2011 FIAT FREEMONT belt

SEAT BELTS IN PASSENGER SEATING
POSITIONS
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with an Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
or a cinching latch plate which are used to secure a
child restraint system. For additional information refer
to “Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat
Belt” under the “Child Restraint” section. The chart
below defines the type of feature for each seatingposition.
Driver Center Passenger
First Row N/A N/A ALR
Second Row ALR ALR ALR
• N/A — Not Applicable
• ALR — Automatic Locking Retractor
If the passenger seating position is equipped with an
ALR and is being used for normal usage:
Only pull the belt webbing out far enough to comfort-
ably wrap around the occupant's mid-section so as to
not activate the ALR. If the ALR is activated, you will
hear a ratcheting sound as the belt retracts. Allow the
webbing to retract completely in this case and then
carefully pull out only the amount of webbing neces-
sary to comfortably wrap around the occupant's mid-
section. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you
hear a "click." AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR MODE
(ALR) — IF EQUIPPED
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-
locked. The belt will still retract to remove any slack in
the shoulder belt. The Automatic Locking Mode is
available on all passenger-seating positions with a com-
bination lap/shoulder belt. Use the Automatic Locking
Mode anytime a child safety seat is installed in a seating
position that has a belt with this feature. Children
12 years old and under should always be properly
restrained in the rear seat.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until
the entire belt is extracted.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound. This indicates the safety
belt is now in the Automatic Locking Mode.
How To Disengage The Automatic LockingMode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow
it to retract completely to disengage the Automatic
Locking Mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emer-
gency) locking mode.
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WARNING!
 The belt and retractor assembly must
be replaced if the seat belt assembly
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) feature or
any other seat belt function is not working prop-
erly when checked according to the procedures in
the Service Manual.
 Failure to replace the belt and retractor assem-
bly could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed
to remove slack from the seat belt in the event of an
accident. These devices may improve the performance
of the seat belt by assuring that the belt is tight about
the occupant early in an accident. Pretensioners work
for all size occupants, including those in child restraints.
NOTE: These devices are not a substitute for proper
seat belt placement by the occupant. The seat belt still
must be worn snugly and positioned properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occupant Re-
straint Controller (ORC). Like the air bags, the preten-
sioners are single use items. A deployed pretensioner
or a deployed air bag must be replaced immediately. SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVE HEAD
RESTRAINTS (AHR)
These head restraints are passive, deployable compo-
nents, and vehicles with this equipment cannot be
readily identified by any markings, only through visual
inspection of the head restraint. The head restraint will
be split in two halves, with the front half being soft
foam and trim, the back half being decorative plastic.
How The Active Head Restraints (AHR) Work
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the severity, or type of rear impact will require
the Active Head Restraints (AHR) to deploy. If a rear
impact requires deployment, both the driver and front
passenger seat AHRs will be deployed.
When AHRs deploy during a rear impact, the front half
of the head restraint extends forward to minimize the
gap between the back of the occupant’s head and the
AHR. This system is designed to help prevent or
reduce the extent of injuries to the driver and front
passenger in certain types of rear impacts.
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ENHANCED SEAT BELT USE REMINDER
SYSTEM (BELTALERT
®)
BeltAlert
®is a feature intended to remind the driver
and front passenger (if equipped with front passenger
BeltAlert®) to fasten their seat belts. This feature is
active whenever the ignition is on. If the driver or front
seat passenger is unbelted, the Seat Belt Reminder
Light will turn on and remain on until both front seat
belts are fastened. BeltAlert
®triggers within 60 sec-
onds of vehicle speed over 8 km/h. The reminder
sequence lasts for 96 seconds or until the respective
seat belts are fastened. After the sequence completes,
the Seat Belt Reminder Light remains illuminated until
front belts are fastened. The driver should instruct all
other occupants to fasten their seat belts. If a front seat
belt is unbuckled while traveling at speeds greater than
8 km/h, BeltAlert
®will chime as a single notification
and illuminate the Seat Belt Reminder Light, then will
proceed to the 96 second reminder sequence.
The front passenger seat BeltAlert
®is not active when
the front passenger seat is unoccupied. BeltAlert
®may
be triggered when an animal or heavy object is on the
front passenger seat or when the seat is folded flat (if
equipped). It is recommended that pets be restrained
in the rear seat in pet harnesses or pet carriers that are
secured by seat belts, and cargo is properly stowed.
NOTE:
• The BeltAlert
®can be enabled or disabled by your
authorized dealer. • The manufacturer of this vehicle does not recom-
mend deactivating the BeltAlert
®.
• If the BeltAlert
®
is deactivated, the Seat Belt Re-
minder Light will continue to illuminate as long as the
driver's seat belt is unbuckled/retracted.
SEAT BELTS AND PREGNANT WOMEN
We recommend that pregnant women use the seat
belts throughout their pregnancy. Keeping the mother
safe is the best way to keep the baby safe.
Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as pos-
sible. Keep the belt low so that it does not come across
the abdomen. That way the strong bones of the hips
will take the force if there is an accident.
CHILD RESTRAINTS
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled up all the
time, including babies and children.
Children 12 years or younger should ride properly
buckled up in a rear seat, if available. According to crash
statistics, children are safer when properly restrained
in the rear seats rather than in the front.
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WARNING!
 “Extreme Hazard! Do not use a
rearward-facing child restraint on a seat
protected by an air bag in front of it!” Refer to
visor and door shut face mounted labels for infor-
mation.
 In a collision, an unrestrained child, even a tiny
baby, can become a projectile inside the vehicle.
The force required to hold even an infant on your
lap could become so great that you could not
hold the child, no matter how strong you are.The
child and others could be badly injured. Any child
riding in your vehicle should be in a proper re-
straint for the child's size.
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Always check the child
seat Owner's Manual to ensure you have the correct
seat for your child. Use the restraint that is correct for
your child.
Infants And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rearward-facing in the vehicle until they are two years
old or until they reach either the height or weight limit
of their rear facing child safety seat. Two types of child
restraints can be used rearward-facing: infant carriers
and convertible child seats. The infant carrier is only used rearward-facing in the
vehicle. It is recommended for children from birth until
they reach the weight or height limit of the infant
carrier. Convertible child seats can be used either
rearward-facing or forward-facing in the vehicle. Con-
vertible child seats often have a higher weight limit in
the rearward-facing direction than infant carriers do, so
they can be used rearward-facing by children who have
outgrown their infant carrier but are still less than at
least two years old. Children should remain rearward-
facing until they reach the highest weight or height
allowed by their convertible child seat. Both types of
child restraints are held in the vehicle by the lap/
shoulder belt or the ISOFIX child restraint anchor
system. Refer to “ISOFIX — Child Seat Anchorage
System”.
WARNING!
Rearward-facing child seats must never
be used in the front seat of a vehicle with
the front passenger air bag unless the air bag is
turned off. An air bag deployment could cause
severe injury or death to infants in this position.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride
forward-facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child
seats and convertible child seats used in the forward-
facing direction are for children who are over two years
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height limit of their rear-facing convertible child seat.
Children should remain in a forward-facing child seat
with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest
weight or height allowed by the child seat. These child
seats are also held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder
belt or the ISOFIX child restraint anchorage system.
Refer to “ISOFIX — Child Seat Anchorage System”.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a
belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat
belts fit properly. If the child cannot sit with knees bent
over the vehicle's seat cushion while the child's back is
against the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning
booster seat. The child and belt-positioning booster
seat are held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt.
Integrated Child Booster Seat — If Equipped
The Integrated Child Booster Seat is located in each
outboard second-row passenger seat. The Booster
Seat is designed for children weighing between 22 and
39 kg and between 119 cm and 145 cm tall.
To position a child into the Integrated Child Booster
Seat follow these steps:
1. Slide the second row seat to the full rear position touse the Integrated Child Booster Seat.
NOTE: The second row bench with Integrated Child
Booster Seat must remain in the full rear position
during use.
2. Pull the release loop forward to release the latch and seat cushion. (fig. 121) 3. Lift the seat cushion up and push back to lock it in
the booster seat position. (fig. 122)
4. Place the child upright in the seat with their back firmly against the seatback.
(fig. 121)
Release Loop(fig. 122) Booster Seat
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5. Grasp the latch plate and pull out the seat belt.
6. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as far as neces-sary to allow the seat belt to go around the child's
lap.
NOTE: The lap portion of the seat belt should be low
on the hips and as snug as possible.
7. Once the seat belt is long enough to fit properly, insert the latch plate into the buckle until you hear
a “click.” (fig. 123)
8. To remove the slack from the lap belt, pull upward on the shoulder portion of the seat belt.
9. To release the seat belt, push the red button on the buckle.
WARNING!
Be certain that the seat cushion is
locked securely into position before us-
ing the seat . Otherwise, the seat will not provide
the proper stability for child seats and/or passen-
gers. An improperly latched seat cushion could
cause serious injury.
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder
belt comfortably and whose legs are long enough to
bend over the front of the seat when their back is
against the seatback should use the lap/shoulder belt in
a rear seat.
• Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
• The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug as possible.
• Check belt fit periodically. A child's squirming or slouching can move the belt out of position.
• If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the child closer to the center of the vehicle. Never
allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or
behind their back.
(fig. 123) 145
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WARNING!
 Improper installation can lead to fail-
ure of an infant or child restraint . It
could come loose in a collision.The child could be
badly injured or killed. Follow the manufacturer's
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint .
 A rearward-facing child restraint should only
be used in a rear seat . A rearward-facing child
restraint in the front seat may be struck by a
deploying passenger air bag, which may cause
severe or fatal injury to the infant .
Here are some tips on getting the most out of
your child restraint:
• Before buying any restraint system, make sure that it has a label certifying that it meets all applicable Safety
Standards. FIAT also recommends that you make
sure that you can install the child restraint in the
vehicle where you will use it before you buy it.
• The restraint must be appropriate for your child's weight and height. Check the label on the restraint
for weight and height limits.
• Carefully follow the instructions that come with the restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
• Buckle the child into the seat according to the child restraint manufacturer's directions.
WARNING!
When your child restraint is not in use,
secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt
or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it
loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident ,
it could strike the occupants or seatbacks and
cause serious personal injury.
ISOFIX — Child Seat Anchorage System
Your vehicle's second row passenger seats are
equipped with the child restraint anchorage system
called ISOFIX. The ISOFIX system provides for the
installation of the child restraint without using the
vehicle's seat belts, instead securing the child restraint
using lower anchorages and upper tether straps from
the child restraint to the vehicle structure.
ISOFIX-compatible child restraint systems are now
available. However, because the lower anchorages are
to be introduced over a period of years, child restraint
systems having attachments for those anchorages will
continue to have features for installation using the
vehicle's seat belts. Child restraints having tether straps
and hooks for connection to the top tether anchorages
have been available for some time. For some older child
restraints, many child restraint manufacturers offer
add-on tether strap kits or retrofit kits. You are urged
to take advantage of all the available attachments pro-
vided with your child restraint in any vehicle.
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All three second-row passenger seating positions have
lower anchorages that are capable of accommodating
ISOFIX-compatible child seats. You should never install
ISOFIX-compatible child seats so that two seats share
a common lower anchorage. If installing child seats in
adjacent seating positions, or if your child restraints are
not ISOFIX-compatible, install the restraints using the
vehicle's seat belts. (fig. 124)
(fig. 124)ISOFIX Anchorages
1 — Outer 60% Seating Position. Use Lower Anchor
Loops A and B. If placing a second child seat in the
vehicle, use the Outer 40% Seating Position and Lower
Anchor Loops D and E. DO NOT USE Middle 60%
Seating Position and Lower Anchorage Loops B and C.
2 — Middle 60% Seating Position. Use Lower Anchor
Loops B and C. If placing a second child seat in the
vehicle, use the Outer 40% Seating Position and Lower
Anchor Loops D and E. DO NOT USE Outer 60%
Seating Position and Lower Anchor Loops A and B.
3 — Outer 40% Seating Position. Use Lower Anchor
Loops D and E. If placing a second child seat in the
vehicle, use Outer 60% Seating Position and Lower
Anchor Loops A and B or Middle 60% Seating Position
and Lower Anchor Loops B and C.
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