
Seat belts23
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
•
Fasten your seat belt before every trip - even when driving in town. The 
other passengers must also wear the  seat belt, otherwise they may be 
danger of injury!
•
The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the belt web is not posi-
tioned correctly.
•
Never allow two passengers (even children) to share the same seat belt.
•
Keep both feet in the foot-well in front of your seat as long as the 
vehicle is in motion.
•
Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. Risk of fatal 
injury.
•
The belt webbing must never be twisted while it is being worn.
•
The belt webbing should never lie on hard or fragile objects (such as 
glasses or pens, etc.) because this can cause injuries.
•
Do not allow the seat belt to be damaged or jammed, or to rub on any 
sharp edges.
•
Never wear the seat belt under the  arm or in any other incorrect posi-
tion.
•
Loose, bulky clothing (such as an overcoat over a jacket) impairs the 
proper fit and function of the belts, reducing their capacity to protect.
•
The slot in the seat belt buckle must not be blocked with paper or other 
objects, as this can prevent the latch plate from engaging securely.
•
Never use seat belt clips, retaining rings or similar instruments to alter 
the position of the belt webbing.
•
Frayed or torn seat belts or damage to the connections, belt retractors 
or parts of the buckle could cause severe injuries in the event of an acci-
dent. Therefore, you must check the co ndition of all seat belts at regular 
intervals.
•
Seat belts which have been worn in  an accident and stretched must be 
replaced by a qualified workshop. Renewal may be necessary even if there 
is no apparent damage. The belt anchorage should also be checked.
•
Do not attempt to repair a damaged se at belt yourself. The seat belts 
must not be removed or modified in any way.
•
The belts must be kept clean, ot herwise the retractors may not work 
properly  ⇒page 207.
Seat beltsSeat belt adjustment
The seat belts for the front and rear occupants are locked into 
position by a latch.The seat belt cannot offer its full  protection if the belt web is not 
positioned correctly.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 12  Belt buckle and 
latch plate of seat belt
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Seat belts
24
– Adjust the seat and head restraint correctly.
– To fasten the belt, take hold of the latch plate and pull it slowly across your chest and lap.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat and  push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click 
⇒page 23, fig. 12 .
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in  the buckle.The seat belts are equipped with an automatic retractor on the shoulder 
strap. Full freedom of movement is perm itted when the shoulder belt is pulled 
slowly. However, during sudden braking, during travel in mountains or bends 
and during acceleration, the automatic retractor on the shoulder belt is 
locked.
The automatic belt retractors on the front seats are fitted with belt tension 
devices  ⇒page 27.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web c an cause severe injuries in the event 
of an accident.
•
The seat belts offer best protection only when the backrests are in an 
upright position and the seat belts have been fastened properly.
•
Never put the latch plate in the buckle  of another seat. If you do this, the 
seat belt will not protect you properly and the risk of injury is increased.
•
If an occupant is incorrectly belted  in, the belt cannot protect him or her 
properly. An incorrectly positioned belt web can cause extremely severe 
injuries.
•
Always engage the retractor lock when you are securing a child seat in 
group 0, 0+ or 1  ⇒page 45.
Seat belt position
Seat belts offer their maximum protection only when they are 
properly positioned.
Fig. 13  Correct belt web 
and head restraint posi-
tions, viewed from frontFig. 14  Correct belt web 
and head restraint posi-
tions, viewed from side
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Seat belts25
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
The following features are available to adjust the seat belt in the shoulder 
region:
•
belt height adjustment
 for the front seats.
•
front seat height adjustment*.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe injuries in the event 
of an accident.
•
The shoulder part of the seat belt must lie on the centre of the shoulder, 
never across the neck. The seat belt must lie flat and snugly on the torso 
⇒ page 24, fig. 13 .
•
The lap part of the seat belt must l ie across the pelvis, never across the 
stomach. The seat belt must lie flat and snugly on the pelvis  ⇒page 24, 
fig. 14 . Pull the belt tight if necessary to take up any slack.
•
Read and observe the warnings  ⇒page 22.
Pregnant women must also fasten their seat belts properly
The best protection for the unborn child is for the mother to 
wear the seat belt properly at  all times during the pregnancy.The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the belt web 
is properly positioned ⇒page 24.
– Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly  ⇒page 10.
– Holding the latch plate, pull the belt evenly across your chest and  as low as possible over the pelvis ⇒ fig. 15.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the corresponding seat  and push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click 
⇒ .
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in  the buckle.
Fig. 15  Positioning seat 
belts during pregnancy
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Seat belts
26
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt web c an cause severe injuries in the event 
of an accident.
•
For pregnant women, the lap part of  the seat belt must lie as low as 
possible over the pelvis, never across the stomach, and always lie flat so 
that no pressure is exerted on the abdomen.
•
Read and observe the warnings ⇒ page 22.
Seat belt release
The seat belt must not be unfastened until the vehicle has 
come to a standstill.– Press the red button on the belt buckle  ⇒fig. 16 . The latch plate 
is released and springs out  ⇒. – Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls up easily and the trim 
is not damaged
WARNING
Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. If you do, you 
increase the risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries.Adjusting the seat belt height
Seat belt height adjusters can be used to adjust the position 
of the seat belt at the shoulder.The seat belt adjuster for the front seats can be used to adjust the 
proper belt position at the shoulder.
Fig. 16  Removing latch 
plate from buckle
Fig. 17  Location of the 
belt height adjuster
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Seat belts27
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
– Press the upper part of the shoulder belt guide and hold it in this 
position  ⇒page 26, fig. 17 .
– Move the shoulder belt guide up or down until you have adjusted  the seat belt  ⇒page 24.
– After adjusting, pull the shoulder belt sharply to check that the  catch on the shoulder belt guide is engaged securely.Incorrectly fastened seat belts
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause severe injuries.Seat belts can provide optimal prot ection only if the belt web is 
properly worn. The seat belts must be fastened exactly in the order 
described in this chapter. An in correct sitting position impairs 
substantially the protection a seat belt offers and can lead to severe 
or fatal injuries. The risk of severe or fatal injuries is especially 
increased when a deploying airbag strikes an occupant who has 
assumed an incorrect sitting position. As driver, you are responsible 
for all vehicle occupants, especially children. Therefore:
– Never permit anyone to assume  an incorrect sitting position in 
the vehicle while travelling  ⇒.
WARNING
•
An incorrectly worn seat belt incr eases the risk of severe injuries.
•
Before every trip, instruct your passengers to adjust their seat belts 
properly and to wear them during the trip.
•
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use 
of seat belts  ⇒page 22.
Belt tension devicesFunction of the belt tension device
During a frontal collision, the seat belts on the front seats are 
retracted automatically.The seat belts for the front occupants are equipped with belt tension devices. 
Sensors will only trigger the belt tension devices during severe head-on, 
lateral and rear collisions, and only if th e seat belt is actually being worn. This 
retracts and tightens the seat belts, reducing the forward motion of the occu-
pants.
The belt tension device can be triggered only once.
The belt tension devices will not be triggered in the event of a light frontal, 
side or rear collision, if the vehicle overturns, or in situations where no large 
forces act on the front, side or rear of the vehicle.
Note
•
If the belt tension devices are triggered, a fine dust is produced. This is 
normal and it is not an indication of fire in the vehicle.
•
The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the vehicle or 
components of the system are scrapped. A qualified workshop is familiar with 
these regulations and will be pleased to pass on the information to you.
Service and disposal of belt tension devicesThe belt tension devices are components of the seat belts that are installed 
in the seats of your vehicle. If you work  on the belt tension devices or remove 
and install parts of the system when performing other repair work, the seat 
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Seat belts
28belt may be damaged. The consequence may be that, in the event of an acci-
dent, the belt tension devices func tion incorrectly or not at all.
So that the effectiveness of the belt tension device is not reduced and that 
removed parts do not cause any injuries or environmental pollution, regula-
tions, which are known to the qualified workshops, must be observed.
WARNING
•
If repairs are not carried out by a professional, or if the belt tension 
devices are used incorrectly, the risk of severe or fatal injuries increases. 
The belt tension devices may fail to trigger or may trigger in the wrong 
circumstances.
•
Never attempt to repair, adjust, remove or install parts of the belt 
tension devices or seat belts.
•
The belt tension device and seat belt including its automatic retractor 
cannot be repaired.
•
Any work on the belt tension devices and seat belts, including the 
removal and refitting of system parts  in conjunction with other repair work, 
must be performed by a qualified workshop only.
•
The belt tension devices will only provide protection for one accident 
and must be changed it they have been activated.
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Airbag system29
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Airbag systemBrief introductionWhy wear a seat belt and assume the correct sitting position?
For the inflating airbags to achieve the best protection, the 
sea t  b el t m u st  a l w ay s  be  w o rn  p ro p e rly  a n d t h e  co rrec t s i tt i ng  
position must be assumed.For your own safety and the safety  of the passengers, please ensure 
the following before driving:
– Always wear the seat belt properly  ⇒page 19.
– Adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel correctly  ⇒page 10.
– Adjust the front passenger seat correctly  ⇒page 11.
– Adjust the head restraint correctly  ⇒page 13.
– Use the correct child restraint system to protect children in your  vehicle ⇒ page 45.The airbag is deployed at high speed in fractions of a second. If you have an 
incorrect seating position  at the time the airbag is deployed, it could cause 
you critical injuries. Therefore, it is essential that all passengers in the vehicle 
assume a correct sitting position while travelling.
A sharp braking before an accident may cause a passenger not wearing a seat 
belt to be thrown forward into the area of the deploying airbag. In this case,  the inflating airbag may inflict critical or fatal injuries on the occupant. This 
also applies to children.
Always maintain the greatest possible distance between yourself and the 
front airbag. This way, the front airbag
s can completely deploy when trig-
gered, providing their maximum protection.
The most important factors that will trigger an airbag are: the type of acci-
dent, the angle of collision and the s peed of the vehicle.
Whether the airbags are triggered depends primarily on the vehicle deceler-
ation rate resulting from the collision an d detected by the control unit. If the 
vehicle deceleration occurring during the collision and measured by the 
control unit remains below the specifie d reference values, the front, side 
and/or curtain airbag will not be triggered. Take into account that the visible 
damage in a vehicle involved in an ac cident, for whatever reason, is not an 
indication as to why the airbags had been triggered.
WARNING
•
Wearing the seat belt incorrectly or assuming an incorrect sitting posi-
tion can lead to critical or fatal injuries.
•
All occupants, including children, who are not properly belted can 
sustain critical or fatal injuries if the airbag is triggered. You should always 
transport all children up to 12 years of age on the rear seat. Never transport 
children in the vehicle if they are not  restrained or the restraint system is 
not appropriate for their age, size or weight.
•
If you are not wearing a seat belt, if you lean forward or to the side while 
travelling or assume an incorrect sitt ing 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.
•
To reduce the risk of injury from an inflating airbag, always wear the 
seat belt properly  ⇒page 19.
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Airbag system
30•
Always properly adjust the front seats.
The danger of fitting a child seat on the front passenger seat
Rear-facing child seats must never be used on the front 
passenger seat when the front passenger airbag is enabled.An enabled front airbag on the front passenger side is potentially a major 
danger to a child. The front passenger seat is life threatening to a child if 
he/she is transported in a rear-facing child seat. You should always transport 
all children up to 12 years of age on the rear seat.
If a rear-facing child seat is secured to the front passenger seat, an inflating 
airbag can strike it with such great force that critical or fatal injuries may 
result.
Therefore we strongly recommend you to transport children on the rear seats. 
That is the safest place for children in the vehicle. Alternatively, the front 
passenger airbag can be disabled with a key-operated switch  ⇒page 43. 
When transporting children, use a child seat appropriate to the age and size 
of each child ⇒ page 45.
For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the airbag off, 
an Authorised Service Centre must be consulted.
WARNING
•
If a child seat is secured to the fron t passenger seat, the risk to the child 
of sustaining critical or fatal injuries in the event of an accident increases.
•
Never secure a rear-facing child seat to the front passenger seat if the 
front passenger airbag is enabled. The child can suffer critical or fatal inju-
ries when the front passenger airbag is triggered.
•
An inflating front passenger airbag can strike the rear-facing child seat 
and hurl it with great force against the door, the roof or the backrest.
•
If, under special circumstances, it is necessary to transport a child in a 
rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat, it is absolutely essential 
that you observe the following safety measures:
−Disable the front passenger airbag  ⇒page 43, “Deactivating 
airbags*”.
− The child seat must be approved by the child seat manufacturer for 
use on a front passenger seat with front or side airbag.
− Follow the installation instructions  given by the child seat manufac-
turer and observe the safety instructions  ⇒page 45, “Child safety”.
− Before properly installing the child seat, push the front passenger 
seat completely backwards so that the greatest possible distance to 
the front passenger airbag is ensured.
− Ensure that no objects prevent the front passenger seat from being 
pushed completely back.
− The backrest of the front passenger seat must be in an upright 
position.
Warning lamp for airbag and belt tension device system 
This warning lamp monitors the airbag and belt tension 
device system.The warning lamp monitors all airbag s and belt tension devices in the 
vehicle, including control units and wiring connections.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
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