2021 ALFA ROMEO GIULIA ECU

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.
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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.
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176

(Continued)
Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rear-facing in the vehicle until they are two
years old or until they reach either the height
or weight limit of their rear-facing child
restraint. Two types of child restraints can be
used rear-facing: infant carriers and convert-
ible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in
the vehicle. It is recommended for children
from birth until they reach the weight or height
limit of the infant carrier. Convertible child
seats can be used either rear-facing or
forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child
seats often have a higher weight limit in the
rear-facing direction than infant carriers do, so
they can be used rear-facing by children who
have outgrown their infant carrier but are still
less than at least two years old. Children
should remain rear-facing until they reach the
highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child
seat can ride forward-facing in the vehicle.
Forward-facing child seats and convertible
child seats used in the forward-facing direc -
tion are for children who are over two years old
or who have outgrown the rear-facing weight
or height limit of their rear-facing convertible
child seat. Children should remain in a
forward-facing child seat with a harness for as
long as possible, up to the highest weight or
height allowed by the child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above
the forward-facing limit for the child seat
should use a belt-positioning booster seat
until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the
child cannot sit with knees bent over the
vehicle’s seat cushion while the child’s back is
against the seatback, they should use a
belt-positioning booster seat. The child and
belt-positioning booster seat are held in the
vehicle by the seat belt.
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.
WARNING! (Continued) WARNING!
Improper installation can lead to failure of
an infant or child restraint. It could come
loose in a collision. The child could be
badly injured or killed. Follow the child
restraint manufacturer’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child
restraint.
After a child restraint is installed in the
vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat
forward or rearward because it can loosen
the child restraint attachments. Remove
the child restraint before adjusting the
vehicle seat position. When the vehicle
seat has been adjusted, reinstall the child
restraint.
When your child restraint is not in use,
secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or
LATCH anchorages, or remove it from the
vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the
vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it
could strike the occupants or seatbacks
and cause serious personal injury.
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182

To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint
If the selected seating position has a Switch-
able Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) seat
belt, stow the seat belt, following the instruc -
tions below. See
Ú
page 183 to check what
type of seat belt each seating position has.
1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on the tether strap of the child seat so
that you can more easily attach the hooks
or connectors to the vehicle anchorages.
2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. If the
second row seat can be reclined, you may
recline the seat and/or raise the head
restraint (if adjustable) to get a better fit. If
the rear seat can be moved forward and
rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to
move it to its rear-most position to make
room for the child seat. You may also move
the front seat forward to allow more room
for the child seat. 3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of
the child restraint to the lower anchorages
in the selected seating position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage. See

Ú
page 186 for directions to attach a
tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward
into the seat. Remove slack in the straps
according to the child restraint manufac -
turer’s instructions.
6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the
child seat at the belt path. It should not
move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any
direction.
How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR
(ALR) Seat Belt:
When using the LATCH attaching system to
install a child restraint, stow all ALR seat belts
that are not being used by other occupants or
being used to secure child restraints. An
unused belt could injure a child if they play
with it and accidentally lock the seat belt
retractor. Before installing a child restraint
using the LATCH system, buckle the seat belt
behind the child restraint and out of the child’s
reach. If the buckled seat belt interferes with
the child restraint installation, instead of buck -
ling it behind the child restraint, route the seat
belt through the child restraint belt path and
then buckle it. Do not lock the seat belt.
Remind all children in the vehicle that the seat
belts are not toys and that they should not play
with them.
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183

Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle
Seat Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt.
The seat belts in the passenger seating posi-
tions are equipped with a Switchable Auto -
matic Locking Retractor (ALR) that is designed
to keep the lap portion of the seat belt tight
around the child restraint so that it is not
necessary to use a locking clip. The ALR
retractor can be “switched” into a locked
mode by pulling all of the webbing out of the
retractor and then letting the webbing retract
back into the retractor. If it is locked, the ALR
will make a clicking noise while the webbing is
pulled back into the retractor. See the “Automatic Locking Mode” description

Ú

page 164 for additional information on ALR.
Please see the table below and the following
sections for more information.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing
Child Restraints In This Vehicle
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to
the LATCH anchorages can lead to failure
of the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed. Follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
Child restraint anchorages are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly-fitted child restraints. Under no
circumstances are they to be used for
adult seat belts, harnesses, or for
attaching other items or equipment to the
vehicle.
WARNING!
Improper installation or failure to properly
secure a child restraint can lead to failure
of the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions exactly when installing an
infant or child restraint.

ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
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185

Installing A Child Restraint With A
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR):
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt.
1. Place the child seat in the center of theseating position. If the second row seat
can be reclined, you may recline the seat
and/or raise the head restraint (if adjust-
able) to get a better fit. If the rear seat can
be moved forward and rearward in the
vehicle, you may wish to move it to its
rear-most position to make room for the
child seat. You may also move the front
seat forward to allow more room for the
child seat. 2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from
the retractor to pass it through the belt
path of the child restraint. Do not twist the
belt webbing in the belt path.
3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a “click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight against the child seat.
5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of the belt until you have
pulled all the seat belt webbing out of the
retractor. Then, allow the webbing to
retract back into the retractor. As the
webbing retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. This means the seat belt is now in
the Automatic Locking mode.
6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is locked, you should not be able to pull
out any webbing. If the retractor is not
locked, repeat step 5. 7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to
tighten the lap portion around the child
restraint while you push the child restraint
rearward and downward into the vehicle
seat.
8. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the seating position has a top tether
anchorage, connect the tether strap to the
anchorage and tighten the tether strap.
See
Ú
page 186 for directions to attach a
tether anchor.
9. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the
child seat at the belt path. It should not
move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any
direction.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so
check the belt occasionally, and pull it tight if
necessary.
WARNING!
Improper installation or failure to properly
secure a child restraint can lead to failure
of the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions exactly when installing an
infant or child restraint.
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Installing Child Restraints Using The Top
Tether Anchorage: 1. Look behind the seating position whereyou plan to install the child restraint to find
the tether anchorage. You may need to
move the seat forward to provide better
access to the tether anchorage. If there is
no top tether anchorage for that seating
position, move the child restraint to
another position in the vehicle if one is
available.
2. Rotate or lift the cover to access the anchor directly behind the seat where you
are placing the child restraint.
Upper Tether Anchorage Location 3. Route the tether strap to provide the most
direct path for the strap between the
anchor and the child seat. If your vehicle is
equipped with adjustable rear head
restraints, raise the head restraint, and
where possible, route the tether strap
under the head restraint and between the
two posts. If not possible, lower the head
restraint and pass the tether strap around
the outboard side of the head restraint.
4. Attach the tether strap hook of the child restraint to the top tether anchorage as
shown in the diagram.
5. Remove slack in the tether strap according to the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions.
WARNING!
Do not attach a tether strap for a
rear-facing car seat to any location in front
of the car seat, including the seat frame or
a tether anchorage. Only attach the tether
strap of a rear-facing car seat to the tether
anchorage that is approved for that seating
position, located behind the top of the
vehicle seat. See
Ú
page 182 for the
location of approved tether anchorages in
your vehicle.
1 — Tether Strap Hook
2 — Cover
3 — Tether Anchor
WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could
lead to increased head motion and
possible injury to the child. Use only the
anchorage position directly behind the
child seat to secure a child restraint top
tether strap.
If your vehicle is equipped with a split rear
seat, make sure the tether strap does not
slip into the opening between the seat -
backs as you remove slack in the strap.
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187
(Continued)
SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE
CARGO AREA.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm
your pet. An unrestrained pet will be thrown
about and possibly injured, or injure a
passenger during panic braking or in a colli-
sion.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat (if
equipped) in pet harnesses or pet carriers that
are secured by seat belts.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the seat belt system periodically,
checking for cuts, frays, and loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immedi -
ately. Do not disassemble or modify the
system.
Front seat belt assemblies must be replaced
after a collision. Rear seat belt assemblies
must be replaced after a collision if they have
been damaged (i.e., bent retractor, torn
webbing, etc.). If there is any question
regarding seat belt or retractor condition,
replace the seat belt.
Air Bag Warning Light
The Air Bag warning light will turn on for
four to eight seconds as a bulb check when the
ignition switch is first turned to ON/RUN. If the
light is either not on during starting, stays on,
or turns on while driving, have the system
inspected at an authorized dealer as soon as
possible. After the bulb check, this light will
illuminate with a single chime when a fault
with the Air Bag System has been detected. It
will stay on until the fault is removed. If the
light comes on intermittently or remains on
while driving, have an authorized dealer
service the vehicle immediately
Ú
page 159.
Defroster
Check operation by selecting the defrost mode
and place the blower control on high speed.
You should be able to feel the air directed
against the windshield. See an authorized
dealer for service if your defroster is inoper -
able.
Floor Mat Safety Information
Always use floor mats designed to fit your
vehicle. Only use a floor mat that does not
interfere with the operation of the accelerator,
brake or clutch pedals. Only use a floor mat
that is securely attached using the floor mat
fasteners so it cannot slip out of position and
interfere with the accelerator, brake or clutch
pedals or impair safe operation of your vehicle
in other ways.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside
parked vehicles in hot weather. Interior
heat build-up may cause serious injury or
death.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are
more likely to be seriously injured or killed.
Do not allow people to ride in any area of
your vehicle that is not equipped with
seats and seat belts.
Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a seat belt properly. WARNING!

An improperly attached, damaged, folded, or
stacked floor mat, or damaged floor mat
fasteners may cause your floor mat to
interfere with the accelerator, brake, or clutch
pedals and cause a loss of vehicle control. To
prevent SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH:

ALWAYS securely attach your floor mat
using the floor mat fasteners. DO NOT
install your floor mat upside down or turn
your floor mat over. Lightly pull to confirm
mat is secured using the floor mat
fasteners on a regular basis.
21_GA_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 187