2020 Fiat 500L Seat Belts Instruction Guide

Seat belts serve a critical function in safeguarding both drivers and passengers. They are frequently referred to as the unsung heroes of vehicle safety. These safety features are not only required for the 2020 Fiat 500L, but they also play a significant role in ensuring the safety of all passengers. We will explore the seat belts in the 2020 Fiat 500L’s characteristics, significance, and how they help to make this car a safer and more secure form of transportation in order to help you better comprehend them. So buckle your seat belt metaphorically as we set out to investigate the crucial function that seatbelts will play in the Fiat 500L of the year 2020. It is impossible to emphasize the value of seat belts in contemporary vehicles.

They serve as the vehicle’s initial line of defense against the forces produced by collisions, helping to retain passengers in their seats and preventing ejection. According to studies, wearing a seat belt can cut your risk of dying in a car accident by up to 45%. Additionally, seat belts are not only a safety element; in most nations, they are a legal requirement, underscoring their critical role in guaranteeing road safety. In addition to incurring fines, not using a seat belt increases the likelihood of suffering injuries or losing one’s life in an accident. To sum up, the seat belts in the 2020 Fiat 500L are more than just cloth straps; they are a highly developed safety system designed to shield occupants from injury. As we learn more about automobile safety, it becomes evident that these simple gadgets play a crucial role in making sure that every journey in the Fiat 500L is not only cozy but also, and most importantly, safe and secure.

SEAT BELT SYSTEMS

Buckle up even though you are an excellent driver, even on short trips. Someone on the road may be a poor driver and could cause a collision that includes you. This can happen far away from home or on your own street. Research has shown that seat belts save lives, and they can reduce the seriousness of injuries in a collision. Some of the worst injuries happen when people are thrown from the vehicle. Seat belts reduce the possibility of ejection and the risk of injury caused by striking the inside of the vehicle. Everyone in a motor vehicle should be belted at all times.

Enhanced Seat Belt Use Reminder System (BeltAlert)

Driver and Passenger BeltAlert — If Equipped
BeltAlert is a feature intended to remind the driver and outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) to buckle their seat belts. The Belt Alert feature is active whenever the ignition switch is in the AVV/START or MAR/RUN position.

Initial Indication
If the driver is unbuckled when the ignition switch is first in the AVV/START or MAR/RUN position, a chime will signal for a few seconds. If the driver or outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) is unbuckled when the ignition switch is first in the AVV/START or MAR/RUN position the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn on and remain on until both outboard front seat belts are buckled. The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not active when an outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied.

BeltAlert Warning Sequence
The BeltAlert warning sequence is activated when the vehicle is moving above a specified vehicle speed range and the driver or outboard front seat passenger is unbuckled (if equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) (the outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not active when the outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied). The BeltAlert warning sequence starts by blinking the Seat Belt Reminder Light and sounding an intermittent chime. Once the BeltAlert warning sequence has completed, the Seat Belt Reminder Light will remain on until the seat belts are buckled. The BeltAlert warning sequence may repeat based on vehicle speed until the driver and occupied outboard front seat passenger seat belts are buckled. The driver should instruct all occupants to buckle their seat belts.

Change of Status
If the driver or outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) unbuckles their seat belt while the vehicle is traveling, the BeltAlert warning sequence will begin until the seat belts are buckled again. The outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert is not active when the outboard front passenger seat is unoccupied. BeltAlert may be triggered when an animal or other items are placed on the outboard front passenger seat or when the seat is folded flat (if equipped). It is recommended that pets be restrained in the rear seat (if equipped) in pet harnesses or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts, and cargo is properly stowed. BeltAlert can be activated or deactivated by an authorized dealer. FCA US LLC does not recommend deactivating BeltAlert.

NOTE:
If BeltAlert has been deactivated and the driver or outboard front seat passenger (if equipped with outboard front passenger seat BeltAlert) is unbuckled the Seat Belt Reminder Light will turn on and remain on until the driver and outboard front seat passenger seat belts are buckled.

Lap/Shoulder Belts
All seating positions in your vehicle are equipped with lap/shoulder belts.
The seat belt webbing retractor will lock only during very sudden stops or collisions. This feature allows the shoulder part of the seat belt to move freely with you under normal conditions. However, in a collision the seat belt will lock and reduce your risk of striking the inside of the vehicle or being thrown out of the vehicle.

WARNING

1. 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, the air bags won’t deploy at all. Always wear your seat belt even though you have air bags.
2. In a collision, you and your passengers can suffer much greater injuries if you are not properly buckled up. You can strike the inte-rior of your vehicle or other passengers, or you can be thrown out of the vehicle. Always be sure you and others in your vehicle are buckled up properly.
3. It is dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed.
4. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat belts.
5. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a seat belt properly. Occupants, including the driver, should always wear their seat belts whether or not an air bag is also provided at their seating position to minimize the risk of severe injury or death in the event of a crash.
6. 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.
7. Two people should never be belted into a single seat belt. People belted together can crash into one another in a collision, hurting one another badly. Never use a lap/shoulder belt or a lap belt for more than one person, no matter what their size.
8. A lap belt worn too high can increase the risk of injury in a collision. The seat belt forces won’t be at the strong hip and pelvic bones, but across your abdomen. Always wear the lap part of your seat belt as low as possible and keep it snug.
9. A twisted seat belt may not protect you properly. 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.
10. 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.
11. A seat belt that is too loose will not protect you properly. In a sudden stop, you could move too far forward, increasing the possi-bility of injury. Wear your seat belt snugly.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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. Seat belt assemblies must be replaced after a collision.

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

Seat Belts And Pregnant Women

Pregnant Women And Seat Belts

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.

Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor (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. For additional information, refer to “Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat Belt” under the “Child Restraints” section of this manual. 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.

WARNING

1. 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.
2. 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.

How To Engage The Automatic Locking Mode

1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt.
2. Grasp 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.

WARNING

1. 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.
2. Failure to replace the seat belt assembly could increase the risk of injury in collisions.
3. 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.

FAQs

Useful Links

View Full pdf: 2020 Fiat 500 Owner’s Manual
2020 Fiat 500L Engine Oil and Fluids Operation