2008 SKODA ROOMSTER Owner's Manual

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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Passive Safety121
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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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Seat belts122
Seat belts
Why seat belts?
It is a proven fact that seat belts offer good protection in accidents ⇒fig. 118. 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. 118. 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 123.
It is important that you pay attention to safety measures, particularly when trans- porting children in the vehicle ⇒page 137, “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 124, “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. 118 Driver wearing seat belt
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The physical principle of a frontal collision
The physical principle of a frontal accident can be explained quite simply:
Motion energy, so-called kinetic energy, is produced as soon as the vehicle is moving, both for the vehicle and its occupants. The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends essentially on the speed at which the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the vehicle and the occupants. The greater the speed and weight increase,
the greater the amount of energy which has to be absorbed in the event of an acci- dent.
The speed of the vehicle is, nevertheless, the most important factor. Doubling the speed of the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy four times.
The common opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident with your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces acting on the body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed within the range from 30 km/hour to 50 km/hour, the forces which are produced on your body in the event of an accident can easily exceed 10.000 N (Newton). This equals a weight of one tonne (1 000 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt, are thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolle d way parts of the interior of the car, such as steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen, ⇒fig. 119. The occupants of a vehicle who have not fastened their seat belts may even be thrown out of the vehicle. This can resu lt in fatal injuries.
It is also important that rear seat occupants fasten their seat belts as they will other- wise be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontrolled manner in the event of an accident A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a danger not only to himself but also fo r those seated at the front ⇒fig. 120.
Important safety information regarding the use of
seat belts
The correct use of the seat belts considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
•The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted, or chafe against any sharp edges.
•It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed if the seat belts are to offer their maximum protection ⇒page 124, “How are seat belts correctly fa stened?”.
Fig. 119 The driver is thrown forward if not wearing a belt
Fig. 120 The rear seat occupant is thrown forward if not wearing a belt
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Seat belts124
•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 119, “Correct seated position”.
•The belt webbing must not 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 must not be tilted too far to the rear otherwise the seat- belts 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 169, “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 regu larly 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 wh ich 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 seat and the head restraint before fastening your
seat belt ⇒page 119, “Correct seated position”.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 121 Routing of webbing over the shoul-ders and the lap belt
Fig. 122 Routing of belt webbing for an expectant mother
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Seat belts125
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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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Seat belts126
Taking seat belts off
– Press the red button in the belt lock ⇒fig. 124. 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 seat belt fo r the rear middle seat
The three-point seat belt for the rear middle seat is anchored in the
area of the luggage compartment on the left side of the headliner.
Your car is equipped as standard with the three-point seat belt
Fastening the seat belt
– Pull the belt with both lock to ngues out of the headliner mount.
– Insert the lock tongue at the end of the belt into the seat belt buckle
on the left side until it is heard to lock in place.
– Pull the second lock tongue, which is moveable on the seat belt, over
the chest and insert it into the belt buckle on the right side until it is
heard to lock in place.
– Pull on the belt to check that both lock tongues are reliably engaged in
the locks.
– The belt tongues for the rear middle seat are shaped differently so that
they only fit into the respective belt buckle. If you attempt to insert a
lock tongue into the wrong belt lock it will not lock.
Taking seat belt off
– Take off the seat belt in the reverse order to fastening.
WARNING
•The three-point safety belt for the rear middle seat can only fulfil its func- tion reliably when the backrests are correctly locked into position ⇒ page 57.
•After releasing the seat belt hold it tight and let it slowly reel up until both lock tongues lock into the headliner mount and are secured with a magnet - risk of injury.
•Never release simultaneously both tongues of the lock.
Belt tensioner
Safety for the driver and front passenger wearing their seat belts is enhanced by the belt tensioners fitted to the inertia reels of the front three-point seat belts.
The fastened three-point seat belts are au tomatically tensioned in the event of a frontal collision of a certain severity. The belts tensioners are also deployed if the seat belts are not fastened.
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.
Fig. 124 Releasing lock tongue from belt lock
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WARNING
•Any work on the belt tightener system, including removal and installa- tion of system components because of other repair work, must only be carried out by a specialist garage.
•The protective function of the system is only adequate for a single acci- dent. If the belt tensioners have been deployed, it is then necessary to replace the entire system.
•The Owner's Manual must also be ha nded over to the new owner if the vehicle is sold.
Note
•Smoke is generated when the belt tensione rs are deployed. This is not an indi- cation of a fire in the vehicle.
•It is essential to pay attention to relevant safety regulations if the vehicle or indi- vidual parts of the system are scrapped. Škoda Service Partners are familiar with these regulations and will be able to provide you with detailed information in this respect.
•When disposing of vehicle or parts of the system, it is important to comply with the national legal requirements.
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