2022 FIAT 500X Owners Manual

SAFETY191
(Continued)
Lap/Shoulder Belt Operating Instructions

1. Enter the vehicle and close the door. Sit back and adjust the seat.

2. The seat belt latch plate is above the back of the front seat, and next to your arm in the rear
seat (for vehicles equipped with a rear seat).
Grab the latch plate and pull out the seat belt. Slide the latch plate up the webbing as far as
necessary to allow the seat belt to go around
your lap.

Pulling Out The Latch Plate

3. When the seat belt is long enough to fit, insert the latch plate into the buckle until you hear a
“click.”

Inserting Latch Plate Into Buckle

A twisted seat belt may not protect you prop -
erly. In a collision, it could even cut into you.
Be sure the seat belt is flat against your body,
without twists. If you can’t straighten a seat
belt in your vehicle, take it to an authorized
dealer immediately and have it fixed.
A seat belt that is buckled into the wrong
buckle will not protect you properly. The lap
portion could ride too high on your body,
possibly causing internal injuries. Always
buckle your seat belt into the buckle nearest
you.
A seat belt that is too loose will not protect you
properly. In a sudden stop, you could move too
far forward, increasing the possibility of injury.
Wear your seat belt snugly.
A seat belt that is worn under your arm is
dangerous. Your body could strike the inside
surfaces of the vehicle in a collision,
increasing head and neck injury. A seat belt
worn under the arm can cause internal inju -
ries. Ribs aren’t as strong as shoulder bones.
Wear the seat belt over your shoulder so that
your strongest bones will take the force in a
collision.
WARNING!
A shoulder belt placed behind you will not
protect you from injury during a collision. You
are more likely to hit your head in a collision if
you do not wear your shoulder belt. The lap
and shoulder belt are meant to be used
together.
A frayed or torn seat belt could rip apart in a
collision and leave you with no protection.
Inspect the seat belt system periodically,
checking for cuts, frays, or loose parts.
Damaged parts must be replaced immedi -
ately. Do not disassemble or modify the seat
belt system. If your vehicle is involved in a
collision, or if you have questions regarding
seat belt or retractor conditions, take your
vehicle to an authorized FCA dealer or autho -
rized FCA Certified Collision Care Program
facility for inspection.
WARNING!
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192SAFETY
4. 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, tilt the latch plate and pull on the lap
belt. A snug seat belt reduces the risk of sliding
under the seat belt in a collision.

Positioning The Lap Belt

5. Position the shoulder belt across the shoulder and chest with minimal, if any slack so that it
is comfortable and not resting on your neck.
The retractor will withdraw any slack in the
shoulder belt.
6. To release the seat belt, push the red button on the buckle. The seat belt will automatically
retract to its stowed position. If necessary,
slide the latch plate down the webbing to allow
the seat belt to retract fully.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Untwisting Procedure
Use the following procedure to untwist a twisted
lap/shoulder belt.

1. Position the latch plate as close as possible to the anchor point.

2. At about 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) above the latch plate, grab and twist the seat belt
webbing 180 degrees to create a fold that
begins immediately above the latch plate.
3. Slide the latch plate upward over the folded webbing. The folded webbing must enter the
slot at the top of the latch plate.
4. Continue to slide the latch plate up until it clears the folded webbing and the seat belt is
no longer twisted.
Adjustable Upper Shoulder Belt Anchorage
In the driver and outboard front passenger seats,
the top of the shoulder belt can be adjusted
upward or downward to position the seat belt away
from your neck. Push or squeeze the anchorage
button to release the anchorage, and move it up or
down to the position that serves you best.
Adjustable Anchorage Up

As a guide, if you are shorter than average, you will
prefer the shoulder belt anchorage in a lower
position, and if you are taller than average, you will
prefer the shoulder belt anchorage in a higher
position. After you release the anchorage button,
try to move it up or down to make sure that it is
locked in position.NOTE:The adjustable upper shoulder belt anchorage is
equipped with an Easy Up feature. This feature
allows the shoulder belt anchorage to be adjusted
in the upward position without pushing or
squeezing the release button. To verify the
shoulder belt anchorage is latched, pull downward
on the shoulder belt anchorage until it is locked
into position.

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SAFETY193
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.
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 occupants, 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 Occupant
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.
WARNING!
Wearing your seat belt incorrectly could make
your injuries in a collision much worse. You
might suffer internal injuries, or you could
even slide out of the seat belt. Follow these
instructions to wear your seat belt safely and
to keep your passengers safe, too.
Position the shoulder belt across the shoulder
and chest with minimal, if any slack so that it
is comfortable and not resting on your neck.
The retractor will withdraw any slack in the
shoulder belt.
Misadjustment of the seat belt could reduce
the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
Always make all seat belt height adjustments
when the vehicle is stationary.6

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194SAFETY
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR)
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions
are equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) which is used to secure a child
restraint system Ú page 211.
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 occupant’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 position that has
a seat belt with this feature. Children 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 downward
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.
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.
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
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!
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 collisions.
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.

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SAFETY195
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 AVV/START or
MAR/ACC/ON/RUN position. If the ignition switch
is in the STOP/OFF/LOCK position 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
in the MAR/ACC/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
illuminate 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 maintenance free, if any of the
following occurs, have an authorized dealer
service the air bag system immediately.The Air Bag Warning Light does not come on
during the four to eight seconds when the igni
-
tion switch is first in the MAR/ACC/ON/RUN
position.
The Air Bag Warning Light remains on after the
four to eight-second interval.
The Air Bag Warning Light comes on intermit -
tently or remains on while driving.
NOTE:If the speedometer, tachometer, or any engine
related gauges are not working, the Occupant
Restraint Controller (ORC) may also be disabled. In
this condition the air bags may not be ready to
inflate for your protection. Have an authorized
dealer service the air bag system immediately.
WARNING!
Ignoring the Air Bag Warning Light in your
instrument panel could mean you won’t have the
air bag system to protect you in a collision. If the
light does not come on as a bulb check when the
ignition is first turned on, stays on after you start
the vehicle, or if it comes on as you drive, have
an authorized dealer service the air bag system
immediately.
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196SAFETY
(Continued)
Redundant Air Bag Warning Light
If a fault with the Air Bag Warning Light is
detected, which could affect the
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS),
the Redundant Air Bag Warning Light will
illuminate on the instrument panel. The
Redundant Air Bag Warning Light will stay on until
the fault is cleared. In addition, a single chime will
sound to alert you that the Redundant Air Bag
Warning Light has come on and a fault has been
detected. If the Redundant Air Bag Warning Light
comes on intermittently or remains on while driving
have an authorized dealer service the vehicle
immediately Ú page 69.
Front Air Bags
This vehicle has front air bags and lap/shoulder
belts for both the driver and front passenger. The
front air bags are a supplement to the seat belt
restraint systems. The driver front air bag is
mounted in the center of the steering wheel. The
passenger front air bag is mounted in the
instrument panel, above the glove compartment.
The words “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG” are
embossed on the air bag covers.
Front Air Bag/Knee Impact Bolster Locations

Driver And Passenger Front Air Bag
Features
The Advanced Front Air Bag system has multistage
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 deployment.
A low energy output is used in less severe
collisions. A higher energy output is used for more
severe collisions.
1 — Driver And Passenger Front Air Bags
2 — Driver Knee Impact Bolster/Supplemental
Driver Knee Air Bag
3 — Passenger Knee Impact Bolster
WARNING!
Being too close to the steering wheel or instru
-
ment panel during front air bag deployment
could cause serious injury, including death. Air
bags need room to inflate. Sit back, comfort -
ably 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!

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SAFETY197
(Continued)
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.
Front Air Bag Operation
Front Air Bags are designed to provide additional
protection by supplementing the seat belts. Front
air bags are not expected to reduce the risk of
injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions. The front
air bags will not deploy in all frontal collisions,
including some that may produce substantial
vehicle damage — for example, some pole
collisions, truck underrides, and angle offset
collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and
location of impact, front air bags may deploy in
crashes with little vehicle front-end damage but
that produce a severe initial deceleration.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle
deceleration over time, vehicle speed and damage
by themselves are not good indicators of whether
or not an air bag should have deployed. Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all
collisions, and also are needed to help keep you in
position, away from an inflating air bag.
When the Occupants Restraint Controller (ORC)
detects a collision requiring the front air bags, it
signals the inflator units. A large quantity of
non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the front air
bags.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper
passenger side of the instrument panel separate
and fold out of the way as the air bags inflate to
their full size. The front air bags fully inflate in less
time than it takes to blink your eyes. The front air
bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain
the driver and front passenger.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees
of the driver and front passenger, and position the
front occupants for improved interaction with the
front air bags.
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 collision 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.
WARNING!
WARNING!
Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee
impact bolsters in any way.
Do not mount any accessories to the knee
impact bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos,
citizen band radios, etc.
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198SAFETY
Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag
This vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental
Driver Knee Air Bag mounted in the instrument
panel below the steering column. The
Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag provides
enhanced protection during a frontal impact by
working together with the seat belts,
pretensioners, and front air bags.
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 occupant
injury during certain side impacts, in addition 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 positioned in
the area where the SAB inflates. Children 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) Label Location

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.

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