Seat belts 30
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. This is particularly true of seat belts with two buckles.
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 the safety of all
vehicle occupants, especially children. Therefore:
– Never permit anyone to assume an incorrect sitting position in
the vehicle while travelling Ÿ.
WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt increases 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 Ÿpage 22 and Ÿpage 27.
Belt tension devices
Function of the belt tension device
During a frontal collision, the seat belts on the front seats are
retracted 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 can 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 devices
The 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.
Airbag system 38
In order to provide the desired extra protection in an accident, the airbags
have to deploy extremely rapidly (within fractions of a second). A fine dust
may develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal and is no indication
that there was a fire in the vehicle.
The function of the airbag covers if the airbags are triggered
The airbag covers fold out of the steering wheel or dash panel when the driver
and front passenger airbags deploy. The airbag covers remain connected to
the steering wheel or the dash panel.
Safety notes on front airbag system
If you use airbags correctly, they can considerably reduce the
risk of injury in many kinds of accident.
When the front airbags are triggered they fill the zones marked in red (radius
of action) . Therefore additional accessories should never be placed in these
areas Ÿ,
The airbag covers fold out of the steering wheel or dash panel when the driver
and front passenger airbags deploy. The airbag covers remain connected to
the steering wheel or the dash panel.
WARNING
•It is important that the driver keeps at a minimum of 25 cm from the
steering wheel It is important that the passenger moves the seat back as
far as possible, to keep a safe distance away from the instrument panel.
Failure to respect the minimum distance means that the airbag will not
protect you. Risk of fatal injury. In addition, the front seats and head restraints must always be positioned correctly for the height of the occu-
pant.
•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 Ÿpage 45.
•Occupants sitting in the front of the vehicle must never carry any
objects or pets in the deployment space 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.
•Nothing should be placed on the windscreen area above the passenger
side airbag, for example notebooks or telephone holders. If the airbag is
activated, these objects may fly uncontrollably around the vehicle interior
and could cause injury.
•Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any
way.
WARNING (continued)