Seat belts25
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Belt tensioners*Function 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 tensioners.
Sensors will trigger the belt tensioners during severe head-on, lateral and
rear collisions only if the seat belt is being worn. This retracts and tightens the
seat belts, reducing the forward motion of the occupants.
The belt tension device can be triggered only once.
The belt tensioners will not be triggered in the event of light frontal and side
collisions, 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 tensioners 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 tensionersThe belt tensioners are components of the seat belts that are installed in the
seats of your vehicle. If you work on the belt tensioners or remove and install
parts of the system when performing other repair work, the seat belt may be
damaged. The consequence may be that, in the event of an accident, the belt
tensioners function 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 tensioners
are used incorrectly, the risk of severe or fatal injuries increases. The belt
tensioners may fail to trigger or may trigger in the wrong circumstances.•Never attempt to repair, adjust, remove or install parts of the belt
tensioners or seat belts.•The belt tension device and seat belt including its automatic retractor
cannot be repaired.•Any work on the belt tensioners 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 tensioners will only provide protection for one accident and
must be changed it they have been activated.
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Airbag system27
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
•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 36.
When transporting children, use a child seat appropriate to the age and size
of each child.
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 front 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 36, “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 of the child seat manufacturer
and absolutely observe all warnings
− 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 tensioner
system.The warning lamp monitors all airbags and belt tensioners in the vehicle,
including control units and wiring connections.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system31
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
may develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal and it is not an indica-
tion of fire in the vehicle.
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 wh eel or dash panel. If the minimum
distance is not observed, 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 occu-
pant.•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 38, “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.
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Airbag system
32Side airbagsDescription of side airbags
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.The side airbags are located in the driver seat and front passenger seat back-
rests ⇒fig. 19 . The locations are identified by the text “AIRBAG” in the upper
region of the backrests.
Together with the seat belts, the side airbag system gives the front seat occu-
pants additional protection for the upper body in the event of a severe side
collision ⇒ page 34, “Safety notes on the operation of the side airbag
system”.
In a side collision, the side airbags reduce the risk of injury to passengers on
the front seats to the areas of the body facing the impact. In addition to their
normal function of protecting the occupants in a collision, the seat belts also
hold the passengers on the front seats in a position where the side airbags
can provide maximum protection. The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts, but it is an integral part
of the vehicle's overall passive safety system. Please bear in mind that the
airbag system can only work effectively when the occupants are wearing their
seat belts. For this reason, it is most important to wear the seat belts at all
times, not only because this is required by law in most countries, but also as
a contribution to your own safety
The side airbag system will not be triggered if:
•the ignition is switched off,•there is a minor side collision,•there is a frontal collision,•there is a rear-end collision,•the vehicle turns over.
The main parts of the airbag system are:•an electronic control and monitoring system (control unit),•the side airbags in the sides of the backrests of the front seats,•a warning lamp
in the instrument panel ⇒page 27.
The airbag system operation is monitored electronically. The airbag warning
lamp will light up for approx. 4 seconds every time the ignition is switched on
(self-diagnosis).
WARNING
•Never drive the vehicle if the interior panels have been removed.•Never drive if the interior door panels have been removed or if the
panels have not been correctly fitted.•Never drive the vehicle if the loudspeakers in the door panels have
been removed, unless the holes left by the loudspeakers have been
correctly closed.•Always check that the openings are closed or covered if loudspeakers
or other equipment are fitted in the interior door panels.
Fig. 19 Side airbag in
driver seat
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Airbag system
34Function of side airbags
Inflated airbags can reduce the risk of head or chest injury in
many side impact collisions.In some side collisions , the side airbag is triggered on the impact side of the
vehicle ⇒fig. 20 .
In certain types of accident the front, curtain and side airbags may be trig-
gered together.
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas.
In order to provide the desired extra protection in an accident, the airbags
have to deploy extremely rapidly (within thousandth of a second). A fine dust
may develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal and it is not an indica-
tion of fire in the vehicle.
The fully deployed airbags cushion the movement of the occupants of the
front seats and help to reduce the risk of injury to the upper body. The special design of the airbag allows the controlled escape of the propel-
lant gas when an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus, the head and
chest are surrounded and protected by the airbag.
Safety notes on the operation of the side airbag system
If airbags are used correctly, they can considerably reduce the
risk of injury in side impact collisions.
WARNING
•If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean forward, or are not seated
correctly while the vehicle is in motion, you are at a greater risk of injury if
the side airbag system is triggered in an accident.•In order for the side airbags to provide their maximum protection, the
prescribed sitting position must always be maintained with seat belts
fastened while travelling.•Occupants of the outer seats must never carry any objects or pets in the
deployment space between them and the airbags, or allow children or
other passengers to travel in this position. It is also important not to attach
any accessories (such as cup holders) to the doors. This would impair the
protection offered by the side airbags.•The built-in coat hooks should be us ed only for lightweight clothing. Do
not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.•Great forces, such as hard blows or kicks, must not be exerted upon the
backrest bolster because the system may be damaged. In this case, the
side airbags would not be triggered.•Under no circumstances should protective covers be fitted over seats
with side airbags unless the covers have been expressly approved for use
in your vehicle. Because the airbag deploys from the side of the backrest,
the use of conventional seat covers would obstruct the side airbag, seri-
ously reducing the airbag's effectiveness.
Fig. 20 Inflated side
airbag on left side of
vehicle
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Child safety
38Child safetyBrief introductionIntroduction
Statistics show that children are generally safer on the rear
seat than on the front passenger seat.For safety reasons 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. For safety reasons, the child seat should be installed in
the centre of the rear seat or behind the front passenger seat.
The physical laws involved and the forces acting in a collision apply also to
children ⇒page 18, “Why wear seat belts?”. But unlike adults, children do
not have muscle and bone structures fully 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 Programme, which includes systems for all ages made by “Peke”
2).
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 38, “Safety notes on using child seats”. We recommend you to include together with the on-board documentation,
the manufacturer's Child Seat instruction 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 40.
– Always ensure that the seat belt is properly positioned according to the instructions provided 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 36,
2)Not for all countries
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Child safety39
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
“Deactivating airbags*”. If the passenger 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 risk 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 seat, as this could cause injuries to the abdominal and
neck areas during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident.•Do not allow the seat belt 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 seat belt is
properly positioned ⇒page 21, “Seat belts”.•Only one child may occupy a child seat ⇒page 40, “Child seats”.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
Ibiza ST_EN.book Seite 39 Dienstag, 12. Januar 2010 4:03 16
Child safety
40Child seatsCategorisation of child seats into groups
Use only child seats that are officially approved and suitable
for the child.Child seats are subject to the regulation ECE-R 44. ECE-R. It means that:
Economic Commission for Europe Regulation
The child seats are grouped into 5 categories:
Group 0 : children up to 10 kg
Group 0+ : children up to 13 kg
Group 1 : from 9 to 18 kg
Group 2 : from 15 to 25 kg
Group 3 : from 22 to 36 kg
Child seats that have been tested and approved under the ECE R 44 standard
bear the test mark on the seat (the letter E in a circle with the test number
below it).
Group 0 and 0+ child seats
A suitable child seat and a correctly adjusted seat belt can
help you to protect your child.Group 0: For babies from about 9 months old and 10 kg in weight the most
suitable seats are those appearing in the illustration ⇒ fig. 23.
Group 0+: For babies from about 18 months old and 13 kg in weight the most
suitable seats are those appearing in the illustration ⇒fig. 23 .
Follow the manufacturer's instructions 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 Seat instruction manual.
WARNING
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use of
child seats ⇒ in “Safety notes on using child seats” on page 38.
Fig. 23 A group 0 rear-
facing child seat fitted on
the rear seat.
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