2013 FIAT FREEMONT warning

WARNING!
Rearward-facing child seats must never
be
used in the front seat of a vehicle with
the front passenger air bag. An air bag deploy-
ment could cause severe injury or death to in-
fants 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
old or who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or
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 (for
versions/markets, where provided)
The Integrated Child Booster Seat is located in each
outboard second-row passenger seat.
NOTE:
Refer to the Integrated Child Booster Seat
information label located on the front lower panel of
the opened Booster Seat for child weight specifica-
tions.
To position a child into the Integrated Child Booster
Seat follow these steps:
1. Slide the second row seat to the full rear position to use the Integrated Child Booster Seat.
NOTE: The second row bench with Integrated Child
Booster Seat must remain in the full rear position
during use.
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WARNING!
Be certain that the seat cushion is
lock
ed 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.
WARNING!
 Impro
per 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
(fig. 130) Seat Belts Latched With Booster Seat(s)
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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,
s
ecure 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 collision,
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.
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. 131)
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NOTE:
 Ensure that the tether strap does not slip into theopening between the seatbacks as you remove slack
in the strap.
 When using the ISOFIX attaching system to install a child restraint, please ensure that all seat belts not
being used for occupant restraints are stowed and
out of reach of children. Remind all children in the
vehicle that the seat belts are not toys and that they
should not play with them. In addition, never leave
unattended children in the vehicle.
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint
t
o the ISOFIX anchorages can lead to
failure of an infant or child restraint . The child
could be badly injured or killed. Follow the manu-
facturer's directions exactly when installing an
infant or child restraint .
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM
(SRS) — AIR BAGS
This vehicle has Advanced Front Air Bags for both the
driver and front passenger as a supplement to the seat
belt restraint systems. The driver's Advanced Front Air
Bag is mounted in the center of the steering wheel. The
passenger's Advanced Front Air Bag is mounted in the instrument panel, above the glove compartment. The
words SRS AIRBAG are embossed on the air bag
covers.
(fig. 134)
NOTE: The Driver and Front Passenger Advanced
Front Air Bags are certified to the new regulations for
Advanced Air Bags.
The Advanced Front Air Bags have a multistage inflator
design. This allows the air bag to have different rates of
inflation based on several factors, including the severity
and type of collision.
(fig. 134) Advanced Front Air Bag And Knee Bolster Locations1 — Driver And Passenger Advanced Front Air Bags
2 — Knee Bolsters (for versions/markets, where provided)
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This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front
passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whether
the driver or front passenger seat belt is fastened. The
seat belt buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of
the Advanced Front Air Bags.
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Side Air Bag
Inflatable Curtains (SABIC) to protect the driver, front,
and rear passengers sitting next to a window. The
SABIC air bags are located above the side windows and
their covers are also labeled: SRS AIRBAG.
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Seat-
Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB). The SABs 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 interiortrim, but they will open during air bag deployment.
 After any accident, the vehicle should be taken to an authorized dealer 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
 Knee Impact Bolster
 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
ADVANCED FRONT AIR BAG FEATURES
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multistage
driver and front passenger air bags. This system pro-
vides 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.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during
an impact that requires air bag deployment. This low
output is used in less severe collisions. A higher energy
output is used for more severe collisions.
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WARNING!
 N
o 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.
 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 . Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags
(SAB)
SAB may provide enhanced protection to help protect
an occupant during a side impact. The SAB is marked
with an air bag label sewn into the outboard side of the
front seats. (fig. 135)
When the air bag deploys, it opens the seam between
the front and side of the seat's trim cover. Each air bag
deploys independently; a left side impact deploys the
left air bag only and a right-side impact deploys the
right air bag only.
(fig. 135)
Seat Mounted Side Air Bag Label
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Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC)
SABIC air bags may offer side-impact and vehicle roll-
over protection to front and rear seat outboard occu-
pants in addition to that provided by the body struc-
ture. Each air bag features inflated chambers placed
adjacent to the head of each outboard occupant that
reduce the potential for side-impact head injuries. The
curtains deploy downward, covering both windows on
the impact side. (fig. 136)
NOTE:
 Should a vehicle rollover occur, the pretensionersand/or SAB and SABIC air bags on both sides of the
vehicle may deploy.  Air Bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment.
 Being too close to the SAB and SABIC air bags during deployment could cause you to be severely injured
or killed.
The system includes side impact sensors that are cali-
brated to deploy the SAB and SABIC air bags during
impacts that require air bag occupant protection.
WARNING!
 Y
our vehicle is equipped with SABIC
air bags, do not have any accessory items
installed which will alter the roof, including add-
ing a sunroof to your vehicle. Do not add roof
racks that require permanent attachments (bolts
or screws) for installation on the vehicle roof. Do
not drill into the roof of the vehicle for any
reason.
 Your vehicle is equipped with left and right
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC), do not stack luggage or other cargo up
high enough to block the location of the SABIC.
The area where the SABIC is located should
remain free from any obstructions.
(Continued)
(fig. 136)Supplemental Side Curtain Air Bags
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(Continued)
 Do not use accessory seat covers or place
objects between you and the side air bags; the
performance could be adversely affected and/or
objects could be pushed into you, causing serious
injury.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of
the driver and the front passenger, and position front
occupants for the best interaction with the Advanced
Front Air Bags.
Advanced Front Air Bags work with the knee bolsters
to provide improved protection for the driver and
front passenger. Side air bags also work with seat belts
to improve occupant protection.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize
the risk of harm from a deploying air bag:
Children 12 years old and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.
WARNING!
Infants in rear-facing child restraints
sh
ould never ride in the front seat of a
vehicle with a passenger Advanced Front Air Bag.
An air bag deployment can cause severe injury or
death to infants in that position.
Children that are not big enough to wear the vehicle
seat belt properly (see Section on Child Restraints)
should be secured in the rear seat in child restraints or
belt-positioning booster seats. Older children who do
not use child restraints or belt-positioning booster
seats should ride properly buckled up in the rear seat.
Never allow children to slide the shoulder belt behind
them or under their arm.
You should read the instructions provided with your
child restraint to make sure that you are using it
properly.
All occupants should always wear their lap and shoul-
der belts properly.
The driver and front passenger seats should be moved
back as far as practical to allow the Advanced Front Air
Bags room to inflate.
Do not lean against the door or window. If your vehicle
has side air bags, and deployment occurs, the side air
bags will inflate forcefully into the space between you
and the door.
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