Maserati Quattroporte Automatic 2009 Owner's Manual page 30

M139_UM_usa1.book Page 30 Monday, September 1, 2008 2:39 PM
WARNING: The vehicle is equipped
with airbag technology that no longer
uses a Passenger Airbag Off function
to indicate that the front passenger
seat is occupied.
Children should be properly restrained
in suitable child seats, which must be
properly installed in the vehicle
2
(following the child seat
manufacturer's instructions), and be
placed in the rear passenger seating
area.
Children (or adults) who are
resting on the airbag or are
too close to it when it is
activated, may be seriously injured.
The airbags and pretensioners are
designed to offer suitable protection
for adults and teenagers, but not for
children and babies. Neither the seat
belts or the airbags are designed for
them. Children and babies must travel
in suitable restraining systems.
Babies must be supported
completely, including their
head and neck. This is
necessary since the babies neck is
weak while their head is
proportionally bigger and heavier in
relation to their body. In a collision, if
a baby is travelling in a rearward-
facing seat, the forces of an impact are
30
Proper transport of children
distributed throughout the strongest
parts of the body, i.e., the back and
shoulders. Babies must always be
protected by a suitable restraining
system when travelling.
Babies travelling in a
rearward-facing seat may be
seriously injured in the event
of airbag activation. This could
happen because the seatback of the
child's seat may be positioned
extremely close to the airbag at the
moment it is inflated. Do not place an
infant or a child in the front passenger
seat at any time.
The structure of a child's body
is completely different from
that of an adult or a teenager
(whom the seat belts are designed
for). Children's hips are so small that
the seat belt will not stay in the correct
position on them. The belt may rise up
on the child's stomach and, in the
event of a collision, can cause serious
internal injuries. Children must always
be protected by suitable restraining
systems.
We recommend that child
seats be installed in the rear
seating positions ONLY.
All minors whose physical
characteristics (age, height, weight)
fall within the value ranges/limits
provided by established legislation in
each country must also be protected by
special restraint or safety systems (e.g.,
certified child seats, booster seats).
Make sure to always use approved
universal child restraining systems.
Follow the instructions that the
manufacturer of the device is required
to supply together with the child
restraint systems.
To help ensure the best restraining
action of the child seats, we
recommend that you choose the
model that best suits the shape of your
seats. If possible, try to install the seat
on the vehicle before purchasing it.
Do not install child seats that, when
placed on the seat, have an unstable or
unnatural position due to the shape of
your vehicle seat.