Airbag system
172
Switch for the front seat passenger airbags*
The front and side passenger airbag is deactivated with the
switch. Deactivating airbags
– Switch off the ignition.
– Turn the slot of the airbag switch using the master key in the
direction of the arrow to the position OFF ⇒ fig. 153. The slot
of the airbag switch must be located in the vertical position.
– Check whether the airbag indicator light
in the
middle of the dash panel lights up ⇒fig. 154 when the ignition
is turned on.
Switching on airbags
– Switch off the ignition.
– Turn the slot of the airbag switch using the master key in the direction of the arrow to the position ON ⇒ fig. 153. The slot
of the airbag switch must be located in the horizontal position.
– Check whether the airbag indicator light
in the
middle of the dash panel lights up ⇒fig. 154 when the ignition
is turned on.
The airbags should only be switched off under exceptional circumstances
⇒ page 171.
Indicator light
(airbag switched off)
The airbag indicator light is located in the middle of the dash panel
⇒ fig. 154 .
If the airbags are switched on, the airbag indicator light comes on for a
few seconds after the ignition is switched on.
When the front and side passenger airbag is switched off, the indicator
light comes on after the ignition is switched on.
Fig. 153 Storage
compartment: Switch
for the front seat
passenger airbags
Fig. 154 Indicator light
for a switched off front
seat passenger airbag
NKO B5 20.book Page 172 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Airbag system173
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
There is a system fault present in the airbag switch off
⇒ if the indi-
cator light flashes.
On vehicles without the function windscreen heater* the indicator light
showing a switched-off front passenger airbag* is at the position 15 wind-
screen heater* see ⇒page 10, fig. 1 .
WARNING
•The driver is responsible for whether the airbags are switched
on or switched off.
•Only switch off the airbag when the ignition is switched off!
Otherwise a fault can occur in the airbag deactivation system.
•If the warning light (airbag switched off) flashes:
− Front passenger airbag is not deployed in the event of an
accident!
− It is also important to have the system inspected without
delay by a specialist garage.
NKO B5 20.book Page 173 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Transporting children safely 175
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
otherwise this may result in injuries to the stomach and neck areas.
Comply with the national legal requirements.
•One should never carry children, and also not babies! - on one's
lap.
•You can transport a child safely in a suitable child safety seat
⇒ page 178, “Child seat”!
•Only one child may be fastened with a seat belt into a child
safety seat.
•Never leave the child sitting unattended in the seat.
•Certain outside climatic conditions can cause life-threatening
temperatures in the vehicle.
•Never allow your child to be tran sported in a vehicle without the
use of a suitable restraint system.
•Children should also never stand up in a vehicle or kneel on the
seats when the vehicle is moving. In the event of an accident the
child will be thrown through the vehicle and may as a result suffer
fatal injuries, and also injure other occupants.
•Children are exposed to an increased risk of injury in the event
of an accident if they lean forward or adopt an incorrect seated
position when the vehicle is moving . This particularly applies to
children who are transported on the front passenger seat if the
airbag system deploys in the event of an accident. This can result
in severe or even fatal injuries.
•It is important that the belt webb ing is properly routed if the seat
belts are to offer their maximum protection ⇒page 158, “How are
seat belts correctly fastened?”. Pay particular attention to the infor-
mation provided by the manufacturer of the child safety seat
regarding correct routing of the belt. Seat belts which are not
correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in minor
accidents.
•Safety belts must be checked to ensure that they are running
properly. One should also ensure that the belt is not damaged by
sharp-edged fittings.
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 171 the front
passenger airbag when attaching a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat where the child is seated with its back facing in
direction of travel (in some countries also when the child is facing
the direction of travel). If this is not done, there is a risk of the child
suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag
is deployed. In certain countries national legal provisions also
require that the side and head airbags be deactivated. When trans-
porting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the
appropriate national regulations regarding the use of child safety
seats.
WARNING (continued)WARNING (continued)
NKO B5 20.book Page 175 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Transporting children safely
176
Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat
Child safety seats should always be attached to the rear
seats.
We recommend, for safety reasons, that you always mount a child
restraint systems on the rear seats whenever possible. If you still decide,
however, to use a child safety seat on the front passenger seat then you
must pay attention to the following warnings in connection with the use of
the airbag system on the front passenger seat.
WARNING
•Warning - particular hazard! Never use a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat in which the child is seated with its back
facing the direction of travel. This child safety seat is positioned in
the deployment area of the front passenger airbag. The airbag may
cause the child severe, or even fatal injuries, in the event of it being
deployed.
•This is also clearly stated on the sticker which is located on the
centre column of the body on the front passenger side ⇒page 176,
fig. 155 . The sticker is visible upon opening the front passenger
door. The next warning sticker is located on the windscreen near
the front passenger seat.
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 171, “Deactivating an
airbag” the front passenger airbag when attaching a child safety
seat on the front passenger seat where the child is seated with its
back facing in direction of travel (in some countries also when the
child is facing the direction of travel). If this is not done, there is a
risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front
passenger airbag is deployed. In certain countries national legal
provisions also require that the side or head passenger airbags be
deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat,
please comply with the appropriat e national regulations regarding
the use of child safety seats.
•If the front passenger airbag has been switched off by a
specialist garage using the vehicle system tester, the side and head
passenger airbag* remains switched on. In certain countries
national legal provisions require that besides the front passenger
airbag also the side or head passenger airbags are deactivated.
Please comply with any differ ing national legal regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
•If a child safety seat in which the child faces in the direction of
travel is used on the front passenger seat, the front passenger seat
must be moved back fully. For vehicles with height adjustable front
passenger seat, the seat must be put in the highest position.
•You should have the front passenger airbag (or airbags) reacti-
vated just as soon as you no longer use a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat.
Fig. 155 Sticker on the
centre column of the
body on the front
passenger side.
WARNING (continued)
NKO B5 20.book Page 176 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Transporting children safely 177
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Child safety and side airbag
Children must never be seated in the deployment area of
the side airbags and head airbags.In the event of a side collision, the side airbags offer the vehicle occupants
enhanced protection.
The side airbags are inflated in fractions of a second in order to be able to
provide this protection ⇒page 167, “Function of the side airbags”.
An airbag inflating develops such a strong force that an occupant who has
not adopted a correct seated position may suffer injuries. Also exposed
objects which are located within the area of the side airbag can cause inju-
ries.
This applies particularly to children if they are not transported in
accordance with legal requirements.
The child is protected when seated in a child safety seat matching its age.
Adequate room is available between the child and the deployment area of
the side airbag and head airbag. The airbag offers optimal protection.
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 171 the front
passenger airbag when attaching a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat where the child is seated with its back facing in
direction of travel (in some countries also when the child is facing
the direction of travel). If this is not done, there is a risk of the child
suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag
is deployed. In certain countries national legal provisions also
require that the side and head airbags be deactivated. When trans-
porting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the
appropriate national regulations regarding the use of child safety
seats.
•When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please
comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use
of child safety seats.
•Children must never be seated with their head in the deploy-
ment area of the side airbag - risk of injury!
Fig. 156 Seated posi-
tion of an unprotected
child at risk from side
airbag
Fig. 157 Child properly
protected by safety
seat
NKO B5 20.book Page 177 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Transporting children safely
178
•Do not place any objects within the deployment area of the side
airbag - risk of injury!
Child seat
Classification of child seats into groups
Only child safety seats which have an official approval and
are suitable for the child, may be used.
ECE-R 44 standard applies to child safety seats. ECE-R means:
Economic Commission of Europe - Regulation.
Child safety seats which have been tested for conformity with ECE-R 44
have a non-detachable test seal (a large E within a circle and below this
the test number) attached to the seat.
Child safety seats are classified in 5 groups:
Children of more than 150 cm in height may use the seat belts fitted to the
vehicle without a seat bolster.
Use of child safety seats
An overview of the usefulness of child seats on each of the seats
according to the EG guidelines 77/541 and ECE 44 standard:
Universal category - seat is suitable for all approved types of child
safety seats.
The seat can be fitted with fixing eyes for the “ ISOFIX*”system.
GroupWeight
00 - 10 kg⇒page 179
0+up to 13 kg⇒page 179
19 - 18 kg⇒page 179
215 - 25 kg⇒page 180
322 - 36 kg⇒page 181
WARNING (continued)
Child seat
according to
groupFront passenger seatRear seat
on the sideRear seat middle
0
0+
1
2 and 3
AUAUA+AU
AUAUA+AU
AUAUA+AU
AUAUAU
AU
A+
NKO B5 20.book Page 178 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Transporting children safely 179
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Child seats of group 0/0+
The optimal solution for babies of up to about 9 months old weighing up
to 10 kg or babies up to about 18 months old weighing up to 13 kg is a
child safety seat which can be adjusted into the reclining position
⇒fig. 158 .
In view of the fact that such child seats are installed that the child is seated
with its back facing the direction of travel, they must not be used on the
front passenger seat ⇒page 176, “Use of child safety seats on the front
passenger seat”.
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag
(airbags) at a specialist garage or with the switch for front
passenger airbag(s)* when attaching in exceptional circumstances
a child safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is
seated with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries
also when the child is facing the direction of travel) ⇒page 172.
•In certain countries national legal provisions require that
besides the front airbag also the side or head airbags are deacti-
vated. Please comply with any differing national legal regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
•If this is not done, a child seated on the front passenger seat
may suffer severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag
or airbags are deployed.
•You should have the front passenger airbag (or airbags) reacti-
vated just as soon as you no longer use a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat.
Child safety seats in Group 1
Child seats in Group 1 are for babies and small children up to 4 years of
age with a weight of between 9 and 18 kilograms. It is best for children in
Fig. 158 Child seats of
group 0/0+
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 159 Child seat
with padded table in
Group 1 installed on
rear seat bench facing
the direction of travel
NKO B5 20.book Page 179 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM
Transporting children safely
180
the lower range of this group, to use a child seat which allows the child to
sit with its back to the direction of travel. It is best for children in the upper
range of the Group 0+, to use a child seat which allows the child to sit
⇒ fig. 159 in the direction of travel.
Child safety seats in which the child is seated with its back facing the
direction of travel, must not be used on the front passenger seat
⇒ page 176, “Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat”.
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag
(airbags) at a specialist garage or with the switch for front
passenger airbag(s)* when attaching in exceptional circumstances
a child safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is
seated with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries
also when the child is facing the direction of travel) ⇒page 172.
•In certain countries national legal provisions require that
besides the front airbag also the side or head airbags are deacti-
vated. Please comply with any di ffering national legal regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
•If this is not done, a child seated on the front passenger seat
may suffer severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag
or airbags are deployed.
•You should have the front passenger airbag (or airbags) reacti-
vated just as soon as you no longer use a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat.
Child safety seats in Group 2
For children up to about 7 years of age weighing between 15 and 25 kg
the optimal solution is a child safety seat in combination with the three-
point seat belt ⇒fig. 160 .
WARNING
•When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please
comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use
of child safety seats. Switch off the front passenger airbag if
necessary at a specialist garage or switch it off with the switch for
front passenger airbag* ⇒page 172.
•The shoulder part of the seat belt must run approximately
across the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest.
It must on no account run across the neck. The lap part of the seat
belt must run across the pelvis and fits snugly; it must not run over
the belly. Tighten the belt webbing over your hip if necessary.
Fig. 160 Child seat in
Group 2 installed on
the rear seat facing the
direction of travel
NKO B5 20.book Page 180 Monday, July 3, 2006 2:09 PM