2015 FIAT 500E Owners Manual

Infants And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing
in the vehicle until they are two years old or until they
reach either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing
child restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used
rear-facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle.
It is recommended for children from birth until they
reach the weight or height limit of the infant carrier.
Convertible child seats can be used either rear-facing or
forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child seats
often have a higher weight limit in the rear-facing
direction than infant carriers do, so they can be used
rear-facing by children who have outgrown their infant
carrier but are still less than at least two years old.
Children should remain rear-facing until they reach the
highest weight or height allowed by their convertible
child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of
an air bag. A deploying passenger Advanced Front
Air Bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a rear-
facing child restraint.
•Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
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 direc-
tion 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
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 79

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.
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 seat belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
•After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do
not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward
because it can loosen the child restraint attach-
ments. Remove the child restraint before adjusting
the vehicle seat position. When the vehicle seat has
been adjusted, reinstall the child restraint.
•When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchor-
ages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it
loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it
could strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause
serious personal injury.
(Continued)
80 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 seat belt in a rear seat. Use this simple 5-step
test to decide whether the child can use the vehicle’s seat
belt alone:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against the back of
the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front
of the vehicle seat – while they are still sitting all the
way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder
between their neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the seat belt as low as possible,
touching the child’s thighs and not their stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was “no,” then the
child still needs to use a booster seat in this vehicle. If the
child is using the lap/shoulder belt, check seat belt fit
periodically and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched.
A child’s squirming or slouching can move the seat belt
out of position. If the shoulder belt contacts the face or
neck, move the child closer to the center of the vehicle, or
use a booster seat to position the seat belt on the child
correctly.
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an
arm or behind their back. In a crash, the shoulder belt
will not protect a child properly, which may result in
serious injury or death. A child must always wear
both the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt
correctly.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81

Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type Combined
Weight of the
Child + Child
Restraint
Use any attachment method shown with an “X” Below
LATCH –
Lower Anchors
Only
Seat Belt Only LATCH –
Lower Anchors
+ Top Tether
Anchor
Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint
Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg)
XX
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint
More than
65 lbs (29.5 kg)
X
Forward-Facing
Child Restraint
Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg)
XX
Forward-Facing
Child Restraint
More than
65 lbs (29.5 kg)
X
82 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lower Anchors And Tethers For Children (LATCH)
Restraint System
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system
has three vehicle anchor points for installing LATCH-
equipped child seats. There are two lower anchorages
located at the back of the seat cushion where it meets the
seatback and one top tether anchorage located behind the
seating position. These anchorages are used to install
LATCH-equipped child seats without using the vehicle’s
seat belts. Some seating positions may have a top tether
anchorage but no lower anchorages. In these seating
positions, the seat belt must be used with the top tether
anchorage to install the child restraint. Please see the
following table for more information.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83

LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints In
This Vehicle
•Lower Anchorage Symbol 2 anchorages per
seating position
•Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
84 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

What is the weight limit (child’s weight +
weight of the child restraint) for using the
LATCH anchorage system to attach the
child restraint?
65 lbs (29.5 kg) Use the LATCH anchorage system until
the combined weight of the child and the
child restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the
seat belt and tether anchor instead of the
LATCH system once the combined weight
is more than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the seat
belt be used together to attach a rear-
facing or forward-facing child restraint?
NoDo not use the seat belt when you use the
LATCH anchorage system to attach a rear-
facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Can two child restraints be attached using
a common lower LATCH anchorage?
NoNever “share” a LATCH anchorage with
two or more child restraints. If the center
position does not have dedicated LATCH
lower anchorages, use the seat belt to in-
stall a child seat in the center position next
to a child seat using the LATCH anchor-
ages in an outboard position.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 85

Can the rear-facing child restraint touch
the back of the front passenger seat?
YesThe child seat may touch the back of the
front passenger seat if the child restraint
manufacturer also allows contact. See your
child restraint owner ’s manual for more
information.
Can the head restraints be removed?YesYes, all may be removed
Locating LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round bars that are
found at the rear of the seat cushion where it
meets the seatback, below the anchorage sym-
bols on the seatback. They are just visible when
you lean into the rear seat to install the child restraint.
You will easily feel them if you run your finger along the
gap between the seatback and seat cushion.
LATCH Anchorages
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