2008 VOLKSWAGEN EOS Fig. 98

Proper head restraint adjustment
Adjust head restraints so that the upper edge of the head restraint is at least at eye level or higher. Position the back of the head as close as possible to the head restraint.
Adjusting the head restraint for short people
Push the head restraint down as far as it will go, even if this means the person's head is still below the top edge of the head restraint. A small gap may remain between the head restraint and the backrest when the head restraint is all the way down.
Adjusting the head restraint for tall people
Pull the head restraint up as far as it will go.
WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted head restraints increases the risk of serious injuries in a collision.
x Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly adjusted to help minimize the risk of neck injury in a crash.
x The driver and front passenger must have a properly adjusted head restraint to minimize the risk of neck injury in a crash. Each head restraint must be adjusted according to the oc-cupants' size so that the upper edge is even with the top of the person's head, but no lower than eye level. Always sit so that the back of your head is as close as possible to the head restraint.
x Never adjust head restraint while driving.
Removing and reinstalling the front head restraints

Fig. 47 Removing front head restraints.

x Slide a flat object, such as a plastic credit card, underneath the right side of the cap on the right-
hand seat guide rod ⇒ fig. 47 (2) to unlock the head restraint.
x Push the flat object (plastic card) in against the guide rod to depress a release button located under the cap (not visible).
x Use one hand to hold the release button in with the flat object. With your other hand, lift the same guide rod slightly to expose a notch in the rod at the bottom (can be seen and felt with fingers). The right-hand guide rod is now released.
x To release the left-hand guide rod, press button (1) in (towards guide rod) and hold.
x Pull the head restraint out completely while holding button (1).
Installing the front head restraints
x Position head restraint properly over the head restraint guides of the respective seat backrest and insert the head restraint into the guides.
x Push the head restraint down while pressing button (1).
x Move the seat backrest into an upright position if necessary.
x Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant's size, Adjusting the front head restraints.
WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted head restraints increases the risk of serious injuries in a collision.
x Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly adjusted to help minimize the risk of neck injury in a crash.
x Always reinstall head restraints as soon as possible so that vehicle occupants are proper-ly protected.
NOTICE
When removing or reinstalling the head restraint, take care that the head restraint does not strike the headliner or other parts of the vehicle. The headliner or other parts of the vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
Adjusting the steering wheel position

Fig. 48 Manual adjustment for the steering wheel position.

To raise the center armrest, pull the armrest and latch upward in the direction of the arrow ⇒ fig. 49 (1).
To lower the center armrest, first lift it all the way up. Then you can push the center armrest down until it latches in place.
To move the center armrest forwards and backwards, pull it forward in the direction of the arrow (2) or slide it backward until it clicks into place.
WARNING
The center armrest can restrict the driver's arm movement and cause crashes and serious personal injury.
x Always keep storage compartments in the center armrest closed while driving.
x Never let a passenger, especially a child, ride on the center armrest. Improper seating position can increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.

When the ignition is switched on, the front seats can be electrically heated by heating elements that warm the seat backrest and cushion.
Do not use the seat heating if any of the following conditions apply:
x If the seat is not being used.
x If there is a child restraint installed on the front passenger seat.
x If there is a blanket or seat cover on the front passenger seat.
x If the seat is damp or wet.
x If the outside temperature or the temperature inside the passenger compartment is 77 °F (25 °C) or more.

Function Action for seat heating ⇒ fig. 50 or ⇒ fig. 51
Switch on: Press the A or ebutton. Seat heating is switched on to maximum.
Adjust the heating level: Press the A or e button repeatedly until the desired heating level is set.
Switch off: Press the A or e button repeatedly until all indicator lights in the button are off.
Special seat heating features
On the driver and the passenger side, the seat heating will resume at the setting that was set when the ignition was switched off. However, this feature only works if the key is not taken out of the ignition switch, or, for vehicles with Keyless Access, the driver door is not opened or the vehicle is not locked.
People suffering from a low level of perceived pain or a lowered awareness of pain as from medica-
tion, paralysis, or chronic illness (e.g. diabetes) should NEVER use the seat heating feature ⇒ !
The use of seat heating by persons with these conditions could result in burns to the back, buttocks, and legs that may take a long time to heal and may never heal completely. If you have any of these conditions, you should take regular breaks and get out of the vehicle, particularly on long trips. Consult your doctor for advice regarding your specific condition.
WARNING
Certain medical conditions, such as paralysis and diabetes, and certain medications can increase the risk of serious burns when the seat heating feature is switched on.
x Vehicle occupants who have a low level of perceived pain or a lowered awareness of pain can receive serious burns to the back, buttocks, and legs that take a long time to heal or may never heal completely.
x Never use the seat heating feature if you or your passengers are at risk of being burned because of a medical condition. Take regular breaks and get out of the vehicle, particularly on long trips. Consult your doctor for advice regarding your specific condition.
x Never let exposed skin remain in contact with the seat upholstery when the seat heating is being used.

WARNING
Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and increases the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever the vehicle is being used.
x Never let safety belts become damaged by being caught in the door or seat hardware.
x Torn or frayed safety belts can tear, and damaged safety belt hardware can break in an accident.
x Inspect belts regularly for damage. If webbing, bindings, buckles, or retractors are dam-aged, have the belts replaced immediately with the correct replacement belts approved by Volkswagen for your vehicle, model, and model year.
x Safety belts that were subject to stress in an accident and stretched must be replaced with a correct, new safety belt, preferably by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
x Replacement after a crash may be necessary even if a safety belt shows no visible dam-age. Anchorages that have been loaded must also be inspected.
x Damaged safety belts must be replaced; they cannot be repaired.
x Never try to repair a damaged safety belt yourself. Never remove or modify the safety belts in any way.
x Have safety belts, bindings, retractors and buckles replaced by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
x Always keep the belts clean. Dirty belts may not work correctly and can impair the func-tion of the inertia reel.
Warning light

Fig. 52 Warning light in the instrument cluster.

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.
A warning chime also sounds.
The safety belt warning light ª comes on for 6 seconds when the ignition is switched on. A warning chime also sounds for up to 6 seconds if the driver's safety belt is not buckled. The chime stops soon-er if the driver buckles his or her safety belt. The warning light and the chime go out when both driver and front passenger have bucked their safety belts.
If the driver and front seat passenger do not both fasten their safety belts within about 24 seconds after the chime stops and the vehicle is moving at a speed of more than about 15 mph (25 km/h), the chime will again sound for about 6 seconds, then go off for about 24 seconds, then sound again for about another 6 seconds. The same thing happens if one of the safety belts is fastened and then unfastened while the vehicle is moving. The safety belt warning light ª also flashes. The warning chime continues to sound at 24 second intervals for up to 2 minutes. No chime sounds at speeds of less than about 5 mph (8 km/h).
If the ignition is switched on, the safety belt warning light ª stays on until the driver and front passen-ger have both buckled their safety belts.
WARNING
Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum protection only when used cor-rectly.
Frontal collisions and laws of physics

Fig. 54 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts approaches a wall.

Fig. 55 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts hits a wall.

Fig. 57 Unbelted passengers in the rear seats are thrown forward on top of the belted driver.

If you cannot untwist the safety belt, wear it anyway. Make sure that the safety belt is twisted in a spot where it does not come in direct contact with your body. Have the safety belt untwisted immediately by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Lockable safety belt
The retractors for the rear seat safety belts and the front passenger safety belt have a switchable locking feature for child restraints in addition to the emergency locking feature. Whenever a child restraint is installed with a safety belt, the safety belt must be locked so that the safety belt webbing cannot unreel. The switchable locking feature lets you lock the belt so that a child restraint can be properly installed and, for example, so that it can't tip to the side when the vehicle goes around a
corner ⇒ page 147, Child safety and child restraints.
To see whether a safety belt is lockable, pull the safety belt all the way out of the safety belt retractor. You should then hear a “clicking” sound as the belt winds back into the retractor reel. Test the switch-able locking feature by pulling on the belt. When the switchable locking feature is active, you should no longer be able to pull the belt out of the retractor.
The locking feature must be deactivated when a vehicle occupant uses the safety belt.
WARNING
Improper use and care of safety belts increases the risk of severe personal injury or death.
x Regularly check safety belts and related parts for damage.
x Damaged safety belts must be replaced; they cannot be repaired.
x Always keep safety belts clean.
x Never catch, damage or chafe safety belt webbing on sharp edges.
x Always keep objects and liquids away from the belt buckle and buckle opening.
Fastening and unfastening safety belts

Fig. 59 A: Inserting the safety belt buckle tongue into the belt buckle. B: Releasing the buckle tongue from the belt buckle.