The BeltMinderfeature uses information from the front passenger
sensing system to determine if a front seat passenger is present and
therefore potentially in need of a warning. To avoid activating the
BeltMinderfeature for objects placed in the front passenger seat,
warnings will only be given to large front seat occupants as determined
by the front passenger sensing system.
Both the driver’s and passenger’s safety belt usages are monitored and
either may activate the BeltMinderfeature. The warnings are the same
for the driver and the front passenger. If the BeltMinderwarnings have
expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver
or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the BeltMinder
feature.
If... Then...
The driver’s and front
passenger’s safety belts are
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position or less than 1-2 minutes
have elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned ON...The BeltMinderfeature will not
activate.
The driver’s or front passenger’s
safety belt is not buckled when
the vehicle has reached at least
3 mph (5 km/h) and 1-2 minutes
have elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned to ON...The BeltMinderfeature is activated
- the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for 6 seconds every 30
seconds, repeating for approximately
5 minutes or until the safety belts
are buckled.
The driver’s or front passenger’s
safety belt becomes unbuckled
for approximately 1 minute while
the vehicle is traveling at least 3
mph (5 km/h) and more than 1-2
minutes have elapsed since the
ignition switch has been turned
to ON...The BeltMinderfeature is activated
- the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for 6 seconds every 30
seconds, repeating for approximately
5 minutes or until the safety belts
are buckled.
2006 Milan(mln)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
104
The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts
(All statistics based on U.S. data):
Reasons given... Consider...
“Crashes are rare events”36700 crashes occur every day.The
more we drive, the more we are
exposed to “rare” events, even for
good drivers.1in4ofuswillbe
seriously injured in a crash during
our lifetime.
“I’m not going far”3of4fatal crashes occur within25
miles (40 km) of home.
“Belts are uncomfortable” We design our safety belts to enhance
comfort. If you are uncomfortable -
try different positions for the safety
belt upper anchorage and seatback
which should be as upright as
possible; this can improve comfort.
“I was in a hurry”Prime time for an accident.
BeltMinderreminds us to take a few
seconds to buckle up.
“Safety belts don’t work”Safety belts,when used properly,
reduce risk of deathto front seat
occupants by45% in cars,and by
60% in light trucks.
“Traffic is light”Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in
single-vehicle crashes,many when
no other vehicles are around.
“Belts wrinkle my clothes” Possibly, but a serious crash can do
much more than wrinkle your clothes,
particularly if you are unbelted.
“The people I’m with don’t
wear belts”Set the example, teen deaths occur 4
times more often in vehicles with
TWO or MORE people. Children and
younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
2006 Milan(mln)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
105
Reasons given... Consider...
“I have an airbag” Airbags offer greater protection when
used with safety belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.
“I’d rather be thrown clear” Not a good idea.Peoplewho are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE.Safety belts help prevent
ejection, WE CAN’T “PICK OUR
CRASH”.
Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid the
BeltMinderchime. Sitting on the safety belt will increase the
risk of injury in an accident. To disable (one-time) or deactivate the
BeltMinderfeature please follow the directions stated below.
One time disable
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the safety belt for that seating position, the BeltMinderis disabled for
the current ignition cycle. The BeltMinderfeature will enable during the
same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time
disable.
Deactivating/activating the BeltMinderfeature
The driver and front passenger BeltMinderare
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
Note: The driver and front passenger BeltMinderfeatures must be
disabled/enabled separately. Both cannot be disable/enabled during the
same key cycle.
The driver and front passenger BeltMinderfeatures can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
2006 Milan(mln)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
106
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•The parking brake is set
•The gearshift is in N (Neutral) (manual transmission)
•The gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission)
•The ignition switch is in the OFF position
•The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled
While the design allows you to deactivate your BeltMinder,this
system is designed to improve your chances of being safely
belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you leave the
BeltMindersystem activated for yourself and others who may use the
vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate/activate the
BeltMinderfeature while driving the vehicle.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT
START THE ENGINE)
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1
minute)
•Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
3. For the seating position being disabled, at a moderate speed, buckle
then unbuckle the safety belt 9 times, ending in the unbuckled state.
(Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.)
•After Step 3, the safety belt warning light will be turned on for three
seconds.
4. Within 10 seconds of the light turning on, at a moderate speed, buckle
then unbuckle the safety belt.
•This will disable the BeltMinderfeature for that seating position if it
is currently enabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds.
•This will enable the BeltMinderfeature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds, followed by 3 seconds with the
light off, then followed by the safety belt warning light flashing 4 times
per second for 3 seconds again.
2006 Milan(mln)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
107
AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
Important supplemental restraint system precautions
Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly or
gently and the risk of injury from a
deploying airbag is greatest close to
the trim covering the airbag module.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag
supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
2006 Milan(mln)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
108
Children and airbags
Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics
suggest that children are safer when
properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front
seating position. Failure to follow
these instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
Airbags can kill or injure a
child in a child seat.
NEVERplace a rear-facing child
seat in front of an active airbag. If
you must use a forward-facing
child seat in the front seat, move
the seat all the way back.
How does the safety belt pretensioner and airbag supplemental
restraint system work?
The safety belt pretensioner and
airbag SRS are designed to activate
when the vehicle sustains
longitudinal deceleration sufficient
to cause the sensors to close an
electrical circuit that initiates
pretensioner activation and airbag
inflation.
The fact that the pretensioners and
airbags did not activate in a collision
does not mean that something is
wrong with the system. Rather, it means the forces were not of the type
sufficient to cause activation. Front airbags are designed to activate in
frontal and near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or
rear-impacts unless the collision causes sufficient longitudinal
deceleration.
2006 Milan(mln)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
110
The airbags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After airbag
deployment, it is normal to notice a
smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This may
consist of cornstarch, talcum
powder (to lubricate the bag) or
sodium compounds (e.g., baking
soda) that result from the
combustion process that inflates the
airbag. Small amounts of sodium
hydroxide may be present which
may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic.
While the system is designed to help
reduce serious injuries, contact with
a deploying airbag may also cause abrasions, swelling or temporary
hearing loss. Because airbags must inflate rapidly and with considerable
force, there is the risk of death or serious injuries such as fractures,
facial and eye injuries or internal injuries, particularly to occupants who
are not properly restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time
of airbag deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be
properly restrained as far away from the airbag module as possible while
maintaining vehicle control.
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not
touch them after inflation.
If the air bag has deployed,the air bag will not function
again and must be replaced immediately.If the air bag is not
replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.
The SRS consists of:
•driver and passenger airbag modules (which include the inflators and
airbags)
•seat-mounted side airbags (if equipped). Refer toSeat-mounted side
airbag systemlater in this chapter
•safety belt pretensioners
2006 Milan(mln)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
111
•one or more impact and safing sensors
•a readiness light and tone
•and the electrical wiring which connects the components
•Side curtain airbag system. Refer toSide curtain airbag systemlater
in this chapter.
•Front passenger sensing system. Refer toFront passenger sensing
system.later in this chapter.
•“Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp. Refer to
Front passenger sensing system.later in this chapter.
The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the
supplemental airbag electrical system wiring (including the impact
sensors), the system wiring, the airbag system readiness light, the airbag
back up power, the airbag ignitors and safety belt pretensioners.
Front passenger sensing system
The front passenger sensing system is designed to meet the regulatory
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208
and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the front passenger’s frontal
airbag under certain conditions.
The front passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of
the front passenger’s seat and safety belt. The sensors are designed to
detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the
front passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or
disabled (will not inflate).
The front passenger sensing system will disable (will not inflate) the
front passenger’s frontal airbag if:
•the front passenger seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in
the front seat.
•the system determines that an infant is present in a rear-facing infant
seat that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
•the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing
child restraint that is installed according to the manufacturer’s
instructions.
•the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat.
•a front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of
time.
2006 Milan(mln)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
112