2008 Seat Exeo child restraint

Airbag system35
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Safety notes on the frontal 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 keep 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, if you lean forward or to the side while
travelling or assume an incorrect sitting position, there is a substantially
increased risk of injury. 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”.
•
The deployment space between the front passengers and the airbags
must not in any case be occupied by other passenger, pets and objects.
•
The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them once
they have deployed.
•
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.
Knee airbagDescription of the knee airbag
The airbag system provides additional protection to the front
seat passengers if they are properly secured.The airbag for the driver is located in the instrument panel underneath the
steering wheel ⇒ fig. 21.
The knee airbag offers additional protection to the driver’s knees and upper
and lower thigh areas as a supplement to the safety belts.
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbag also deploys in frontal collisions
above a certain severity ⇒page 33.
Besides their normal safety function, safety belts work to help keep the driver
in position in case of a frontal collision so that the airbags can provide protec-
tion.
Fig. 21 Driver knee
airbag
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Airbag system37
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
If the front airbag deploys, the knee airbag also deploys in frontal collisions
above a certain severity.
When the system is deployed, the airbag starts to fill with a propellant gas,
and inflates between the lower part of the instrument panel and the driver
⇒
page 36, fig. 22 .
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can “cushion” the impact and in this
way they can help to reduce the risk of injury to the lower extremities.
All this takes place instantaneously, so fast that many people don't even
realize that the airbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate with a great
deal of force and it is important for occupant safety that nothing should be in
their way when they deploy.
Fully inflated airbags in combination with properly worn safety belts slow
down and limit the occupant's forward movement and help to reduce the
risk.
Important safety notes on the knee airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints.Always wear safety belts correctly and ride in a proper seating position. There
is a lot that you and your passengers must know and do to help the safety
belts and airbags to provide supplemental protection.
WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious injury. Wearing safety belts
incorrectly and improper seating posi tions increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.•
The airbag system cannot protect you properly if you are seated too
close to any of the airbag locations. Wh en adjusting their seat positions, it is important that the driver keep
their upper bodies and knees at the
following minimum safe distances:
−25 cm between the chest and the steering wheel/instrument panel.
− 10 cm between the knees and the lowe r part of the instrument panel.
•
The risk of personal injury increases if you lean forward or to the side,
or if the seat is improperly positioned and you are not wearing your safety
belt. The risk increases even more should the airbag deploy.
•
Always make sure that the knee airb ag can inflate without interference.
Objects between yourself and the airbag can increase the risk of injury in
an accident by interfering with the way the airbag deploys or by being
pushed into you as the airbag deploys.
−No objects of any kind should be carried in the footwell area in front
of the driver’s seat. Bulky objects (shopping bags, for example) can
hamper or prevent proper deployment of the airbag. Small objects can
be thrown through the vehicle if the airbag deploys and injure you or
your passengers.
•
Make sure there are no cracks, deep scratches or other damage in the
area of the instrument panel where the knee airbag is located.
•
If children are incorrectly seated, their risk of injury increases in the
case of an accident ⇒page 46.WARNING (continued)
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Child safety
46Child safetyBrief introductionIntroduction
Statistics show that children are generally safer on the rear
seat than on the front passenger seat.We recommend that children under 12 years of age are transported on the
rear seats. Children travelling on the rear seat must use a child restraint
system or the seat belts provided, depending on their age, height and
weight. It is advisable that children always travel in the rear seats, being the
rear central position the safest seat, since the risk of injuries in a side colli-
sion is diminished.
The physical laws involved and the forces acting in a collision apply also to
children. ⇒page 19, “Why wear seat belts?”. But unlike adults, children do
not have muscle and bone structures fu lly developed. This means that chil-
dren are subject to a greater risk of injury.
To reduce this risk, children must always use special child restraint systems
when travelling in the vehicle.
We recommend the use of child safety products from the SEAT Genuine Acces-
sories Program, which includes systems for all ages made by “Peke”
1).
These systems have been especially designed and approved, complying with
the ECE-R44. regulation.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats. Always read and note
⇒ page 46, “Safety notes on using child seats”. We recommend you to include together
with the on-board documentation,
the manufacturer's Child Seat instructions manual.
Safety notes on using child seats
Proper use of child seats substantially reduces the risk of
injury in an accident!As the driver, you are responsible for any children you transport in
your vehicle.
– Protect your children by properly using appropriate child seats ⇒page 48.
– Always ensure that the belt we bbing is properly positioned
according to the instructions prov ided by the manufacturer of the
child seat.
– When travelling, do not allow children to distract you from traffic.
– Take breaks regularly during long trips. Take a break at least every two hours.
WARNING
•
Never install a child seat facing backwards (or rear-facing) on the front
passenger seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. This
could lead to a risk of potentially fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is
necessary, in exceptional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger
seat, the front passenger airbag must always be disabled ⇒page 44,
1)Not for all countries
Exeo_EN.book Seite 46 Freitag, 17. Oktober 2008 11:24 11

Child safety47
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
“Deactivating airbags*”. If the passe
nger seat has a height adjustment
option, move it to the highest position.
•
For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the
airbag off, an Authorised Service Centre must be consulted.
•
All passengers, especially children, must assume the proper sitting
position and be properly belted in while travelling.
•
Never hold children or babies on your lap, this can result in potentially
fatal injuries to the child!
•
Never allow a child to be transported in a vehicle without being properly
secured, or to stand up or kneel on a seat while travelling. In an accident,
the child could be flung through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal injuries
to themselves and to the other passengers.
•
If children assume an improper sitting position when the car is moving,
they expose themselves to greater ri sk of injury in the event of sudden
braking manoeuvre or in an accident. This is particularly important if the
child is travelling on the front passenger seat and the airbag system is trig-
gered in an accident; as this could cause serious injury or even death.
•
A suitable child seat can protect your child!
•
Never leave an unsupervised child alone on a child seat or in the
vehicle.
•
Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or cold
inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.
•
Children who are less than 1.5 metres tall must not wear a normal seat
belt without a child restraint system, as this could cause injuries to the
abdominal and neck areas during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an
accident.
•
Do not allow the belt webbing to become twisted or jammed, or to rub
on any sharp edges.
•
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause injuries even in a minor collision
or in sudden braking manoeuvres.
•
The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the belt web is
properly positioned ⇒page 22, “Seat belts”.
•
Only one child may occupy a child seat ⇒page 48, “Child seats”.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
Exeo_EN.book Seite 47 Freitag, 17. Oktober 2008 11:24 11

Child safety49
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Group 1 child seats
A suitable child seat and a correctly adjusted seat belt can
help you to protect your child.Child seats using the “ISOFIX” system or seats in which the child faces the
rear of the car are most appropriate for babies and small children weighing
between 9 and 18 kg.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats.
We recommend you to include togeth er with the on-board documentation,
the manufacturer's Child Se at instructions manual.
WARNING
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use of
child seats ⇒ in “Safety notes on using child seats” on page 46.
Group 2 and 3 child seats
A suitable child seat and a corr ectly adjusted seat belt can
help you to protect your child.Follow the manufacturer's instructio ns and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats.
We recommend you to include together with the on-board documentation,
the manufacturer's Child Se at instructions manual.
Group 2 child seats
Children under 7 years of age weighing between 15 and 25 kg are best
protected by group 2 child seats together with properly adjusted seat belts.
Group 3 child seats
Children over 7 years of age weighing between 22 and 36 kg but less than 1.5
metres tall are best protected by seat cushions with head restraints together
with properly worn seat belts ⇒fig. 31 .
Fig. 30 A category 1
forward-facing child seat
fitted on the rear seat.
Fig. 31 Forward-facing
child seat installed on rear
seat.
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Child safety51
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Securing child seatsWays to secure a child seat
A child seat can be secured differently on th e rear seat and on the front passenger seat.You can secure a child seat to the rear seat or front passenger seat in the
following ways:•
Child seats in groups 0 to 3 can be secured with a seat belt.
•
Seats for children aged 0, 0+ and 1 with the “ISOFIX” system can be
secured without fastening seat belts, using the “ISOFIX” and/or Top Tether
securing rings ⇒page 52.
U: Suitable for universal approved rest raining systems for use in this age
category (universal retention systems are those fitted using the adult
seat belt).
*: Move the passenger seat as far to rear as possible, as high as possible and always deactivate the airbag.
L: Suitable for retention system s using the “ISOFIX” anchors.
WARNING
•
When travelling, children must be secured in the vehicle with a
restraint system suitable for age, weight and size.
•
Never install a child seat facing backwards (or rear-facing) on the front
passenger seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. This
could cause fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is necessary, in excep- tional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger seat, the front
passenger airbag must always be disabled
⇒page 44, “Deactivating
airbags*” and move the seat to its h ighest position, in case it has this
adjustment.
•
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use
of child seats ⇒ in “Safety notes on using child seats” on page 46.
Category
Weight Seat locations
Front passenger Rear outerRear centre
Group 0 <10 kgU*U/L U
Group 0+ <13 kgU*U/L U
Group 1 9-18 kgU*U/L U
Group 2 / 3 15-36 kgU*UUWARNING (continued)
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Child safety
52Child seat mounting using the “ISOFIX” and/or Top Tether system
The Children restraint systems may be fitted with the “ISOFIX”
system and/or Top Tether (placed on the luggage compart-
ment cover) to the rear seat in a safe and quick way. The
passenger seat* is not equipped with Top Tether and so, the
“ISOFIX” system can only be used.
Following the instructions given by the child seat manufacturer
when installing and removing the seat.
– Fit the plastic guides on the vehicle's ISOFIX anchorages
between the backrest and the seat ⇒fig. 32.
– Slide the child seat anchorages along the plastic guides until secured in the car's ISOFIX rings (when correctly closed, you will
hear a “click” and the seat should also have a visual indicator to
confirm it is correctly secured) ⇒fig. 33 .
– Check that the ISOFIX system is correctly secured by pulling on the child seat.Detailed fitting instructions are supplied with the child safety seat.
Child seats with “ISOFIX” mountings are available from Dealers and specialist
retailers.
Fig. 32 Position of the
ISOFIX anchorages on the
side rear seat
Fig. 33 The ISOFIX child
seat anchorings slide
along the fitted plastic
guides until secured in
the vehicle's ISOFIX
anchorages
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Child safety53
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
WARNING
The retainers employed for this child safety seat are specially designed for
the “ISOFIX” system. Never secure othe r child seats, seat belts or other
items into the retainers. If you do, you increase the risk of sustaining
severe or fatal injuries.Top Tether retainer straps
Some child restraint seats have a third anchoring point Top
Tether, apart from both “ISOFIX” anchoring points, which
allow a better child subjection.The Top Tether has an upper belt for the subjection to the vehicle upper
anchoring point, which is found on the rear luggage compartment cover. The retainer strap is used to reduce forwards movements of the safety seat in
a crash, helping reduce the risk of injuries to the head from hitting the inside
of the vehicle.
It is foreseen that the EU Board of Dire
ctors introduce requirements related to
the subjection of the children restra int systems by means of ISOFIX and Top
Tether anchorages (probably compulsory for new types from 2010), which will
entail a better subjection of the child restraint and less head movements in
case of frontal collisions.
Use of retainer straps on rear-facing seats
At present there are very few rear-facing child safety seats fitted with a
retainer strap. Please carefully read and follow the safety seat manufacturer's
instructions for information on how to install the retainer strap properly.
WARNING
An undue installation of the safety seat will increase the risk of injury in the
event of a crash.•
Never tie the retainer strap to a hook in the luggage compartment.
•
Never secure or tie the equipment or other items to the lower anchor-
ages (ISOFIX) or the upper ones (Top Tether).
Fig. 34 Position of the
three Top Tether rings on
the rear tray
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