2014 FIAT 500L Owners Manual

position that has a belt with this feature. Children 12
years old and under should always be properly re-
strained in a vehicle with a 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 untilthe 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 Locking Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it
to retract completely to disengage the Automatic Locking
Mode and activate the vehicle sensitive (emergency)
locking mode.
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 properly when checked according to the
procedures in the Service Manual.
• Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly
could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Energy Management Feature
This vehicle has a safety belt system with an Energy
Management feature in the front and rear outer seating
positions to help further reduce the risk of injury in the
event of a head-on collision.
This safety belt system has a retractor assembly that is
designed to release webbing in a controlled manner. This
feature is designed to help reduce the belt force acting on
the occupant’s chest.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 39

Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with dual pretensioning devices that are de-
signed to remove slack from the seat belt in the event of
a collision. The dual pretensioning devices are located on
the lower B-pillars and in the kick plate area. These
devices may improve the performance of the seat belt by
assuring that the belt is tight about the occupant early in
a collision. 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.
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 BeltAlert® warning sequence begins after the vehicle
speed is over 6 mph (10 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 the sequence completes, the Seat Belt Reminder
Light remains illuminated until the respective seat belts
are fastened. The driver should instruct all other occu-
pants to fasten their seat belts. If a front seat belt is
40 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

unbuckled while traveling at speeds greater than 6 mph
(10 km/h), BeltAlert® will provide both audio and visual
notification.
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 thefront 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 dealer. FIAT Group Automobiles does not recom-
mend deactivating BeltAlert®. BeltAlert® can also be
enabled through the “Electronic Vehicle Information Cen-
ter (EVIC) Setup Menu”.
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.
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.
Seat Belt Reminder Light
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 41

Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as possible.
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 a collision.
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
word AIRBAG is embossed on the air bag covers. In
addition, the vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental
Driver Side Knee Air Bag mounted under the instrument
panel below the steering column.NOTE:
The Driver and Passenger Advanced Front Air
Bags are certified to new Federal regulations for Ad-
vanced Air Bags.
The Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to allow the
air bags to have different inflation levels based on several
factors, including the severity and type of collision.
This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/or front
passenger seat track position sensors that may adjust the
inflation level of the Advanced Front Air Bags based
upon seat position.
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 level of
the Advanced Front Air Bags.
42 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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
are located above the side windows. The trim covering
the SABIC is labeled 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.
Advanced Driver Air Bag
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 43

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 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
• Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag
• Knee Impact Bolsters
• Driver Advanced Front Air Bag
Advanced Passenger Air Bag
44 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•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
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.
• 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.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 45

Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB)
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB) provide
enhanced protection to help protect an occupant during a
side impact. The SAB are marked with an air bag label
sewn into the outboard side of the front seats.
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB) Label
46 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE