GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
35
fig. 47
A0A0487m
fig. 48
A0A0488m
Below is a summary of the safe-
ty rules to be observed when car-
rying children:
1)The recommended position for in-
stalling a child’s seat is on the rear seat, as
it is the most protected in the event of a
crash.
2)If the passenger’s Air bag is deactivat-
edalways, check the warning light
F
on the cluster to make sure that it has ac-
tually been deactivated.
3)Carefully follow the instructions pro-
vided with the child’s seat, which the sup-
plier is obliged to attach. Keep them in the
car together with the documents and this
booklet. Do not use used seats without the
instructions for use.4)Always pull the tape to check that the
belts are buckled.
5)All restraint systems are strictly for one
child only: never use for two children at the
same time.
6)Always make sure that the belts do not
rest on the child’s neck.
7)During the journey, do not allow the
child to stay in abnormal positions or release
the belts.
8)Do not carry children in your arms, not
even small babies. No-one, however strong,
can keep hold of them in a crash.
9)In the case of accidents, replace the
child’s seat with a new one.
FRONT AND SIDE
AIR BAGS
The car is fitted with front Air bags for the
driver (fig. 47), for the passenger (fig.
48), side bags (fig. 49) and window bags
(fig. 50).
If a passenger’s air bag is
installed, children should
never travel on the front seat.
WARNING
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
37
PASSENGER’S FRONT
AIR BAG
The passenger’s front air bag has been de-
signed to improve the protection of a per-
son wearing a seat belt.
Its volume at maximum inflation fills most
of the space between the dashboard and the
passenger.
MANUAL DEACTIVATION
OF PASSENGER’S FRONT
AIR BAG
Should it be absolutely necessary to car-
ry a child on the front seat, the passenger’s
front air bag can be deactivated.
Deactivation/reactivation takes place with
ignition key at STOPand operating it in the
special key switch on the right-hand side of
the dashboard (fig. 51). Access to the
switch is only possible with the door open.
fig. 51
A0A0061m
SERIOUS DANGER:
The car is fitted
with front passenger’s air bag.
Never place cradle child’s seats on
the front passenger seat of cars
equipped with passenger air bag
since the air bag activation could
cause serious injuries, even mor-
tal. In the case of need, always de-
activate the passenger’s air bag
when a child’s seat is placed on the
front seat. The front passenger
seat shall be adjusted in the most
backward position to prevent any
contact between child’s seat and
dashboard. Even if not ruled by
law, for better protection of adults
you are recommended to reacti-
vate the air bag immediately as
soon as child transport is no longer
necessary.
WARNING
Please don’t apply stickers
or other objects to the
steering wheel, to the air-bag cov-
er on the passenger's side or on the
side roof lining to the upholstery
on the roof side. Don’t place ob-
jects on the dashboard passenger’s
side (such as mobile phones) be-
cause they could tamper with the
correct opening of the passenger’s
air-bag and than cause serious in-
juries to the vehicle occupants.
WARNING
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
38
The key-operated switch (fig. 51) has
two positions:
1) Passenger’s front Air bag activated:
(ONposition
P) warning light on instru-
ment cluster off; it is absolutely prohibited
to carry a child on the front seat.
2) Passenger’s front Air bag deactivated:
(OFFposition
F) warning light on in-
strument cluster on; it is possible to carry a
child protected by special restraint systems
on the front seat.
The warning light
Fon the cluster stays
on permanently until the passenger’s Air bag
is reactivated.
Deactivation of the passenger’s front Air
bag does not inhibit operation of the side Air
bag.
When the door is open, the key can be
inserted and removed in both positions.
SIDE AIR BAGS
(SIDE BAG - WINDOW BAG)
The side bag and window bag have the
task of increasing protection of the occu-
pants in the event of a side crash of medi-
um-high severity.
They are formed of an instantaneously-in-
flating cushion:
– the side bag is housed in the back rest
of the front seats; with this solution it is al-
ways possible to have the cushion in the op-
timum position in relation to the passenger,
regardless of the adjustment of the seat;
– the window bags, which are “curtain“
cushions, are housed in the side roof lining
covered by a special trim, which makes it
possible to extend the cushion downwards.
This solution, designed to protect the head,
makes it possible to offer the highest degree
of protection to the front and rear occupants
in the event of side crash, thanks to the wide
cushion inflation surface.
In the event of a side crash, an electronic
control unit processes the signals leading
from a deceleration sensor and activates,
when necessary, inflation of the bags.The bags inflate instantaneously, setting
themselves between the body of the front
passengers and the car door. The bags de-
flate immediately afterwards.
In the event of minor side crashes (for
which the restraining action of the seat belts
is sufficient), 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 positioning of
the occupant and prevent the occupant to
be pitched out of the car in case of violent
crashes.
Therefore the side air bags do not replace
but are complementary to the use of belts,
which you are recommended to always
wear, as specified by law in Europe and most
non-European countries.
Operation of the side air bags and window
bags is not disabled by the front air bag de-
activation switch, as described in the previ-
ous paragraphs.
Use the switch only with
the engine off and the ig-
nition key removed.
WARNING
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
39
IMPORTANTIn the event of side crash,
you can obtain the best protection by the
system keeping a correct position on the
seat, thus allowing correct window bag un-
folding.
IMPORTANTThe front and/or side air
bags may be activated if the car is subjected
to heavy shocks or accidents that involve the
underbody area, such as for example violent
bumps against steps, pavements or fixed ob-
stacles on the ground, falling into big holes
or bumpy roads.IMPORTANTThe triggering of air bags
releases a small amount of powder. This pow-
der is not harmful and does not indicate a
start of fire; also the surfaces of the deployed
bag and the car interior may be covered with
dusty residue: this may irritate the skin and
eyes. In the event of exposure, wash with
neutral soap and water.
The airbag system has a validity of 14
years for the pyrotechnic charge and 10
years for the coil contact (see the plate lo-
cated on the front left door near the lock).
Contact Alfa Romeo Authorized Services for
replacement as these dates approach.
IMPORTANTIf an accident has trig-
gered the air bag, Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services must be contacted to have the de-
vices activated replaced and to have the
whole system checked.All operations involving checking, repair-
ing and replacing components concerning
the Air bag must be carried out by Alfa
Romeo Authorized Services.
If the car is to be demolished, Alfa Romeo
Authorized Services should be contacted be-
forehand to have the system deactivated.
If the car changes ownership, the new
owner must be informed of the instructions
for use and of the above warnings and be
given this “Owner’s Manual“.
IMPORTANTThe triggering of the pre-
tensioners, front air bags and side bags is
decided by the electronic control unit in a
differentiated manner depending on the type
of crash. The failure to trigger one or more
of them does not necessarily indicate a sys-
tem malfunction.
Never rest head, arms and
elbows on the door, on the
windows and in the window bag
area to prevent possible injuries
during the inflation phase.
WARNING
Never lean head, arms and
elbows out of the window.
WARNING
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
40
GENERAL CAUTIONS
You are reminded that
when the ignition key is
engaged and in the MAR position,
the Air bags can be triggered also
on a stationary vehicle, if it is
bumped by another moving vehi-
cle. Therefore, even with the car
stationary, never allow children on
the front seat. You are also re-
minded that with the car station-
ary, without the key engaged and
turned, the Air bags are not trig-
gered in the event of an impact; in
this case the failure to trigger the
air bags should not be considered
a system failure.
WARNING
Do not cover the back rest
of front seats with trims or
covers there are not set for the use
of side bags.
WARNING
If the ¬warning light does
not turn on when turning the
ignition key to MAR or if it stays on
when travelling, this could indicate a
failure in safety retaining systems; un-
der this condition air bags or preten-
sioners could not trigger in the event
of collision or, in a restricted number
of cases, they could trigger acciden-
tally. Stop the car contact Alfa Romeo
Authorised Services to have the sys-
tem checked immediately.
WARNING
Never travel with objects
on your lap, in front of the
chest or with a pipe, pencil, etc. be-
tween your lips. Serious injury may
result in the case of the air bag be-
ing triggered.
WARNING
If the car has been stolen
or an attempt to steal it
has been made, if it has been sub-
jected to vandals or floods, have
the Air bag system checked by Al-
fa Romeo Authorized Services.
WARNING
Always keep your hands
on the steering wheel rim
when driving, so that if the Air bag
is triggered, it can inflate without
meeting any obstacles. Do not dri-
ve with the body bent forwards,
keep the seat back rest in the erect
position and lean your back well
against it.
WARNING
Please don’t apply stickers
or other objects to the
steering wheel, to the air-bag cov-
er on the passenger's side or on the
side roof lining to the upholstery
on the roof side. Don’t place ob-
jects on the dashboard passenger’s
side (such as mobile phones) be-
cause they could tamper with the
correct opening of the passenger’s
air-bag and than cause serious in-
juries to the vehicle occupants.
WARNING
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
41
Turning the ignition key to
MAR the
Fwarning light
(with the passenger’s front Air bag
deactivation switch at ON) turns
on for about 4 seconds, and then
flashes for another 4 seconds to
remind that the passenger’s Air
bag and corresponding side Air
bags will be activated in the event
of a crash, then it goes off.
WARNING
Do not hook rigid objects to
the coat hooks and to the
support handles.
WARNING
Do not wash the seat back
with pressurised water or
steam (by hand or at automatic
seat washing stations).
WARNING
The front Air bags are de-
signed to be triggered for
heavier crashes than the preten-
sioners. It is therefore normal for
the pretensioners only to be trig-
gered for crashes within the two
activation thresholds.
WARNING
The air bag does not re-
place the seat belts, but in-
creases their effectiveness. Addi-
tionally, as the front air bags are
not triggered for head-on collision
at low speed, side crashes, crash-
es from behind or overturning, in
these cases the occupants are pro-
tected only by the seat belts, which
must, therefore, always be fas-
tened.
WARNING
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
42
STEERING
WHEEL LEVERS
The devices and services controlled by the
levers on the steering wheel can only be ac-
tivated with the ignition key at MAR.
LEFT-HAND LEVER
The left-hand lever controls the outer lights
except the fog lamps and rear fog guards.
When the outer lights are switched on, the
various controls on the dashboard are illu-
minated.
Only with the ignition key at PARK, re-
gardless of the position of the knurled ring,
the side lights and number plate lights stay
on.
Position (1or2-fig. 57) of the lever
causes the turning on only of the side lights
(front and rear), on the right or left respec-
tively.
Lights switched off (fig. 52)
When the pointer on the knurled ring is op-
posite the symbol Othe outer lights are
switched off.Sidelights(fig. 53)
The sidelights are switched on by turning
the knurled ring from Oto
6.
The
3warning light on the instrument
cluster will come on at the same time.
Dipped-beam headlights (fig. 54)
These are switched on by turning the
knurled ring from
6to2.
fig. 52
A0A0063m
fig. 53
A0A0064m
Main beams (fig. 55)
To turn main beams on, set knurled ring
to position
2, push the lever towards the
dashboard (stable position); warning light
1on the instrument panel will turn on.
To set dipped-beams back pull the lever to-
wards the steering wheel.
fig. 54
A0A0065m
fig. 55
A0A0066m
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CAR
43
Flashing(fig. 56)
The headlights are flashed pulling the lever
towards the steering wheel (instable posi-
tion) regardless of the position of the
knurled ring. The
1warning light on the
cluster will come on at the same time.
IMPORTANTOnly the main-beam lights
are flashed. To avoid penalties follow local
regulations.
Direction indicators (fig. 57)
Regardless of the position of the knurled
ring, moving the lever to the stable position
will:
up, position (1) - engage the right-hand
direction indicators;
down, position (2) - engage the left-hand
direction indicators.One of the warning lights (
RorE) will
come on on the instrument cluster at the
same time.
The lever is returned to its home position
automatically and the indicators are
switched off when the steering wheel is
straightened.
IMPORTANTIf you wish to signal a
rapid change of direction involving only a
minimal movement of the steering wheel,
the lever can be moved up or down without
it clicking (unstable position). When re-
leased, the lever will return to its home po-
sition. When low beams and fog lights turned
on, the external light control unit (integral
into the Body Computer) can behave ac-
cording to one of the following logic:
– as the high beams are turned on, the
low beams turn off, in the meanwhile the
fog lights remain on, and the starting con-
ditions are restored, as soon as the low
beams are turned on again;
– otherwise, when the high beams are
turned on, the fog lights are turned off, and
they will automatically be turned on again
when the high beams are turned off.
Hence, should the Body Computer be re-
placed, the lights management logic could
differ from the previous one.
fig. 56
A0A0067m
fig. 58
A0A0067m
fig. 57
A0A0068m