2016 FIAT 124 SPIDER Owners Manual

HOW THE SRS AIR BAGS
WORK
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129)
Your vehicle is equipped with the
following types of SRS air bags. SRS air
bags are designed to work together
with the seat belts to help to reduce
injuries during an accident. The SRS air
bags are designed to provide further
protection for passengers in addition to
the seat belt functions. Be sure to wear
seat belts properly.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
The seat belt pretensioners are
designed to deploy in moderate or
severe frontal, near frontal collisions. In
addition, during a side collision, the
pretensioner operates on the side in
which the collision occurs. The
pretensioners operate differently
depending on what types of air bags
are equipped. For details on the seat
belt pretensioner operation, refer to the
SRS Air Bag Deployment Criteria
Driver Air Bag
The driver's air bag is mounted in the
steering wheel fig. 74.When air bag crash sensors detect a
frontal impact of greater than moderate
force, the driver's air bag inflates quickly
helping to reduce injury mainly to the
driver's head or chest caused by
directly hitting the steering wheel. For
more details about air bag deployment,
refer to "SRS Air Bag deployment
criteria" in this chapter.
Passenger Air Bag
(Single stage)
The passenger air bag is mounted in
the passenger dashboard fig. 75.The inflation mechanism for the
passenger air bag is the same as the
driver's air bag, as mentioned above.
For more details about air bag
deployment, refer to "SRS Air Bag
deployment criteria" in this chapter.
In addition, the passenger air bag is
designed to only deploy when the
passenger occupant classification
sensor detects a passenger sitting on
the passenger's seat. For more details
about air bag deployment, refer to
"SRS Air Bag deployment criteria" in
this chapter.
Side Air Bags
The side air bags are mounted in the
outer sides of the seat backs fig. 76.
When the air bag crash sensors detect
a side impact of greater than moderate
force, the system inflates the side air
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bag only on the side in which the
vehicle was hit.
The side air bag inflates quickly to
reduce injury to the driver or
passenger's head and chest caused by
directly hitting interior parts such as a
door or window. For more details about
air bag deployment, refer to "SRS Air
Bag deployment criteria" in this chapter.
In addition, the passenger side bag is
designed to only deploy when the
passenger occupant classificationsensor detects a passenger sitting on
the passenger's seat.
Warning Light/Beep
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to “Warning lights and messages”
paragraph in “Knowing your instrument
panel” chapter. Refer to “Warning
sound is activated” paragraph in
“Knowing your instrument panel”
chapter.
Passenger side front air bag and
child restraint systems
Rearward-facing child restraint systems
mustNEVERbe fitted on the front seat
with an active passenger side air bag
since in the event of an impact the air
bag activation may cause fatal injuries
to the transported child.
ALWAYScomply with the instructions
on the label stuck on the passenger
side sun visor fig. 77.
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SAFETY

SRS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CRITERIA
This chart indicates the applicable SRS equipment that will deploy depending on the type of collision (the illustrations are the
representative cases of collisions).
SRS equipmentTypes of collision
A severe frontal/near frontal
collisionA severe side collision (*) A rear collision
SRS equipment
Seat belt pretensioner X (**) (both sides) X (**) (impact side only)
No air bag and seat belt
pretensioner will be activated in
a rear collision Driver air bag X
Passenger air bag X (**)
Side air bag X (**) (impact side only)
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IMPORTANT In a frontal offset collision, the equipped air bags and pretensioners may all deploy depending on the direction,
angle, and rate of impact.
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SAFETY
X: the SRS air bag equipment is designed to deploy in a collision.
(*) In a side collision, the seat belt pretensioners and the side air bags deploy (only on the side in which the collision occurs).
(**) The passenger front and side air bags and the seat belt pretensioner are designed to deploy when the passenger occupant
classification sensor detects a passenger sitting on the passenger's seat.

LIMITATIONS TO SRS AIR
BAG
In severe collisions such as those
described in "SRS Air Bag deployment
criteria" paragraph, the applicable SRS
air bag equipment will deploy.
However, in some accidents, the
equipment may not deploy depending
on the type of collision and its severity.
Limitations to front / near front
collision detection
Front/near front collisions may not be
detected as severe enough to deploy
the SRS air bag equipment:
impacts involving trees or poles A
fig. 78;
frontal offset impact to the vehicle B
fig. 78;
rear-ending or running under a
truck's tail gate fig. 79.Limitations to side collision
detection
Side collisions may not be detected as
severe enough to deploy the SRS air
bag equipment:
side impacts involving trees or poles
A fig. 80;
side impacts with two-wheeled
vehicles B fig. 80;
roll-over fig. 81.
A
B
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A
B
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PASSENGER OCCUPANT
CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM
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First, please read "Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) Precautions"
carefully.
Passenger occupant classification
sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a
passenger occupant classification
sensor as a part of the supplementary
restraint system. This sensor is
equipped in the passenger's seat
cushion. This sensor measures the
electrostatic capacity of the
passenger's seat.
The SAS unit is designed to prevent the
passenger front and side air bags and
seat belt pretensioner system fromdeploying if the passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light turns on.
To reduce the chance of injuries caused
by deployment of the passenger air
bag, the system deactivates the
passenger front and side air bags and
also the seat belt pretensioner system
when the passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light turns on.
This system shuts off the passenger
front and side air bags and seat belt
pretensioner system, so make sure the
passenger air bag deactivation indicator
light turns on.
The air bag/seat belt pretensioner
system warning light flashes and the
passenger air bag deactivation indicator
light illuminates if the sensors have a
possible malfunction. If this happens,
the passenger front and side air bags
and seat belt pretensioner system will
not deploy.
IMPORTANT If a passenger is seated
as shown in the following fig. 82 the
passenger occupant classification
sensor cannot detect a passenger
sitting on the passenger's seat correctly
and the deployment/non-deployment of
the air bags cannot be controlled as
indicated in the passenger air bag
deactivation indicator light on/off
condition chart.
Passenger air bag deactivation
indicator lights
These indicator lights fig. 83 turn on to
remind you that the passenger front
and side air bags and seat belt
pretensioner will or will not deploy
during a collision.
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SAFETY

22) 23)
NoteThe system requires about
10 seconds to alternate between
turning the passenger front and side air
bags and seat belt pretensioner system
on or off.
The passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light may turn on repeatedly if
luggage or other items are put on the
passenger seat, or if the temperature of
the vehicle's interior changes suddenly.
The passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light may turn on for
10 seconds if the electrostatic capacity
on the passenger seat changes.
The air bag/seat belt pretensioner
system warning light might turn on if the
passenger seat receives a severe
impact.
If the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light does not turn on afterinstalling a child restraint system on the
passenger seat, first, reinstall your child
restraint system according to the
procedure in this Owner Handbook.
Then, if the passenger air bag
deactivation OFF indicator light still
does not turn on, and contact a Fiat
Dealership as soon as possible.
If the passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light turns on when an
occupant is seated directly in the
passenger seat, have the passenger
readjust their posture by sitting with
their feet on the floor, and then
refastening the seat belt. If the
passenger air bag deactivation indicator
light remains turned on, slide the
passenger seat as far back as possible.
Contact a Fiat Dealership as soon as
possible.
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Passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart
If the passenger occupant classification sensor is normal, the indicator light turns on when the ignition is switched ON. The light
turns off after a few seconds. Then, the indicator light turns on or is off under the following conditions:
Condition detected by the
passenger occupant
classification systemPassenger air bag
deactivation indicator lightPassenger front and side air
bagsPassenger seat belt
pretensioner system
Empty (Not occupied)Deactivated Deactivated
A child is seated in a child
restraint system (*)
Deactivated Deactivated
Adult (**)
(***)Ready Ready
(*) The occupant classification sensor may not detect a child seated on the seat, in a child restraint system, or a junior seat
depending on the child's physical size and seated posture.
(**) If a smaller adult sits on the passenger seat, the sensors might detect the person as being a child depending on the
person's physique.
(***) Turns off after a short period of time.
If both of the passenger air bag deactivation indicator lights do not turn on for a specified period of time when the ignition is
switched ON or they do not turn on as indicated in the passenger air bag deactivation indicator light on/off condition chart, do
not allow an occupant to sit in the passenger seat and contact a Fiat Dealership as soon as possible. The system may not work
properly in an accident.
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SAFETY