Safe driving7
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Safety FirstSafe drivingBrief introductionDear SEAT Driver
Safety first!This chapter contains important information, advice, suggestions
and warnings that should be read and followed in the interest of
your own safety and the safety of your passengers.
WARNING
•
This manual contains important info rmation concerning the driver's
and passengers' handling of the vehicle. The other booklets in the vehicle
wallet also contain further information that you should be aware of for your
own safety and for the safety of your passengers.
•
Ensure that the complete vehicle wallet is always in the vehicle. This is
especially important when you lend or sell the vehicle to others.
Safety equipment
The safety equipment is a part of the occupant protection
system and can reduce the risk of injury during an accident.Never “gamble” with your safety and the safety of your passengers. In the
event of an accident, the safety equipment could reduce the risk of injury. The
following list includes most of the safety equipment in your SEAT:•
Optimised three-point seat belts,
•
Belt tension limiter for the front and rear seats,
•
belt tension devices for the front seats,
•
belt height adjustment for the front seats,
•
front airbags,
•
side airbags in the front seat backrests.
•
curtain airbags,
•
crash-active front head restraints*,
•
“ISOFIX” anchor points for “ISOFIX” child seats on the outer seats in the
second row,
•
height-adjustable head restraints,
•
head restraints with in-use position and non-use position
•
adjustable steering column.
The safety equipment mentioned above works together to provide you and
your passengers with the best possible protection in accident situations. But
this safety equipment cannot help you or your passengers if you or your
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Safe driving
12•
Adjust the front passenger seat so th at there is at least 25 cm between
your breastbone and the dash panel. If you are sitting nearer than 25 cm,
the airbag system cannot protect you properly.
•
If your physical constitution prevents you from maintaining the
minimum distance of 25 cm, contact a qualified workshop. The workshop
will help you decide if special specific modifications are necessary.
•
Always keep your feet in the foot well when the vehicle is moving;
never rest them on the instrument panel, out the window or on the seat. An
incorrect sitting position exposes you to an increased risk of injury in the
event of a braking manoeuvre or an accident. If the airbag is triggered, you
could sustain severe injuries due to an incorrect sitting position.
•
To reduce the risk of injury to the front passenger during sudden
braking manoeuvres or an accident, never travel with the backrest tilted far
back! The airbag system and seat belts can only provide optimal protection
when the backrest is in an upright position and the front passenger is
wearing his or her seat belt properly. The further the backrests are tilted to
the rear, the greater the risk of injury due to incorrect positioning of the
belt web or the incorrect sitting position!
•
Adjust the head restraint properly to achieve maximum protection.
Correct sitting position for passengers in the rear seats
Passengers in the rear seats must sit up straight, keep their
feet in the foot well s and wear their seat belts properly.To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking
manoeuvre or an accident, passengers on the rear bench seat must
observe the following:
– Adjust the headrest to the correct position ⇒page 14. – Keep both feet in the foot well in front of the rear seat.
– Fasten your seat belt correctly
⇒page 19.
– Use an appropriate child restraint system when you take children in the vehicle ⇒page 47.
WARNING
•
If the passengers on the rear seat are not sitting properly, they could
sustain severe injuries.
•
Adjust the head restraint properly to achieve maximum protection.
•
Seat belts can only provide optimal protection when backrests are in an
upright position and the passengers ar e wearing their seat belts properly.
If passengers on the rear seat are not sitting in an upright position, the risk
of injury due to incorrect positioning of the belt web increases.
WARNING (continued)
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Safe driving13
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Correct adjustment of front seat head restraints
Properly adjusted head restraints are an important part of
occupant protection and can redu ce the risk of injuries in
most accident situations.
Adjust the head restraint properly to achieve maximum protection.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper edge is at the same
level as the top of your head, or as close as possible to the same
level as the top of your head and, at the very least, at eye
level ⇒ fig. 3 and ⇒ fig. 4.Adjusting the head restraints ⇒ page 127.
WARNING
•
Travelling with the head restrain ts removed or improperly adjusted
increases the risk of severe injuries.
•
Incorrectly adjusted head restraints could result in death in the event of
a collision or accident.
•
Incorrectly adjusted head restraints also increase the risk of injury
during sudden or unexpected driving or braking manoeuvres.
•
The head restraints must always be adjusted according to the occu-
pant's size.
Headrests in use*Vehicle occupants are pressed into their seats during a rear end collision. The
resulting body pressure on the backrest activates the crash-active head
restraint* on the front seat, which moves rapidly forwards and upwards at the
same time. This movement reduces the distance between the occupant's
head and the head rest, thus reducing the risk of head injuries such as brain
trauma.
Fig. 3 Properly adjusted
head restraint viewed
from the frontFig. 4 Properly adjusted
head restraint viewed
from the side
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Safe driving15
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Rear outer seat head restraints
– The rear outer seat head restraints have 3 positions.
–Two positions for use ⇒ page 14, fig. 5. In these positions, the
head restraints are used normally, protecting passengers along
with the rear seat belts.
– And one position for non-use.
– To fit the head restraints in posi tion for use, pull on the edges
with both hands in the direction of the arrow.
Centre rear head restraint
– The centre head restraint only has two positions, in-use (head
restraint up) and non-use (head restraint down).
WARNING
•
Under no circumstances should the rear passengers travel while the
head restraints or in the non-use position. See the warning label located on
the rear side fixed window ⇒ page 14, fig. 6.
•
Do not swap the centre rear head restraint with either of the outer seat
rear head restraints.
•
Injury risk in case of an accident!Caution
Note the instructions on the adjustment of the head restraints.
⇒ page 128
Examples of incorrect sitting positions
An incorrect sitting position can lead to severe injuries to
occupants.Seat belts can provide optimal protection only when the belt webs
are properly positioned. Incorrec t sitting positions substantially
reduce the protective function of se at belts and increase the risk of
injury due to incorrect belt web position. As the driver, you are
responsible for all vehicle occupants, especially children.
– Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect sitting position in the vehicle while travelling ⇒ .The following list contains examples of sitting positions that could be
dangerous for all occupants. The list is not complete, but we would like to
make you aware of this issue.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is in motion:•
Never stand in the vehicle,
•
never stand on the seats,
•
never kneel on the seats,
•
never tilt your backrest far to the rear,
•
never lean against the dash panel,
•
never lie on the rear bench,
•
never sit on the front edge of a seat,
•
never sit sideways,
•
never lean out of a window,
•
never put your feet out of a window,
•
never put your feet on the dash panel,
•
never put your feet on the surface of a seat,
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Seat belts25
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
– Adjust the seat and head restraint correctly.
– To fasten the belt, take hold of the latch plate and pull it slowly
across your chest and lap.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat and push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click
⇒page 24, fig. 12.
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in the buckle.The seat belts are equipped with an automatic retractor on the shoulder
strap. Full freedom of movement is permitted when the shoulder belt is pulled
slowly. However, during sudden braking, during travel in mountains or bends
and during acceleration, the automati c retractor on the shoulder belt is
locked.
The automatic belt retractors on the front seats are fitted with belt tension
devices ⇒page 28.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe injuries in the event
of an accident.
•
The seat belts offer best protection only when the backrests are in an
upright position and the seat belt s have been fastened properly.
•
Never put the latch plate in the buckle of another seat. If you do this, the
seat belt will not protect you properly and the risk of injury is increased.
•
If an occupant is incorrectly belted in, the belt cannot protect him or her
properly. An incorrectly positioned belt web can cause extremely severe
injuries.
•
Always engage the retractor lock when you are securing a child seat in
group 0, 0+ or 1 ⇒ page 47.
Seat belt position
Seat belts offer their maximum pr otection only when they are
properly positioned.
Fig. 13 Correct belt web
and head restraint posi-
tions, viewed from frontFig. 14 Correct belt web
and head restraint posi-
tions, viewed from side
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Seat belts27
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe injuries in the event
of an accident.
•
For pregnant women, the lap part of the seat belt must lie as low as
possible over the pelvis, never across the stomach, and always lie flat so
that no pressure is exerted on the abdomen.
•
Read and observe the warnings ⇒page 23.
Seat belt release
The seat belt must not be unfastened until the vehicle has
come to a standstill.– Press the red button on the belt buckle ⇒fig. 16. The latch plate
is released and springs out ⇒ . – Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls up easily and the trim
is not damaged
WARNING
Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. If you do, you
increase the risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries.Adjusting the seat belt height
Seat belt height adjusters can be used to adjust the position
of the seat belt at the shoulder.The seat belt adjuster for the front seats can be used to adjust the
proper belt position at the shoulder.
Fig. 16 Removing latch
plate from buckle
Fig. 17 Location of the
belt height adjuster
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Airbag system31
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
•
Always properly adjust the front seats.
The danger of fitting a child seat on the front passenger seat
Rear-facing child seats must never be used on the front
passenger seat when the front passenger airbag is enabled.An enabled front airbag on the front passenger side is potentially a major
danger to a child. The front passenger seat is life threatening to a child if you
transport the child in a rear-facing child seat. You should always transport all
children up to 12 years of age on the rear seat.
If a rear-facing child seat is secured to the front passenger seat, an inflating
airbag can strike it with such great force that critical or fatal injuries may
result.
Therefore we urgently recommend that you transport children on the rear
seats. That is the safest place in the vehicle for children. Alternatively, the
front passenger airbag can be disabled with a key-operated switch
⇒page 45. When transporting children, use a child seat appropriate to the
age and size of each child ⇒ page 47.
For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the airbag off,
an Authorised Service Centre must be consulted.
WARNING
•
If a child seat is secured to the front passenger seat, the risk to the child
of sustaining critical or fatal injuries in the event of an accident increases.
•
Never secure a rear-facing child seat to the front passenger seat if the
front passenger airbag is enabled. The child can suffer critical or fatal inju-
ries when the front passenger airbag is triggered.
•
An inflating front passenger airbag can strike the rear-facing child seat
and hurl it with great force against the door, the roof or the backrest.
•
If, under special circumstances, it should be necessary to transport a
child in a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat, it is absolutely
essential that you observe the following safety measures:
−Disable the front passenger airbag ⇒page 45, “Deactivating
airbags*”.
− The child seat must be approved by the child seat manufacturer for
use on a front passenger seat with front or side airbag.
− Follow the installation instructio ns of the child seat manufacturer
and absolutely observe the warnings ⇒page 47, “Child safety”.
− Before properly installing the child seat, push the front passenger
seat all the way to the rear so that the greatest possible distance to the
front passenger airbag is ensured.
− Ensure that no objects prevent the front passenger seat from being
pushed completely back.
− The backrest of the front passenger seat must be in an upright
position.
Warning lamp for airbag and belt tension device system
This warning lamp monitors the airbag and belt tension
device system.The warning lamp monitors all airbags and belt tension devices in the
vehicle, including control units and wiring connections.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
38Side 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 41, “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 occupants 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. The airbag system is not a substitute for
seat belts, but is an integral part of
the vehicle's overall passive safety system. Please bear in mind that the
airbag system can only work effectively when the occupants are wearing their
seat belts. For this reason, it is most important to wear the seat belts at all
times - not only because this is required by law in most countries, but also for
your safety ⇒page 19, “Introduction”.
The side airbag system will not be triggered
•
if the ignition is switched off,
•
during a minor side collision,
•
during a minor frontal collision,
•
during a minor rear-end collision,
•
or if the vehicle rolls.
The main parts of the airbag system are
•
an electronic control and monitoring system (control unit),
•
the side airbags in the sides of the backrests of the front seats,
•
a warning lamp
in the dash panel insert ⇒ page 31.
The functionality of the airbag system is monitored electronically. The airbag
warning lamp will light up for approx. 4 seconds every time the ignition is
switched on (self-diagnosis).
WARNING
•
In a side-on collision, the side airb ags will not work, if the sensors do
not correctly measure the pressure incr ease on the interior of the doors,
due to air escaping through the areas wi th holes or openings in the door
panel.
•
Never drive the vehicle if the interior panels have been removed.
•
Never drive if the interior door panels have been removed or if the
panels have not been correctly fitted.
Fig. 22 Side airbag in
driver seat
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