2017 Alfa Romeo MiTo warning

CARRYING CHILDREN SAFELY
For optimal protection in the event of an
impact, all occupants must be seated and
wearing adequate restraint systems,
including newborn and other children!
This prescription is compulsory in all EC
countries according to EC Directive
2003/20/EC.
Children below the height of 1.50 metres
and up to 12 years must be protected
with suitable restraint systems and be
seated on the rear seats. Statistics on
accidents indicate that the rear seats
offer greater safety for children.
Compared with an adult, a child's head is
larger and heavier in proportion to their
body and the child's muscular and bone
structures are not fully developed.
Therefore, correct restraint systems
other than adult seat belts are necessary
to reduce as much as possible the risk of
injuries in case of accident, braking or
sudden manoeuvre.
Children must be seated safely and
comfortably. Depending on the
characteristics of the child restraint
systems used, you are advised to keep
children in rearward facing child restraint
systems for as long as possible (at least
until 3-4 years old), since this is the most
protected position in the event of an
impact.
63) 64) 65) 66)
The choice of the most suitable child
restraint device depends on the weight of
the child; there are various types of child
restraint systems and you are advised
always to choose the one that is most
suitable for the child.
When over 1.50 m in height, from the
point of view of restraint systems,
children are considered as adults and
wear seat belts normally.
In Europe the characteristics of child
restraint systems are ruled by the
regulation ECE-R44, dividing them into
five weight groups:
Group Weight groups
Group 0up to 10 kg in
weight
Group 0+up to 13 kg in
weight
Group 1 9 - 18 kg
Group 2 15 - 25 kg
Group 3 22 - 36 kg
All restraint devices must bear the
certification data, together with the
control mark, on a label solidly fixed to
the child restraint system which must
never be removed.
Lineaccessori MOPAR® includes child
restraint systems for each weight group.These devices are recommended having
been specifically tested for Alfa Romeo
cars.
WARNING
63)SEVERE DANGER When a front
passenger airbag is fitted, do not install
rearward facing child restraint systems on
the front passenger seat. Deployment of the
airbag in an accident could cause fatal
injuries to the child regardless of the
severity of the collision. It is advisable to
always carry children in a child restraint
system on the rear seat, which is the most
protected position in the event of a collision.
64)On the sun visor there is a label with
suitable symbols reminding the user that it is
compulsory to deactivate the airbag if a
rearward facing child restraint system is
fitted. Always comply with the instructions
on the passenger side sun visor (see the
"Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) -
Airbag" paragraph).
65)Should it be necessary to carry a child on
the passenger side front seat in a rear facing
child restraint system, the passenger side
front airbag and side bag must be
deactivated through the display main menu
(see the "Display" paragraph, "Knowing the
instrument panel" chapter), verifying
deactivation by checking whether the
OFF LED has switched on in the trim
located on the dashboard. Move the
passenger's seat as far back as possible to
avoid contact between the child seat and the
dashboard.
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PASSENGER SEAT COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS ON UNIVERSAL CHILD RESTRAINTSYSTEM USE
According to the European Directive 2000/3/EC the suitability of each passenger seat position for the fixing of universal child
restraint systems is shown in the following table:
Positioning the “Universal” child restraint system
Group Weight groupsFront passenger
(*)Rear passengers (side
and central)
Airbag enabled Airbag disabled
Group 0, 0+ up to 13 kg"X" U U
Group 1 9-18 kg"X" U U
Group 2 15-25 kgUUU
Group 3 22-36 kgUUU
(*) IMPORTANT NEVER fit a rearward-facing child seat in the front passenger seat if the airbag is active. If you wish to fit a rearward-facing child seat
in the front passenger seat, first deactivate the relative airbag (see instructions in the paragraph "Supplementary protection system (SRS) –
Airbag”).
"X"= Position not suitable for children in this weight category.
U= Suitable for child restraint systems in the "Universal" category, according to European Regulation EEC-R44 for the specified "Groups".
WARNING
67)Child restraint systems with Isofix attachments are available for a safe anchoring to the seat without using the car seat belts. See paragraph
"Isofix child restraint system setup" for the fitting instructions.
68)The diagram is indicative and for fitting purposes only. Fit the child restraint system according to the instructions, which must be included.
69)When the child restraint system is not used, secure it with the seat belt or with the ISOFIX anchorages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do not
leave it unsecured inside the passenger compartment. In this way, in the case of sudden braking or an accident, it will not cause injuries to the
occupants.
70)After installing a child restraint system, do not move the seat: always remove the child restraint system before making any adjustment.
71)Always make sure that the diagonal section of the seat belt does not pass under the arms or behind the back of the child. In the event of an
accident the seat belt will not be able to secure the child, with the risk of injury, including fatal injury. Therefore the child must always wear the seat
belt correctly.
72)Incorrect fitting of the child restraint system may result in an inefficient protection system. In the event of an accident the child restraint
system may become loose and the child may be injured, even fatally. When fitting a restraint system for newborns or children, strictly comply with
the instructions provided by the Manufacturer.
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SAFETY

Main recommendations to carry
children safely
Install the child restraint systems on
the rear seat, which is the most protected
position in the event of an impact.
Keep children in rearward facing child
restraint systems for as long as possible,
at least until 3–4 years old.
Should a rearward facing child
restraint system be installed on the rear
seats, it is advisable to position it as far
forward as the position of the front seat
allows.
If the passenger side front airbag is
deactivated always check the permanent
switching on of the warning light
in
the trim above the interior rear view
mirror to make sure that it has actually
been deactivated.
Carefully follow the instructions
supplied with the child restraint system
itself. Keep the instructions in the vehicle
along with the other documents and this
handbook. Do not use second-hand child
restraint systems without instructions.
Only one child is to be strapped into
each restraint system; never carry two
children simultaneously.
Always check that the seat belts do
not rest on the child’s neck.
Always check that the seat belt is well
fastened by pulling on it.
While travelling, do not let the child sit
incorrectly or unfasten the belts.
Never allow a child to put the belt's
diagonal section under an arm or behind
their back.
Never carry children on your lap, even
newborns. No one can hold a child in the
case of an accident.
In the event of an accident, replace the
child restraint system with a new one. In
addition, and depending on the type of
child restraint system installed, replace
the seat belt with which the child
restraint system was connected.
WARNING
73)The diagram is indicative and for fitting
purposes only. Fit the child restraint system
according to the instructions, which must be
included.
74)If a Universal ISOFIX child seat system
is not fixed to all three anchorages, it will not
be able to protect the child correctly. In a
crash, the child could be seriously or fatally
injured.
75)Fit the child restraint system when the
car is stationary. The child restraint system
is correctly secured to the brackets when
you hear the click. Follow the instructions for
assembly, disassembly and positioning that
the Manufacturer must supply with the child
restraint system.
76)Do not use the same lower anchorage to
install more than one child restraint system.
FRONT AIRBAGS
77) 78) 79) 80) 81)
“SMART BAG”SYSTEM (MULTISTAGE
FRONT AIRBAGS)
The car features multistage front airbags
(“Smart bag”) for driver and passenger.
The front driver/passenger airbags are
designed to protect occupants in the
event of frontal impacts of medium-high
severity, by placing the bag between the
occupant and the steering wheel or
dashboard.
Therefore non-activation in other types
of collisions (side collisions, rear shunts,
roll-overs, etc.) is not a system
malfunction.
Airbags are not a replacement of but
complementary to the seat belts, which
you are recommended to always wear. In
the event of impact, those not wearing a
seat belt are projected forwards and may
come into contact with the bag which is
still inflating. The protection offered by
the bag is compromised in these
circumstances.
Front airbags may not activate in the
following situations:
frontal impacts against highly
deformable objects not involving the
front surface of the car (e.g. wing collision
against guard rail, etc.);
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jamming of the car underneath other
vehicles or protective barriers (e.g.
underneath a truck or a guard rail) as, in
this case, the bags would offer no
additional protection with respect to the
seat belt and their deployment would be
inappropriate. Failure to activate in the
conditions described above is due to the
fact that they may not provide any
additional protection compared with seat
belts, so their activation would be
inappropriate. In these cases,
non-deployment does not indicate a
system malfunction.
FRONT AIRBAG DRIVER'S SIDE
This consists of an instantly inflating
cushion contained in a special
compartment in the centre of the
steering wheel fig. 57.
PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG
This consists of an instantly inflating bag
contained in a special recess in the
dashboard fig. 58 which has a larger
volume than that of the driver.
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND
CHILD RESTRAINTSYSTEMS
Rearward facing child restraint systems
mustNEVERbe fitted on the front seat
with an active passenger airbag since in
the event of an impact the airbag
activation may cause fatal injuries to the
transported child.ALWAYScomply with
the instructions on the label on the
passenger side sun visor fig. 59.Deactivating passenger side airbags:
front airbag and side bag for pelvis,
chest protection (Side bag)
If a child must be carried on the front seat
in a rear facing child restraint system,
deactivate the passenger side front
airbag and side bag for pelvis, chest
protection (Side bag). To deactivate the
airbags use the Setup Menu (see the
instructions in the “Display” paragraph,
“Knowing the instrument panel” chapter).
With airbags deactivated, a warning light
lights up on the instrument panel in
the trim located above the internal
rearview mirror fig. 60.
57A0J0047C
58A0J0050C
59A0J0450C
82
SAFETY

With front passenger airbag on, when the
ignition key is turned to MAR, the warning
light switches on constantly for several
seconds and then it should switch off.
If the warning light
flashes, this
indicates a fault in the warning light
.
Before proceeding, contact an Alfa
Romeo Dealership to have the system
checked immediately.
Rotating the starting device to MAR, the
warning light
switches on for a few
seconds. If not, contact an Alfa Romeo
Dealership. During the first seconds, the
activation of the warning light
does
not actually show the passenger
protection status, but only tests its
correct operation. After a test of a few
seconds, the warning light will indicate
the status of the passenger airbag
protection.Passenger protection active: warning
light
off.
Passenger protection deactivated: the
warning light
switches on with a
steady light.
The warning light
may light up with
various intensity levels depending on the
vehicle conditions. The intensity may vary
during the same key cycle.
DRIVER SIDE KNEE BAG
This is located in a dedicated
compartment under the steering wheel
fig. 61. It provides additional protection
in the event of a frontal impact.
60A0J0402C
61A0J0056C
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WARNING
77)Do not apply stickers or other objects on the steering wheel, on the dashboard in the passenger side airbag area, on side upholstery on the roof
or on the seats. Never put objects (e.g. mobile phones) on the passenger's side dashboard since they could interfere with correct inflation of the
airbag and also cause serious injury to the passengers.
78)Always drive keeping your hands on the steering wheel rim so the airbag can inflate freely if necessary. Do not drive with your body bent
forward. Keep the back of your seat upright and lean back into it.
79)When there is an active passenger airbag, DO NOT install rearward facing child restraint systems on the front seat. Deployment of the airbag
in an accident could cause fatal injuries to the child regardless of the severity of the impact. Therefore, always deactivate the passenger side
airbag when a rearward facing child restraint system is installed on the front passenger seat. The front passenger seat must also be positioned
back as far as possible in order to prevent the child restraint system from coming into contact with the dashboard. Immediately reactivate the
passenger airbag as soon as the child restraint system has been removed.
80)To deactivate the airbags, see the “Knowing your car” section, “Menu items” paragraph.
81)A failure of the
warning light is indicated by thewarning light switching on. In addition, the airbag system automatically disables the
passenger side airbag (where provided). Before proceeding, contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership to have the system checked immediately.
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WARNING
82)Do not affix rigid objects to the garment
hooks or support handles.
83)Do not rest your head, arms or elbows on
the door, windows or the area in which the
Window bag is located to avoid possible
injury during airbag inflation.
84)Never lean your head, arms or elbows
out of the window.
85)If the
warning light does not switch
on when the key is turned to MAR, or stays
on while driving (on some versions together
with a message on the display) there may be
a fault in the restraint systems. In this case,
airbags or pretensioners may not be
activated in the case of an accident or (in a
lesser number of cases) they may be
activated incorrectly. Before proceeding,
contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership to have
the system checked immediately.
86)Do not travel carrying objects on your
lap, in front of your chest or between your
lips (pipe, pencils, etc.): they could cause
severe injury if the airbag is deployed.
87)If the car has been subject to theft,
attempted theft, vandalism, or flooding,
have the airbag system inspected at an Alfa
Romeo Dealership.88)The airbags may also be deployed when
the car is not moving, if the key is in the
ignition and turned to MAR-ON or when the
engine is off, if the car is hit by another
moving vehicle. Therefore, even if the vehicle
is stationary, when an active front
passenger airbag is fitted, DO NOT install
rearward facing child restraint systems on
the front passenger seat. Deployment of the
airbag following an impact could cause fatal
injuries to the child. Therefore, always
deactivate the passenger side airbag when a
rearward facing child restraint system is
installed on the front passenger seat. The
front passenger seat must also be
positioned back as far as possible in order to
prevent the child restraint system from
coming into contact with the dashboard.
Immediately reactivate the passenger
airbag as soon as the child restraint system
has been removed. Also remember that, if
the key is turned to STOP, none of the safety
devices (airbags or pretensioners) will be
deployed in the event of collision.
Non-deployment in such cases does not
indicate a system malfunction.
89)When the ignition key is turned to MAR,
the
warning light switches for few
seconds, then if the passenger airbag is
active it should switch off.
90)The front airbag is designed to be
deployed for impacts of a greater intensity
than for the pretensioners. For impacts
whose intensity falls between the two levels,
normally, only the pretensioners will be
activated.91)The airbag does not replace seat belts
but increases their efficiency. Because front
airbags are not deployed for low-speed
crashes, side collisions, rear-end shunts or
rollovers, occupants are protected, in
addition to any side bags, only by their seat
belts, which must therefore always be
fastened.
92)On cars with side bags, do not cover the
front seat backrests with extra covers.
87

STARTING THE ENGINE
93) 94) 95)
17) 18) 19) 20)
Before starting the engine, adjust the
seat, the interior rear view mirrors, the
door mirrors and fasten the seat belt
correctly.
Never press the accelerator pedal for
starting the engine.
If necessary, messages indicating the
starting procedure can be shown on the
display.
PROCEDURE FOR PETROL VERSIONS
Except Turbo TwinAir versions
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and place the
gearbox lever in neutral;
fully depress the clutch pedal, without
touching the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.
Turbo TwinAir versions
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and place the
gear lever in neutral or fully press the
clutch pedal if a gear other than neutral is
engaged;
turn the ignition key to AVV and
release it as soon as the engine starts.Versions with LPG system
To properly perform the starting
procedure, refer to as previously
described.
The engine always starts up on petrol
independently of the mode previously
selected. There must therefore always be
some petrol in the tank to protect the
petrol pump and to guarantee temporary
switching from LPG to petrol operation, if
high performance is required.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Except Turbo TwinAir versions:Ifthe
engine does not start at the first attempt,
return the ignition key to STOP before
repeating the procedure.
For Turbo TwinAir versions only:Ifthe
vehicle does not start at the first
attempt, return the ignition key to STOP
and repeat the starting procedure placing
the gear lever in neutral and fully
pressing the clutch pedal.
If, with the ignition key turned to MAR,
the
symbol is shown on the display
together with the warning light
, turn
the key to STOP and then back to MAR. If
the symbol on the display is still shown,
try with the other keys provided with the
car. Contact an Alfa Romeo Dealership if
the engine still does not start.
Never leave the ignition key in
MAR-ON position when the engine is
stopped.
PROCEDURE FOR DIESEL VERSIONS
Proceed as follows:
engage the handbrake and place the
gear lever in neutral;
turn the ignition key to MAR position:
the
warning light will light up on
instrument panel;
wait for the warning light to switch off;
fully depress the clutch pedal, without
touching the accelerator;
turn the ignition key to AVV; the
warning light switches off. Waiting
too long will waste the heating work
carried out by the glow plugs. Release the
key as soon as the engine starts.
WARNING
93)It is dangerous to run the engine in
enclosed areas. The engine takes in oxygen
and releases carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and other toxic gases.
94)The brake servo is not active until the
engine is started, so you would need to apply
much more force than usual to the brake
pedal.
95)Do not start the engine by pushing,
towing or driving downhill. These
manoeuvres may damage the catalytic
converter.
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STARTING AND DRIVING