2021 ALFA ROMEO GIULIA child seat

159

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT
SYSTEMS
Some of the most important safety features in
your vehicle are the restraint systems:
Occupant Restraint Systems Features
Seat Belt Systems
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Air
Bags
Child Restraints

Some of the safety features described in this
section may be standard equipment on some
models, or may be optional equipment on others.
If you are not sure, ask an authorized dealer.

Important Safety Precautions
Please pay close attention to the information
in this section. It tells you how to use your
restraint system properly, to keep you and
your passengers as safe as possible.

Here are some simple steps you can take to mini -
mize the risk of harm from a deploying air bag:

1. Children 12 years old and under should always ride buckled up in the rear seat of
a vehicle with a rear seat.
2. A child who is not big enough to wear the vehicle seat belt properly must be secured
in the appropriate child restraint or
belt-positioning booster seat in a rear
seating position
Ú
page 174. 3. If a child from 2 to 12 years old (not in a
rear-facing child restraint) must ride in the
front passenger seat, move the seat as far
back as possible and use the proper child
restraint
Ú
page 174.
4. Never allow children to slide the shoulder belt behind them or under their arm.
5. You should read the instructions provided with your child restraint to make sure that
you are using it properly.
6. All occupants should always wear their lap and shoulder belts properly.
7. The driver and front passenger seats should be moved back as far as practical
to allow the front air bags room to inflate.
8. Do not lean against the door or window. If your vehicle has side air bags, and deploy -
ment occurs, the side air bags will inflate
forcefully into the space between occu -
pants and the door and occupants could
be injured.
9. If the air bag system in this vehicle needs to be modified to accommodate a disabled
person, see
Ú
page 270 for customer
service contact information.
Seat Belt Systems
Buckle up even though you are an excellent
driver, even on short trips. Someone on the
road may be a poor driver and could cause a
collision that includes you. This can happen far
away from home or on your own street.
Research has shown that seat belts save lives,
and they can reduce the seriousness of inju -
ries in a collision. Some of the worst injuries
happen when people are thrown from the
vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of
ejection and the risk of injury caused by
striking the inside of the vehicle. Everyone in a
motor vehicle should be belted at all times.
WARNING!
Never place a rear-facing child restraint in
front of an air bag. A deploying passenger
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint
in that vehicle.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 159

163

The second row center seat belt features a
seat belt with a mini-latch plate and buckle,
which allows the seat belt to detach from the
lower anchor when the seat is folded. The
mini-latch plate and regular latch plate can
then be stored out of the way in the parcel tray
for added convenience to open up utilization
of the storage areas behind the front seats
when the seat is not occupied.
1. Remove the mini-latch plate and regularlatch plate from its stowed position in the
right rear side trim panel.
2. Grab the mini-latch plate and pull the seat belt over the seat.
3. Route the shoulder belt to the inside of the right head restraint.
4. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the mini-latch plate into the
mini-buckle until you hear a “click.”
5. Sit back in seat. Slide the regular latch plate up the webbing as far as necessary
to allow the seat belt to go around your lap.
6. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch plate into the buckle until
you hear a “click.”
7. Position the lap belt so that it is snug and lies low across your hips, below your
abdomen. To remove slack in the lap belt
portion, pull up on the shoulder belt. To loosen the lap belt if it is too tight, pull on
the lap belt. A snug seat belt reduces the
risk of sliding under the seat belt in a colli
-
sion.
8. Position the shoulder belt on your chest so that it is comfortable and not resting on
your neck. The retractor will withdraw any
slack in the seat belt.
9. To release the seat belt, push the red button on the buckle.
10. To disengage the mini-latch plate from the mini-buckle for storage, insert the regular
latch plate into the black button on the top
of the mini-buckle. The seat belt will auto -
matically retract to its stowed position. If
necessary, slide the latch plate down the
webbing to allow the seat belt to retract
fully. Insert the mini-latch plate and regular
latch plate into its stowed position.
Detaching Mini-Buckle With Seat Belt Tongue
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
Seat Belts And Pregnant Women
Seat belts must be worn by all occupants
including pregnant women: the risk of injury in
the event of an accident is reduced for the
mother and the unborn child if they are
wearing a seat belt.
WARNING!
If the mini-latch plate and mini-buckle are
not properly connected when the seat belt
is used by an occupant, the seat belt will
not be able to provide proper restraint and
will increase the risk of injury in a collision.
When reattaching the mini-latch plate and
mini-buckle, ensure the seat belt webbing
is not twisted. If the webbing is twisted,
follow the preceding procedure to detach
the mini-latch plate and mini-buckle,
untwist the webbing, and reattach the
mini-latch plate and mini-buckle.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 163

SAFETY

164

Position the lap belt snug and low below the
abdomen and across the strong bones of the
hips. Place the shoulder belt across the chest
and away from the neck. Never place the
shoulder belt behind the back or under the arm.

Seat Belt Pretensioner
The front outboard seat belt system is
equipped with pretensioning devices that are
designed to remove slack from the seat belt in
the event of a collision. These devices may
improve the performance of the seat belt by
removing slack from the seat belt early in a
collision. Pretensioners work for all size occu-
pants, including those in child restraints.

NOTE:

These devices are not a substitute for proper
seat belt placement by the occupant. The seat
belt still must be worn snugly and positioned
properly.
The pretensioners are triggered by the Occu-
pant Restraint Controller (ORC). Like the air
bags, the pretensioners are single use items. A
deployed pretensioner or a deployed air bag
must be replaced immediately.
Energy Management Feature
The front outboard seat belt system is
equipped with an Energy Management feature
that may help further reduce the risk of injury
in the event of a collision. The seat belt system
has a retractor assembly that is designed to
release webbing in a controlled manner.
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR)
The seat belts in the passenger seating posi -
tions are equipped with a Switchable Auto -
matic Locking Retractor (ALR) which is used to
secure a child restraint system. For additional
information on ALR, see
Ú
page 183. The
figure below illustrates the locking feature for
each seating position.
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
If the passenger seating position is equipped
with an ALR and is being used for normal
usage, only pull the seat belt webbing out far
enough to comfortably wrap around the occu -
pant’s mid-section so as to not activate the
ALR. If the ALR is activated, you will hear a
clicking sound as the seat belt retracts. Allow
the webbing to retract completely in this case
and then carefully pull out only the amount of
webbing necessary to comfortably wrap
around the occupant’s mid-section. Slide the
latch plate into the buckle until you hear a
"click." In Automatic Locking Mode, the shoulder belt
is automatically pre-locked. The seat belt will
still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder
belt. Use the Automatic Locking Mode anytime
a child restraint is installed in a seating posi
-
tion that has a seat belt with this feature. Chil -
dren 12 years old and under should always be
properly restrained in the rear seat of a vehicle
with a rear seat.
How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grab the shoulder portion and pull down -
ward until the entire seat belt is extracted.
3. Allow the seat belt to retract. As the seat belt retracts, you will hear a clicking sound.
This indicates the seat belt is now in the
Automatic Locking Mode.
WARNING!

Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front
of an air bag. A deploying passenger 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.

Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint
in that vehicle.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 164

165

How To Disengage The Automatic Locking
Mode
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt
and allow it to retract completely to disengage
the Automatic Locking Mode and activate the
vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS)
Some of the safety features described in this
section may be standard equipment on some
models, or may be optional equipment on
others. If you are not sure, ask an authorized
dealer.
The air bag system must be ready to protect
you in a collision. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) monitors the internal circuits
and interconnecting wiring associated with the
electrical Air Bag System Components. Your
vehicle may be equipped with the following Air
Bag System Components:
Air Bag System Components
Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
Air Bag Warning Light
Steering Wheel and Column
Instrument Panel
Knee Impact Bolsters
Driver and Front Passenger Air Bags
Seat Belt Buckle Switch
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Knee Air Bags
Front and Side Impact Sensors
Seat Belt Pretensioners
Seat Track Position Sensors
Air Bag Warning Light
The Occupant Restraint Controller
(ORC) monitors the readiness of the
electronic parts of the air bag system
whenever the ignition switch is in the
START or ON/RUN position. If the ignition
switch is in the OFF position or in the ACC posi -
tion, the air bag system is not on and the air
bags will not inflate.
The ORC contains a backup power supply
system that may deploy the air bag system
even if the battery loses power or it becomes
disconnected prior to deployment.

The ORC turns on the Air Bag Warning Light in the
instrument panel for approximately four to eight
seconds for a self-check when the ignition switch
is first in the ON/RUN position. After the
self-check, the Air Bag Warning Light will turn off.
If the ORC detects a malfunction in any part of
the system, it turns on the Air Bag Warning Light,
either momentarily or continuously. A single
chime will sound to alert you if the light comes on
again after initial startup.

The ORC also includes diagnostics that will illu -
minate the instrument panel Air Bag Warning
Light if a malfunction is detected that could
affect the air bag system. The diagnostics also
record the nature of the malfunction. While
the air bag system is designed to be mainte - WARNING!
The seat belt assembly must be replaced
if the switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) feature or any other seat
belt function is not working properly when
checked according to the procedures in
the Service Manual.
Failure to replace the seat belt assembly
could increase the risk of injury in colli-
sions.
Do not use the Automatic Locking Mode to
restrain occupants who are wearing the
seat belt or children who are using booster
seats. The locked mode is only used to
install rear-facing or forward-facing child
restraints that have a harness for
restraining the child.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 165

167

(Continued)
Front Air Bag/Knee Bolster LocationsDriver And Passenger Front Air Bag
Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multi-
stage driver and front passenger air bags. This
system provides output appropriate to the
severity and type of collision as determined by
the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC),
which may receive information from the front
impact sensors (if equipped) or other system
components.
The first stage inflator is triggered immediately
during an impact that requires air bag deploy -
ment. A low energy output is used in less
severe collisions. A higher energy output is
used for more severe collisions.
This vehicle may be equipped with a driver
and/or front passenger seat belt buckle
switch that detects whether the driver or front
passenger seat belt is buckled. The seat belt
buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of
the Advanced Front Air Bags. This vehicle may be equipped with driver and/
or front passenger seat track position sensors
that may adjust the inflation rate of the
Advanced Front Air Bags based upon seat
position.
1 — Driver And Passenger Front Air Bags
2 — Driver And Passenger Knee Impact Bol -
sters/Supplemental Knee Air Bags
WARNING!
Being too close to the steering wheel or
instrument panel during front air bag
deployment could cause serious injury,
including death. Air bags need room to
inflate. Sit back, comfortably extending
your arms to reach the steering wheel or
instrument panel.
Never place a rear-facing child restraint in
front of an air bag. A deploying passenger
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.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint
in that vehicle.
WARNING! (Continued)
WARNING!
No objects should be placed over or near
the air bag on the instrument panel or
steering wheel because any such objects
could cause harm if the vehicle is in a colli -
sion severe enough to cause the air bag to
inflate.
Do not put anything on or around the air
bag covers or attempt to open them
manually. You may damage the air bags
and you could be injured because the air
bags may no longer be functional. The
protective covers for the air bag cushions
are designed to open only when the air
bags are inflating.
Relying on the air bags alone could lead to
more severe injuries in a collision. The air
bags work with your seat belt to restrain
you properly. In some collisions, air bags
won’t deploy at all. Always wear your seat
belts even though you have air bags.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 167

169

(Continued)
Supplemental Side Air Bags
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags
(SABs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SABs).
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags
(SABs) are located in the outboard side of the
front seats. The SABs are marked with a “SRS
AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” on a label or on the seat
trim on the outboard side of the seats.
The SABs may help to reduce the risk of occu-
pant injury during certain side impacts, in addi-
tion to the injury reduction potential provided
by the seat belts and body structure.
Front Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag

When the SAB deploys, it opens the seam on the
outboard side of the seatback’s trim cover. The
inflating SAB deploys through the seat seam into
the space between the occupant and the door.
The SAB moves at a very high speed and with
such a high force that it could injure occupants if they are not seated properly, or if items are posi
-
tioned in the area where the SAB inflates. Chil -
dren are at an even greater risk of injury from a
deploying air bag.

Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs)
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental
Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains
(SABICs) are located above the side windows.
The trim covering the SABICs is labeled “SRS
AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG.”
Supplemental Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtain (SABIC) Location SABICs may help reduce the risk of head and
other injuries to front and rear seat outboard
occupants in certain side impacts, in addition
to the injury reduction potential provided by
the seat belts and body structure.
The SABIC deploys downward, covering the
side windows. An inflating SABIC pushes the
outside edge of the headliner out of the way
and covers the window. The SABICs inflate
with enough force to injure occupants if they
are not belted and seated properly, or if items
are positioned in the area where the SABICs
inflate. Children are at an even greater risk of
injury from a deploying air bag.
The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial
or complete ejection of vehicle occupants
through side windows in certain side impact
events.
WARNING!
Do not use accessory seat covers or place
objects between you and the Side Air Bags;
the performance could be adversely
affected and/or objects could be pushed
into you, causing serious injury.
WARNING!
Do not mount equipment, or stack
luggage or other cargo up high enough to
block the deployment of the SABICs. The
trim covering above the side windows
where the SABIC and its deployment path
are located should remain free from any
obstructions.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 169

SAFETY

170

Side Impacts
The Side Air Bags are designed to activate in
certain side impacts. The Occupant Restraint
Controller (ORC) determines whether the
deployment of the Side Air Bags in a particular
impact event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. The side impact
sensors aid the ORC in determining the appro-
priate response to impact events. The system
is calibrated to deploy the Side Air Bags on the
impact side of the vehicle during impacts that
require Side Air Bag occupant protection. In
side impacts, the Side Air Bags deploy inde -
pendently; a left side impact deploys the left
Side Air Bags only and a right-side impact
deploys the right Side Air Bags only. Vehicle
damage by itself is not a good indicator of
whether or not Side Air Bags should have
deployed. The Side Air Bags will not deploy in all side
collisions, including some collisions at certain
angles, or some side collisions that do not
impact the area of the passenger compart
-
ment. The Side Air Bags may deploy during
angled or offset frontal collisions where the
front air bags deploy.
Side Air Bags are a supplement to the seat belt
restraint system. Side Air Bags deploy in less
time than it takes to blink your eyes.

NOTE:

Air bag covers may not be obvious in the inte-
rior trim, but they will open during air bag
deployment.
Rollover Events
Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners are
designed to activate in certain rollover events.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC)
determines whether deployment in a partic -
ular rollover event is appropriate, based on the
severity and type of collision. Vehicle damage
by itself is not a good indicator of whether or
not Side Air Bags and seat belt pretensioners
should have deployed.
In order for the SABICs to work as
intended, do not install any accessory
items in your vehicle which could alter the
roof. Do not add an aftermarket sunroof to
your vehicle. Do not add roof racks that
require permanent attachments (bolts or
screws) for installation on the vehicle roof.
Do not drill into the roof of the vehicle for
any reason.
WARNING! (Continued)
WARNING!
Occupants, including children, who are up
against or very close to Side Air Bags can
be seriously injured or killed. Occupants,
including children, should never lean on or
sleep against the door, side windows, or
area where the side air bags inflate, even
if they are in an infant or child restraint.

Seat belts (and child restraints where appro -
priate) are necessary for your protection in
all collisions. They also help keep you in
position, away from an inflating Side Air Bag.
To get the best protection from the Side Air
Bags, occupants must wear their seat belts
properly and sit upright with their backs
against the seats. Children must be properly
restrained in a child restraint or booster seat
that is appropriate for the size of the child.

WARNING!
Side Air Bags need room to inflate. Do not
lean against the door or window. Sit
upright in the center of the seat.
Being too close to the Side Air Bags during
deployment could cause you to be
severely injured or killed.
Relying on the Side Air Bags alone could
lead to more severe injuries in a collision.
The Side Air Bags work with your seat belt
to restrain you properly. In some colli -
sions, Side Air Bags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belt even though
you have Side Air Bags.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 170

SAFETY

174

Maintaining Your Air Bag System Event Data Recorder (EDR)
This vehicle is equipped with an event data
recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is
to record, in certain crash or near crash-like
situations, such as an air bag deployment or
hitting a road obstacle, data that will assist in
understanding how a vehicle’s systems
performed. The EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and safety
systems for a short period of time, typically 30
seconds or less. The EDR in this vehicle is
designed to record such data as:
How various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
How far (if at all) the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better under -
standing of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur.

NOTE:

EDR data are recorded by your vehicle only if a
non-trivial crash situation occurs; no data are
recorded by the EDR under normal driving
conditions and no personal data (e.g., name,
gender, age, and crash location) are recorded. However, other parties, such as law enforce
-
ment, could combine the EDR data with the
type of personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required, and access to the
vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties, such as
law enforcement, that have the special equip -
ment, can read the information if they have
access to the vehicle or the EDR.
Child Restraints
Everyone in your vehicle needs to be buckled
up at all times, including babies and children.
Every state in the United States, and every
Canadian province, requires that small chil -
dren ride in proper restraint systems. This is
the law, and you can be prosecuted for
ignoring it.
Children 12 years or younger should ride prop -
erly buckled up in a rear seat, if available.
According to crash statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seats rather than in the front.
WARNING!

Modifications to any part of the air bag
system could cause it to fail when you need
it. You could be injured if the air bag system
is not there to protect you. Do not modify the
components or wiring, including adding any
kind of badges or stickers to the steering
wheel hub trim cover or the upper passenger
side of the instrument panel. Do not modify
the front fascia/bumper, vehicle body struc -
ture, or add aftermarket side steps or
running boards.

It is dangerous to try to repair any part of
the air bag system yourself. Be sure to tell
anyone who works on your vehicle that it
has an air bag system.
Do not attempt to modify any part of your
air bag system. The air bag may inflate
accidentally or may not function properly if
modifications are made. Take your vehicle
to an authorized dealer for any air bag
system service. If your seat, including your
trim cover and cushion, needs to be
serviced in any way (including removal or
loosening/tightening of seat attachment
bolts), take the vehicle to an authorized
dealer. Only manufacturer approved seat
accessories may be used. If it is necessary
to modify the air bag system for persons
with disabilities, contact an authorized
dealer.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 174