2006 Seat Leon 5D airbag

Airbag system35
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
The front airbag system will not be triggered if:
•
if the ignition is switched off,
•
during a minor frontal collision,
•
during a minor side collision,
•
during a rear-end collision,
•
or if the vehicle rolls.
WARNING
•
The seat belts and airbags can only provide maximum protection if the
occupants are seated correctly ⇒page 10, “Proper sitting position for
occupants”.
•
If a fault should occur in the airbag system, have the system checked
immediately by a qualified workshop. Otherwise there is a danger that
during a frontal collision, the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger
correctly.
Function of front airbags
Inflated airbags reduce the risk of head or chest injury.The airbag system is designed so that the airbags for the driver and front
passenger are triggered in a severe frontal collision.
In certain types of accident the front, curtain and side airbags may be trig-
gered together.
When the system is triggered, the airbags fill with a propellant gas and
deploy in front of the driver and front passenger ⇒fig. 19 . The fully deployed
airbags cushion the forward movement of the front occupants and help to
reduce the risk of injury to the head and the upper part of the body.
The special design of the airbag allows the controlled escape of the propel-
lant gas when an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus, the head and
chest are surrounded and protected by the airbag. Once the impact has been
absorbed, the airbag deflates sufficiently for the front occupants to see
forward.
Fig. 19 Inflated front
airbags
leon_ingles Seite 35 Donner stag, 24. August 2006 1:56 13

Airbag system
36In order to provide the desired extra protection in an accident, the airbags
have to deploy extremely rapidly (withi n 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 triggeredThe airbag covers fold out of the steering wheel or dash panel when the driver
and front passenger airbags deploy
⇒fig. 20 . The airbag covers remain
connected to the steering wheel or the dash panel.
Fig. 20 Airbag covers reacting when the airbags are trig-
gered
leon_ingles Seite 36 Donner stag, 24. August 2006 1:56 13

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 the minimum
distance is not observed then the airbags do not correctly protect the
vehicle occupants; risk of fatal injuries! In addition, the front seats and
head restraints must always be positioned correctly for the height of the
occupant.
•
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 airbags*Description of side airbags
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.The side airbags are located in the backrest cushions of the driver seat
⇒ fig. 21 and the front passenger seat as well as in the outer rear seats. The
locations are identified by the text “AIRBAG” in the upper region of the back-
rests.
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
Fig. 21 Side airbag in
driver seat
leon_ingles Seite 37 Donnerstag, 24. August 2006 1:56 13

Airbag system
38hold the passengers on the front seats and the outer rear 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 and rear 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 increase on the interior of the doors,
due to air escaping through the areas with 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.
•
Never drive the vehicle if the loudspeakers in the door panels have
been removed, unless the holes left by the loudspeakers have been
correctly closed.
•
Always check that the openings are closed or covered if loudspeakers
or other equipment are fitted in the interior door panels.
•
Any work carried out to the doors sh ould be made in a qualified author-
ised workshop.
•
The seat belts and airbags can only provide maximum protection if the
occupants are seated correctly ⇒page 10, “Proper sitting position for
occupants”.
•
If a fault should occur in the airbag system, have the system checked
immediately by a qualified workshop. Otherwise there is a danger that
during a side collision, the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger
correctly.WARNING (continued)
leon_ingles Seite 38 Donner stag, 24. August 2006 1:56 13

Airbag system39
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Function of side airbags
Inflated airbags can reduce the risk of head or chest injury in
many side impact collisions.In some side collisions the side airbag is triggered on the impact side of the
vehicle ⇒fig. 22.
In ce rtain types of accident, the front curta in and side airbags may be trig-
gered together.
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas.
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 fully deployed airbags cushion the movement of the occupants of the
front seats and the outer rear seats and help to reduce the risk of injury to the
upper body. The special design of the airbag allows the controlled escape of the propel-
lant gas when an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus, the head and
chest are surrounded and protected by the airbag.
Fig. 22 Illustration of
principle: inflated side
airbags on left side of
vehicle
leon_ingles Seite 39 Donner
stag, 24. August 2006 1:56 13

Airbag system
40Safety notes on the operation of the side airbag system
If airbags are used correctly, they can considerably reduce the
risk of injury in side impact collisions.
WARNING
•
If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean forward, or are not seated
correctly while the vehicle is in motion, you are at grea ter risk of injury,
should the side airbag system be triggered in an accident.
•
In order for the side airbags to provide their maximum protection, the
prescribed sitting position must always be maintained with seat belts
fastened while travelling.
•
Occupants of the outer seats must never carry any objects or pets in the
deployment space between them and th e airbags, or allow children or
other passengers to travel in this position. It is also important not to attach
any accessories (such as cup holders) to the doors. This would impair the
protection offered by the side airbags.
•
The built-in coat hooks should be used only for lightweight clothing. Do
not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
•
Great forces, such as hard blows or kicks, must not be exerted upon the
backrest bolster because the system may be damaged. In this case the side
airbags would not be triggered.
•
Under no circumstances should protective covers be fitted over the
driver seat or front passenger seat unless the covers have been expressly
approved for use in your vehicle. Because the airbag deploys from the side
of the backrest, the use of non-approved seat covers would obstruct the
side airbag seriously reducing the airbag's effectiveness ⇒page 191,
“Accessories, parts replacement and modifications”.
•
Any damage to the original seat upho lstery or around the seams of the
side airbag units must be repaired immediately by a qualified workshop.
•
The airbags provide protection for one accident only, if they have been
deployed they must be replaced.
•
When children assume an incorrect si tting position, they expose them-
selves to an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident. This is
particularly the case if the child is travelling on the front passenger seat
and the airbag system is triggered in an accident; this could have critical
consequences including serious injury or death ⇒page 46, “Child safety”.
•
Any work on the side airbag system or removal and installation of the
airbag components for other repairs (such as removal of the front seat)
should only be performed by a qualified workshop. Otherwise, a fault may
be introduced into the operation of the airbag system.
•
Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any way.
•
The side and head airbags are managed through sensors located in the
interior of the front doors. To ensure the correct functioning of the side and
head airbags neither the doors nor the door panels should be modified in
any way (e.g. fitting loudspeakers). If the front door is damaged in any way,
this may affect the correct working of the system. All work carried out on
the front door must be made in a qualified workshop.WARNING (continued)
leon_ingles Seite 40 Donner stag, 24. August 2006 1:56 13

Airbag system41
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Curtain airbagsDescription of curtain airbags
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.The curtain airbags are located on both sides in the interior above the doors
⇒fig. 23 and are identified with the text “AIRBAG”.
In conjunction with the seat belts, th e curtain airbag system gives the occu-
pants additional protection for the head and upper body in the event of a
severe side collision ⇒ page 42, “Safety notes on the operation of the
curtain airbag system”.
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 correctly and have adjusted the head restraints properly. 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 main parts of the curtain airbag system are:
•
an electronic control and monitoring system (control unit),
•
the curtain airbags (airbags with gas generator) for the driver, front
passenger and passengers on the rear seats,
•
a warning lamp
 in the dash panel insert ⇒page 31.
The functionality of the airbag system is monitored electronically.
The curtain airbag system will not be triggered
•
if the ignition is switched off,
Fig. 23 Location of left curtain airbag
leon_ingles Seite 41 Donner stag, 24. August 2006 1:56 13

Airbag system
42•
during a frontal collision,
•
during a rear-end collision,
•
if the vehicle rolls,
•
or during a minor frontal collision.
WARNING
If a fault should occur in the airbag system, have the system checked imme-
diately by a qualified workshop. Otherwise there is a danger that during a
collision, the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly.Function of curtain airbags
Fully inflated airbags reduce the ri sk of head or chest injury in
a side collision.
During some side collisions the curtain airbag is triggered on the impact side
of the vehicle ⇒ fig. 24.
In certain types of accident the front, side and curtain airbags may be trig-
gered together.
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas. In the
process, the curtain bag covers the side windows and door pillars.
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 fully deployed airbags cushion the movement of the front occupants and
help to reduce the risk of injury to the upper body.
The special design of the airbag allows the controlled escape of the propel-
lant gas when an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus, the head and
chest are surrounded and protected by the airbag.Safety notes on the operation of the curtain airbag system
If you use airbags correctly, they can considerably reduce the
risk of injury in many kinds of accident.
WARNING
•
In order for the side airbags to provide their maximum protection, the
prescribed sitting position must alwa ys be maintained with seat belts
fastened while travelling.
•
For safety reasons, the head air bag must be disconnected in those
vehicles fitted with a passenger compartment separation screen. See an
Authorised Service Centre to make this adjustment.
Fig. 24 Deployed curtain
airbags
leon_ingles Seite 42 Donner stag, 24. August 2006 1:56 13