
Lithium-ion batteries provide the following benefits:
•Lithium-ion batteries are much lighter than other
types of rechargeable batteries of the same size.
• Lithium-ion batteries hold their charge; they only lose
approximately 3 percent of their charge per month.
• Lithium-ion batteries have no memory, which means
that you do not have to completely discharge them
before recharging, as with some other batteries.
• Lithium-ion batteries can be recharged and discharged
thousands of times.
High Voltage Battery Service Disconnect
The high voltage battery service disconnect is located
under the rear passenger seat lower cushion. If your
vehicle requires service see your authorized studio.WARNING!
Never try to remove the high voltage service discon-
nect. The high voltage service disconnect is used
when your vehicle requires service by a trained
technician at an authorized studio. Failure to follow
this warning can cause severe burns or electrical
shock that may result in serious injury or death.
Disposal of the High Voltage Battery
Your vehicle’s high voltage battery is designed to last the
life of your vehicle. See your authorized studio for
information on the disposal of the battery if it should
require replacement.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 13

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. The 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.
The BeltAlertt warning sequence begins if the driver ’s
seat belt has not been buckled within 5 seconds of
starting the vehicle and the vehicle speed greater than
6 mph (10 km/h), or if the vehicle speed is greater than
12 mph (20 km/h), by blinking the Seat Belt Reminder
Light and sounding an intermittent chime. Once the
sequence starts, it will continue for the entire duration or
until the respective seatbelts are fastened. After thesequence completes, the Seat Belt Reminder Light re-
mains illuminated until the respective seat belts are
fastened. The driver should instruct all other occupants
to fasten their seat belts.
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.
BeltAlert® can be enabled or disabled by your autho-
rized studio. FIAT Group Automobiles does not recom-
mend deactivating BeltAlert®.
NOTE:
Although BeltAlert® has been deactivated, the
Seat Belt Reminder Light will continue to illuminate
while the driver ’s or front passenger (if equipped with
BeltAlert®) seat belt remains unfastened.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55

and rear passengers sitting next to a window. The SABIC
are located above the side windows. The trim covering
the SABIC is labeled SRS AIRBAG.
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Seat-
Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB). The SAB are marked with
an air bag label sewn into the outboard side of the front
seats.
NOTE:
•Air Bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
• After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized studio immediately.
Air Bag System Components
Your vehicle may be equipped with the following air bag
system components:
• Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) •
Air Bag Warning Light
• Steering Wheel and Column
• Instrument Panel
• Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver Advanced Front Air Bag
• Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
• Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB)
• Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
• Front and Side Impact Sensors
• Front Seat Belt Pretensioners, Seat Belt Buckle Switch,
and Seat Track Position Sensors
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Advanced Front Air Bag Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system provides output
appropriate to the severity and type of collision as
determined by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
which may receive information from the front impact
sensors.
WARNING!
•No objects should be placed over or near the air
bag on the instrument panel, because any such
objects could cause harm if the vehicle is in a
collision severe enough to cause the air bag to
inflate.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Do not put anything on or around the air bag
covers or attempt to open them manually. You may
damage the air bags and you could be injured
because the air bags may no longer be functional.
The protective covers for the air bag cushions are
designed to open only when the air bags are
inflating.
• Do not drill, cut or tamper with the knee bolster in
any way.
• Do not mount any accessories to the knee bolster
such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band radios,
etc.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59

hand, depending on the type and location of impact,
Advanced Front Air Bags may deploy in crashes with
little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe
initial deceleration.
The side air bags will not deploy in all side collisions.
Side air bag deployment will depend on the severity and
type of collision.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration
over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are
not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should
have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all colli-
sions, and also are needed to help keep you in position,
away from an inflating air bag.
The ORC monitors the readiness of the electronic parts of
the air bag system whenever the ignition switch is in theON/RUN or START position. If the key is in the OFF/
LOCK position, or not in the ignition, the air bag system
is not on and the air bags will not inflate.
The ORC contains a backup power supply system that
may deploy the air bags even if the battery loses power or
it becomes disconnected prior to deployment.
Also, the ORC turns on the Air Bag Warning
Light in the instrument panel for approxi-
mately four to eight seconds for a self-check
when the ignition is first turned on. After the
self-check, the Air Bag Warning Light will turn off. If the
ORC detects a malfunction in any part of the system, it
turns on the Air Bag Warning Light, either momentarily
or continuously. A single chime will sound if the light
comes on again after initial startup.
It also includes diagnostics that will illuminate the instru-
ment cluster Air Bag Warning Light if a malfunction is
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

noted that could affect the air bag system. The diagnos-
tics also record the nature of the malfunction.
WARNING!
Ignoring the Air Bag Warning Light in your instru-
ment panel could mean you won’t have the air bags
to protect you in a collision. If the light does not come
on as a bulb check when the ignition is first turned
on, stays on after you start the vehicle, or if it comes
on as you drive, have an authorized studio service the
air bag system immediately.
Driver And Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
Inflator Units
The Driver and Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
Inflator Units are located in the center of the steering
wheel and on the right side of the instrument panel.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags, it signals the inflator units. A largequantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the
Advanced Front Air Bags. Different air bag inflation rates
are possible, based on several factors, including the
collision type and severity. The steering wheel hub trim
cover and the upper right side of the instrument panel
separate and fold out of the way as the air bags inflate to
their full size. The air bags fully inflate in about 50 to 70
milliseconds. This is about half of the time it takes to
blink your eyes. The air bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front passenger.
The Advanced Front Air Bag gas is vented through the
vent holes in the sides of the air bag. In this way, the air
bags do not interfere with your control of the vehicle.
Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag Inflator
Unit
The Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag unit is
located in the instrument panel trim beneath the steering
column. When the ORC detects a collision requiring the
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65

Air Bag Warning Light
You will want to have the air bags ready to
inflate for your protection in a collision. The
Air Bag Warning Light monitors the internal
circuits and interconnecting wiring associated
with air bag system electrical components. While the air
bag system is designed to be maintenance free, if any of
the following occurs, have an authorized studio service
the air bag system immediately.
• The Air Bag Warning Light does not come on during
the four to eight seconds when the ignition switch is
first turned to the ON/RUN position.
• The Air Bag Warning Light remains on after the four to
eight-second interval.
• The Air Bag Warning Light comes on intermittently or
remains on while driving. NOTE:
If the speedometer, or any electric vehicle related
gauges are not working, the Occupant Restraint Control-
ler (ORC) may also be disabled. The air bags may not be
ready to inflate for your protection. Promptly check the
Body Control Module (BCM) fuse block inside the ve-
hicle for blown fuses. Refer to the label located on the
inside of the fuse block cover for the proper air bag fuses.
See your authorized studio if the fuse is good.
Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an event data recorder
(EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to record, in
certain crash or near crash-like situations, such as an air
bag deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a vehicle’s systems per-
formed. The EDR is designed to record data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle
is designed to record such data as:
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 71

Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays, and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a
collision. Rear seat belt assemblies must be replaced after
a collision if they have been damaged (i.e., bent retractor,
torn webbing, etc.). If there is any question regarding belt
or retractor condition, replace the belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for
four to eight seconds as a bulb check when the
ignition switch is first turned ON. If the light is
not lit during starting, see your authorizedstudio. If the light stays on, flickers, or comes on while
driving, have the system checked by an authorized
studio.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode and place
the blower control on high speed. You should be able to
feel the air directed against the windshield. See your
authorized studio for service if your defroster is inoper-
able.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit the footwell of your
vehicle. Use only floor mats that leave the pedal area
unobstructed and that are firmly secured so that they
cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals
or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways.
92 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE