
Seat belts
26The following features are available to adjust the seat belt in the shoulder 
region:•
belt height ad justment for the front seats.
•
front seat height adjustment*.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web c an cause severe injuries in the event 
of an accident.
•
The shoulder part of the seat belt mu st lie on the centre of the shoulder, 
never across the neck. The seat belt  must lie flat and snugly on the torso 
⇒ page 25, fig. 13 .
•
The lap part of the seat belt must lie across the pelvis, never across the 
stomach. The seat belt must lie flat and snugly on the pelvis  ⇒page 25, 
fig. 14. Pull the belt tight if necessary to take up any slack.
•
Read and observe the warnings ⇒ page 23.
Pregnant women must also fasten their seat belts properly
The best protection for the unborn child is for the mother to 
wear the seat belt properly at all times during the pregnancy.The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the belt web 
is properly positioned ⇒page 25.
– Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly  ⇒page 10.
– Holding the latch plate, pull the belt evenly across your chest and  as low as possible over the pelvis  ⇒fig. 15 .
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the corresponding seat  and push it down until it is secu rely locked with an audible click 
⇒ .
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in  the buckle.
Fig. 15  Positioning seat 
belts during pregnancy
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Seat belts
28
– Press the upper part of the shoulder belt guide and hold it in this position  ⇒page 27, fig. 17.
– Move the shoulder belt guide up or down until you have adjusted  the seat belt  ⇒page 25.
– After adjusting, pull the shoulder belt sharply to check that the  catch on the shoulder belt guide is engaged securely.Incorrectly fastened seat belts
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause severe injuries.Seat belts can provide optimal protection only if the belt web is 
properly worn. The seat belts must be fastened exactly in the order 
described in this chapter. An incorrect sitting position impairs 
substantially the protection a seat belt offers and can lead to severe 
or fatal injuries. The risk of severe or fatal injuries is especially 
increased when a deploying airbag strikes an occupant who has 
assumed an incorrect sitting position . As driver, you are responsible 
for all vehicle occupants, especially children. Therefore:
– Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect sitting position in  the vehicle while travelling  ⇒.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt incr eases the risk of severe injuries.
•
Before every trip, instruct your passengers to adjust their seat belts 
properly and to wear them during the trip.
•
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use 
of seat belts ⇒ page 23.
Belt tension devicesFunction of the belt tension device
During a frontal collision, the se at belts on the front seats are 
tensioned automatically.The seat belts for the front occupants are equipped with belt tension devices. 
Sensors will trigger the belt tension devices during severe head-on, lateral 
and rear collisions only if the seat  belt is being worn. This retracts and 
tightens the seat belts, reducing the forward motion of the occupants.
The belt tension device ca n be triggered only once.
The belt tension devices will not be triggered in the event of a light frontal, 
side or rear collision, if the vehicle overturns, or in situations where no large 
forces act on the front, side or rear of the vehicle.
Note
•
If the belt tension devices are triggered, a fine dust is produced. This is 
normal and is no indication that there was a fire in the vehicle.
•
The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the vehicle or 
components of the system are scrapped. A qualified workshop is familiar with 
these regulations and will be pleased to pass on the information to you.
Service and disposal of belt tension devicesThe belt tension devices are components of the seat belts that are installed 
in the seats of your vehicle. If you work on the belt tension devices or remove 
and install parts of the system when performing other repair work, the seat 
belt may be damaged. The consequence may be that, in the event of an acci-
dent, the belt tension  devices function incorrectly or not at all.
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Airbag system37
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Safety notes on front airbag system
If you use airbags correctly, they can considerably reduce the 
risk of injury in many kinds of accident.
WARNING
•
It is important for the driver and front passenger to maintain a distance 
of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel. If this minimum 
distance is not respected, the airbags  do not sufficiently protect the occu-
pants and there is a mortal risk!  Also, the front seats and the head 
restraints must always be correctly adjusted according to the size of the 
occupants.
•
If you are not wearing a seat belt or if you lean forward or to the side or 
assume an incorrect sitting position, the risk of injury is increased 
substantially. This increased risk of injury will be further increased if you 
are struck by an inflating airbag.
•
Never let a child travel on the front seat without an appropriate restraint 
system. If the airbag is triggered in an accident, children can sustain 
serious or fatal injuries from the airbag as it inflates  ⇒page 46, “Child 
safety”.
•
Occupants sitting in the front of the vehicle must never carry any 
objects or pets in the deployment sp ace between them and the airbags, or 
allow children or other passengers to travel in this position.
•
The airbags provide protection for one accident only, if they have been 
deployed they must be replaced.
•
It is also important not to attach any objects such as cup holders or 
telephone mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units.
•
Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any 
way.
Side airbagsDescription of side airbags
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.The side airbags are located in the driver seat and front passenger seat back-
rests  ⇒fig. 22 . The locations are identified by the text “AIRBAG” in the upper 
region of the backrests.
In conjunction with the seat belts, the side airbag system gives the front seat 
occupants additional protection for the upper body in the event of a severe 
side collision  ⇒page 40, “Safety notes on the operation of the side airbag 
system”.
In a side collision the side airbags reduce the risk of injury to passengers on 
the front seats to the areas of the body facing the impact. In addition to their 
normal function of protecting the occupan ts in a collision, the seat belts also 
hold the passengers on the front seats in a position where the side airbags 
can provide maximum protection.
Fig. 22  Side airbag in 
driver seat
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Airbag system45
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
– Check that the warning lamp “PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF” in the 
dash panel does  ⇒page 44, fig. 27 not light up when the igni-
tion is switched on  ⇒.
WARNING
•
The driver is responsible for the proper position of the key-operated 
switch. 
•
You should deactivate the front passenger airbag only if you have to use 
a rear-facing child seat in exceptional cases. ⇒ page 46, “Child safety”.
•
Never install a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat unless 
the front passenger airbag has been disabled. Risk of potentially fatal inju-
ries to the child! However, if it is necessary in exceptional circumstances to 
transport a child in a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat, you 
must always disable the front passenger airbag.
•
As soon as the child seat is no longer needed on the front passenger 
seat, enable the front passenger airbag again.
•
Only deactivate the passenger airbag when the ignition is off, other-
wise a fault may occur in the airbag system, this will create a danger that 
in case of an accident, the airbag do es not deploy properly or does not 
deploy at all.
•
If, while the passenger airbag is tu rned off, the indicator PASSENGER 
AIRBAG OFF on the instrument panel does  not remain lit, this could indicate 
a fault in the airbag system:
−Have the airbag system inspected immediately by a qualified work-
shop.
− Do not use a child seat in the front passenger seat! The front 
passenger airbag could be triggered in an accident despite the fact that 
there is a fault in the system. A child could sustain serious or fatal inju-
ries.
− It is not certain whether the front passenger airbag will deploy 
during an accident! Inform your passengers of this.
•
When using the ignition key to activate / deactivate the passenger 
frontal airbag, only the passenger frontal airbag will be activated / deacti-
vated. The side airbag and  head airbag on the passenger side will remain 
active.WARNING (continued)
altea_ingles  Seite 45  Donnerstag, 19. Mai 2005  3:02 15 

Child safety
46Child safetyBrief introductionIntroduction
Statistics show that children are generally safer on the rear 
seat than on the front passenger seat.We recommend that children under 12 years of age be transported on the rear 
seats. Children travelling on the rear seat must use a child restraint system or 
the seat belts provided, depending on their age, height and weight. For 
safety reasons, the child restraint system should be installed in the centre of 
the rear seat or behind the front passenger's seat.
The physical principles involved and the forces acting in a collision apply to 
children just as much as adults  ⇒page 21, “Why wear seat belts?”. But 
unlike adults, children do not have fully developed muscle and bone struc-
tures. This means that children are subject to a greater risk of injury.
To reduce this risk, children must always use special child restraint systems 
when travelling in the vehicle.
We recommend the use of child safety products from the SEAT Genuine Acces-
sories Program including systems for all ages made by “Peke”
1).
These systems have been especially designed and approved, complying with 
the ECE-R44. regulation.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats. Always read and observe 
⇒ page 47, “Safety notes on using child seats”. We recommend that you include the manu
facturer's directions for child seat 
use in the vehicle wallet and always keep them in the vehicle.
1)Not for all countries
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Child safety47
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Safety notes on using child seats
Proper use of child seats substantially reduces the risk of 
injury in an accident!As the driver, you are responsible for any children you transport in 
your vehicle.
– Protect your children by properly using appropriate child seats 
⇒page 48.
– Always ensure that the belt webbing is properly positioned  according to the instructions prov ided by the manufacturer of the 
child seat.
– When travelling, do not allow children to distract you from traffic.
– Take breaks regularly during long trips. Take a break at least  every two hours.
WARNING
•
Never install a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat unless 
the front passenger airbag has been disabled. Risk of potentially fatal inju-
ries to the child! If it is necessary, in exceptional circumstances, to trans-
port a child on the front passenger seat, always disable the front passenger 
airbag ⇒ page 44, “Deactivating airbags*”.
•
For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the 
airbag off, an Authorised Service Centre  must be consulted.
•
All passengers, especially children, must assume the proper sitting 
position and be properly belted in while travelling.
•
Never hold children or babies on your lap, this can result in potentially 
fatal injuries to the child!
•
Never allow a child to be transported in a vehicle without being properly 
secured, or to stand up or kneel on a  seat while travelling. In an accident, 
the child could be flung through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal injuries 
to themselves and other occupants.
•
If children assume an improper sitting position when the car is moving, 
they expose themselves to greater risk of injury during a sudden braking 
manoeuvre or in an accident. This is particularly the case if the child is trav-
elling on the front passenger seat and the airbag system is triggered in an 
accident; this could have consequences including serious injury or death.
•
A suitable child seat can protect your child!
•
Never leave a child unsupervised in a child seat or alone in the vehicle.
•
Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or cold 
inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.
•
Children who are less than 1.5 metres  tall must not wear a normal seat 
belt without a child restraint system, as this could cause injuries to the 
abdominal and neck areas during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an 
accident.
•
Do not allow the belt webbing to become twisted or jammed, or to rub 
on any sharp edges.
•
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause injuries even in a minor collision 
or sudden braking manoeuvres.
•
The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the belt web is 
properly positioned  ⇒page 24, “Seat belts”.
•
Only one child may occupy a child seat  ⇒page 48, “Child seats”.WARNING (continued)
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Cockpit57
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Fuel gauge 
and reserve indicator
Details of the instrument panel: Fuel gauge
The fuel tank has a capacity of approx. 55 litres.
When the needle reaches the reserve zone  ⇒fig. 34  (arrow), the warning 
lamp will light and an acoustic signal will sound reminding the driver to 
refuel . At this point there are still about 7 litres of fuel in the tank.
The text appears in the instrument panel display 
2)  PLEASE REFUEL! *
Engine coolant temperature display 
 
This gauge shows the engine coolant temperature.
Needle in cold zone 
Avoid high engine speeds and heavy engine loads  ⇒fig. 35.
Needle in normal zone 
In normal driving conditions, the needle  should be in the middle section of 
the scale. The temperature may also rise when the engine is working hard, 
especially at high outside temperatures. This is no cause for concern as long 
as the warning lamp does not light up  and no warning* text appears in the 
combi-instrument display.
Needle in warning zone 
The warning lamp*  ⇒page 71, fig. 47    will light up if the needle is in the 
warning zone. The following warning appears in  the instrument panel  
2)Depending on the model version
Fig. 34  Details of the 
instrument panel: Fuel 
gauge
Fig. 35  Details of the 
instrument panel: Engine 
coolant temperature 
gauge
AAABAC
A2
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Cockpit73
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
WARNING
•
Failure to observe warning lamps and warning messages can result in 
serious personal injury or damage to your vehicle.
•
The risk of an accident increases if your vehicle breaks down. Use a 
warning triangle to draw the attention of other road users to your 
stationary vehicle so that it does not represent a danger.
Fasten seat belts! ⇒page 19
Tyre pressure ⇒page 78
Engine fault (petrol engine)   ⇒ page 79
Glow plug system (diesel engine) 
Lit up:  Glow plug system switched on 
Flashing: engine fault.   
⇒ page 80
Airbag or belt tension device system fault or airbag disabled ⇒page 28 ⇒page 31
Fault in the emission control system ⇒page 80
Flashing: electronic stabilisation programme (ESP) in opera-
tion, 
Lit up:  ESP fault or switched off ⇒
page 80
Operate foot brake ⇒page 80
Electromechanical steering ⇒page 81
Brake pad wear indicator ⇒page 81
Door open indicator ⇒page 81
SAFE Electronic immobiliser ⇒page 81
Item
Symbol Meaning of warning and control lamps Further information
A15A16A17A17A18A19A20A21A22A23A24
WARNING (continued)
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