of a crash;
❒if the passenger’s air bag is deacti-
vatedalwayscheck that the warn-
ing light
Fon the front ceiling light
panel is glowing steadily to indicate
that the air bag has been deactivat-
ed;
❒attain to the instructions for fasten-
ing the specific child restraint system
which you are using. These instruc-
tions must be provided by the man-
ufacturer. Keep the child restraint sys-
tem installation instructions with the
car documents and this Handbook.
Never use a child restraint system
without installation instructions;
With passenger’s air
bag active, never place
child’s seats with the cradle
facing backwards since the air
bag activation could cause to
the child serious injuries, even
mortal, regardless of the seri-
ousness of the crash that trig-
gered it. You are advised to
carry children always with
proper restraint systems on
the rear seats, as this is the
most protected position in the
case of a crash.
WARNING

136
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
Mount the child re-
straint system only
with the car stationary. The
Universal Isofix child restraint
system is properly anchored to
the mounting brackets when
clicks are heard. In any case,
keep to the installation in-
structions that must be pro-
vided by the child restraint
system Manufacturer.
WARNING
A0E0174mfig. 11
PRESETTING FOR
MOUNTING THE
“UNIVERSAL
ISOFIX” CHILD
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
This car is preset for mounting the Uni-
versal Isofix child restraint system, a
new European standardised system for
carrying children safely.
The Universal Isofix child’s seat covers
weight group: 1.
Due to its different anchoring system,
the Universal Isofix child's seat shall be
anchored to the proper metal brackets
A-fig. 11, set between rear seat back
and cushion. The upper belt (provided
with the child's seat) shall be then se-
cured to fasteners B-fig. 12set on rear
seat backrest behind the head restraints.It is possible to mount both the tradi-
tional restraint system and the Univer-
sal Isofix one, one on the left and the
other on the right respectively.
Remember that in case of Universal
Isofix child’s seat, you can only use all
those seats approved with the marking
Universal Isofix.A0E0190mfig. 12

137
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
FITTING THE UNIVERSAL
ISOFIX CHILD’S SEAT
Group 1
For proper mounting proceed as follows:
❒find the presetting brackets, then po-
sition the child restraint system with
the fastening devices aligned with the
brackets;
❒ push the child restraint system until
hearing locking clicks;
❒secure the upper belt (provided with
the child’s seat) to the fastener B-
fig. 12set on the rear seat back;
❒check proper locking by moving the
child’s seat with force.
For any further installation/use detail,
refer to the “Instructions Manual” that
must be provided by the child restraint
system Manufacturer.
FRONT AIR BAGS
The car is fitted with front multistage air
bags (“Smart bags”) for the driver and
the passenger and with knees air bag
for the driver and for the passenger
(where provided).
“SMART BAG” SYSTEM
(FRONT MULTISTAGE AIR
BAGS)
The front air bags (driver and passen-
ger) and knees air bags (driver and pas-
senger) have been designed to protect
the occupants in the event of head-on
crashes of medium-high severity, by plac-
ing cushions between the occupant and
the steering wheel or dashboard.
In case of crash, an electronic control
unit, when required, triggers the infla-
tion of the cushions that inflate, as a pro-
tection, between the body of the front
occupants and the structure that could
cause injuries. Immediately after, the
cushions deflate.The front air bags (driver and passen-
ger) and knees air bags (driver and pas-
senger) are not a replacement of but
complementary to the use of belts,
which should always be worn, as spec-
ified by law in Europe and most non Eu-
ropean countries.
In case of crash, a person not wearing
the seat belt moves forward and may
come into contact with the cushion while
it is still inflating. Under this circum-
stance the protection offered by the air
bag is reduced.

138
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
DRIVER’S FRONT AIR BAG
It consists of an instant-inflating cushion
contained in a special recess in the cen-
tre of the steering wheelfig. 14. Front air bags may not be activated in
the following situations:
❒front collisions against highly de-
formable objects not affecting the car
front surface (e.g. bumper collision
against guard rail, etc.);
❒in case of wedging under other ve-
hicles or protective barriers (for ex-
ample under a truck or guard rail);
❒the air bag is not triggered as it offers
no additional protection compared with
the seat belts, consequently it would
be pointless. Therefore, failure to come
into action in the above circumstance
does not mean that the system is not
working properly.
Do not apply stickers
or other objects to the
steering wheel or to the air
bag cover on the passenger’s
side or on the side roof lining.
Never put objects (e.g. mobile
phones) on the dashboard on
passenger side since they
could interfere with proper
passenger air bag inflation and
also cause serious injury.
WARNING
A0E0077mfig. 14

139
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
On cars fitted with front passenger’s air bag deactivation
(front air bag, knees air bag (where provided) and side
on seat), these air bags shall be deactivated when plac-
ing the child’s seat on the front passenger’s seat. More-
over, the front passenger’s seat shall be adjusted in the
most backward position to prevent any contact between the
child’s seat and the dashboard. Even if not compulsory by law,
you are recommended to reactivate the air bag immediately as
soon as the child transport is no longer necessary.
A0E0078mfig. 15
With passenger’s air bag active, never place child’s seats
with the cradle facing backwards since the air bag acti-
vation could cause to the child serious injuries, even mortal.
WARNING
WARNINGPASSENGER’S FRONT
AIR BAG
It consists of an instant-inflating cush-
ion contained into a special recess in the
dashboardfig. 15, this cushion has a
volume bigger than that of the driver.

140
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
MANUAL DEACTIVATION (where provided) OF PASSENGER’S
FRONT AIR BAG , KNEES AIR BAG (where provided) AND
PASSENGER’S FRONT SIDE BAG DRIVER’S AND
PASSENGER’S KNEES AIR
BAG (where provided)
Knees air bag consists of an instant-in-
flating cushion housed into a special
compartment provided for the purpose
under the steering wheel for the driver
fig. 16and into the lower part of the
dashboard for the passenger fig. 17,
to give further protection in the event of
frontal crash.
A0E0092mfig. 17A0E0079mfig. 16
Should it be absolutely necessary to car-
ry a child on the front seat, the pas-
senger’s front air bag, knees air bag
(where provided) and the side bag can
be deactivated. Deactivation/activation
shall be performed (with key removed
from ignition device) using the key
switch set on the right side of dashboard
fig. 18. You can reach the switch on-
ly if the door is opened. When the door
is open, the metal insert of the key can
be inserted and removed in both posi-
tions.IMPORTANTOperate the switch on-
ly when the engine is not running and
the ignition key is removed.
The key-operated switch has two posi-
tions:
❒passenger's front air bag and knees
air bag (where provided) and side
bag activated (ONposition
P):
warning light
Fon front ceiling light
panel off; it is absolutely prohibited
to carry a child on the front seat;
A0E0062mfig. 18

141
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
❒passenger's front air bag and knees
air bag (where provided) and side
bag deactivated (OFFposition
F):
warning light
Fon front ceiling light
panel on; it is possible to carry a child
protected by special restraint systems
on the front seat.
The warning light
Fon front ceiling
light panel stays on permanently until the
passenger’s air bags are reactivated.
Passenger's air bags deactivation will
not inhibit the operation of the head pro-
tection side bag (Window Bag).
SIDE AIR BAGS
(Side bag -
Window bag)
The car is fitted with front side bags for
driver and passenger (where provided) for
protecting the chest and window bags for
protecting front and rear occupant’s head.
Side bags protect car occupants from
side crashes of medium-high severity, by
placing the cushion between the occu-
pant and the internal parts of the side
structure of the car.
Non-activation of side bags in other
types of collisions (front collisions, rear
shunts, roll-overs, etc...) is not a system
malfunction.In case of side crash, an electronic con-
trol unit, when required triggers the in-
flation of the cushion. The cushion im-
mediately inflates, placing itself as a pro-
tection, between the occupant’s body
and the structure that could cause in-
juries. Immediately after, the cushion de-
flates.
Side air bags are not a replacement of
but complementary to the belts, which
you are recommended to always wear,
as specified by law in Europe and most
non-European countries.

142
WARNING
LIGHTS AND
MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
INDEX
CORRECT USE
OF THE CAR
DASHBOARD
AND
CONTROLS
SAFETY
DEVICES
SIDE WINDOW BAGS -
HEAD PROTECTION
They are “curtain” cushions located be-
hind the side coverings of the roof fig.
20and covered by proper finishing.
Window bags have been designed for
protecting the head of front and rear oc-
cupants in the event of side crash,
thanks to the wide cushion inflation sur-
face.
In minor side crashes (for which the re-
straining action of the seat belts is suf-
ficient), the air bags are not deployed.Also in this case it is of vital importance
to wear the seat belts since in case of
side crash they guarantee proper posi-
tioning of the occupant and prevent the
occupants to be pitched out of the car in
case of violent crashes.
IMPORTANTIn the event of side
crash, you can obtain the best protec-
tion by the system keeping a correct po-
sition on the seat, allowing thus a cor-
rect window bag unfolding.
IMPORTANTThe front air bags
and/or side bags may be deployed if
the car is subject to heavy knocks or
accidents involving the underbody area,
such as for example violent shocks,
against steps, kerbs or low obstacles,
falling of the car in big holes or sags in
the road.
FRONT SIDE BAGS - CHEST
AND PELVIS ZONE
PROTECTION
They are composed by two types of in-
stant inflation cushions and are housed
in the back rest of the front seats fig.
19. The task of the side air bags is to
increase protection of the occupants’
chest and pelvis zone in the event of a
side crash of medium-high severity.
A0E0093mfig. 19A0E0185mfig. 20