Front seat belts

Depending on the vehicle, these may consist of:

• seat belt retractor pretensioners;
• lap belt pretensioners;
• chest load limiters;
• anti-submarining airbags;
• driver and passenger front airbags.

These systems are designed to operate separately or together in the event of frontal impacts.

Depending on the severity of the impact, the system may trigger:

• locking of the seat belt;
• the seat belt retractor pretensioner (which fires to take up belt slack);
• the anti-submarining airbag to press the occupant against the seat;
• the front 'low volume' airbag;
• the lap belt pretensioner to press the occupant against the seat;
• the front 'high volume' airbag.

Pretensioners

Pretensioners are used to pull the belt firmly against the body and to hold the occupant against the seat, thereby increasing its effectiveness.

With the ignition on, in the event of a severe frontal impact, depending on the severity of the impact, the system may trigger:

• the seat belt retractor pretensioner 1, which instantly retracts the seat belt;
• the lap belt pretensioner 2 on the front seats.

• After an accident, have all restraint systems checked.
• Any work on the complete system (pretensioners, airbags, electronic control units, wiring) or reuse on any other vehicle, even an identical one, is strictly prohibited.
• To prevent unintentional deployment that could cause damage, only qualified personnel from the brand network are authorised to work on pretensioners and airbags.
• Checking the electrical characteristics of the igniter must only be carried out by specially trained personnel using suitable equipment.
• When scrapping the vehicle, contact a Brand Representative for the disposal of the gas generator in the pretensioners and airbags.

Load limiter

Above a certain level of impact severity, this mechanism fires to limit the force of the belt on the body to a tolerable level.

Anti-submarining airbag

Located under each of the front seat cushions, it inflates to limit the occupant's sliding under the belt.

Driver and passenger airbags

They are fitted to the front driver and passenger seats.

An "Airbag" marking on the steering wheel, the dashboard (airbag zone A) and, depending on the vehicle, a sticker in the lower part of the windscreen indicates the presence of this equipment.

Each airbag system consists of:

• an airbag and its gas generator, mounted in the steering wheel for the driver and in the dashboard for the passenger;
• an electronic monitoring control unit for the system that controls the electric igniter of the gas generator;
• a single warning light
  on the instrument panel;
• remote sensors.

The airbag system works on a pyrotechnic principle, which means that when it deploys, it produces heat, releases smoke (which is not a sign of a fire) and produces a loud bang. Airbag deployment, which must be immediate, may cause skin abrasions or other discomfort.

Operation

The system is only operational with the ignition on.

In a severe frontal impact, the airbags inflate rapidly to cushion the impact of the driver's head and chest against the steering wheel and of the passenger against the dashboard; they then deflate immediately after the impact so as not to obstruct exit from the vehicle.

Front airbag features

Depending on the severity of the impact, it has two deployment stages and includes a ventilation system:

• "low-volume" airbag: first stage of deployment;
• "high-volume" airbag: the airbag seams tear to release a larger volume of the bag (in the most severe impacts).

All the warnings below are intended to avoid obstructing airbag deployment and to prevent serious direct injury from being struck by it as it opens.

Warnings
regarding the driver's airbag

• Do not modify the steering wheel or its airbag cover.
• Covering the steering wheel airbag cover is prohibited.
• Do not attach any object (pin, badge, watch, phone holder, etc.) to the cover.
• Removing the steering wheel is prohibited (except by authorised Brand Network personnel).
• Do not sit too close to the steering wheel: adopt a driving position with the arms slightly bent (see the section "Adjusting the driving position" in chapter 1). This ensures sufficient space for correct airbag deployment and effectiveness.

Passenger airbag warnings

• Do not stick or attach objects (pins, badges, watch, phone holder, etc.) to the dashboard in the airbag area.
• Do not place anything between the dashboard and the occupant (animal, umbrella, cane, parcels, etc.).
• Do not place your feet on the dashboard or seat, as these positions may cause serious injury. In general, keep any part of the body (knees, hands, head, etc.) away from the dashboard.
• Reactivate the front passenger seat belt supplementary restraint systems as soon as you remove a child seat, to ensure passenger protection in the event of an impact.

IT IS PROHIBITED TO INSTALL A REAR-FACING CHILD SEAT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT UNLESS THE FRONT PASSENGER SUPPLEMENTARY SEAT BELT DEVICES ARE DEACTIVATED.

(see the section "Child safety: deactivating/activating the front passenger airbag" in chapter 1)

Anti-submarining airbag warnings

Do not seat a child under 12 years old in this position. Also, deployment of the anti-submarining airbag may forcefully throw objects placed on the seat cushion.

Risk of serious injury.