Passive Safety
128
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 127, fig. 136 .
•Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒ page 132.
In exceptional cases the front pass enger airbag can be deactivated ⇒page 144,
“Deactivating an airbag”.
Manual front passenger adjustment ⇒page 59, “Adjusting front seats manually”.
Electrical front passenger seat adjustment ⇒page 60, “Adjusting 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 the 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 127, fig. 136.
•Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒page 132, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”.
•If you are transporting ⇒page 146, “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 an airbag is deployed, you may suffer fatal
injuries when adopting an incorrect seated position!
•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.
WARNING (continued)
NKO B5 20.book Page 128 Friday, March 2, 2007 1:46 PM
Passive Safety129
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
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 the 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.
NKO B5 20.book Page 129 Friday, March 2, 2007 1:46 PM
Seat belts
130
Seat belts
Why seat belts?
It is a proven fact that seat belt s offer good protection in accidents ⇒fig. 137 . Thus
wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement in most countries.
Seat belts which have been correctly fastened and adjusted hold the occupants of
the car in the correc t seated position ⇒fig. 137 . The belts reduce the kinetic energy
(energy of motion) to a considerable extent. They also prevent uncontrolled move-
ments which, in turn, may well result in severe injuries.
The occupants of a vehicle who have fastened and correctly adjusted their seat belt,
profit to a major extent from the fact that the kinetic energy is optimally absorbed
by the belts. The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety
measures, such as the airbag system, also contribute to reducing the kinetic energy.
The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less risk of injury.
Accident statistics prove that seat belts which are fastened and properly adjusted
reduce the risk of an injury and enhance the chance of survival in a major accident
⇒ page 131. It is important that you pay attention to
safety measures, particularly when trans-
porting children in the vehicle ⇒ page 146, “Transporting children safely”.
WARNING
•Fasten your seat belt each time before setting off, also when driving in
town! This also applies to the people seated at the rear - risk of injury!
•Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way
of ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child ⇒page 132, “Fastening
three-point seat belts”.
•It is important for the belt webbing to be properly routed if the seat belts
are to offer the maximum protection. You can see a description of how safety
belts should be fitted pr operly on the next pages.
Note
Please comply with any differing legal requirements when using the seat belts.
Fig. 137 Driver wearing
seat belt
NKO B5 20.book Page 130 Friday, March 2, 2007 1:46 PM
Seat belts
132
•No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt
together.
•The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if
you are correctly seated ⇒page 127, “Correct seated position”.
•The belt webbing must no t run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. spec-
tacles, ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause of injuries.
•Bulky, loose clothing (e.g. a winter coat over a jacket) does not allow you
to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the seat belts.
•It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e.g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).
•The lock tongue should only be insert ed into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to
protect and the risk of injury increases.
•The backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
•The belt webbing must always be ke pt clean. Soiled belt webbing may
impair proper operation of the inertia reel ⇒page 179, “Seat belts”.
•The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or similar
objects otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place properly.
•Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condition. If
you find seat belts which have damage to the seat belt webbing, seat belt
connections, to the inertia reels or to the lock, the relevant safety belt must
be replaced by a specialist garage.
•The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not make
an attempt to repair the seat belts yourself.
•Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident
and were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a
specialist garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected.
The anchorage points for the be lts should also be checked.
•In certain countries it is possible to use seat belts which differ in terms of
their operation from the seat belts which are described on the pages which
follow.
How are seat belts correctly fastened?
Fastening three-point seat belts
Fasten your seat belt before starting!
– Correctly adjust the front seat and the head restraint before fastening
your seat belt ⇒page 127, “Correct seated position”.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 140 Routing of
webbing over the shoul-
ders and the lap belt
Fig. 141 Routing of belt
webbing for an expectant
mother
NKO B5 20.book Page 132 Friday, March 2, 2007 1:46 PM
Seat belts
134
Taking seat belts off
– Press the red button in the belt lock ⇒fig. 143 . The spring force causes
the tongue of the lock to jump out.
– Guide the belt back with your hand to enable the inertia reel to wind
up the belt webbing more easily.
A plastic knob in the belt webbing holds the belt tongue in a position which is easy
to get hold of.
Three-point safety belt for the middle rear seat
Your car is equipped as standa rd with the three-point seat belt in the middle rear
seat. It is used in the same way as the three-point seat belts on the left and right (at
front and rear). The three-point seat belt for the rear middle seat must be put on
first to allow the pelvic part of the belt to run between the belt lock for the right
three-point seat belt and the backrest, whil e avoiding crossing the belt webbing of
the right and middle seat belts.
WARNING
The three-point safety belt for the rear middle seat can only fulfil its function
reliably when the backrests are correctly locked into position ⇒page 70.
Blocking seat belts
The three-point seat belts for the front passenger and for the rear seats can be
blocked for attaching a child safety seat ⇒ page 152, “Attaching child safety seat”.
Blocking the belt in this way ensures that th e child seat is held firmly in position in
the car.
WARNING
Never attach a child safety seat on the front passenger seat if the child is
seated with its back facing in direct ion of travel when the front passenger
airbag is still activated ⇒page 147, “Use of child safety seats on the front
passenger seat”. Risk of severe or even fatal injuries!
Belt tensioners
Safety for the driver and passengers wearing their seat belts, is enhanced by the
belt tensioners fitted to the inertia reels of the front and rear side three-point seat
belts, in addition to the protecti on afforded by the airbag system.
The fastened three-point seat belts are au tomatically tensioned in the event of a
frontal collision of a certain severity. Th e rear outside belt tensioners are also
deployed if the seat belt is not fastened.
The belt tensioner is deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity. A
powder charge is ignited in the inertia reels during deployment. The belt webbing
is pulled into the inertia reels by a mech anical system and the belt is tensioned.
Belt tensioners are not activated in the ev ent of minor frontal collisions, side and
rear-end collisions, in the ca se of a rollover and also not in accidents in which no
major forces are produced from the front.
WARNING
•The service life of seat belts and belt tensioners is 15 years from the date
of manufacture of the vehicle. It is then necessary to have the seat belts
replaced by a specialist garage.
Fig. 143 Releasing lock
tongue from belt lock
NKO B5 20.book Page 134 Friday, March 2, 2007 1:46 PM
Airbag system139
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Function of the front airbags
Risk of injury to the head and chest area is reduced by fully inflated
airbags.
The airbag system is designed in such a way that the driver and front passenger
airbag are deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity.
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 ⇒fig. 146 . The airbags inflate in fractions
of a second and at a high speed in order to be able to offer that additional protec-
tion in the event of an accident. 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”.
Important safety information r egarding 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. 147 . 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 144, “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).
Fig. 146 Inflated airbagsFig. 147 Safe distance to
steering wheel
NKO B5 20.book Page 139 Friday, March 2, 2007 1:46 PM
Airbag system
140
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 transporting a child on the front passenger
seat, please comply with the appropri ate 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 including 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 surfac e of the front passenger airbag in
the dash panel.
Side airbag
Description of side airbags
The side airbag together with the head airbag offers enhanced occu-
pant protection in the ev ent of a side collision.
The side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the backrests of the front seats and
are marked ⇒fig. 148 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 the body (chest, stomach and pelvis) of the
occupants of the car in the event of a side collision of major severity ⇒ in
“Important safety information on the side airbag” on page 141.
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 130, “Why
seat belts?”.
Each time the side airbag is deployed, the head airbag* on the relevant side is auto-
matically deployed at the same time in order to provide the occupant with
enhanced protection ⇒page 142.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 148 Installation
position of side airbag in
driver seat
NKO B5 20.book Page 140 Friday, March 2, 2007 1:46 PM
Airbag system141
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
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 airbag on the front seat on the side on
which the collision occurs is deployed ⇒fig. 149 .
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, the airbag is filled with propellant gas. 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 accident.
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 load of the occupants is cushioned when plunging into the fully inflated airbag
and the risk of injury to the entire u pper body (chest, stomach and pelvis) is
reduced on the side facing the door.
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 144, “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.
•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 148, “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 146, “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 th e seats otherwise the system may be
damaged. The side airbags would not be deployed in such a case!
Fig. 149 Inflated side
airbag
NKO B5 20.book Page 141 Friday, March 2, 2007 1:46 PM