HOW THE SRS AIR BAGS
WORK
119) 120) 121) 122) 123) 124) 125) 126) 127) 128) 129) 130)
131)
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 more details on the
seat belt pretensioner operation, refer
to the “SRS Air Bag deployment
criteria” paragraph.
Driver Air Bag
The driver's air bag is mounted in the
steering wheel fig. 76.
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. 77.
The inflation mechanism for the
passenger air bag is the same as the
driver's air bag. 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.
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SAFETY
Side Air Bags
The side air bags are mounted in the
outer sides of the seat backs fig. 78.
When the air bag crash sensors detect
a side impact of greater than moderate
force, the system inflates the side air
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 classification
sensor 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. 79.
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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.
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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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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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.
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123)Do not attach objects on or around
the area where a side air bag deploys.
Attaching objects to the seat in such a way
as to cover the outboard side of the seat in
any way is dangerous. In an accident the
object could interfere with the side air bag,
which inflates from the outboard side of the
seats, impeding the added protection of
the side air bag system or redirecting the
air bag in a way that is dangerous.
Furthermore, the bag could be cut open
releasing the gas. Do not hang net bags,
map pouches or backpacks with side
straps on the seats. Never use seat covers
on the seats. Always keep the side air bag
modules in your seats free to deploy in the
event of a side collision.
124)Do not touch the components of the
supplementary restraint system after the air
bags have inflated. Touching the
components of the supplementary restraint
system after the air bags have inflated is
dangerous. Immediately after inflation, they
are very hot. You could get burned.
125)Never install any front-end equipment
to your vehicle. Installation of front-end
equipment, such as frontal protection bar
(kangaroo bar, bull bar, push bar, or other
similar devices), snowplow, or winches, is
dangerous. The air bag crash sensor
system could be affected. This could cause
air bags to inflate unexpectedly, or it could
prevent the air bags from inflating during an
accident. Occupants could be seriously
injured.126)Do not modify the suspension.
Modifying the vehicle suspension is
dangerous. If the vehicle's height or the
suspension is modified, the vehicle will be
unable to accurately detect a collision
resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag
deployment and the possibility of serious
injuries.
127)Do not modify a door or leave any
damage unrepaired. Always have an expert
repairer, we recommend an Abarth
Dealership inspect a damaged door.
Modifying a door or leaving any damage
unrepaired is dangerous. Each door has a
side crash sensor as a component of the
supplementary restraint system. If holes
are drilled in a door, a door speaker is left
removed, or a damaged door is left
unrepaired, the sensor could be adversely
affected causing it to not detect the
pressure of an impact correctly during a
side collision. If a sensor does not detect a
side impact correctly, the side air bags and
the seat belt pretensioner may not operate
normally which could result in serious injury
to occupants.128)Do not modify the supplementary
restraint system. Modifying the
components or wiring of the
supplementary restraint system is
dangerous. You could accidentally activate
it or make it inoperable. Do not make any
modifications to the supplementary
restraint system. This includes installing
trim, badges, or anything else over the air
bag modules. It also includes installing
extra electrical equipment on or near
system components or wiring. An expert
repairer, we recommend an Abarth
Dealership can provide the special care
needed in the removal and installation of
seats. It is important to protect the air bag
wiring and connections to assure that the
bags do not accidentally deploy, and that
the passenger occupant classification
system and the seats retain an undamaged
air bag connection.
129)Do not place luggage or other objects
under the seats. Placing luggage or other
objects under the seats is dangerous. The
components essential to the
supplementary restraint system could be
damaged, and in the event of a side
collision, the appropriate air bags may not
deploy, which could result in death or
serious injury. To prevent damage to the
components essential to the
supplementary restraint system, do not
place luggage or other objects under the
seats.
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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.
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SAFETY
23)To allow the sensors to function
properly, always perform the following:
adjust the seats as far back as possible
and always sit upright against the
seatbacks with seat belts worn properly. If
you place your child on the passenger seat,
secure the child-restraint system properly
and slide the passenger seat as far back as
possible within the position in which the
child-restraint system can be installed.RECORDING OF
VEHICLE DATA
This vehicle is equipped with a
computer which records the following
main vehicle data related to vehicle
controls, operation, and other driving
conditions.
Recorded dataVehicle conditions such as engine
speed and vehicle speed.
Driving operation conditions such as
accelerator and brake pedals, and
information related to the environmental
circumstances while the vehicle is
driven.
Malfunction diagnosis information
from each on-vehicle computer.
Information related to controls of
other on-vehicle computers.
The recorded data may vary depending
on the vehicle grade and optional
equipment. Voice and images are not
recorded.
Data handling
FCA and its subcontracting parties may
obtain and use the recorded data for
vehicle malfunction diagnosis, research
and development, and quality
improvement.
FCA will not disclose or provide any of
the obtained data to a third party
unless:
an agreement from the vehicle owner
(agreements from lessor and lessee for
leased vehicle) is obtained;
officially requested by the police or
other law enforcement authorities;
for statistical processing by a
research institution after processing the
data so that identification of the owner
or the vehicle is impossible.
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