FIAT Idea - Manual (Page 107)

106
CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
W
ARNING
LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
CAR
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICA
TIONS
INDEX
DASHBOARD AND CONTROL
SAFETY DEVICES
FRONT AND SIDE AIR
BAGS
The car is fitted with front air bags for the
driver and for the passenger, and window
bags (head protection system); upon re-
quest the car can be fitted also with front
side bags;
The front air bag (driver and passenger)
has been designed to protect the occu-
pants in the event of head-on crashes of
medium-high severity, by placing the cush-
ion between the occupant and the steer-
ing wheel or dashboard.
Front air bags are designed to protect
car’s occupants in front crashes and there-
fore non-activation in other types of col-
lisions (side collisions, rear shunts, roll-
overs, etc.) is not a system malfunction.
In case of crash, an electronic control unit,
when required, triggers the inflation of the
cushion.
The cushion immediately inflates, placing
itself as a protection between the body
of the front occupants and the structure
that could cause injuries. Immediately af-
ter, the cushion deflates.
The front air bag (driver and passenger) is
not a replacement of but complementary
to the use of belts, which should always
be worn, as specified by law in Europe and
most non European countries.
In case of crash, a person not wearing the
seat belt moves forward and may come in-
to contact with the cushion while it is still
inflating. Under this circumstance the pro-
tection offered by the air bag is reduced.
Front air bag may not be activated in the
following situations:
❒ in collisions against highly deformable
objects not affecting the vehicle front
surface (e.g. bumper collision against
guard rail, etc.);
❒ in case of wedging under other vehi-
cles or protective barriers (for exam-
ple under a truck or guard rail), the air
bag is not triggered as it offers no ad-
ditional protection compared with the
seat belts, consequently it would be
pointless. Therefore, failure to come
into action in the above circumstance
does not mean that the system is not
working properly.
The driver’s and passenger’s front Air bags
have been designed and calibrated to im-
prove the protection of a person wear-
ing seat belts.
At its maximum inflation, its volume fills
most of the space between the dashboard
and the passenger.
DRIVER’S FRONT AIR BAG fig. 17
It consists of an instant-inflating cushion
contained in a special recess in the cen-
tre of the steering wheel.
fig. 17 F0H0746m
093-110 idea GB 1 ed 10-07-2008 8:28 Pagina 106