2010 Seat Alhambra Owner's Manual

Seat belts 16
Seat belts
Brief introduction
Introduction
Check the condition of all the seat belts at regular intervals. If you notice that
the belt webbing, fittings, retractor mechanism or buckle of any of the belts
is damaged, the belt must be replaced immediately by a specialist workshop
Ÿ. The specialist workshop must use the appropriate spare parts corre-
sponding to the vehicle, the equipment and the model year. SEAT recom-
mends visiting a qualified workshop.
Additional information and warnings:
xAdjust the seat position Ÿpage 10
xAirbag system Ÿpage 33
xChild seats (accessories) Ÿpage 42
xIntegrated child seats Ÿpage 52
xAccessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications Ÿpage 285
WARNING
Unbuckled or badly buckled seat belts increase the risk of severe or even
fatal injuries. The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if it is not
fastened and used correctly.
xSeats belts are the most effective ways of reducing the risk of
sustaining severe or fatal injuries In the event of an accident. Seat belts
must be correctly fastened when the vehicle is in motion to protect the
driver and all vehicle occupants.
xBefore each trip, every occupant in the vehicle occupants must sit prop-
erly, correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to his or her seat and keep it fastened throughout the trip. This also applies to other occupants when
driving in town.
xWhen travelling, children must be secured in the vehicle with a child
restraint system suitable for their weight and height and with the seat
belts correctly fastened Ÿpage 42.
xInstruct your passengers to fasten their seat belts properly before
driving off.
xInsert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat and
ensure it is engaged. Using the latch plate in the buckle of another seat will
not protect you properly and may cause severe injuries.
xDo not allow liquids or foreign bodies to enter the buckle fastenings.
This could damage the buckles and seat belts.
xNever unbuckle your seat belt when the vehicle is moving.
xNever allow more than one passenger to share the same seat belt.
xNever hold children or babies on your lap sharing the same seat belt.
xLoose, bulky clothing (such as a jacket) impairs the proper fit and func-
tion of the seat belt.
WARNING
It is extremely dangerous to drive using damaged seat belts and could
result in serious injury or loss of life.
xAvoid damaging the seat belt by jamming it in the door or the seat
mechanism.
xIf the fabric or other parts of the seat belt are damaged, the seat belts
could break in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
WARNING (continued)

Seat belts17
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTe c h n i c a l D a t a
xAlways have damaged seatbelts replaced immediately by seat belts
approved for the vehicle in question by SEAT. Seat belts which have been
worn in an accident and stretched must be replaced by a qualified work-
shop. Renewal may be necessary even if there is no apparent damage. The
belt anchorage should also be checked.
xNever attempt to repair, modify or remove a seat belt yourself. All
repairs to seat belts, retractors and buckles must be carried out by a
specialist workshop.
Warning lamp
Some control and warning lamps on the instrument panel will come on to
check certain functions when the ignition is switched on. They will switch off
after a few seconds.
A signal will be heard for a maximum of 90 seconds if the seat belts are not
fastened as the car drives off and reaches a speed of more then 25 km/h or if
the seat belts are unfastened while the vehicle is in motion. The seat belt
warning lamp
h will also flash.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 3 Warning lamp on
the instrument panel
Lights up
or
flashesPossible causeSolution
h
Driver's seat belt not fastened
or front passenger's seat belt
not fastened if the front pas-
senger's seat is occupied.
Fasten seat belts!
hObjects on the front passen-
ger's seat.Remove any objects from the
front passenger's seat and store
them safely.
Fig. 4 Example of seat
belt status display for the
rear seats (here, a 7-seat
vehicle) on the instrument
panel. above the second
row and below the third
row of seats.

Seat belts 18
The warning lamp h does not switch off until the driver and front passenger
fasten their seat belts while the ignition is switched on.
Seat belt status display for rear seats
The seat belt status display on the instrument panel informs the driver, when
the ignition is switched on, whether any passengers in the rear seats have
fastened their seat belts. The symbol
h indicates that the passenger in this
seat has fastened “his or her” seat belt Ÿpage 17, fig. 4.
The seat belt status is displayed for around 30 seconds when a seat belt in
the rear seats is fastened or unfastened. You can switch off this display by
pressing the button.
The seat belt status flashes for a maximum of 30 seconds when a seat belt in
the rear seats is unfastened while the vehicle is in motion. A signal will also
be heard if the vehicle is travelling at over 25 km/h.
The rear seat display can be enabled or disabled by a Technical Service.
WARNING
Unbuckled or badly buckled seat belts increase the risk of severe or even
fatal injuries. The optimal protection from seat belts can be achieved only
if you use them properly.
Why wear seat belts?
Frontal collisions and the laws of physics
0.0 / SET
Fig. 5 Vehicle about to hit
a wall: the occupants are
not wearing seat belts.
Fig. 6 The vehicle hits
the wall: the occupants
are not wearing seat
belts.

Seat belts19
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTe c h n i c a l D a t a It is easy to explain how the laws of physics work in the case of a head-on
collision: when a vehicle starts moving Ÿpage 18, fig. 5, this is a certain
amount of energy known as “kinetic energy” both in the vehicle and in the
occupants.
The higher the speed and the greater the weight of the vehicle, the more
energy there is to be absorbed in an accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle. If the speed
doubles from 25 km/h to 50 km/h, for example, the kinetic energy is multi-
plied by four.
The amount of “kinetic energy” depends on the speed of the vehicle and the
weight of the vehicle and its passengers. The higher the speed and the
greater the weight of the vehicle and the occupants, the more energy there is
to be absorbed in an accident.
Passengers not wearing seat belts are not “attached” to the vehicle. As a
result, in a frontal collision they will continue to move forward at the speed
their vehicle was travelling just before the impact until something stops
them! Because the passengers in our example are not restrained by seat
belts, all of the passengers' kinetic energy has to be absorbed at the point of
impact Ÿpage 18, fig. 6.
At speeds of 30 km/h to 50 km/h, the forces acting on bodies in a collision
can easily exceed one tonne (1000 kg). At greater speed these forces are even
higher.
This example applies not only to frontal accidents, but to all accidents and
collisions.
Dangers of not using the seat belt
Many people believe that the occupants can protect themselves with their
hands in a minor collision. This is false!
Fig. 7 A driver not
wearing a seat belt is
thrown forward violently.
Fig. 8 The unbelted rear
passenger is thrown
forward violently, hitting
the driver wearing a seat
belt.

Seat belts 20
Even at low speeds, the forces acting on the body in a collision are so great
that it is not possible to brace oneself with just one's arms and hands. In a
frontal collision, unbelted passengers are thrown forward and will make
violent contact with the steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen or whatever
else is in the way Ÿpage 19, fig. 7.
The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts. When triggered, airbags
provide only additional protection. Airbags do not deploy in all types of acci-
dent. All occupants (including the driver) must be wearing seat belts properly
during the trip, even if the vehicle is equipped with airbag systems. This will
reduce the risk of critical or fatal injuries in the event of an accident – regard-
less of whether an airbag is fitted for the seat.
The airbag is only deployed once. To achieve the best possible protection, the
seat belt must always be worn properly so that you will be protected in acci-
dents in which no airbag is deployed. Vehicle occupants not wearing belts
could be thrown from the vehicle and sustain even more severe or fatal inju-
ries.
It is also important for the rear passengers to wear seat belts properly, as they
could otherwise be thrown forward violently in an accident. Rear passengers
who do not use seat belts endanger not only themselves but also the driver
and other occupants Ÿpage 19, fig. 8.Seat belt protection
Wearing a correctly fastened seat belt can significantly change the situation.
Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the correct sitting posi-
tions and substantially reduce the kinetic energy in the event of an accident.
Seat belts also help to prevent uncontrolled movements that could lead to
severe injuries. In addition, properly worn seat belts reduce the danger of
being thrown from the car Ÿfig. 9.
Passengers wearing their seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the ability
of the belts to absorb kinetic energy. The front crumple zones and other
passive safety features (such as the airbag system) are also designed to
absorb the kinetic energy generated in a collision. Taken together, all these
features reduce the energy released and decrease the risk of injury.
Our examples describe frontal collisions. Of course, properly worn seat belts
substantially reduce the risk of injury in all other types of accidents. This is
why it is so important to fasten seat belts before every trip, even when just
driving “around the corner”. Ensure that your passengers wear their seat
belts as well.
Fig. 9 Drivers with prop-
erly worn seat belts will
not be thrown forward in
the event of sudden
braking.

Seat belts21
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTe c h n i c a l D a t a Accident statistics have shown properly worn seat belts to be an effective
means of considerably reducing the risk of severe injury and improving the
chances of survival in a serious accident. Furthermore, properly worn seat
belts improve the protection provided by deployed airbags in the event of an
accident. For this reason, wearing a seat belt is required by law in most coun-
tries.
Although your vehicle is equipped with airbags, the seat belts must be
fastened and worn. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some
frontal accidents. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal
collisions, minor side collisions, rear collisions, rolls or accidents in which the
airbag trigger threshold value in the control unit is not exceeded.
Therefore, you should always wear your seat belt and ensure that your
passengers have fastened their seat belts properly before you drive off!

Seat belts 22
Seat belts
Using seat belts
Checklist
Using seat belts Ÿ:
xCheck the condition of all the seat belts at regular intervals.
xKeep the seat belts clean.
xKeep the belt web, the latch plate and the buckle free of foreign bodies
and liquids.
xDo not jam or damage the seat belt or the latch plate when closing the
door, for example.
xNever remove, modify or repair the seat belt or belt fastening mecha-
nisms.
xFasten your seat belt properly before each trip and keep it fastened.
Twisted seat belt
If it is difficult to remove the seat belt from the guide, the seat belt may have
become twisted inside the side trim after being wound too quickly on unfas-
tening:
xPull out the seat belt completely, carefully pulling on the latch plate.
xUntwist the belt and guide it back, assisting it by hand.
The seat belt must be fastened even if it is impossible to untwist it. In this
case, the twisted area must not be in an area in direct contact with your body.
Have the seat belt untwisted urgently by a qualified workshop.
WARNING
An improperly handled seat belt increases the risk of sustaining severe or
fatal injuries.
xRegularly check that the seat belts and their components are in perfect
condition.
xAlways keep your seat belt clean.
xDo not jam or damage the seat belt or rub it with sharp edges.
xMake sure there are no liquids or foreign bodies on the latch plate and
in the buckle.
WARNING (continued)

Seat belts23
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Fastening or unfastening a seat belt with one buckle
Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the position that most
protects them in the event of an accident or sudden braking Ÿ.Fastening the seat belt
Fasten your seat belt before each trip.
xAdjust the front seat and head restraint correctly Ÿpage 10.
xEngage the backrest of the rear seat in an upright position Ÿ.
xPull the latch plate and place the belt webbing evenly across your chest
and lap. Do not twist the seat belt when doing so Ÿ.
xEngage the latch plate in the buckle of the corresponding seat Ÿfig. 10.
xPull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in the
buckle.
Unfastening the seat belt
The seat belt must not be unfastened until the vehicle has come to a standstill
Ÿ.
xPress the red button on the buckle Ÿfig. 11. The latch plate is released
from the buckle.
xGuide the belt back by hand so that it rolls up easily and the trim will not
be damaged.
WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe or fatal injuries in the
event of an accident.
xThe seat belt cannot offer its full protection unless the backrests are in
an upright position and the seat belt is worn correctly, according to your
size.
xUnbuckling your seat belt while the vehicle is in motion can cause
severe or fatal injuries in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
Fig. 10 Insert the latch
plate into the buckle.
Fig. 11 Release the latch
plate from the buckle.