2009 SKODA OCTAVIA deactivate passenger airbag

Instruments and Indicator/Warning Lights
34
Diesel particle filter*

(diesel engine)
If the warning light

comes on, this means that soot has accumulated in the
diesel particle filter because of the frequent short distances. In order to clean the diesel particle filter,
the vehicle should be
driven at an even
speed of at least 60 km/h at engine speeds of 1 800 - 2 500 rpm for at least 15 minutes or until the warning light goes ou
t with the 4th or 5th gear engaged (auto-
matic gearbox: position S) when the traffi
c situation permits it. This increases the
exhaust temperature and the soot deposited in the diesel particle filter is burnt. Always pay attention to the valid speed limits
⇒
.
The warning light

goes out after the successful cleaning of the diesel particle
filter. If the filter is not properly
cleaned, the warning light

does not go out and the
warning light
 begins to flash. In the information display* appears
Diesel-
particle Owner's manual
. Afterwards the engine control unit shifts the engine into
the emergency mode, which only has a reduced power output. After switching the ignition off and on again the warning light
 comes on.
Have the vehicle inspected without delay by your specialist garage.
WARNING
•
If you do not pay attention to the warning light coming on and the corre-
sponding descriptions and warning notes, this may result in injuries or major vehicle damage.•
Always adjust your speed to suit weather, road, region and traffic condi-
tions. The route indicated by the warning light must not tempt you to disre- gard the national regulations for road traffic.
Caution
As long as the warning light

lights up, one must take into account an increased
fuel consumption and in certain circumst
ances a power reduction of the engine.
Note
Further information about diesel particle filter
⇒page 200.
Airbag system

Monitoring the airbag system The warning light
 comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
There is a fault in the system if the warning light does not go out or flashes while driving
⇒
. This also applies if the warning light does not come on when the igni-
tion is switched on. The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Airbag fault!
The functionality of the airbag system is
also monitored electronically, when one
airbag has been switched off Front, side and head airbags or belt
tensioner which have been switched off
using the vehicle system tester:•
The warning light
 lights up for 4 seconds after switching on the ignition and
then flashes again for 12 seconds in intervals of 2 seconds. The following text will be displayed in the information display*:
Airbag/belt tensio
ner deactivated!
Front passenger airbags switched off
using the switch for front passenger
airbags* in storage compartment on the front passenger side:•
the warning light
 comes on for 4 seconds after the ignition has been
switched on,•
switching off the airbag is indicated in
the middle of the dash panel by the
lighting up of the indicator light

 (airbag switched off)
⇒page 182.
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Passive Safety
165
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident, we recommend the following setting:•
Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance between the steering wheel and
your chest is at least 25 cm
⇒page 164, fig. 167
.
•
Position the driver seat in the forward/back direction so that you are able to
press the pedals with your
legs at a slight angle .
•
Adjust the backrest so that you are able
to reach the highest point of the steering
wheel with your arms at a slight angle.•
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
⇒fig. 168
.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly
⇒page 170, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”. Manual driver seat adjustment
⇒page 12, “Adjusting the front seats”.
Electrical driver seat adjustment
⇒page 76, “Adjusting front seats electrically*”.
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 driver must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering
wheel
⇒page 164, fig. 167
. Not maintaining this minimum distance will
mean that the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!•
When driving, hold the steering wheel
with both hands firmly on the
outer edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position. Never hold the steering wheel firmly in the 12 o'clock position or in another way (e.g. in the middle of the steering wheel or
at the inner steering wheel edge). In such cases,
injuries to the arms, the hands and
the head can occur when the driver
airbag is deployed.•
The backrests must not be angled to
o far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag system - risk of injury!•
Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get
behind the pedals during a driving or
braking manoeuvre. You would then
no longer be able to operate the clutch, to brake or accelerate.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
⇒fig. 168
.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly
⇒page 170, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”. In exceptional cases the front pass
enger airbag can be deactivated
⇒page 181,
“Deactivating an airbag”.
Fig. 168 The correct head restraint adjustment for the driver
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
177
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Important safety information regarding the front airbag system Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of injury!
WARNING
•
Never transport children on the front seat of a vehicle without using a
proper restraint system. If airbags are
deployed in the event of an accident,
the child might suffer severe or even fatal injuries!•
For the driver and front passenger it is important to maintain a distance
of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel
⇒fig. 179
. Not main-
taining this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
The front seats and the head restraints
must always also be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occu-pant.•
It is essential to always switch off
⇒page 181, “Deactivating an airbag”
the front passenger airbag when attach
ing 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 ch
ild 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 certain countries
national legal provisions also requir
e that the side or head passenger
airbags be deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger
seat, please comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.•
There must not by any further persons, animals or objects positioned
between the front seated occupants and the deployment area of the airbag.•
The steering wheel and the surface of
the airbag module in the dash
panel on the passenger side must not be stuck onto, covered or modified in any other way. These parts should only be cleaned with a dry cloth or a cloth moistened with water. No objects such as cup holders, mobile phone mounts, etc. may be attached to the covers of the airbag modules or be located within the immediate area.•
No modifications of any kind may be made to parts of the airbag system.
Any work on the airbag system includ
ing installing and removing system
components because of other repair
work (e.g. removing the steering
wheel) must only be carried
out by a specialist garage.
•
Never carry out changes on the front bumper or on the body.
•
Never place any objects on the surface of the front passenger airbag in
the dash panel.
Fig. 179 Safe distance to steering wheel
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
179
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Important safety information on the side airbag Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of injury!
WARNING
•
It is essential to always switch off
⇒page 181, “Deactivating an airbag”
the front passenger airbag when attach
ing 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 ch
ild 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 certain countries
national legal provisions also requir
e that the side or head passenger
airbags be deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropri
ate national regulations regarding the
use of child safety seats.•
Your head should never be positioned
in the deployment area of the side
airbag. You might suffer severe injuries
in the event of an accident. This
applies in particular to children who are transported without using a suit- able child safety seat
⇒page 186, “Child safety and side airbag*”.
•
If children adopt an incorrect seated position when travelling, they may
be exposed to an increased risk of injury
in the event of an accident. This can
result in serious injuries
⇒page 184, “What you should know about trans-
porting children!”.•
There must not be any further persons, animals as well as objects posi-
tioned between the occupants and the de
ployment area of the airbag. There
must also be no accessories such as cup holders, attached to the doors to enable the side airbags to activate properly.•
The airbag control unit
operates together with the pressure sensors,
which are attached in the front doors. For this reason no adjustments must be carried out at the doors as well as at the door panels (for example addi- tional installation of loudspeakers).
Resulting damages can have a negative
affect on the operation of the airbag system. All work on the front doors and their panels must only be carr
ied out by a specialist garage.
•
In the event of a side collision, the side airbags will not function properly,
if the sensors cannot measure the increa
sing air pressure inside the doors,
because the air can escape through lar
ge, non-sealed open
ings in the door
panel.
− Never drive with removed inner door panels. − Never drive, if parts of the inner door panel have been removed and the remaining openings have not been properly sealed. − Never drive, if the loudspeakers in the doors have been removed, only if the loudspeaker openings have been properly sealed. − Always make sure that the openings
are covered or filled, if additional
loudspeakers or other equipment part
s are installed in the inner door
panels. − Always work with an authorised Škoda dealer or have it carried out by a competent specia
list workshop.
•
Only hang light items of clothing on the clothes hooks to the vehicle.
Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of clothing.•
Ensure that there are no excessive fo
rces, such as violent knocks, kicks
etc., impact on the backrests of th
e seats otherwise the system may be
damaged. The side airbags would not be deployed in such a case!•
Any seat or protective covers which you fit to the driver or front
passenger seats must only be of the
type expressly authorised by Škoda
Auto. In view of the fact that the airbag inflates out of the backrest of the seat, use of non-approved seat or protective covers would considerably impair the protective function of the side airbag.•
Any damage to the original seat covers
in the area of the side airbag
module must be repaired without delay by your specialist garage.•
The airbag modules in the front se
ats must not display any damage,
cracks or deep scratches. It is not pe
rmissible to use force in order to open
the modules.
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
181
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
In certain accident si
tuations, the front, side and he
ad airbag are simultaneously
deployed. The airbags inflate in fractions of a second
and at a high speed in order to be able
to offer that additional protection in th
e event of an accident. A grey white, non
harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle.Important safety information on the head airbag Correct use of the airbag system considerably reduces the risk of injury!
WARNING
•
It is essential to always switch off
⇒page 181, “Deactivating an airbag”
the front passenger airbag when attach
ing 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 ch
ild 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 certain countries
national legal provisions also requir
e that the side or head passenger
airbags be deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropri
ate national regulations regarding the
use of child safety seats.•
There must not be any objects in the deployment area of the head
airbags which might prevent the ai
rbags from inflating properly.
•
Only hang light items of clothing on the clothes hooks to the vehicle.
Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of clothing. In addition, it is not permitted to use clothes hangers for hanging up items of clothing.•
The airbag control unit
operates together with the sensors, which are
attached in the front doors. For this reason no adjustments must be carried out at the doors as well as at the door panels (for example additional instal- lation of loudspeakers). Resulting dama
ges can have a negative affect on the
operation of the airbag system. All work
on the front doors and their panels
must only be carried ou
t by a specialist garage.
•
There must not be any other persons (e.g. children) or animals between
the car occupant and the deployment ar
ea of the head airbag. In addition,
none of the occupants should lean their head out of the window when driving, or extend their arms and hands out of the window.•
The sun visors must not be swivelled to the side windows into the
deployment area of the head airbags if any objects, such as ball-point pens etc. are attached to them. This might resu
lt in injuries to the occupants if the
head airbag is deployed.•
Installing impermissible accessories in
the area of the head airbags may
considerably impair the protection offered by the head airbag in the event of it being deployed. When the deployed he
ad airbag is inflated, parts of the
accessories fitted may in certain circum
stances be thrown into the interior
of the car and cause injuries to the occupants
⇒page 244, “Accessories,
changes and replacement of parts”.•
Any work on the head airbag system
including installing and removing
system components because of other repair work (e.g. removing headliner) must only be carried out by a specialist garage.Deactivating an airbagDeactivating airbags If any airbags have been deactivated, switch them on again as soon as possible so that they are able to
again provide their proper protec-
tion.There is the technical means installed within your vehicle to switch off the front, side* or head* airbag (take out of commission). This is why you should have the deacti
vation of the airbags carried out by a
specialist garage. On vehicles equipped with the switch for de
activation of the airbags, you can deac-
tivate the front and side passenger
airbag by means
of this switch
⇒page 182.
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
182
Deactivation of airbags is envisaged only for particular instances, such as if:•
you must
in exceptional cases
use a child seat on the front passenger seat
where the child has its back to the directio
n of travel of the vehicle (in some coun-
tries this must be in the direction of trav
el due to other legal regulations applying)
⇒ page 184, “Important safety information regarding the use of child safety seats”,•
you are not able to maintain the distance of at least 25 cm between middle of
steering wheel and chest, despite the
driver seat being correctly adjusted,
•
special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because of a
physical disability,•
you have installed other seats (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
Monitoring the airbag system The functionality of the airbag system is also monitored electronically, when one airbag has been switched off If the airbag was switched off using diagnostic equipment:•
The warning light for the airbag system lights up for 4 seconds after switching
on the ignition and then flashes for 12
seconds afterwards in 2 second intervals.
Front passenger airbags sw
itched off using the switch for front passenger
airbags* in storage compartmen
t on the front passenger side:
•
the airbag indicator light in the inst
rument cluster comes on for about 4
seconds each time the ignition is switched on,•
switching off the airbag is indicated in
the middle of the dash panel by the
lighting up of the indicator light

 ⇒fig. 185
.
Note
Your authorised Škoda Service Partner will
be able to advise you whether national
legislation in your country
allows airbags in your vehi
cle to be deactivated, and
which ones.
Switch for the front passenger airbag*The front passenger airbag is deactivated with the switch. Deactivating an airbag – Switch off the ignition. – Turn the slot of the airbag switch using the key in the position (
OFF
)
⇒
fig. 184
.
– Check whether the airbag indicator light


in the middle of
the dash panel lights up when the ignition is switched on
⇒
fig. 185
.
Fig. 184 Storage compart- ment: Switch for the front passenger airbagFig. 185 Indicator light for the front passenger airbag
A2
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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
186
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 certain countries
national legal provisions also requir
e that the side or head passenger
airbags be deactivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropri
ate national regula
tions regarding the
use of child safety seats.•
If the front passenger airbag has been
switched off by a specialist garage
using the vehicle system
tester, the side airbag and the head passenger
airbag* remain switched on. In certain countries national legal provisions require that besides the front passen
ger airbag also the side or head
passenger airbags are deactivated.
Please comply with any differing
national legal regulations regardin
g the use of child safety seats.
•
If a child safety seat in which the child faces in the direction of travel is
used on the front passenger seat, the
front passenger seat
must be moved
back fully. For vehicles with height adjustable front passenger seat, the seat must be put in the highest position.•
If this is not done, a child seated on the front passenger seat may suffer
severe or even fatal injuries if the
front passenger airbag or airbags are
deployed. Have the airbag (or ai
rbags) deactivated if necessary
⇒page 181,
“Deactivating an airbag”.•
You should have the front passenger ai
rbag (or airbags) reactivated just
as soon as you no longer use a child sa
fety seat on the front passenger seat.
Child safety and side airbag* Children must never be seated in
the deployment area of the side
airbags and head airbags.In the event of a side collision, the si
de airbags offer the vehicle occupants
enhanced protection. The side airbags are inflated in fractions of
a second in order to be able to provide
this protection
⇒page 178, “Function of the side airbags”.
An airbag inflating develops such a strong force that an occupant who has not adopted an upright seated position may suffer injuries from the airbag or as a result of objects which are located within the deployment area of the side airbag.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 187 Seated position of an unprotected child at risk from side airbagFig. 188 Child properly protected by safety seat
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