2009 SKODA SUPERB light

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. 160
.
•
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. 161
.
•
Fasten the seat belt correctly
⇒page 170, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”. Manual driver seat adjustment
⇒page 78, “Adjusting the front seats”.
Electrical driver seat adjustment
⇒page 79, “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. 160
. 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. 161
.
•
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 182,
“Deactivating an airbag”.
Fig. 161 The correct head restraint adjustment for the driver
WARNING (continued)
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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 front passenger,
•
Driver's knee airbag*,
•
front side airbags,
•
Rear side airbags*,
•
head airbags*,
•
an airbag warning light in the instrument cluster,
•
a front passenger airbag switch*,
•
an indicator light for a switched off fron
t seat passenger airbag* in the middle
of the dash panel. 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 car 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.
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Airbag system
175
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important
to comply with the national legal requirements.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 front side airbag* on the side of the car at
which the collision occurs, is deployed toge
ther with the rear side airbag and 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 vehicleNote
•
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 switch for the interior light is in the door contact position), − The hazard warning light is switched on, − All the doors are unlocked, − the battery in the luggage compartment* is switched off, − the fuel supply to the engine is interrupted.
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
180
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 182, “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 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 regula
tions 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 187, “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 185, “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 to
gether 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 carried 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 increasing air pressure inside the doors, because the air can escape through lar
ge, non-sealed openings 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 sh
arp-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 permissible to use force in order to open the modules.
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
182
offers additional protection in the case of
an offset impact by covering the front
door pillar. In certain accident situations, the front,
side and head 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 182, “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 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 regula
tions 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 airbags from inflating properly.•
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. In addition, it is not permitted to use clothes hangers for hanging up items of clothing.•
The airbag control unit operates to
gether 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 out by a specialist garage.•
There must not be any other persons
(e.g. children) or animals between
the car occupant and the deployment area 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 offere
d by the head airbag in the event of
it being deployed. When the deployed head 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 241, “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.
WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
183
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
On vehicles equipped with the switch for deactivation of the airbags, you can deac- tivate the front and side passenger airbag by means of this switch
⇒page 183.
Deactivation of airbags is envisaged only
for particular inst
ances, 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 ve
hicle (in some coun-
tries this must be in the direction of travel due to other legal regulations applying) ⇒ page 185, “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 of
f 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 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,
•
switching off airbags is indicated in the middle of the dash panel by the lighting
up of the indicator light
 in the display

 
 ⇒fig. 178
.
Note
Your authorised Škoda Service Partner will
be able to advise
you whether national
legislation in your country allows airbags
in your vehicle 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. 178
.
– Check whether the airbag indicator light

in display





in the middle of the dash panel
lights up when the ignition is
turned on
⇒
fig. 179
.
Fig. 178 Storage compart- ment: Switch for the front passenger airbagFig. 179 Indicator light for the front passenger airbag
A2
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Airbag system
184
Switching on an airbag – Switch off the ignition. – Turn the slot of the airbag switch using the key in the position (
ON
)
⇒
page 183, fig. 178
.
– Check whether the airbag indicator light

in display





in the middle of the dash pa
nel does not light up when the
ignition is turned on
⇒
page 183, fig. 179
.
The airbags should only be switched
off under exceptional circumstances.
Indicator light
 in display

 
 (airbag switched off)
The airbag indicator light is located in the middle of the dash panel
⇒page 183,
fig. 179
.
If the front passenger airbag is
switched off
, the warning light comes on about 4
seconds after the igniti
on 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 indicator light
 in display

 
 (airbag switched
off) flashes:
− Front passenger airbag is not deployed in the event of an accident! − It is also important to have the system inspected without delay by a specialist garage.
A1
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Intelligent Technology
193
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Driving TipsIntelligent TechnologyElectronic stability programme (ESP)*GeneralGeneral The ESP aids you maintain control of your vehicle in situations in borderline driving situations such as when negotiating a curve too fast. The risk of skidding is reduced and your car thus offers greater driving stability depending on the conditions of the road surface. This occurs at all speeds. The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:•
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL),
•
Traction control system (TCS),
•
Active driver-steering recommendation (DSR),
•
Antilock brake system (ABS),
•
Brake Assist,
•
Uphill-Start off-Assist.
Operating principle The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts a self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It also processes additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehi
cle about its vertical axis, the lateral accel-
eration of the vehicle, the brakin
g pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to ta
ke is determined based on the steering
angle and the speed of the vehicle and is constantly compared with the actual behaviour of the vehicle. If differences exis
t, such as the car beginning to skid, the
ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel. The car is stabilised again by the forces which take effect when the wheel is braked. Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle to break away) while occurs this is on the inner re
ar wheel of a vehicle which tends to under-
steer (tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by noises. The ESP operates in combination with the ABS
⇒page 197. If there is a fault in the
ABS system, the ESP also does not operate. The ESP warning light lights up in the instru
ment cluster when there is a fault on the
ESP
 ⇒page 39.
Switching off You can switch the ESP off and on again
as you wish, by pressing the button
⇒ fig. 190
. The ESP warning light lights up in th
e instrument cluster when the ESP is
switched off
 ⇒page 39.
The ESP should normally always be switched
on. It may be good practice in certain
exceptional cases, such as when you wish
to have wheel slip, to switch off the
system. Examples:
Fig. 190 ESP switch
s2dk.1.book Page 193 Wednesday, April 8, 2009 12:23 PM