2009 SKODA OCTAVIA belt

Airbag system
174
Airbag systemDescription of the airbag systemGeneral information on the airbag systemThe front airbag system is complementary to the three-point seat belts and offers additional protection for the head and ches
t area of the driver and passenger in the
event of a frontal collision. In the case of a violent side crash, the si
de* and head* airbags reduce the risk of
injuries to the occupants on
the part of the body facing
the side of the accident
⇒
.
The airbag system is only functional after the ignition has been switched on.The operational readiness of the airbag system is monitored electronically. The airbag warning light comes on for a few seconds each time the ignition is switched on. The airbag system (according to vehicl
e equipment) essent
ially consists of:
•
an electronic control unit,
•
front airbag for the driver and the front seat passenger*,
•
side airbags*,
•
head airbags*,
•
an airbag warning light in the instrument cluster,
•
a front passenger airbag switch*
⇒page 182,
•
an indicator light for a switched off fron
t seat passenger airbag* in the middle
of the dash panel
⇒page 182.
A fault in the airbag system exists if:•
the airbag indicator light does not light
up when the ignition is switched on,
•
the warning light does not go out after about 4 seconds after the ignition is
switched on,•
the airbag indicator light goes out and comes on again after the ignition is
switched on,
•
the airbag indicator light comes on or flickers when driving,
•
an airbag indicator light showing a swit
ched-off front passenger airbag* in the
middle of the dash panel flashes.
WARNING
•
To enable the occupants of a vehicle to be protected with the greatest
possible effect when the airbag is deployed, the front seats must be ⇒ page 164, “Correct seated position” co
rrectly adjusted to match the body
size of the occupant.•
If you do not fasten the seat belts when driving, lean too far forward or
adopt an incorrect seated position, you are exposing yourself to increased risk of injury in the event of an accident.•
Have the airbag system checked imme
diately by a specialist garage if a
fault exists. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activated in the event of an accident. •
No modifications of any kind may be made to parts of the airbag system.
•
It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system as this
might result in the airbag being deployed.•
The protective function of the airbag system is sufficient for only one
accident. The airbag system must then
be replaced if the airbag has been
deployed.•
The airbag system needs no maintenance during its working life.
•
If you sell your car, please hand over the complete vehicle documenta-
tion to the new owener. Please note that the documents relating to the possibility of deactivating the front passenger airbag are also part of the vehicle documents!•
If the vehicle or individual parts of
the airbag system are scrapped, it is
essential to observe the relevant safety precautions. The authorised Škoda Service Partners are famili
ar with these regulations.
•
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important
to comply with the national legal requirements.
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Airbag system
175
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
When are the airbags deployed?The airbag system is designed in such
a way that the driver and front passenger
airbag are deployed in the event of a
frontal collision
of major severity.
In the case of a
violent side crash
, the side airbag* on the side on which the colli-
sion occurs, is depl
oyed together with the head airbag*.
In certain accident situa
tions, the front airbags, side airbags as well as the relevant
head airbag may be
deployed together.
The airbags
are not deployed
in the case of
minor
frontal and side collisions, in the
case of rear-end collisi
ons and vehicle rollover.
Deployment factors It is not possible to state globally which
deployment conditions apply to the airbag
system in every situation as the circumstances which exist in the case of accidents vary greatly. An important role in this case
, for example, is played by factors such as
the type of object (hard, soft) against whic
h the vehicle impacts or the type of object
against which the vehicle impa
cts, the angle of impact,
the relative vehicle speed
during the accident etc. A decisive factor for the deployment of the airbags is the deceleration which occurs during a collision. The control unit analyses
the nature of the collision and activates
the relevant restraint system. If the vehi
cle deceleration which occurs and is meas-
ured during the collision remains below the prescribed reference values specified in the control unit, the airbags are not
deployed although the vehicle may well
suffer severe damage to the bodywork
as a consequence of the accident.
The airbags are not deployed if:•
ignition off,
•
a minor frontal collision,
•
a minor side collision,
•
a rear-end collision,
•
Rollover of the vehicle.
Note
•
A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is
perfectly normal and is not an indi
cation of a fire in the vehicle.
•
In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed: − The interior lighting comes on (if the switch for the interior light is in the door contact position), − The hazard warning light is switched on, − All the doors are unlocked, − the fuel supply to the engine is interrupted.
Front airbagDescription of the front airbags The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belt!
Fig. 176 Driver airbag in the steering wheel
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Airbag system
176
The front airbag for the driver is housed in the steering wheel
⇒page 175, fig. 176
.
The front airbag for the front passenger* is housed in the dash panel above the storage compartment
⇒fig. 177
. The installation positions are each marked with
the “AIRBAG” logo. The front airbag system, in combination with
three-point safety belts, offers addi-
tional protection for the head and chest ar
ea of the driver and front passenger in
the event of a frontal coll
ision of major severity
⇒page 177.
The airbag is not a substitute for the seat belt, but is part of the complete passive vehicle safety concept.
Please note that an airbag can only offer you optimal
protection in combination with a seat belt which is fastened
.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the
seat belts
is to
also hold the driver and front passenger in
a correct seated position in the event of
a frontal collision so as to enable the fr
ont airbags to offer the maximum protection.
You should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is required by law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection
⇒page 168, “Why
seat belts?”.
Note
The dash panel must be replaced afte
r the front passenger airbag has been
deployed.
Function of the front airbags Risk of injury to the head and chest area is reduced by fully inflated airbags.The airbag system is designed in such a way that the driver and the front passenger airbag* are deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity. In certain accident situations, the front,
side and head airbag are deployed
together. If the airbags are deployed, the airbags are
filled with a propellant gas and inflated
in front of the driver and front passenger
⇒fig. 178
. The airbags inflate in fractions
of a second and at a high speed in order to
be able to offer that additional protec-
tion in the event of an accident. The forward movement of the driver and of the front passenger is cushioned when they make
contact with the fully inflated airbag
and the risk of injury to head and chest is thus reduced. The specially developed airbag allows the gas to flow out of the inflated airbag in a controlled manner (depending on the load of
the particular car occupant) in order
to cushion head and chest areas. The airbag
then deflates subsequently to such an
extent, after an accident, to again provide a clear view forward. A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not an indicati
on of a fire in the vehicle.
The airbag develops enormous forces when triggered, which can lead to injuries if the seat adjustment or seat
ed position is not correct
⇒page 177.
Fig. 177 Front passenger airbag in the dash panel
Fig. 178 Inflated airbags
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Airbag system
178
Side airbags*Description of side airbags The side airbag together with the he
ad airbag offers enhanced occu-
pant protection in the event of a side collision.The front side airbags are housed in the
upholstery of the backrests of the front
seats
⇒fig. 180
.
The side airbag system in combination with the three-point seat belts, offers addi- tional protection for the upper area of th
e body (chest, stomach and pelvis) of the
occupants of the car in the event of
a side collision of major severity
⇒page 179.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the
seat belts
is to
also hold the occupents of the front or rear
exterior seats in a correct seated posi-
tion in the event of a side collision so as
to enable the side airbag to offer the
maximum protection. You should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is required by law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection. Each time the side airbags are deployed, the head airbag* and the front belt tensioner on the side of the car on whic
h the collision occures, are automatically
deployed at the same time in order to
provide the occupant with enhanced
protection.
Function of the side airbags Risk of injury to the upper part of the body is reduced by fully inflated side airbags.When the side airbags are deployed, the head airbag* and the belt tensioner are also automatically deployed
on the relevant side
⇒fig. 181
.
If an airbag is deployed, th
e airbag is filled with propellant gas. The airbags inflate
in fractions of a second and at a high spee
d in order to be able to offer that addi-
tional protection in the event of an accident. A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not an indicati
on of a fire in the vehicle.
The load of the occupants is cushioned when
plunging into the fully inflated airbag
and the risk of injury to the entire up
per body (chest, stomach and pelvis) is
reduced on the side facing the door.
Fig. 180 Installation position of side airbag in driver seat
Fig. 181 Inflated side airbag
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Airbag system
180
•
Any work on the side airbag system
including removing and installing
system components be
cause of other repair work (e.g. removing seats) must
only be carried out by a specialist garage.Head airbags*Description of the head airbags The head airbag together with the
side airbag offers enhanced occu-
pant protection in the event of a side collision.The head airbags are positioned above the d
oors on both sides in the interior of the
car
⇒fig. 182
. The installation positions are each marked with the “AIRBAG” logo.
The head airbag together with the three-point seat belts and the side airbags, offers additional protection for the head and neck
area of the occupants in the event of a
side collision of major severity
⇒page 181.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the
seat belts
is to
also hold the driver and the occupants in a correct seated position in the event of a side collision so as to enable the head airbags to offer the maximum protection. You should therefore always fasten the seat belt
s, not only because this is required by
law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection
⇒page 168, “Why seat
belts?”. Together with other elements (such as cros
s bars in the seats, stable vehicle struc-
ture) the head airbags are the conseque
nt further development of occupant
protection in the case of side collisions.Function of the head airbags The risk of injury to the head and ne
ck area is reduced in the event of
a side collision by fully inflated head airbags.In the case of a
side collision
the head airbag is deployed together with the rele-
vant side airbag
⇒fig. 183
and the belt tensioner on the side on which the accident
occurs. If the system is deployed, the airbags are filled with propellant gas and extend over the entire area of the side window including the door pillar
⇒fig. 183
.
The protection offered by the head airbags is thus available simultaneously both to the front occupants of the car seated on th
e side on which the accident occurs, as
well as to the rear occupants. Any impact of the head against par ts of the interior or objects outside of the car, is cushioned by
the inflated head airbag. The reduction
in any impact to the head and the result
ant minimizing of any movements of the
head additionally reduce the
risk of injuries to the neck area. The head airbag also
offers additional protection in the case of
an offset impact by covering the front
door pillar.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 182 Installation position of the head airbags
Fig. 183 Inflated head airbag
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Transporting children safely
184
Transporting children safelyWhat you should know about transporting children!An introduction to the subject Accident statistics have revealed that children are generally more safely transported on the rear seat
s than on the front passenger seat.
Children younger than 12 years of age should normally travel on the rear seat of the vehicle (take note of any national legal pr
ovisions which differ from this). They
should be secured there by means of a child restraint system or by using the existing seat belts depending on their age, body si
ze and weight. The child seat should be
mounted behind the front passen
ger seat for safety reasons.
The physical principle of an
accident does, of course
, also apply to children
⇒ page 169, “The physical principle of a frontal collision”. They differ from adults in that their muscles and bone structure of ch
ildren are not yet fully developed. Thus
children are exposed to increased risk of injury. Children should be transported by using special child safety seats in order to reduce this risk of injury. Use only child safety seats which are offici
ally approved and are suitable for chil-
dren and which comply with the ECE-R 44
standard, which classifies child safety
seats into 5 groups
⇒page 187. Child restraint systems which have been tested for
conformity to ECE-R 44 standard have a no
n-detachable test seal (a large E within
a circle and below this the test number) attached to the seat. We recommend that you use child safety seats from the Škoda genuine accessories. These child seats were developed and also tested for use in Škoda vehicles. They fulfil the ECE-R 44 standard.
WARNING
Always comply with legal provisions and instructions from the relevant child safety seat manufacturer when in
stalling and usin
g the child seat
⇒ page 184.
Note
Any varying national legal regulations take
priority over the information provided in
these instructions for use,
or stated in this chapter.
Important safety information regarding the use of child safety seats Correct use of child safety seats
considerably reduces the risk of
injury!
WARNING
•
A l l t he o ccu pa nts of t he ca r - i n pa r t icul a r c hil d re n - m ust w ea r a s ea t b e lt
when the car is moving.•
Children who are less than 1.50 m in height and who weigh less than 36
kg must not use a normal seat belt without a child restraint system other-wise this may result in injuries to the stomach and neck areas. Comply with the national legal requirements.•
One should never carry children, an
d also not babies! - on one's lap.
•
You can transport a child safely in a suitable child safety seat
⇒page 187,
“Child seat”!•
Only one child may be fastened with a seat belt into a child safety seat.
•
Never leave the child sitting unattended in the seat.
•
Certain outside climatic conditions can cause life-threatening tempera-
tures in the vehicle.•
Never allow your child to be transported in a vehicle without the use of a
suitable restraint system.•
Children should also never stand up
in a vehicle or kneel on the seats
when the vehicle is moving. In the even
t of an accident the child will be
thrown through the vehicle and may as a
result suffer fatal injuries, and also
injure other occupants.
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Transporting children safely
185
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
Children are exposed to an increased risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent if they lean forward or adopt an incorrect seated position when the vehicle is moving. This particularly applies to children who are transported on the front passenger seat if the airbag system deploys in the event of an accident. This can result in severe or even fatal injuries.•
It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed if the seat belts
are to offer their maximum protection
⇒page 170, “How are seat belts
correctly fastened?”. Pay pa
rticular attention to the information provided by
the manufacturer of the child safety seat regarding correct routing of the belt. Seat belts which are not correctl
y adjusted can themselves cause inju-
ries even in minor accidents.•
Safety belts must be checked to ensure that they are running properly.
One should also ensure th
at the belt is not damaged
by sharp-edged fittings.
•
It is essential to always switch off
⇒page 182 the front passenger airbag
when attaching a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat where the
child is seated with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries also when the child is facing the direction of travel). If this is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag is deployed. In certai
n countries national legal provisions
also require that the side and head
airbags be deactivated. When trans-
porting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appro- priate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.
Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat Child safety seats should always
be attached to the rear seats.
We recommend, for safety reasons, that you always mount a child restraint systems on the rear seats whenever possible. If
you still decide, however, to use a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat th
en you must pay attention to the following
warnings in connection with the use of th
e airbag system on
the front passenger
seat.
WARNING
•
Warning - particular hazard! Never use a child safety seat on the front
passenger seat in which the child is seated with its back facing the direction of travel. This child safety seat is positioned in the deployment area of the front passenger airbag. The airbag may
cause the child severe, or even fatal
injuries, in the event
of it being deployed.
•
This is also clearly stated on the sticker which is located on the centre
column of the body on
the front passenger side
⇒fig. 186
. The sticker is
visible upon opening the front pass
enger door. For so
me countries, the
sticker is also affixed to the sun visor of the front passenger.•
It is essential to always switch off
⇒page 181, “Deactivating an airbag”
the front passenger airbag when attaching a child safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is seated
with its back facing in direction of
travel (in some countries al
so when the child is facing the direction of travel).
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 186 Sticker on the centre column of the body on the front passenger side.
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Transporting children safely
187
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
This applies particularly to children if they are not transported in accordance with legal requirements. The child is protected when seated in a child safety seat matching its age. Adequate room is available between the child and the deployment area of the side airbag and head airbag. The airbag offers optimal protection.
WARNING
•
It is essential to always switch off
⇒page 181 the front passenger airbag
when attaching a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat where the
child is seated with its back facing in direction of travel (in some countries also when the child is facing the direction of travel). If this is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front passenger airbag is deployed. In certai
n countries national legal provisions
also require that the side and head
airbags be deactivated. When trans-
porting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appro- priate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.•
When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply
with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.•
Children must never be seated with th
eir head in the deployment area of
the side airbag - risk of injury!•
Do not place any objects within the deployment area of the side airbag -
risk of injury!Child seatClassification of ch
ild seats into groups
Only child safety seats which have
an official approval and are suit-
able for the child, may be used.ECE-R 44 standard applies to child safety seats. ECE-R means: Economic Commis- sion of Europe - Regulation.
Child safety seats which have been tested for conformity to ECE-R 44 standard have a non-detachable test seal (a large E within a circle and below this the test number) attached to the seat. Child safety seats are classified in 5 groups: Children of more than 150 cm in height may use the seat belts fitted to the vehicle without a seat bolster.Use of child safety seatsAn overview of the usefulness of child seats on each of the seats according to the ECE-R 44 standard:
Universal category - seat is suitable for all approved types of child safety seats. The seat can be fitted with fixing eyes for the “
ISOFIX
*”system.
The divided rear seat - seat can be fi
tted with fixing eyes for the system “
To p
Te t h e r
*” ⇒page 191.
Group
Weight
0
0 - 10 kg
⇒page 188
0+
up to 13 kg
⇒page 188
1
9 - 18 kg
⇒page 188
2
15 - 25 kg
⇒page 189
3
22 - 36 kg
⇒page 189
Child seat groups
Front passenger
seat
Rear seat outside
Rear seat middle
0


0+


1


2 and 3
AUA+
AUA+AT
AU
AUA+
AUA+AT
AU
AUA+
AUA+AT
AU
AU
AU
AU
AUA+AT
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