2004 SKODA FABIA Owner's Manual

Transporting children safely
144
•Do not place any objects within the deployment area of the side
airbag - risk of injury!
Child seat
Classification of child seats into groups
Only child safety seats which have an official approval and
are suitable for the child, may be used.
ECE-R 44 standard applies to child safety seats. ECE-R means:
Economic Commission of Europe - Regulation.
Child restraint systems which have been tested for conformity with ECE-
R 44 have a non-detachable test seal (a large E within a circle and below
this the test number) attached to the seat.
Child safety seats are classified in 5 groups:
Children of more than 150 cm in height may use the seat belts fitted to the
vehicle without a seat bolster.
Use of child seats
An overview of the usefulness of child seats on each of the seats
according to the EG guidelines 77/541 and ECE 44 standard:
Universal category - seat is suitable for all approved types of child
safety seats.
The seat can be fitted with fixing eyes for the “ISOFIX system *”.
GroupWeight
00 - 10 kg⇒page 145
0+up to 13 kg⇒page 145
19 - 18 kg⇒page 145
215 - 25 kg⇒page 146
322 - 36 kg⇒page 147
WARNING (continued)
Child seat
according to groupFront passenger
seatRear seat
on the sideRear seat middle
0
0+
1
2 and 3
AUAUA+AU
AUAUA+AU
AUAUA+AU
AUAUAU
AU
A+

Transporting children safely 145
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Child seats of Group 0/0+
The optimal solution for babies of up to about 9 months old weighing up
to 10 kg or babies up to about 18 months old weighing up to 13 kg is a
child safety seat which can be adjusted into the reclining position
⇒fig. 120 .
Child seats in which the child is facing with its back towards the
direction of travel should not be used on the front passenger seat
when the vehicle is fitted with a front passenger airbag ⇒ page 142,
“Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat”
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag
(airbags) when attaching in exceptional circumstances a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is seated
with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries also
when the child is facing the direction of travel). −
by allowing a Škoda dealer to do this
− or by using the switch for the front passenger airbag*
⇒ page 138.
•The national legal provisions in certain countries require that
both the front and side passenger airbags be deactivated. Please
comply with any differing national legal regulations regarding the
use of child safety seats.
•If this is not done, a child seated on the front passenger seat
may suffer severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag
or airbags are deployed.
•You should have the front passenger airbag (or airbags) reacti-
vated by your Škoda dealer just as soon as you no longer use a
child safety seat on the front passenger seat.
Child safety seats in Group 1
Fig. 120 Child seats of
group 0/0+
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 121 Child seat
with padded table in
Group 1 installed on
rear seat bench facing
the direction of travel

Transporting children safely
146
Child seats in Group 1 are for babies and small children up to 4 years of
age with a weight of between 9 and 18 kilograms. It is best for children in
the lower range of this group, to use a child seat which allows the child to
sit with its back to the direction of travel. It is best for children in the upper
range of the Group 0+, to use a child seat which allows the child to sit
⇒ page 145, fig. 121 in the direction of travel.
Child seats in which th e child is facing with its back towards the
direction of travel should not be used on the front passenger seat
when the vehicle is fitted with a front passenger airbag ⇒ page 142,
“Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat”
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag
(airbags) when attaching in exceptional circumstances a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is seated
with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries also
when the child is facing the direction of travel).
−by allowing a Škoda dealer to do this
− or by using the switch for the front passenger airbag*
⇒ page 138.
•The national legal provisions in certain countries require that
both the front and side passenger airbags be deactivated. Please
comply with any differing nationa l legal regulations regarding the
use of child safety seats.
•If this is not done, a child seated on the front passenger seat
may suffer severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag
or airbags are deployed.
•You should have the front passenger airbag (or airbags) reacti-
vated by your Škoda dealer just as soon as you no longer use a
child safety seat on the front passenger seat.
Child safety seats in Group 2
For children up to about 7 years of age weighing between 15 and 25 kg
the optimal solution is a child safety seat in combination with the three-
point seat belt ⇒fig. 122 .
WARNING
•When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please
comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use
of child safety seats. If required, the front passenger airbag has to
be deactivated.
−by allowing a Škoda dealer to do this
− or by using the switch for the front passenger airbag*
⇒ page 138.
•The shoulder part of the seat belt must run approximately
across the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest.
It must on no account run across the neck. The lap part of the seat
Fig. 122 Child seat in
Group 2 installed on
the rear seat facing the
direction of travel

Transporting children safely 147
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
belt must run across the pelvis and fits snugly; it must not run over
the belly. Tighten the belt webbing over your hip if necessary.
•Please comply with any differin
g national legal regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
Child safety seats in Group 3
For children of about 7 years of age weighing between 22 and 36 kg and
of a height of less than 150 cm, the optimal solution is a child safety seat
(seat bolster) in combination with the three-point seat belt ⇒fig. 123 .
Children of more than 150 cm in height may use the seat belts fitted to the
vehicle without a seat bolster.
WARNING
•When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please
comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use
of child safety seats. If required, the front passenger airbag has to
be deactivated.
−by allowing a Škoda dealer to do this
− or by using the switch for the front passenger airbag*
⇒ page 138.
•The shoulder part of the seat belt must run approximately
across the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest.
It must on no account run across the neck. The lap part of the seat
belt must run across the pelvis and fits snugly; it must not run over
the belly. Tighten the belt webbing over your hip if necessary.
•Please comply with any differ ing national legal regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 123 Child seat in
Group 3 installed on
the rear seat facing the
direction of travel

Transporting children safely
148
Attaching a child seat using the
“ISOFIX”* system
There are two fixing eyes between the backrest and the seat itself
on both of the outer rear seats for fixing the “ISOFIX” system child
seat in place.
– Insert the mounting funnels onto the locking eyes
between the backrest and seat cushion ⇒page 148, fig. 124.
– Push the notched arms of the child seat over the mounting funnels into the locking eyes, until it is heard to lock
⇒fig. 125 .
– Pull on both sides of the child seat!
One can mount a child safety seat using the “ISOFIX” system quickly,
easily and reliably. Please pay close attention to instructions from the
manufacturer of the child safety seat when installing and removing the
seat.
Child seats fitted with the “ISOFIX” clamping system can only be mounted
and fixed in a vehicle fitted with an “ISOFIX system” when these child
seats have been released for your type of vehicle according to the ECE-
R 44 standard.
You can obtain child seats with the “ISOFIX” attachment system from
Škoda dealers who will also installed it as well.
Complete installation instructions are enclosed with the child safety seat.
WARNING
•The locking eyes have just been developed for child safety
seats which use the “ISOFIX” system. You should therefore never
attach other child safety seats, seat belts or objects to the locking
eyes - hazard!
Fig. 124 Locking eyes
(ISOFIX system)
Fig. 125 The ISOFIX
child seat is pushed
into the mounting
funnels
AAAB

Transporting children safely 149
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•Ask a Škoda dealer whether a child seat which you bought for
another vehicle is recommended for use in a Škoda before using an
“ISOFIX” system.
•Certain child seats which use the “ISOFIX” system can be
attached with standard three-point seat belts. Please pay close
attention to instructions from the manufacturer of the child safety
seat when installing and removing the seat.
Note
•Child seats which use the “ISOFIX” system are currently available for
children weighing from 9 up to 18 kg. This corresponds to an age range of
from 9 months to 4 years.
WARNING (continued)

Transporting children safely
150

Intelligent Technology151
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Driving Tips
Intelligent Technology
Electronic stability programme (ESP)*
General
General
The ESP aids you maintain control of your vehicle in situations in border-
line driving situations such as when negotiating a curve too fast. The risk
of skidding is reduced and your car thus offers greater driving stability
depending on the conditions of the road surface. This occurs at all speeds.
The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability
programme:
•Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)
•Traction control system (TCS)
•Antilock brake system (ABS)
Operating principle
The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then
conducts a self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the indi-
vidual systems. It also processes additional measurement data which are
supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehicle
about its vertical axis, the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, the braking
pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to take is determined based on the
steering angle and the speed of the vehicle and is constantly compared
with the actual behaviour of the vehicle. If differences exist, such as the
car beginning to skid, the ESP will automatically brake the appropriate
wheel.
The car is stabilised again by the forces which take effect when the wheel
is braked. Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the
outer front wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the
rear of the vehicle to break away) while occurs this is on the inner rear
wheel of a vehicle which tends to understeer (tendency to shift out of the
curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by noises.
The ESP operates in combination with the ABS ⇒page 155, “Antilock
brake system (ABS)*”. If there is a fault in the ABS system, the ESP also
does not operate.
Fig. 126 ESP switch