2008 SMART FORTWO COUPE weight

Occupant safety
58
>> Safety. How the air bag operates
The air bag is inflated in a matter of
milliseconds. If the air bag is triggered, the
SRS indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
illuminates.
!
If the air bags are activated, you will hear
a loud noise and some dust may be generated.
The explosion fundamentally represents no
risk to your hearing.
The inflated air bag slows down and reduces
the movement of the occupant. When the
occupant makes contact with the air bag, hot
gas flows out of the inflated front air bags and
head
thorax air bags. This reduces the load
on the occupant’s head and upper body. These
air bags are consequently deflated after the
accident.Head
thorax air bags
G
Warning!
There is a possibility for a head
thorax
air bag related injury if occupants, espe

cially children, are not properly seated
or restrained when next to a head
thorax
air bag which needs to deploy rapidly in a
side impact in order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury,
please follow these guidelines:
(1) Occupants, especially children,
should never place their bodies or
lean their heads in the area of the
door where the head
thorax air bag
inflates. This could result in serious
injuries or death should the head

thorax air bag be deployed.
(2) Always sit as upright as possible,
properly use the seat belts, and for all
children 12 years old or under, use an
appropriately sized infant restraint,
toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight
of the child.
(3) Always wear seat belts properly.G
Warning!
Only use seat covers which have been
tested and approved by smart for your
vehicle model. Using other seat covers
may interfere with or prevent the deploy

ment of the head
thorax air bags.
Contact an authorized smart center for
availability.

Occupant safety
60
>> Safety.
i
The front air bags in this vehicle have
been designed to inflate in two stages. This
allows the air bag to have different rates of
inflation that are based on the rate of relevant
vehicle deceleration and a fastened or unfas

tened seat belt as assessed by the air bag
control unit.
On the passenger side, the front air bag
deployment is additionally influenced by the
passenger’s weight category as identified by
the Occupant Classification System (OCS)
(
page 60).
The lighter the passenger side occupant, the
higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
for the second stage inflation of the air bag.
The air bags will not deploy in impacts which
do not exceed the system’s deployment
thresholds. In such instances, the seat belts
are designed to protect you.The passenger air bag will only be deployed if
• the system, based on OCS weight sensor
readings, senses that the passenger seat is
occupied and the 57 indicator
lamp is not lit (

page 64).
• the impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold.
The driver front air bag is located in the
steering wheel housing, the passenger front
air bag above the glove box.
1
Driver front air bag
2
Passenger front air bag
Occupant Classification SystemThe O
ccupant C
lassification S
ystem (OCS)
automatically turns the passenger front air
bag on or off based on the classified occupant
weight category determined by weight sensor
readings from the passenger seat.
i
The system does not deactivate the head

thorax air bag, the seat Emergency Tension

ing Devices, and the seat belt force limiters.
Occupants must sit properly belted in a posi

tion that is as upright as possible with their
back against the seat backrest and feet on the
floor to be correctly classified. If the occu

pant's weight is transferred to another object
in the vehicle (e.g. by leaning on armrests),
the OCS may not be able to properly approxi

mate the occupant’s weight category. P91.60
3287
31

Occupant safety
>> Safety.
61
i
If the seat, including the trim cover and
cushion, needs to be serviced in any way, take
the vehicle to an authorized smart center.
Only seat accessories approved by smart may
be used.
Both driver and the passenger should always
use the57 indicator lamp as an
indication of whether or not the passenger is
properly positioned (

page 64).
G
Warning!
If the57 indicator lamp illu

minates when an adult or someone larger
than a small individual is in the passenger
seat, have the passenger re
position
himself or herself in the seat until
the57 indicator lamp goes
out.
In the event of a collision, the air bag
control unit will not allow passenger front
air bag deployment when the OCS classi

fied the passenger seat occupant as
being up to or less than the weight of a
typical 12
month
old child in a standard
child restraint or if the passenger seat is
sensed as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the passenger
seat occupant is classified as being up to
or less than the weight of a typical
12
month
old child in a standard child
restraint, the57 indicator
lamp will illuminate when the ignition is
switched on and remain illuminated, indi

cating that the passenger front air bag is
deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger
seat is classified as being empty,
the57 indicator lamp will
illuminate and remains illuminated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger
seat occupant is classified as being
heavier than the weight of a typical
12
month
old child seated in a standard
child restraint or as being a small indi

vidual (such as a young teenager or a
small adult), the57 indica

tor lamp will illuminate for approximately
4 seconds when the ignition is switched
on and then, depending on occupant
weight sensor readings from the seat,
remains illuminated or goes out.
When the57 indicator lamp
is illuminated, the passenger front air
bag is deactivated.
When the57 indicator lamp
is out and the passenger seat is occupied
by an adult or someone larger than a
small individual, the passenger front air
bag is activated.

Occupant safety
62
>> Safety.When the OCS senses that the passenger
seat occupant is classified as an adult or
someone larger than a small individual,
the57 indicator lamp will
illuminate for approximately 4 seconds
when the ignition is switched on and then
goes out, indicating that the passenger
front air bag is activated.
If the57 indicator lamp is
illuminated, the passenger front air bag
is deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the57 indicator lamp is
not illuminated, the passenger front air
bag is activated and will be deployed:
• in the event of certain frontal impacts
• if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
• independently of the head
thorax air
bags
If the passenger front air bag is de

ployed, the rate of inflation will be
influenced by:
• the rate of vehicle deceleration and a
fastened or unfastend seat belt as
assessed by the air bag control unit
• the passenger’s weight category as
identified by the Occupant Classifica

tion System (OCS).
G
Warning!
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriate infant or child restraint
recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
The infant or child restraint must be
properly secured with the vehicle’s seat
belt, fully in accordance with the child
seat manufacturer's instructions.
Children can be killed or seriously
injured by an inflating air bag. Note the
following important information:
• Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12
month
old child or less
along with the weight of a standard
appropriate child restraint on the
passenger seat.

Occupant safety
>> Safety.
63
i
Deployment of the driver front air bag
does not mean that the passenger front air
bag also should have deployed.
The Occupant Classification System
(

page 60) may have determined:
• that the seat was empty or occupied by the
weight up to or less than that of a typical
12
month
old child seated in a standard
child restraint – both instances where the
system suppresses deployment of the pas

senger front air bag even though the impact
met the criteria and was of sufficient
severity to deploy the driver front air bag.
• that the seat was occupied by a small indi

vidual (such as a young teenager or a small
adult) or a child weighing more than the
weight of a typical 12
month
old child in a
standard child restraint – instances where
the system may suppress deployment of the
passenger front air bag even though the
impact met the criteria and was of sufficient
severity to deploy the driver front air bag.
• A child in a rear
facing child restraint
on the passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision
which could occur under some circum

stances, even with the air bag technol

ogy installed in your vehicle.
• If you install a rear
facing child
restraint on the passenger seat, make
sure that the57 indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the57 indicator
lamp not illuminate or go out while the
restraint is installed, please check
installation.
Periodically check the57
indicator lamp while driving to make
sure the57 indicator
lamp is illuminated.
If the57 indicator lamp
goes out or remains out, do not trans

port a child on the passenger seat until
the system has been repaired.
A child in a rear
facing child restraint
on the passenger seat may be seriously
injured or even killed if the passenger
front air bag inflates.
• If you place a child in a forward
facing
child restraint on the passenger seat,
move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint recom

mended for the age, size and weight of
the child by the seat manufacturer, and
secure child restraint with the vehi

cle’s seat belt according to the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions. For
children larger than the typical
12
month
old child, the passenger
front air bag may or may not be acti

vated (

page 60).

Occupant safety
64
>> Safety. Passenger front air bag off indicator lamp
The indicator lamp is located on the overhead
control panel.
1
Passenger front air bag off indicator lamp
Passenger front air bag off indicator lamp
1
illuminates when the passenger front air bag
is deactivated.Self
test Occupant Classification System
After turning the key in the starter switch to
position1 or2, the57 indicator
lamp located in the center console illuminates.
If an adult occupant is properly sitting on the
passenger seat and the system senses the oc

cupant as being an adult, the57
indicator lamp will illuminate and go out after
approximately 4 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the passenger seat as being empty,
the 57 indicator lamp will
illuminate and remains illuminated. P68.10
3621
31
G
Warning!
When the SRS indicator lamp= and
the57 indicator lamp are lit
at the same time, there is a malfunction in
the Occupant Classification System.
In order to ensure proper operation of
the air bag system and OCS:
• Have the system checked as soon as
possible by qualified technicians. Con

tact an authorized smart center.
• Sit properly belted in a position that is
as upright as possible with your back
against the seat backrest.
• Do not lean on the armrests or lift
yourself from the seat by using the
ha n dl e o ver the do or a s thi s ma y ca use
the OCS to be unable to correctly
approximate the occupant weight
category.
• Only have the seat repaired or
replaced by an authorized smart cen

ter.
• Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.

Occupant safety
>> Safety.
67
A statement by the child restraint manufac

turer of compliance with these standards can
be found on the instruction label on the
restraint and in the instruction manual
provided with the restraint.
When using any infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat be sure to carefully
read and follow all manufacturer’s instruc

tions for installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels
affixed to the inside of the vehicle and to
infant or child restraints.
G
Warning!
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint,
toddler restraint, or booster seat recom

mended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infant or child restraint must be
properly secured with the vehicle’s seat
belt fully in accordance with the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
head
thorax air bag inflates. This could
result in serious injuries or death should
the head
thorax air bag be triggered.
Always sit as upright as possible, prop

erly use the seat belt and use an appro

priately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended
for the size and weight of the child.
Children can be killed or seriously
injured by an inflating air bag. Note the
following important information when
circumstances require you to place a
child in the passenger seat:
• Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the Occupant Classification Sys

tem senses the weight of a typical
12
month
old child or less along with
the weight of an appropriate child re

straint on the passenger seat.
• A child in a rear
facing child restraint
on the passenger seat may be seriously
injured or even killed if the passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision.
• If you install a rear
facing child
restraint on the passenger seat, make
sure that the57 indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the
passenger front air bag is deactivated.

Occupant safety
68
>> Safety.Should the57 indicator
lamp not illuminate or go out while the
restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check
the57 indicator lamp
while driving to make sure
the57 indicator lamp is
illuminated. If the57
indicator lamp goes out or remains out,
do not transport a child on the passen

ger seat until the system has been
repaired. A child in a rear
facing child
restraint on the passenger seat may be
seriously injured or even killed if the
passenger front air bag inflates.
• If you place a child in a forward
facing
child restraint on the passenger seat,
move the seat as far back as possible,
use a proper child restraint recom

mended for the age, size and weight of
the child, and secure child restraint
with the vehicle’s seat belt according
to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions. For children larger than
the typical 12
month
old child, the
passenger front air bag may or may not
be activated (

page 61).
G
Warning!
Infants and small children should never
share a seat belt with another occupant.
During an accident, they could be
crushed between the occupant and seat
belt.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries
is significantly increased if the child
restraint are not properly secured in the
vehicle and/or the child is not properly
secured in the child restraint.
Children too big for a toddler restraint
must ride in a seat using regular seat
belt.