2014 FIAT FREEMONT belt

CARGO TIE-DOWNS
WARNING!
Cargo tie-downs are not safe anchors for
a child seat tet

her strap. In a sudden stop
or collision, a tie-down could pull loose and allow
the child seat to come loose. A child could be
badly injured. Use only the anchors provided for
child seat tethers.
Cargo tie-downs are located on both rear trim panels.
These tie-downs should be used to secure loads safely
when the vehicle is moving.
(fig. 108)
WARNING!
The weight and position of cargo and
passenger s

can change the vehicle cen-
ter of gravity and vehicle handling.To avoid loss of
control resulting in personal injur y, follow these
guidelines for loading your vehicle:
• Do not carry loads that exceed the load limits de- scribed on the label attached to the left door or left
door center pillar.
• Always place cargo evenly on the cargo floor. Put heavier objects as low and as far forward as possible.
• Place as much cargo as possible in front of the rear axle. Too much weight or improperly placed weight
over or behind the rear axle can cause the vehicle to
sway.
• Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the top of the seatback. This could impair visibility or become a
dangerous projectile in a sudden stop or collision.
• To help protect against personal injury, passengers should not be seated in the rear cargo area. The rear
cargo space is intended for load carrying purposes
only, not for passengers, who should sit in seats and
use seat belts.
(fig. 108)
Cargo Tie-Downs
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SAFETY
OCCUPANT RESTRAINTS
Some of the most important safety features in your
vehicle are the restraint systems:
• Three-point lap and shoulder belts for all seatingpositions
•
Advanced Front Air Bags for driver and front passenger
• Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR) located on top of the front seats (integrated into the head
restraint) (for versions/markets, where provided)
• Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABIC) that span the front, second, and third row
seating for the driver and passengers seated next to
a window
• Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags
• An energy-absorbing steering column and steering wheel
• Knee bolsters/blockers for front seat occupants
• Front seat belts incorporate pretensioners that may enhance occupant protection by managing occupant
energy during an impact event
If you will be carrying children too small for adult-sized
seat belts, the seat belts or ISOFIX feature also can
be used to hold infant and child restraint systems. For more information, refer to ISOFIX — Child Seat
Anchorage System.
NOTE:
The Advanced Front Air Bags have a multi-
stage inflator design. This allows the air bag to have
different rates of inflation based on several factors,
including the severity and type of collision.
Please pay close attention to the information in this
section. It tells you how to use your restraint system
properly, to keep you and your passengers as safe as
possible.
WARNING!
In a collision, you and your passengers
can suff er

much greater injuries if you
are not properly buckled up. You can strike the
interior of your vehicle or other passengers, or
you can be thrown out of the vehicle. Always be
sure you and others in your vehicle are buckled
up properly.
Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even
on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor
driver and cause a collision that includes you. This can
happen far away from home or on your own street.
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Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they
can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision.
Some of the worst injuries happen when people are
thrown from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possi-
bility of ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking
the inside of the vehicle. Everyone in a motor vehicle
should be belted at all times.
Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are equipped with
a combination lap/shoulder belt.
The belt webbing retractor is designed to lock during
very sudden stops or impacts. This feature allows the
shoulder part of the belt to move freely with you under
normal conditions. However, in a collision, the belt will
lock and reduce your risk of striking the inside of the
vehicle or being thrown out.
WARNING!
• It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or

outside of a vehicle. In a colli-
sion, people riding in these areas are more likely
to be seriously injured or killed.
• Donotallowpeopletorideinanyareaofyour
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
(Continued)(Continued)
• Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
• Wearing a seat belt incorrectly is dangerous.
Seat belts are designed to go around the large
bones of your body.These are the strongest parts
of your body and can take the forces of a collision
the best . Wearing your belt in the wrong place
could make your injuries in a collision much
worse. You might suffer internal injuries, or you
could even slide out of part of the belt . Follow
these instructions to wear your seat belt safely
and to keep your passengers safe, too.
• Two people should never be belted into a single
seat belt . People belted together can crash into
one another in a collision, hurting one another
badly. Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt
for more than one person, no matter what their
size.
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Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions
1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back andadjust the front seat.
2. The seat belt latch plate is along side the pillar near the back of your seat. Grasp the latch plate and pull
out the belt. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as
far as necessary to make the belt go around your lap.
(fig. 129) 3. When the belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch
plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
(fig. 130)
(fig. 129)
Pulling Out Lap/Shoulder Belt(fig. 130)Connecting Latch PlateTo Buckle
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WARNING!
• Abeltthatisbuckledintothewrong
buckle will

not protect you properly.The
lap portion could ride too high on your body,
possibly causing internal injuries. Always buckle
your belt into the buckle nearest you.
• Abeltthatistooloosewillnotprotectyou
properly. In a sudden stop you could move too far
forward, increasing the possibility of injury.Wear
your seat belt snugly.
• A belt that is worn under your arm is danger-
ous.Your body could strike the inside surfaces of
the vehicle in a collision, increasing head and
neck injury. A belt worn under the arm can cause
internal injuries. Ribs aren't as strong as shoulder
bones. Wear the belt over your shoulder so that
your strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.
• A shoulder belt placed behind you will not
protect you from injury during a collision.You are
more likely to hit your head in a collision if you do
not wear your shoulder belt .The lap and shoulder
belt are meant to be used together. 4. Position the lap belt across your thighs, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt portion,
pull up a bit on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap
belt if it is too tight, tilt the latch plate and pull on
the lap belt. A snug belt reduces the risk of sliding
under the belt in a collision. (fig. 131)
(fig. 131)
Removing Slack From Belt
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WARNING!
• A lap belt worn too high can increase
th e

risk of internal injury in a collision.
Thebeltforceswon'tbeatthestronghipand
pelvic bones, but across your abdomen. Always
wear the lap belt as low as possible and keep it
snug.
• A twisted belt may not protect you properly. In
a collision, it could even cut into you. Be sure the
belt is straight . If you can't straighten a belt in
your vehicle, take it to your authorized dealer
immediately and have it fixed.
5. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is comfortable and not resting on your neck. The
retractor will withdraw any slack in the belt.
6. To release the belt, push the red button on the buckle. The belt will automatically retract to its
stowed position. If necessary, slide the latch plate
down the webbing to allow the belt to retract fully.
WARNING!
A frayed or torn belt could rip apart in a
collision an

d leave you with no protec-
tion. Inspect the belt system periodically, check-
ing for cuts, frays, or loose parts. Damaged parts
(Continued)(Continued)
must be replaced immediately. Do not disas-
semble or modify the system. Seat belt assem-
blies must be replaced after a collision if they
have been damaged (bent retractor, torn web-
bing, etc .).
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the driver's seat and front passenger's seat, the
shoulder belt can be adjusted upward or downward to
position the belt away from your neck. Push and fully
depress the button above the webbing to release the
anchorage, then move it up or down to the position
that fits you best.
(fig. 132)
(fig. 132) Adjusting Upper Shoulder Belt
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As a guide, if you are shorter than average you will
prefer a lower position and if you are taller than
average you will prefer a higher position. When you
release the anchorage try to move it up and down to
make sure that it is locked in position.
In the rear seat, move toward the center of the seat to
position the belt away from your neck.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted
lap/shoulder belt:
1. Position the latch plate as close as possible to theanchor point.
2. At about 15 to 30 cm above the latch plate, grasp and twist the belt webbing 180 degrees to create a
fold that begins immediately above the latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded web- bing. The folded webbing must enter the slot at the
top of the latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the folded webbing.
SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS
The seat belts for both front seating positions are
equipped with pretensioning devices that are designed
to remove slack from the seat belt in the event of a
collision. 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.
Supplemental Active Head Restraints (AHR)
These head restraints are passive, deployable compo-
nents, and vehicles with this equipment cannot be
readily identified by any markings, only through visual
inspection of the head restraint. The head restraint will
be split in two halves, with the front half being soft
foam and trim, the back half being decorative plastic.
How The Active Head Restraints (AHR) Work
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) determines
whether the severity, or type of rear impact will require
the Active Head Restraints (AHR) to deploy. If a rear
impact requires deployment, both the driver and front
passenger seat AHRs will be deployed.
When AHRs deploy during a rear impact, the front half
of the head restraint extends forward to minimize the
gap between the back of the occupant’s head and the
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Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System
(BeltAlert®)
BeltAlert® is a feature intended to remind the driver
and front passenger (for versions/markets, where pro-
vided with front passenger BeltAlert®) to fasten their
seatbelts. 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 seatbelts are fastened.
The BeltAlert® warning sequence begins after the
vehicle speed is over 8 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 Seatbelt
Reminder Light remains illuminated until the respective
seatbelts are fastened. The driver should instruct all
other occupants to fasten their seatbelts. If a front
seatbelt is unbuckled while traveling at speeds greater
than 8 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 (for
versions/markets, where provided). 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.
NOTE:
Although BeltAlert® has been deactivated,
the Seat Belt Reminder Light will continue to illuminate
while the driver’s or front passenger (for versions/
markets, where provided 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.
Pregnant women should wear the lap part of the belt
across the thighs and as snug across the hips as pos-
sible. 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.
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