120
KNOWYOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
W ARNING
LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA
TIONSINDEX
SEAT BELT MAINTENANCE
Observe the following precautions for correct seat belt
maintenance:
❒always make sure the belt is well stretched and never
twisted; make sure that it is free to run without ob-
structions;
❒replace the belt after a serious accident, even if it does
not appear damaged. Always replace the seat belt if the
pretensioners were deployed;
❒To clean the belt, wash by hand with water and mild
soap, rinse and leave to dry in the shade. Do not use
strong detergents, bleach, paints or any other chemi-
cals which could damage the belt fibres;
❒prevent the reels from getting wet: their correct op-
eration is guaranteed only if water does not get inside;
❒replace the seat belt if it shows significant signs of wear
and tear.
If the belt has been subjected to heavy
stress, for example after an accident, it
should be changed completely together with the
anchors, anchor fastening screws and the preten-
sioner. In fact, even if the belt has no visible de-
fects, it could have lost its resilience.
WARNINGCARRYING CHILDREN SAFELY
For optimum protection in the event of a crash, all pas-
sengers must be seated and wearing adequate restraint
systems.
This is even more important for children.
This prescription is compulsory in all EU countries ac-
cording to EC Directive 2003/20/EC.
Compared with an adult, a child’s head is larger and heav-
ier in proportion to his/her body and the child’s muscu-
lar and bone structures are not fully developed. For this
reason, they require restraint systems which are differ-
ent from those used by adults to protect them in the event
of an accident.
The result of research in relation to the best protection
for children is illustrated in European Regulation ECE-R44,
which divides the restraint systems into five groups in ad-
dition to making their use compulsory:
Group 0 up to 10 kg
Group 0+ up to 13 kg
Group 1 9-18 kg
Group 2 15-25 kg
Group 3 22-36 kg
As you can see, the groups overlap partly and, in fact, there
are devices on sale that cover more than one weight group.
All restraint devices must bear the type-approval data along
with the control mark on a label firmly secured to the child
seat which must never be removed.
