Fiat 500x User Manual page 30

GETTING STARTED
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 un-
derrides, 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 dam-
age by themselves are not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should have de-
ployed.
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 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 right 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.
• 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.
Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag
This vehicle is equipped with a Supplemental Driver Knee Air Bag mounted in the instru-
ment 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, pre-
tensioners, and front air bags.
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WARNING!