2009 SKODA OCTAVIA TOUR Owner's Manual

Airbag system
120
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
the front passenger airbag and/or side
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 coun- tries also when the child is facing the direction of travel)
⇒page 120, “Deac-
tivating an airbag”. 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 require that the side 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.•
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 125, “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 123, “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
deployment area of the airbag. No
accessories, such as a can holder, should be attached to the doors.•
Only hang light items of clothing on the clothes hooks to the vehicle.
Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged ob
jects 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 no
t 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 permissible to use force in order to open the modules.•
Any work on the side airbag system
including removing and installing
system components because of other repair work (e.g. removing seats) 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 or side* airbag using a diagnostic equipment (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 deactivation of the airbags, you can deac- tivate the front passenger airbag and/or
side airbag by means of this switch
⇒ page 121. 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 is seated with its back to
the direction of travel (in some countries
this must be in the direction of travel
due to other legal regulations applying)
⇒ page 123, “Important safety information re
garding the use of child safety seats”;
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
121
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
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 of
f using diagnostic equipment:
•
The airbag indicator light in the instrume
nt cluster lights up for about 3 seconds
after switching on the ignition and then
flashes after that for about 12 seconds.
Front passenger airbags switched 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 ig
nition is switched on;
•
The deactivation of the airbag is indica
ted by the lighting up of the indicator
light

 at the front interior lighting of the vehicle
⇒page 121.
Note
A specialist garage will be able to advise you whether national legislation in your country allows airbags in your vehicl
e to be deactivated, and which ones.
Switch for the front passenger airbag(s)*The front passenger airbag as well as side airbag (if the vehicle is fitted with side airbags) are switched off using the switch. Deactivating an airbag – Switch off the ignition. – Turn the slot of the airbag switch using the key in the position
OFF

⇒
fig. 128
- (vertical position).
Fig. 128 Storage compart- ment: Switch for the front passenger airbag(s)Fig. 129 Indicator light for a switched off front seat passenger airbag
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Airbag system
122
– Check whether the indicator light


lights up in th e lighting of
the interior of the vehicle (front) when the ignition is switched on ⇒
page 121, fig. 129
.
Switching on an airbag – Switch off the ignition. – Turn the slot of the airbag swit
ch using the key in the position
ON

⇒
page 121, fig. 128
- (horizontal position).
– Check whether the indicator light


does not light up in the
lighting of the interior of the vehicle (front) when the ignition is switched on
⇒
page 121, fig. 129
.
The airbag should only be switched
off under exceptional circumstances
⇒ page 120. Indicator light

 (airbag switched off)
The indicator light is located at the fr
ont interior lighting of the vehicle
⇒page 121,
fig. 129
.
In cases where the front passenger airbag and also possibly the side airbag* are switched off
, the indicator light comes on about 4 seconds after the ignition is
switched on. There is a system fault present in the airbag switch off
⇒
if the indicator light
flashes.
Please have the car inspected i
mmediately by a sp
ecialist garage.
WARNING
•
The driver is responsible for whethe
r the airbag is switched on or
switched off.•
Only switch off the airbag when the ignition is switched off! Otherwise a
fault can occur in the system for the airbag deactivation.•
If the warning light

 (airbag switched off) flashes:
− There is a risk of the front passenger
airbag not being activated in the
event of an accident. Therefore do not use any child safety seats on the front passenger seat. − If the front passenger seat is occupied
, there is a risk th
at the airbag is
deployed unexpectedly and thus the occupant of this seat may suffer possible injuries. − It is also important to have the system inspected without delay by a specialist garage.WARNING (continued)
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Transporting children safely
123
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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 fron
t passenger seat.
Children younger than 12 years of age should
normally travel on the rear seat of the
vehicle (take note of any na
tional legal provisions 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 do
es, of course, also apply to children
⇒ page 109, “The physical principle of a fronta
l 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 126, “Classification of child seats into groups”. Child
restraint systems 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. We recommend that you use ch
ild 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 using the child seat
⇒
in
“Important safety information regarding the use of child safety seats”.
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
•
All the occupants of the car - in particular children - must wear a seat belt
when the car is moving.•
Chi ld re n le s s tha n 1. 5 0 m i n h e ig ht
or younger than 12
years must not use
a normal seat belt withou
t a child restraint system otherwise this may result
in injuries to the stomach and neck areas. Comply with the national legal requirements.•
One should never carry children, and also not babies! - on one's lap.
•
You can transport a child safely in
a suitable child safety seat
⇒page 126,
“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
124
•
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 airb
ag 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 110, “How are seat belts
correctly fastened?”. Pay particular atte
ntion to the information provided by
the manufacturer of the child safety se
at regarding correc
t routing of the
belt. Seat belts which are
not correctly adjusted ca
n themselves cause inju-
ries even in minor accidents.•
Safety belts must be checked to ensure that they are running properly.
One should also ensure that the belt
is not damaged by sh
arp-edged fittings.
•
It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag and possibly
the side 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) ⇒ page 120. If this is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front passen
ger airbag is deploy
ed. In certain coun-
tries national legal provisions also re
quire that the side
airbags be deacti-
vated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropriate 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 seat
ed 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. 130
. The sticker is
visible upon opening the front passen
ger door. For some countries, the
sticker is also affixed to the sun visor of the front passenger.•
It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag or the side
passenger airbag* as well if you nevertheless wish to use a child safety seat on the front passenger seat where the chil
d is seated with its back facing in
direction of travel (in some countries also when the child is facing the direc-
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 130 Sticker on the centre column of the body on the front passenger side.
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Transporting children safely
125
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
tion of travel)
⇒page 120, “Deactivating an airbag”. 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 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.•
If the front passenger airbag has been
switched off by a specialist garage
using the vehicle system tester, the si
de passenger airbag* remains switched
on. In certain countries national legal provisions require that besides the front passenger airbag also the side airbag is deactivated. Please comply with any differing national legal regula
tions regarding 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 ad
justable 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 120.
•
You should have the front passenger airbag (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 side
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 119, “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 th
e deployment area of the side airbag.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 131 Seated position of an unprotected child at risk from side airbagFig. 132 Child properly protected by safety seat
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Transporting children safely
126
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 th
e 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 the front passenger airbag and possibly
the side 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) ⇒ page 120. If this is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front passen
ger airbag is deploy
ed. In certain coun-
tries national legal provisions also re
quire that the side
airbags be deacti-
vated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.•
When transporting a child on the fr
ont passenger seat, please comply
with the appropriate national regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.•
Children must never be seated with their 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 child 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: Standard Economic Commission 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 se
ats on each of the seats according to the
EG guidelines 77/541 and ECE 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.
Group
Weight
0
0 - 10 kg
⇒page 127
0+
up to 13 kg
⇒page 127
1
9 - 18 kg
⇒page 127
2
15 - 25 kg
⇒page 128
3
22 - 36 kg
⇒page 128
Child seat of the group
Front passenger
seat
Rear seat outside
Rear seat middle
0


0+


1


2 and 3
AUA+
AUA+
AU
AUA+
AUA+
AU
AUA+
AUA+
AU
AU
AU
AU
AUA+
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Transporting children safely
127
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
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Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Child seats of group 0/0+The optimal solution for babies of up to
about 9 months old weighing up to 10 kg
or babies up to about 18 mont
hs old weighing up to 13
kg is a child safety seat
which can be adjusted into the reclining position
⇒fig. 133
.
In view of the fact that such child seats are installed that the child is seated with its back facing the direction of travel, they
must not be used on the front passenger
seat
⇒page 124, “Use of child safety seats on the front passenger seat”.WARNING
•
It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag (airbags)
when attaching in exceptional circumstances 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).
− in a specialist garage − or by using the switch for the front passenger airbag*
⇒page 121.
•
In certain countries national legal provisions require that besides the
front passenger airbag also the front passenger side airbag is deactivated. Please comply with any differing national legal regulations regarding the use of child safety seats.
•
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.•
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 seats in Group 1Child seats in Group 1 are for babies and sm
all children up to 4 years of age with a
weight of between 9 and 18 kilograms. It is
best for children in the lower range of
this group, to use a child seat which allows
the child to sit with its back to the direc-
tion of travel. It is best for children in the upper range of the Group 0+, to use a child seat which allows the child to sit
⇒fig. 134
in the direction of travel.
Child safety seats in which the child is seat
ed with its back facing the direction of
travel, must not be used on the front passenger seat
⇒page 124, “Use of child
safety seats on the front passenger seat”.
WARNING
•
It is essential to always switch of
f the front passenger airbag (airbags)
when attaching in exceptional circumstances a child safety seat on the front
Fig. 133 Child seats of group 0/0+
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 134 Child seat with padded table in Group 1 installed on rear seat bench facing the direction of travel
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