2009 SKODA OCTAVIA TOUR airbag

Passive Safety
105
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
Adjust the seat 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
⇒page 104, fig. 112
.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly
⇒page 110, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”. Manual driver seat adjustment
⇒page 60, “Adjusting the front seats”.
Electrical driver seat adjustment
⇒page 61, “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 104, fig. 111
. 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 whee
l 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 seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving other-
wise 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 combination of the airbag and the seat belt offers the greatest possible sa
fety 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
⇒page 104, fig. 112
.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly
⇒page 110, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”. In exceptional cases the front pass
enger airbag can be deactivated
⇒page 120,
“Deactivating an airbag”. Manual front passenger adjustment
⇒page 60, “Adjusting the front seats”.
Electrical front passenger seat adjustment
⇒page 61, “Adjusting front seats electri-
cally*”.
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 front passenger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the
dash panel. Not maintaining this mi
nimum distance will mean that the
airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!•
Always keep your feet in
the footwell when the vehicle is being driven -
never place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an airbag is deployed, you may suffer fata
l injuries when adopting an incorrect
seated position!
s2g8.b.book Page 105 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Passive Safety
106
•
The seat backrests must not be angl
ed too far back when driving other-
wise this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag system - risk of injury!Correct seated position for the occupants on the rear seats Occupants on the rear seats must sit upright, keep the feet in the footwell and must have their se
at belts correctly fastened.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an acci- dent, the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following:•
Adjust the head restraints so that the top edge of the head restraints are at the
same level as the upper part of your head
⇒page 104, fig. 112
.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly
⇒page 110, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”.•
If you are transporting
⇒page 123, “Transporting children safely” children in
the vehicle, please use a suitable child restraint system.
WARNING
•
The head restraints must always be adjusted to match the body size, in
order to offer an optimal protection for you and your occupants.•
Always keep your feet in the footwell
when the car is being driven - never
put your feet out of the window or on the surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an
airbag is deployed, you may suffer fatal
injuries when adopting an incorrect seated position!•
If the occupants on the rear seats are no
t sitting upright, the risk of injury
is increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.
Examples of an incorrect seated position An incorrect seated position can lead to severe injuries or death for the occupants.Seat belts offer their optimum protection on
ly if the webbing of the seat belts is
properly routed. Incorrect seated positio
ns considerably reduce the protective
functions of the seat belts and therefore incr
ease the risk of injury due to an incor-
rect routing of the seat belt. The driver is fully responsible for himself and the occu-pants, in particular for the children. Do
not permit an occupant to adopt an incor-
rect seated position when the car is moving. The following list contains
the examples of seated positions which are dangerous
for the occupants. This list is not comple
te, however we would like you to get inter-
ested in this subject. Therefore, while the car is moving never:•
stand up in the vehicle,
•
stand up on the seats,
•
kneel onto the seats,
•
tilt the seat backrest fully to the back,
•
lean against the dash panel,
•
lie on the rear seats,
•
only sit on the front area of the seat,
•
sit to the side,
•
lean out of the window,
•
put the feet out of the window,
•
put the feet on the dash panel,
•
put the feet on the seat upholstery,
•
occupy the footwell,
•
have the seat belt not fastened,
•
occupy the luggage compartment.
WARNING (continued)
s2g8.b.book Page 106 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Passive Safety
107
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
•
If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he
is hit by a deployed airbag.
•
Before setting off, please adopt the correct seated position and do not
change this seated position while the car is moving. Also advise your occu-pants to adopt the correct seated position and not to change this seated position while the car is moving.
s2g8.b.book Page 107 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Seat belts
108
Seat beltsWhy seat belts?It is a proven fact that seat belt
s offer good protection in accidents
⇒fig. 113
. Thus
wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement in most countries. Seat belts which have been correctly fastened and adjusted hold the occupants of the car in the correc
t seated position
⇒fig. 113
. The belts reduce the kinetic energy
(energy of motion) to a considerable extent. They also prevent uncontrolled move-ments which, in turn, may well result in severe injuries. The occupants of a vehicle who have fastened
and correctly adjusted their seat belt,
profit to a major extent from the fact that
the kinetic energy is optimally absorbed
by the belts. The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety measures, such as the airbag system, also
contribute to reducing the kinetic energy.
The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less risk of injury. Accident statistics prove that seat belts
which are fastened and properly adjusted
reduce the risk of an injury and enhance the chance of survival in a major accident ⇒ page 109.
It is important that you pay attention to
safety measures, particularly when trans-
porting children in the vehicle
⇒page 123, “What you should know about trans-
porting children!”.
WARNING
•
Fasten your seat belt each time before setting off, also when driving in
town! This also applies to the people seated at the rear - risk of injury!•
Expectant women must also always wear
a seat belt. This is the only way
of ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child
⇒page 110, “Fastening
three-point seat belts”.•
It is important for the belt webbing to
be properly routed if the seat belts
are to offer the maximum protection. You can see a description of how safety belts should be fitted pr
operly on the next pages.
Note
Please comply with any differing legal
requirements when using the seat belts.
Fig. 113 Driver wearing seat belt
s2g8.b.book Page 108 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Seat belts
113
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
The pelvic belt*The rear middle seat is fitted with a pelvic belt. The lock part of the two- point pelvic belt is operated in the same way as for a three-point safety belt. An unused pelvic belt should be stowed away together with the lock for safety reasons. Extending the pelvic belt – Hold the lock tongue at right an
gles to the belt webbing and pull
through the desired amo
unt of belt webbing
⇒
fig. 121
.
Shortening the pelvic belt – Pull on the free end of the belt. – Fix the excess belt length by threading it through the plastic slider.The adjustment of the belt length is facili
tated by simultaniously pressing the belt
tongue and the belt
cover lengthwise.
WARNING
The pelvic belt must always sit firmly across the pelvis; tighten the belt webbing if necessary.Belt tensionersSafety for the driver and front passenger
wearing their seat belts
is enhanced by
the belt tensioners fitted to the inertia reels of the front three-point seat belts, in addition to the protection afforded by the airbag system. The three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a frontal colli- sion of a certain severity. The belt tensioners can also be deployed if the seat belts are not fastened. The belt tensioner is deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity. A powder charge is ignited in the inertia
reels during deployment. The belt webbing
is pulled into the inertia reels by a mech
anical system and the belt is tensioned.
Belt tensioners are not activated in the ev
ent of minor frontal collisions, side and
rear-end collisions, in the case of a rollover and also not in accidents in which no major forces are produced from the front.
WARNING
•
Any work on the system including removal and installation of system
components because of other repair work, must only be carried out by a specialist garage.
Fig. 120 Fasten pelvic beltFig. 121 Extending the pelvic belt
s2g8.b.book Page 113 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Airbag system
115
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
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 chest area of the driver and passenger in the event of a frontal collision. In the case of a violent side crash, the side airbags* reduce the risk of injuries to the occupants on the side of the collision
⇒
.
The airbag system is only functional af
ter 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 vehicle equipment) consists of:•
an electronic control unit,
•
front airbag for the driver and the front seat passenger*,
•
side airbags*,
•
an airbag warning light in the instrument cluster,
•
Switch for front passenger airbag* in
front passenger storage compartment
⇒ page 121,•
Indicator light for a switched off front seat passenger airbag*
⇒page 121.
A fault in the airbag system exists if:•
the airbag indicator light do
es 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.
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 104, “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, yo
u are exposing yourself to increased
risk of injury in the event of an accident.•
Have the airbag system checked immedi
ately 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 main
tenance 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. Specialist garages are
familiar with these regulations.•
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important
to comply with the national legal requirements.
s2g8.b.book Page 115 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Airbag system
116
When are the airbags deployed?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 the case of a
violent side crash
, the side airbag* is depl
oyed on the side of the
vehicle on which the collision occurs. In certain accident situations, the front as well as the side airbags are deployed at the same time. 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 against wh
ich the vehicle impacts (hard,
soft), the angle of impact,
the vehicle speed 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 vehicle 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 is switched 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.
•
The dash panel must be replaced afte
r the front passenger airbag has been
deployed.•
In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed: − the interior lighting comes on (if the swit
ch for the interior light is in the door
contact position), − the hazard warning light is switched on; − All the doors are unlocked.
Front airbagsDescription of the front airbags The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belt!
Fig. 122 Driver airbag in the steering wheel
s2g8.b.book Page 116 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM

Airbag system
117
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
The front airbag for the driver is housed in the steering wheel
⇒page 116, fig. 122
.
The front airbag for the front passenger* is housed in the dash panel above the storage compartment
⇒fig. 123
. 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 collision of major severity
⇒
in “Important safety informa-
tion regarding the front airbag system” on page 118. 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 front 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 108, “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 an
d side airbags may be 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. 124
. 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 indication of a fire in the vehicle. The airbag develops enormous forces when
triggered, which can lead to injuries if
the sitting position or seated position is not correct
⇒
in “Important safety
information regarding the front airbag system” on page 118.
Fig. 123 Front passenger airbag in the dash panel
Fig. 124 Inflated airbags
s2g8.b.book Page 117 Tuesday, April 7, 2009 8:53 AM