Passive Safety120
Correct seated position for the front passenger
The front passenger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm from
the dash panel so that the airbag offers the greatest possible safety
when an airbag is deployed.
For the safety of the front passenger and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident, we recommend the following setting.
•Adjust the front passenger seat as far as possible to the rear.
•Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the same level as the upper part of your head ⇒page 119, fig. 117.
•Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒page 124, “How are seat belts correctly fastened?”.
In exceptional cases the front pass enger airbag can be deactivated ⇒page 135, “Deactivating an airbag”.
Adjusting the passenger seat ⇒page 54, “Adjusting the front seats”.
WARNING
•The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted to match the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts must always be correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your occupants.
•The front passenger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
•Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an airbag is deployed, you may suffer fata l injuries when adopting an incorrect seated position!
•The backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise this will affect proper operation of th e seat belts and of the airbag system - risk of injury!
Correct seated position for the occupants on the rear seats
Occupants on the rear seats must si t upright, keep the feet in the
footwell and must have their seat belts correctly fastened.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an acci- dent, the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following.
•Adjust the head restraints so that the to p edge of the head restraints are at the same level as the upper part of your head ⇒page 119, fig. 117.
•Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒page 124, “How are seat belts correctly fastened?”.
•If you are transporting ⇒page 137, “Transporting children safely” children in the vehicle, please use a suitable child restraint system.
WARNING
•The head restraints must always be adjusted to match the body size, in order to offer an optimal protection for you and your occupants.
•Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never put your feet out of the window or on the surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If th e head airbag* is deployed and when adopting an incorrect seated position, you are exposing yourself to an increased risk of injury and in the event of an accident you may suffer fatal injuries!
•If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury is increased due to incorrec t routing of the seat belt.
•The backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag system - risk of injury!
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Examples of an incorrect seated position
An incorrect seated position can lead to severe injuries or death for
the occupants.
Seat belts offer their optimum protection only if the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Incorrect seated positi ons considerably reduce the protective functions of the seat belts and therefore increase the risk of injury due to an incor-rect routing of the seat belt. The driver is fully responsible for himself and his occu- pants, in particular for the children. Do not permit an occupant to adopt an incor- rect seated position when the car is moving.
The following list contains the examples of seated positions which are dangerous for the occupants. This list is not comple te, however we would like you to get inter- ested in this subject.
Therefore, while the car is moving never:
•stand up in the vehicle,
•stand up on the seats,
•kneel onto the seats,
•tilt the backrest fully to the back,
•lean against the dash panel,
•lie on the rear seats,
•only sit on the front area of the seat,
•sit to the side,
•lean out of the window,
•put the feet out of the window,
•put the feet on the dash panel,
•put the feet on the seat upholstery,
•occupy the footwell,
•have the seat belt not fastened,
•occupy the luggage compartment.
WARNING
•If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life- threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.
•Before setting off, please adopt the correct seated position and do not change this seated position while the car is moving. Also advise your occu- pants to adopt the correct seated position and not to change this seated position while the car is moving.
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– Slowly pull the belt webbing at the tongue of the lock over your chest
and pelvis ⇒.
– Insert the tongue of the lock into th e seat belt buckle belonging to the
seat until it is heard to lock in place.
– Pull on the belt to check that it has also reliably engaged in the lock.
Each three-point seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel. This inertia reel offers you complete freedom of movement if the belt is unreeled slowly. If the brakes are applied suddenly, the inertia reel will block. It also blocks the belts when the car accelerates, when driving downhill and when cornering.
Expectant mothers must also wear the seat belt ⇒.
WARNING
•The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across your neck but must run approximately over the middl e of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest. The lap part of the belt must run across the hip and must never be routed across the stomach. It must always fit snugly ⇒page 124, fig. 121 . Adjust the belt webbing as required.
•The lap part of the belt should be positioned as low as possible at the pelvis of an expectant mother in order to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower abdomen.
•Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat belts which are not correctly adjusted ca n themselves cause injuries even in minor accidents.
•A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is moved forward by the kinetic energy produced in an accident and is then suddenly held firm by the belt.
•Only insert the lock tongue into the lo ck which is the correct one for your seat. This will affect the protection whic h the belt offers and increase the risk of an injury.
Seat belt height adjuster on the front seats
The seat belt height adjuster makes it possible for you to adapt the
routing of the front three-point seat belt in the area of the shoulder to
match your body size.
– To adjust the belt height press the height adjuster and move it up or
down ⇒fig. 123.
– Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster
has correctly locked in place.
WARNING
Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the belt is positioned approximately across the middle of your shoulder - on no account across your neck.
Note
It is also possible to adapt the routing of the belt webbing on the front seats by adjusting the height of the seat*.
Fig. 123 Front seat: Seat belt height adjuster
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Airbag system128
Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
General information on the airbag system
The front airbag system is complementary to the three-point seat belts and offers additional protection in the head and chest area of the driver and passenger in the event of a frontal collision.
In the event of a side collision, the side airbags reduce the risk of injury to the occu- pants to the part of their body facing the side of the accident.
The airbag system is only functional after the ignition has been switched on.
The operational readiness of the airbag system is monitored electronically. The airbag warning light comes on for a few seconds each time the ignition is switched on.
The airbag system (according to vehicl e equipment) essentially consists of:
•an electronic control unit,
•the front airbags for the driver and front passenger ⇒page 130,
•the side airbags ⇒page 132,
•Head airbags ⇒page 133,
•an airbag warning light in the instrument cluster ⇒page 28,
•a front passenger airbag switch* ⇒page 136,
•an indicator light for a switched off front seat passenger airbag* in the middle of the dash panel ⇒page 136.
A fault in the airbag system exists if:
•the airbag indicator light does not light up when the ignition is switched on,
•the airbag indicator light does not go out after about 3 seconds after the ignition is switched on,
•the airbag indicator light goes out and comes on again after the ignition is switched on,
•the airbag indicator light comes on or flickers when driving,
•an airbag indicator light showing a swit ched-off front passenger airbag* in the middle of the dash panel flashes.
WARNING
•To enable the occupants of a car to be protected with the greatest possible effect when the airbag is deployed, the front seats must be ⇒ page 119, “Correct seated position” correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occupant.
•If you do not fasten the seat belts when driving, lean too far forward or adopt an incorrect seated position, you are exposing yourself to increased risk of injury in the event of an accident.
•Have the airbag system checked imme diately by a specialist garage if a fault exists. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activated in the event of an accident.
•No modifications of any kind may be made to parts of the airbag system.
•It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system as this might result in the airbag being deployed.
•The protective function of the airbag system is sufficient for only one accident. The airbag system must then be replaced if the airbag has been deployed.
•The airbag system needs no maintenance during its working life.
•If you sell your car, please hand over the complete vehicle documenta-tion to the new owener. Please note that the documents relating to the possibility of deactivating the front passenger 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 important to comply with the national legal requirements.
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In certain accident situations both the front airbags as well as the head and side airbags may be deployed together.
If the airbags are deployed, the airbags are filled with a propellant gas and inflated in front of the driver and front passenger ⇒page 130, fig. 127. The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to be able to offer that addi- tional protection in the event of an acci dent. The forward movement of the driver and of the front passenger is cushioned when they make contact with the fully inflated airbag and the risk of injury to head and chest is thus reduced.
The specially developed airbag allows the gas to flow out of the inflated airbag in a controlled manner (depending on the load of the particular car occupant) in order to cushion head and chest areas. The airbag then deflates subsequently to such an extent, after an accident, to again provide a clear view forward.
A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
The airbag develops enormous forces when triggered, which can lead to injuries if the sitting position or seated position is not correct ⇒ in “Important safety information regarding the front airbag system” on page 131.
Important safety information regarding the front airbag system
Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
•Never transport children on the front seat of a vehicle without using a proper restraint system. If airbags are deployed in the event of an accident, the child might suffer severe or even fatal injuries!
•For the driver and front passenger it is important to maintain a distance of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel ⇒fig. 128. Not main- taining this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard! The front seats and the head restraints must always also be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occu- pant.
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 135, “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 al so 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 requir e that the side or head passenger airbags be deactivated. When transpor ting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.
•There must not by any further persons, animals or objects positioned between the front seated occupants and the deployment area of the airbag.
•The steering wheel and the surface of the airbag module in the dash panel on the passenger side must not be stuck onto, covered or modified in any other way. These parts should only be cleaned with a dry cloth or a cloth moistened with water. No objects such as cup holders, mobile phone mounts, etc. may be attached to the covers of the airbag modules or be located within the immediate area.
•No modifications of any kind may be made to parts of the airbag system. Any work on the airbag system includ ing installing and removing system components because of other repair work (e.g. removing the steering wheel) must only be carried out by a specialist garage.
•Never carry out changes on the front bumper or on the body.
•Never place any objects on the dash panel on the front passenger side.
Fig. 128 Safe distance to steering wheel
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Side airbags*
Description of side airbags
The side airbag increases protection of the passenger concerned in
the case of a side impact.
The side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the backrests of the front seats and are marked ⇒fig. 129 with the lettering “AIRBAG” on the middle part.
The side airbag system in combination with the three-point seat belts, offers addi- tional protection for the upper area of th e body (chest, stomach and pelvis) in the event of severe side collisions ⇒ in “Important safety information on the side airbag” on page 133.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts is to also hold the driver and front passenger in a correct seated position in the event of a side collision so as to enable the side airbags to offer the maximum protection.
You should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is required by law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection ⇒page 122, “Why seat belts?”.
Function of the side airbags
Risk of injury to the upper part of the body is reduced by fully inflated
side airbags.
In the case of a violent side crash, the side airbags in the front seat and the head airbags on the side of the car at wh ich the collision occurs, are deployed ⇒fig. 130.
In certain accident situations both the front airbags as well as the head and side airbags may be deployed together.
If an airbag is deployed, th e airbag is filled with propellant gas. The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high spee d in order to be able to offer that addi- tional protection in the event of an accident.
A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not an indicati on of a fire in the vehicle.
The load of the occupants is cushioned when plunging into the fully inflated airbag and the risk of injury to the entire up per body (chest, stomach and pelvis) is reduced on the side facing the door.
Fig. 129 Driver seat: Installation position of airbag
Fig. 130 Side airbags deployed
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Airbag system133
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Important safety information on the side airbag
Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 135, “Deactivating an airbag” the front passenger airbag when attach ing 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 ch ild 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 requir e that the side passenger airbags be deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.
•Your head should never be positioned in the deployment area of the side airbag. You might suffer severe injuries in the event of an accident. This applies in particular to children who are transported without using a suit-able child safety seat ⇒page 139, “Child safety and side airbag*”.
•If children adopt an incorrect seated position when travelling, they may be exposed to an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident. This can result in serious injuries ⇒page 137, “What you should know about trans- porting children!”.
•There must not be any further persons, animals as well as objects posi- tioned between the occupants and the de ployment area of the airbag. There must also be no accessories such as cup holders, attached to the doors to enable the side airbags to activate properly.
•Only hang light items of clothing on the clothes hooks to the vehicle. Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of clothing.
•Ensure that there are no excessive fo rces, such as violent knocks, kicks etc., impact on the backrests of the seats otherwise the system may be damaged. The side airbags would not be deployed in such a case!
•Any seat or protective covers which you fit to the driver or front passenger seats must only be of the type expressly authorized by Škoda Auto. In view of the fact that the airbag inflates out of the backrest of the seat, use of non-approved seat or protective covers would considerably impair the protective function of the side airbag.
•Any damage to the original seat covers in the area of the side airbag module must be repaired without delay by your specialist garage.
•The airbag modules in the front se ats must not display any damage, cracks or deep scratches. It is not permissible to use force in order to open the modules.
•Any work on the side airbag system including removing and installing system components because of other repa ir work (e.g. removing seats) must only be carried out by a specialist garage.
Head airbags*
Description of the head airbags
The head airbag together with the side airbag offers enhanced occu-
pant protection in the ev ent of a side collision.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 131 Installation position of the head airbags
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Airbag system134
The head airbags are positioned above the doors on both sides in the interior of the car ⇒fig. 131. The installation positions of the head airbags are each marked with the “AIRBAG” logo.
The head airbag together with the three-point seat belts and the side airbags, offers additional protection for the head and neck area of the occupants in the event of a side collision of major severity ⇒ in “Important safety information on the head airbag” on page 134.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts is to also hold the driver and the occupants in a correct seated position in the event of a side collision so as to enable the head airbags to offer the maximum protection.
You should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is required by law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection ⇒page 122.
Together with other elements (such as cros s bars in the seats, stable vehicle struc- ture) the head airbags are the conseque nt further development of occupant protection in the case of side collisions.
Function of the head airbags
The risk of injury to the head and neck area is reduced in the event of
a side collision by fully inflated head airbags.
In the case of a side collision the head airbag is deployed together with the rele- vant side airbag on the side of th e car on which the accident occurs ⇒fig. 132.
If the head airbag is deployed, the airbag is filled with propellant gas and covers the entire area of the side window including the door pillars ⇒fig. 132.
The protection offered by the head airbags is thus available simultaneously both to the front occupants of the car seated on th e side on which the accident occurs, as well as to the rear occupants. Any impact of the head against par ts of the interior or objects outside of the car, is cushioned by the inflated head airbag. The reduction in any impact to the head and the result ant minimizing of any movements of the head additionally reduce the risk of injuries to the neck area. In certain accident situations both the front airbags as well as the side and head airbags may be deployed together.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to be able to offer that additional protection in the event of an accident. A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is infl ated. This is perfectly normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
Important safety information on the head airbag
Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 135 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 certai n countries national legal provisions also require that the side or head pa ssenger airbags be deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropriate national regulations rega rding the use of child safety seats.
•There must not be any objects in the deployment area of the head airbags which might prevent the airbags from inflating properly.
•Only hang light items of clothing on the clothes hooks to the vehicle. Never leave any heavy or sh arp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of
Fig. 132 Inflated head airbag
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