PASSENGER OCCUPANT
CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM
132) 133)
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 from
deploying 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 Under the following
conditions, 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/offcondition chart. light on/off condition
chart. For example If a passenger is
seated as shown in the following
fig. 84 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.
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107
Passenger air bag deactivation
indicator lights
These indicator lights fig. 85 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.
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 after
installing 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 an
Abarth 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 an Abarth Dealership as soon
as possible.
When an air bag deploys, a loud
inflation noise can be heard and some
smoke will be released. Neither is likely
to cause injury, however the texture of
the air bags may cause light skin
injuries on body parts not covered with
clothing through friction.
Should you sell your Abarth, we urge
you to tell the new owner of its air bag
systems and that familiarization with all
instructions about them, from the
Owner’s Manual, is very important.
Vehicles with a passenger air bag
have a warning label attached as
shown below. This warning label is
displayed in compliance with regulation.
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108
SAFETY
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 an Abarth Dealership as soon as possible. The system may not
work properly in an accident.
109
WARNING
116)Seat belts must be worn in air bag
equipped vehicles. Depending only on the
air bags for protection during an accident
is dangerous. Alone, air bags may not
prevent serious injuries. The appropriate air
bags can be expected to inflate only in the
first accident, such as frontal, near frontal
or side collisions that are at least
moderate. Vehicle occupants should
always wear seat belts.
117)Always make sure the passenger air
bag deactivation OFF indicator light is
illuminated when using a child-restraint
system. Seating a child in a child-restraint
system that is installed on the passenger
seat with the passenger air bag
deactivation OFF indicator light not
illuminated is extremely dangerous. In an
accident, an air bag could inflate and
cause serious injuries or even death to the
child seated in the child-restraint system.
Always make sure the passenger air bag
deactivation OFF indicator light is
illuminated.118)EXTREME HAZARD! Never use a
rear-facing child-restraint system on the
passenger seat with an air bag that could
deploy. NEVER use a rearward facing
child-restraint on a seat protected by an
ACTIVE AIR BAG in front of it, DEATH or
SERIOUS INJURY to the CHILD can occur.
Even in a moderate collision, the
child-restraint system can be hit by a
deploying air bag and moved violently
backward resulting in serious injury or
death to the child. If your vehicle is
equipped with on passenger occupant
classification system, always make sure the
passenger air bag deactivation OFF
indicator light is illuminated.
119)Do not sit too close to the driver and
passenger air bags. Sitting too close to the
driver and passenger air bag modules or
placing hands or feet on them is extremely
dangerous. The driver and passenger air
bags inflate with great force and speed.
Serious injuries could occur if someone is
too close. The driver should always hold
onto only the rim of the steering wheel. The
passenger should keep both feet on the
floor. Seat occupants should adjust their
seats as far back as possible and always
sit upright against the seat backs with seat
belts worn properly.120)Do not sit too close to a door or lean
against doors in vehicles with side air bags.
Sitting too close to the side air bag
modules or placing hands on them is
extremely dangerous. A side air bag
inflates with great force and speed directly
out of the outer shoulder of the seat and
expands along the door on the side the car
is hit. Serious injury could occur if someone
is sitting too close to the door or leaning
against a window in the seats.
Furthermore, sleeping up against the door
or hanging out the driver-side window while
driving could block the side air bag and
eliminate the advantages of supplementary
protection. Give the side air bags room to
work by sitting in the center of the seat
while the vehicle is moving with seat belts
worn properly.
121)Sit in the center of the seat and wear
seat belts properly. Sitting too close to the
side air bag modules or placing hands on
them, or sleeping up against the door or
hanging out the windows is extremely
dangerous. The side air bags inflate with
great force and speed directly expanding
along the door on the side the car is hit.
Serious injury could occur if someone is
sitting too close to the door. Give the side
air bags room to work by sitting in the
center of the seat while the vehicle is
moving with seat belts worn properly.
122)Do not attach objects on or around
the area where driver and passenger air
bags deploy. Attaching an object to the
driver and passenger air bag modules or
placing something in front of them is
dangerous. In an accident, an object could
interfere with air bag inflation and injure the
occupants.
110
SAFETY
130)Do not operate a vehicle with
damaged air bag/seat belt pretensioner
system components. Expended or
damaged air bag/seat belt pretensioner
system components must be replaced
after any collision which caused them to
deploy or damage them. Only a trained
expert repairer, we recommend an Abarth
Dealership that can fully evaluate these
systems to see that they will work in any
subsequent accident. Driving with an
expended or damaged air bag or
pretensioner unit will not afford you the
necessary protection in the event of any
subsequent accident which could result in
serious injury or death.
131)Do not remove interior air bag parts.
Removing any components such as the
seats, front instrument panel, the steering
wheel, containing air bag parts or sensors
is dangerous. These parts contain essential
air bag components. The air bag could
accidentally activate and cause serious
injuries. Always have an Abarth Dealership
remove these parts.132)Do not allow an occupant in the
passenger's seat to sit with a posture
which makes it difficult for the passenger
occupant classification sensor to detect
the occupant correctly. Sitting in the
passenger's seat with a posture which
makes it difficult for the passenger
occupant classification sensor to detect
the occupant correctly is dangerous. If the
passenger occupant classification sensor
cannot detect the occupant sitting on the
passenger's seat correctly, the passenger
front and side air bags and pretensioner
system may not operate (non-deploy) or
they may operate (deploy) accidentally. The
passenger will not have the supplementary
protection of the air bags or the accidental
operation (deployment) of the air bags
could result in serious injury or death.133)Under the following conditions, 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. For
example: luggage or other items placed
under the passenger seat or between the
passenger seat and driver seat that push
up the passenger seat bottom / An object,
such as a seat cushion, is put on the
passenger's seat or between the
passenger's back and the seat back / A
seat cover is put on the passenger's seat /
Luggage or other items are placed on the
seat with the child in the child-restraint
system / The seat is washed / Liquids are
spilled on the seat / The passenger seat is
moved backward, pushing into luggage or
other items placed behind it / Luggage or
other items are placed between the
passenger seat and driver seat / An electric
device is put on the passenger's seat. The
passenger front and side air bags and seat
belt pretensioner systems will deactivate if
the passenger air bag deactivation OFF
indicator light turns on.
IMPORTANT
22)To assure proper deployment of the
front air bag and to prevent damage to the
sensor in the seat cushion: do not place
sharp objects on the seat cushion or leave
heavy luggage on them. Do not spill any
liquids on the seats or under the seats.
112
SAFETY
CONSTANT
MONITORING
The following components of the air
bag systems and the active bonnet are
monitored by a diagnostic system:
Front air bag sensors
Crash sensors, and diagnostic
module (SAS unit)
Side crash sensors
Air bag modules
Seat belt pretensioners
Air bag/Seat belt pretensioner
system warning light
Related wiring
With Passenger Occupant
Classification System
Passenger occupant classification
sensor
Passenger occupant classification
module
Passenger air bag deactivation
indicator light
With Active bonnetActive bonnet sensors
Active bonnet modules
Active bonnet warning light
The diagnostic module continuously
monitors the system's readiness. This
begins when the ignition is switched
ON and continues while the vehicle is
being driven.
114
SAFETY
MANUAL
TRANSMISSION
140) 141) 142)
25)
To engage the gears, press the clutch
pedal fully and put the gear lever into
the required position. The diagram for
gear engagement is shown on the knob
fig. 88.
Depress the clutch pedal all the way
down while shifting; then release it
slowly.
Your vehicle is equipped with a device
to prevent shifting to R (reverse) by
mistake. Push the shift lever downward
and shift to R.
If shifting to R is difficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
With Parking Sensor system
When the shift lever is shifted to the R
position with the ignition switched ON,
the parking sensor system is activated
and a beep sound is heard.
IMPORTANT Keep your foot off the
clutch pedal except when shifting
gears. Also, do not use the clutch to
hold the vehicle on an upgrade. Riding
the clutch will cause needless clutch
wear and damage.
IMPORTANT Do not apply any
excessive lateral force to the shift lever
when changing from 5
thto 4thgear.
This could lead to the accidental
selection of 2
ndgear, which could
result in damage to the transmission.
IMPORTANT Make sure the vehicle
comes to a complete stop before
shifting to R. Shifting to R while the
vehicle is still moving may damage the
transmission.
IMPORTANT Reverse can only be
engaged when the vehicle is completely
stationary. With the engine running, wait
at least 2 seconds with the clutch pedal
fully pressed before engaging reverse to
prevent damage to the gears and
grating.
WARNING
140)Depress the clutch pedal fully to
change gear correctly. Therefore, the floor
area underneath the pedal unit must not be
obstructed in any way. Ensure that the floor
mat is always laid flat and does not
interfere with use of the pedals.
141)Do not use sudden engine braking on
slippery road surfaces or at high speeds.
Shifting down while driving on wet, snowy,
or frozen roads, or while driving at high
speeds causes sudden engine braking,
which is dangerous. The sudden change in
tyre speed could cause the tyres to skid.
This could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident.
142)Always leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake when
leaving the vehicle unattended. Otherwise
the vehicle could move and cause an
accident.
IMPORTANT
25)Do not drive with your hand resting on
the gear lever as the force exerted, even if
slight, could lead over time to premature
wear of the gearbox internal components.8805987654-12A-001AB
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STARTING AND OPERATING
N (Neutral)
145)
In N, the wheels and transmission are
not locked. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless the
parking brake or brakes are on.
IMPORTANT Do not shift into N when
driving the vehicle. Doing so can cause
transaxle damage. Apply the parking
brake or depress the brake pedal
before moving the selector lever from N
to prevent the vehicle from moving
unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the selector lever. Refer to
“Manual shift mode”.
SHIFT-LOCK SYSTEM
The shift-lock system prevents shifting
out of P unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift from P:
depress and hold the brake pedal;
start the engine;
press and hold the lock-release
button;
move the selector lever.When the ignition is switched to ACC or
the ignition is switched off, the selector
lever cannot be shifted from P.
The ignition cannot be switched to OFF
if the selector lever is not in P.
SHIFT-LOCK OVERRIDE
If the selector lever will not move from P
using the proper shift procedure,
continue to hold down the brake pedal.
Proceed as follows:
remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped flat head
screwdriver fig. 90;
insert a screwdriver and push it
down;
press and hold the lock-release
button and move the selector lever;
take the vehicle to an Abarth
Dealership.
For some versions
Proceed as follows:
press the lock-release button with
the button pressed fig. 91;
move the selector lever;
take the vehicle to an Abarth
Dealership.
MANUAL SHIFT MODE
To change to manual shift mode, shift
the lever from D to M. To return to
automatic shift mode, shift the lever
fromMtoD.
IMPORTANT Changing to manual shift
mode while driving will not damage the
transmission.
IMPORTANT If you change to manual
shift mode when the vehicle is stopped,
the gear may shift to M1.
IMPORTANT If you change to manual
shift mode without depressing the
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STARTING AND OPERATING