2014 FIAT 500L Owners Manual

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.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC)
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC)
may offer side-impact protection to front and rear seat
outboard occupants in addition to that provided by the
body structure. 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 SABIC deploy downward, covering both windows
on the impact side.NOTE:
Air Bag covers may not be obvious in the interior
trim, but they will open during air bag deployment.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC)
Label Location
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47

The system includes side impact sensors that are cali-
brated to deploy the Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB)
and SABIC during impacts that require air bag occupant
protection.
WARNING!
•Your vehicle is equipped with left and right
SABIC, do not stack luggage or other cargo up high
enough to block the location of the SABIC. The
area where the side curtain air bag is located
should remain free from any obstructions.
• Do not use accessory seat covers or place objects
between you and the SAB; the performance could
be adversely affected and/or objects could be
pushed into you, causing serious injury.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Your vehicle is equipped with SABIC air bags, do
not have any accessory items installed which will
alter the roof, including adding a sunroof to your
vehicle. Do not add roof racks that require perma-
nent attachments (bolts or screws) for installation
on the vehicle roof. Do not drill into the roof of the
vehicle for any reason.
Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag
The Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag provides
enhanced protection and works together with the Driver
Advanced Front Air Bag during a frontal impact.
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for the best interaction with the Advanced Front
Air Bags.Along with seat belts and pretensioners, Advanced Front
Air Bags and the Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag
work with the knee impact bolsters to provide improved
protection for the driver and front passenger.
Air Bag Deployment Sensors And Controls
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
The ORC is part of a Federally regulated safety system
required for this vehicle.
The ORC determines if deployment of the front and/or
side air bags in a frontal or side collision is required.
Based on the impact sensor’s signals, a central electronic
ORC deploys the Advanced Front Air Bags, Supplemen-
tal Driver Side Knee Air Bag, Supplemental Side Air Bag
Inflatable Curtain (SABIC), Supplemental Seat-Mounted
Side Air Bags (SAB), and front seat belt pretensioners, as
required, depending on several factors, including the
severity and type of impact.
Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air Bag
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49

Advanced Front Air Bags and Supplemental Driver Side
Knee Air Bag are designed to provide additional protec-
tion by supplementing the seat belts in certain frontal
collisions depending on several factors, including the
severity and type of collision. Advanced Front Air Bags
are not expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear or side
collisions.
The Advanced Front Air Bags and Supplemental Driver
Side Knee Air Bag will not deploy in all frontal collisions,
including some that may produce substantial vehicle
damage — for example, some pole collisions, truck
underrides, and angle offset collisions. On the other
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 the
ON/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.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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
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 dealer 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 large
quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the
Advanced Front Air Bags. Different air bag inflation rates
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

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 under the instrument panel trim beneath the
steering column. When the ORC detects a collision
requiring the Advanced Front Air Bags, it signals theinflator units. A large quantity of non-toxic gas is gener-
ated to inflate the Supplemental Driver Side Knee Air
Bag. The trim cover separates and folds out of the way
allowing the air bag to inflate to the full size. The air bag
fully inflates in about 15 to 20 milliseconds. The Supple-
mental Driver Side Knee Air Bag gas is vented through
small vent holes in the side of the air bag.
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag (SAB)
Inflator Units
The Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB) are
designed to activate only in certain side collisions.
The ORC determines if a side collision requires the side
air bags to inflate, based on the severity and type of
collision.
Based on the severity and type of collision, the side air
bag inflator on the crash side of the vehicle may be
triggered, releasing a large quantity of non-toxic gas. The
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

inflating SAB exits through the seat seam into the space
between the occupant and the door. The SAB fully
inflates in about 10 milliseconds. The side air bag moves
at a very high speed and with such a high force that it
could injure you if you are not seated properly, or if items
are positioned in the area where the side air bag inflates.
This especially applies to children.
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC) Inflator Units
During collisions where the impact is confined to a
particular area of the side of the vehicle, the ORC may
deploy the Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain
(SABIC), depending on the severity and type of collision.
In these events, the ORC will deploy the SABIC only on
the impact side of the vehicle.A quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the side
curtain air bag. The inflating side curtain air bag pushes
the outside edge of the headliner out of the way and
covers the window. The air bag inflates in about 30
milliseconds (about one-quarter of the time that it takes
to blink your eyes) with enough force to injure you if you
are not belted and seated properly, or if items are
positioned in the area where the side curtain air bag
inflates. This especially applies to children. The side
curtain air bag is about 3-1/2 in (9 cm) thick when it is
inflated.
Because air bag sensors estimate deceleration over time,
vehicle speed and damage are not good indicators of
whether or not an air bag should have deployed.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53

Front And Side Impact Sensors
In front and side impacts, impact sensors can aid the
ORC in determining appropriate response to impact
events.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact causing air bag deployment, if
the communication network remains intact, and the
power remains intact, depending on the nature of the
event, the ORC will determine whether to have the
Enhanced Accident Response System perform the follow-
ing functions:
•Cut off fuel to the engine.
• Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the ignition key is turned off. •
Turn on the interior lights, which remain on as long as
the battery has power or until the ignition key is
removed.
• Unlock the doors automatically.
After the event occurs, when the system is active, the
message Fuel Cutoff See Handbook is displayed.
Carefully check the vehicle for fuel leaks in the engine
compartment and on the ground near the engine com-
partment and fuel tank before resetting the system and
starting the engine.
System Reset Procedure
After an impact causing air bag deployment, the left and
right turn signal lights, located in the instrument panel
cluster, will both be blinking, until the ignition is turned
off. In order to move your vehicle to the side of the road
you must follow the system reset procedure.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE