
44 Seats, InteriorSeats, Interior
Picture no: 13977s.tif
Front seats Adjust longitudinal seat position
Pull handle at front of seat, move seat and
then release handle.
Picture no: 13978s.tif
Adjusting the backrests
Take the pressure off the backrest and turn
the hand wheel on the side.
Front seats ........................................... 44
Head restraints .................................... 46
Armrest
3............................................. 48
Travel Assistant 3............................... 48
Rear seats............................................. 51
Flexible Seat System (FlexSpace) ....... 52
Luggage compartment extension ..... 53
Luggage compartment cover 3......... 55
Safety net 3......................................... 56
Lashing eyes ........................................ 57
Bag hangers 3..................................... 57
Notes on loading the vehicle .............. 58
Three-stage safety system.................. 59
Three-point seat be lts ......................... 59
Belt tensioners...................................... 60
Using the belts ..................................... 62
Mounting clips 3 for ISOFIX child
restraint systems ............................... 64
Child restraint system 3...................... 65
Airbag system ...................................... 67
Cigarette lighter 3............................... 78
Accessory sockets 3............................ 78
Ashtrays ............................................... 79
Stowage compartments ...................... 80
Foldaway tables 3.............................. 81
Coin holder 3....................................... 81
Sun visors.............................................. 81
9 Warning
Never adjust seats while driving. They
may make uncontrolled movements.

45
Seats, Interior
Picture no: 13979s.tif
Adjusting the seat height3
Lift front side lever and relieve some weight
from seat to raise it or press down on seat
with body weight to lower it.
Picture no: 16098s.tif
Adjusting the lumbar support 3
Turn side hand wheel on backrest while
relieving the load on the backrest.
Picture no: 18530s.tif
Seat position
z Sit with your buttocks as far back against
the backrest as possible. Adjust the
distance between your feet and the
pedals so that your legs are slightly
angled when pressing the pedals. Slide
the passenger seat as far back as
possible.
9 Warning
Only drive with the seat correctly
adjusted.

46 Seats, InteriorzSit with your shoulders as far back
against the backrest as possible. Set the
backrest rake so that you can easily
reach the steering wheel with your arms
slightly bent. Mainta in contact between
your shoulders and the backrest when
turning the steering wheel. Do not angle
the backrest too far back. We
recommend a maximum rake of
approx. 25.
z Adjust the steering wheel 35.
z Set seat height 3 high enough to have a
clear field of vision on all sides and of all
display instruments. There should be at
least six inches of clearance between
your head and the headlining. Your
thighs should rest lightly on the seat
without pressing into it.
z Adjust the head restraint.
z Adjust the height of the seat belt 362.
z Adjust the lumbar support 3 so that it
supports the natural shape of the spine.
Picture no: 14153s.tif
Heated front seats 3
Two buttons between the centre air vents
for the left and right seats.
To heat with the ignition switched on, press
button ß.
Picture no: 13980s.tif
Head restraints Adjusting the front head restraints and
the rear outboard head restraints 3
Tip head restraint forw ard, hold and adjust
height.
To fold over the rear seats or lower the
front passenger seat head restraint all the
way down and remove, see next page.
With the seats occupi ed, adjust height
according to body size.

47
Seats, Interior
Picture no: 14102s.tif
Adjusting the rear centre head restraint
Pull head restraint upwards, press springs
and push head restraint down.
To improve visibility push headrest down
as far as possible if middle seat is
unoccupied or to increase the size of the
luggage compartment.
Fold down centre seat 354.
If centre seat is occupied, pull head
restraint upwards.
Picture no: 14101s.tif
Head restraint position
The middle of the head restraint should be
at eye level. If this is not possible for
extremely tall persons, set to highest
position, and set to lowest position for
small persons.
Picture no: 14287j.tif
Active head restraints 3 on front seats
In the event of a rear-end impact, the
active head restraints automatically tilt
slightly forward. The head is more
effectively supported by the head restraint
and the danger of injury in the area of the
cervical vertebra is reduced.
Active head restraints can be recognised
by the word ACTIVE.
9 Warning
Only drive with the head restraint set to
the proper position.

52 Seats, InteriorTo achieve a flat loading surface in the
extended luggage compartment, the
outboard seats can be lowered slightly. We
recommend however only using the seats
as seats in the raised position. Extending
the luggage compartment 353.
Flexible Seat System (FlexSpace)The rear seat row on the Meriva can be
fitted with three seats in Variant 1, or two
seats with maximum seating space in
Variant 2. In Variant 2, the centre seat is
lowered.
The luggage compartment can only be
extended in Variant 1 353.
To extend the luggage compartment, the
outboard seats can be lowered slightly
3 54.
Picture no: 14730s.tif
Variant 1: Three rear seats
Set seat backrest to centre position using
the handle on the outside of the seat 351.
Pull the handle beneath the seat. Slide the
seat all the way forward, then outward
toward the door and then further forward
to the desired position.
Release handle and allow seat to engage
in position.
Raise centre seat 354.
9 Warning
To prevent injuries, always hold back
seat backrest firmly and guide
downward when folding.

61
Seats, Interior
Picture no: 17885s.tif
Control indicator v for belt tensioners
The function of the belt tensioners and
airbag systems is monitored electronically
and indicated via control indicator v.
When the ignition is turned on, the control
indicator comes on for about 4 seconds.
If it does not light, does not go out after
4 seconds or comes on during driving,
there is a fault in the belt tensioner or
airbag systems 372.The systems may fail
to deploy in the event of an accident.
Deployment of the belt tensioners is
indicated by continuous illumination of v . The system’s integrated self-diagnostics
allows faults to be quickly remedied.
Important
z
Do not affix or place accessories or other
objects within the deployment zone of
the belt tensioners. Do not make any
modifications to belt tensioner
components as this will invalidate the
vehicle type approval. z
The belt tensioner and airbag system
control electronics can be found in the
centre console area. In order to avoid
malfunctions, do not store magnetic
objects in this area.
z When the rear seats are being used it
must be ensured that the components of
the front seat belts are not damaged by
shoes or other objects. Do not allow dirt
to penetrate the seat belt inertia reels.
z We recommend that you have the seats
removed by a workshop.
z The belt tensioners only deploy once,
which can be detected by illumination of
the control indicator v . Have deployed
belt tensioners replaced by a workshop.
z The applicable safety regulations must
be adhered to when the vehicle is
disposed of. The vehicle should therefore
be disposed of by a recycling company.
9 Warning
Have the cause of the fault remedied
immediately by a workshop.
9 Warning
Incorrect handling (e.g. removal or
fitting of seat belts or belt buckles) can
cause the belt tensioners to deploy, with
risk of injury.

72 Seats, InteriorThe curtain airbags will not be triggered in
the event of
zthe ignition is switched off,
z frontal collisions,
z accidents in which the vehicle overturns,
z collisions involving a rear impact,
z collisions involving a side impact outside
the passenger cell.
Picture no: 17885s.tif
Control indicator v for airbag systems
The function of the airbag systems and
seat occupancy recognition 3 is monitored
electronically and indicated via control
indicator v. When the ignition is turned on,
the control indicator comes on for
about 4 seconds. If it does not light, does
not go out after 4 seconds or comes on
during driving, there is a fault in the airbag
systems, the seat occupancy recognition
system 3 or the belt tensioners 361. The
systems may fail to deploy in the event of
an accident.
Deployed airbags are indicated by
continuous illumination of v. The system’s integrated self-diagnostics
allows faults to be quickly remedied.
Seat occupancy recognition
3
The seat occupancy recognition system
deactivates the front and side front
passenger airbags if the front passenger
seat is unoccupied or an Opel child
restraint system with transponders 3 has
been fitted to the front passenger seat. The
curtain airbag system 3 remains activated.
The control indicator for seat occupancy
recognition
y is located in the courtesy
lamp. If this control indicator
y illuminates
for approx. 4 seconds after the ignition is
switched on, the vehicle is equipped with
seat occupancy recognition 373,
Fig. 12097 S.
If an Opel child restraint system with
transponders 3 is fitted, this control
indicator
y lights permanently after the
ignition is switched on as soon as the
system has detected the child restraint
system. Only then may the child restraint
system with transponders 3 be used on the
passenger seat.
9 Warning
Keep the area in which the airbag
inflates clear of obstructions.
9 Warning
Have the cause of the fault remedied
immediately by a workshop.

74 Seats, InteriorIf the control indicator flashes when the
child restraint system with transponders 3
is correctly fitted, there is a fault with risk of
injury to the child. Fit child restraint systems
on the rear seat. Have the cause of the
fault eliminated by a workshop.
If no Opel child restraint system with
transponders 3 is fitted, the control
indicator must not light or flash as the
passenger airbag systems would not
deploy. Have the cause of the fault
eliminated by a workshop. Important
z
Placing accessories and objects in the
expansion region of the airbag systems
is not permitted due to the risk of injury if
the airbag is triggered.
z Do not place any objects between the
airbag systems and the vehicle
occupants; danger of injury.
z Use the hooks in the roof frame only to
hang up light articles of clothing or coat
hangers. Do not place any objects in the
pockets of the hanging items – risk of
injury.
z The airbag systems and belt tensioner
control electronics can be found in the
centre console area. In order to avoid
malfunctions, do not store magnetic
objects in this area. z
Do not stick anything on the steering
wheel, instrument panel, front seat
backrests or roof frame in the vicinity of
the airbags, or on the front passenger’s
seat cushion, or cover any of those areas
with other materials.
z Use only a dry cloth or interior cleaner to
clean the steering wheel, instrument
panel, front seat backrests, roof frame
and seat cushion of the front passenger
seat. Do not use any aggressive cleaning
agents.
z Only protective covers which are
approved for your vehicle with side
airbag may be fitted on the front seats.
When fitting the protective covers, make
sure that the airbag units on the
outboard sides of the front seat
backrests are not covered.
z The airbag systems are triggered
independently of each other depending
on the severity of the accident and the
type of impact. The side airbag system 3
and the curtain airbag system 3 are
triggered together.
z Each airbag deploys once only. Have a
workshop replace deployed airbags
immediately.
9 Warning
If the Opel child restraint system with
transponders 3 has been fitted
according to the inst ructions, the control
indicator for Opel restraint systems with
transponders must illuminate in the
courtesy lamp when the ignition is
switched on.
If the control indicator does not come on
while driving, the passenger airbag
systems are not de-activated and there
is a risk of injury or death. In this case fit
child restraint system s on the rear seat.
Have the cause of th e fault eliminated
by a workshop.
9 Warning
As with any other ob ject, child restraint
systems must not be carried on a
passenger’s lap. Danger to life.