Airbag system145
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•If you sell your car, please hand over the complete vehicle documen- tation to the new owener. Please note that the documents relating to the possibility of deactivating the front pa ssenger airbag are also part of the vehicle documents!
•If the vehicle or individual parts of the airbag system are scrapped, it is essential to observe the relevant safety precautions. Škoda Service Partners are familiar with these regulations.
•When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is impor- tant to comply with the national legal requirements.
When are the airbags deployed?
The airbag system is designed in such a way that the driver and the front passenger airbag* are deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity .
In the case of a violent side crash, the side airbag* in the front seat and the head airbag* on the side of the car at which the collision occurs are deployed.
It is also possible under certain special accident situations that the front as well as the side airbags and head airbags* are deployed.
The airbags are not deployed in the case of minor frontal and side collisions, in the case of rear-end collisions and vehicle rollover.
Deployment factors
It is not possible to state globally wh ich deployment conditions apply to the airbag system in every situation as the circumstances which exist in the case of accidents vary greatly. An important role in this case, for example, is played by factors such as the type of object agains t which the vehicle impacts (hard, soft), the angle of impact, the vehicle speed etc.
A decisive factor for the deployment of the airbags is the deceleration which occurs during a collision. The control uni t analyses the nature of the collision and activates the relevant restraint system. If the vehicle deceleration which occurs and is measured during the collision remains below the prescribed reference values specified in the cont rol unit, the airbags are not deployed although the vehicle may well suffer severe damage to the bodywork as a consequence of the accident.
The airbags are not deployed if:
•ignition off,
•a minor frontal collision,
•a minor side collision,
•a rear-end collision,
•rollover.
Caution
The dash panel must be replaced afte r the front passenger airbag has been deployed.
Note
•A grey white or red, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not an in dication of a fire in the vehicle.
•In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed:
− The interior lighting comes on (if the switch for the interior light is in the door contact position),
− The hazard warning light is switched on,
− All the doors are unlocked.
WARNING (continued)
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 145 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM
Inspecting and Replenishing208
There is a risk of injuries, scalding, accidents and burns when carrying out any work on the battery and on the electrical system. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the warning instructions ⇒ stated below and with the general applicable rules of safety.
WARNING
•The battery acid is strongly corros ive and must, therefore, be handled with the greatest of care. Always wear protective gloves, eye and skin protection when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis and inflammation of the air passages in the lungs. Battery acid corrodes dental enamel and creates deep wounds after contact with the skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflamma-tions, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by significant development of heat.
•Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the battery vent openings . Protect the eyes with safety glasses or a shield! There is the danger of suffer ing blindness! If any battery electro- lyte gets into your eye, rinse out yo ur eye immediately with clear water for several minutes. Contact a doctor without delay.
•S pl a she s of ac id o n yo ur s ki n or clo the s sho uld be ne u tra li se d a s s oo n as possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor immediately if you swallow battery electrolyte.
•Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
•Hydrogen is released when you charge a battery and a highly explo- sive gas mixture is produced. An explosion can be caused through spar-kling over during unclamping or loos ening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.
•Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal objects, cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explosion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.
•It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry out any activities which produce sparks. Avoid creating sparks
when working with cables and electric al devices. Strong sparking repre- sents a risk of injury.
•Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the engine, the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off the appropriate light.
•Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns! Replace a frozen battery.
•Never use a battery which is damaged - risk of explosion! Immedi- ately replace a damaged battery.
Caution
•You must only disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched off, other- wise the electrical system (electroni c components) of the vehicle may be damaged. When disconnecting the battery from the electrical system of the vehicle, first disconnect th e negative terminal (-) of the battery. Then disconnect the positive terminal (+).
•When reconnecting the battery, first connect the positive terminal (+) and only then the negative terminal (-) of the battery. You must on no account connect the cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.
•Ensure that battery acid does not come into contact with the vehicle body otherwise damage could occur to the paintwork.
•Do not place the battery in direct daylight in order to protect the battery housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of waste which is harmful to the environ- ment - we recommend that you contact your Škoda Service Partner regarding disposing of the battery.
WARNING (continued)
NKO A05Fabia 20.book Page 208 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:38 AM