Passive Safety97
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SafetyPassive SafetyBasic informationDriving the safe way
Passive safety measures reduce the risk of injury in accident situations.In this section you will find important info rmation, tips and notes on the subject of
passive safety in your vehicle. We have combined everything here which you should
be familiar with, for example, regarding seat belts, airbags, child seats and safety of
children. It is therefore important, in partic ular, to comply with the notes and warnings
in this section for your own interest and in the interest of those travelling with you.
WARNING
This chapter contains important information on how to use the vehicle for
the driver and his occupants. You will find further information on safety, which
concerns you and those travelling with you, in the following chapters of this
Owner's Manual.
The complete on-board literature should always be in the vehicle. This
applies in particular, if you rent out or sell the vehicle.
Safety equipment
The safety equipment is part of the occupant protection and it can
reduce the risk of injuries in accident situations.“Do not put at risk” your safety and the safety of those travelling with you . In the event
of an accident, the safety equipment can redu ce the risk of injuries. The following list
contains part of the safety equipment in your vehicle:
Three-point seat belts for all the seats*,
belt force limiter for front seats*,
belt tensioner for front seats*,
seat belt height adjuster for front seats,
front airbags*,
side airbags*,
anchoring points for child seat using the “ISOFIX” system,
head restraint adjustable for height,
adjustable steering column.
The specified safety equipment works togeth er, in order to optimally protect you and
those travelling with you in accident situat ions. The safety equipment does not protect
you or the people travelling with you, if you or your occupants adopt an incorrect
seated position or the equipment is not correctly adjusted or used.
For this reason you will be provided with information on why this equipment is very
important, how it protects you and the occupants, what should be observed when
using the equipment and how you and the peop le travelling with you can make full use
of the existing safety equipment. This Owner's Manual contains important warning
notes, which you and those travelling with you should pay attention to in order to
reduce a risk of injury.
Safety concerns everybody!
Before setting off
The driver is always fully responsibl e for his occupants and for the oper-
ating safety of the vehicle.For your own safety and the safety of the pe ople travelling with you, please pay atten-
tion to the following points before setting off:
Ensure that the lighting and the turn signal system are functioning properly.
Inspect the tyre inflation pressure.
Ensure that all the windows offer a good visibility to the outside.
Safely attach the items of luggage page 63, “Loading the luggage compartment”.
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Adjust the seat backrest so that you ar e 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 98, fig. 107 .
Fasten the seat belt correctly page 104, “How are seat belts correctly fastened?”.
Manual driver se at adjustment page 56, “Adjusting the front seats”.
Electrical driver seat adjustment page 57, “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 98, fig. 106. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the
airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
When driving, hold the st eering wheel with both hands firmly on the outer
edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock po sition. 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 otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the se at 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 safety when an airbag is deployed.For the safety of the front passenger and to re duce 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 98, fig. 107.
Fasten the seat belt correctly page 104, “How are seat belts correctly fastened?”.
In exceptional cases the front pass enger airbag can be deactivated page 113,
“Deactivating an airbag”.
Manual front passenger adjustment page 56, “Adjusting the front seats”.
Electrical front passenger seat adjustment page 57, “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 minimum distance will mean that the airbag
system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
Always keep your feet in the footwel l 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 fatal injuries when adopting an incorrect seated
position!
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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 occupants
to adopt the correct seated position and not to change this seated position
while the car is moving.
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The physical principle of a frontal collisionThe physical principle of a frontal ac cident can be explained quite simply:
Motion energy, so-called kinetic energy, is produced as soon as the vehicle is moving,
both for the vehicle and its occupants. The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends
essentially on the speed at which the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the
vehicle and the occupants. The greater the speed and weight increase, the greater the
amount of energy which has to be absorbed in the event of an accident. The speed of the vehicle is, nevertheless, the most important factor. Doubling the
speed of the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy four
times.
The common opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident with
your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces acting on the
body are such that it is no long
er possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed within the range from 30 km/hour to 50 km/hour, the
forces which are produced on your body in the event of an accident can easily exceed
10.000 N (Newton). This equals a weight of one tonne (1 000 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupant s of the car not wearing a seat belt, are
thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the car, such
as steering wheel, da sh panel, windscreen, fig. 109 . The occupants of a vehicle who
have not fastened their seat belts may even be thrown out of the vehicle. This can
result in fatal injuries.
It is also important that rear seat occupants fasten their seat belts as they will otherwise
be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontr olled manner in the event of an accident
A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a danger not only to himself
but also for those seated at the front fig. 110 .
Important safety information regarding the use of seat beltsThe correct use of the seat belts considerably reduces the risk of injury!
WARNING
The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted,
or chafe against any sharp edges.
It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed if the seat belts are
to offer their maximum protection page 104, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”.
No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt
together.
The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if you
are correctly seated page 98, “Correct seated position”.
Fig. 109 The driver is catapulted
forward if not wearing a beltFig. 110 The rear seat occupant
is catapulted forward if not
wearing a belt
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– Slowly pull the belt webbing at the tongue
of the lock over your chest and pelvis
.
– Insert the tongue of the lock into the seat belt buckle belonging to the seat until it is heard to lock in place.
– Pull on the belt to check that it has also reliably engaged in the lock.
Each three-point seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel. This inertia reel offers you
complete freedom of movement if the belt is unreeled slowly. If the brakes are applied
suddenly, the inertia reel will block. It also blocks the belts when the car accelerates,
when driving uphill and when cornering.
Expectant mothers must also wear the seat belt .
WARNING
The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across your neck but must
run approximately over the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the
chest. The lap part of the belt must run across the hip and must never be routed
across the stomach. It must always fit snugly page 104, fig. 111 . Adjust the
belt webbing as required.
The lap part of the belt should be positioned as low as possible at the pelvis
of an expectant mother in order to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower
abdomen.
Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctly adjusted ca n themselves cause injuries even in
minor accidents.
A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is
moved forward by the kinetic energy produced in an accident and is then
suddenly held firm by the belt.
Only insert the lock tongue into the lock which is the correct one for your
seat. This will affect the protection which the belt offers and increase the risk of
an injury.
Seat belt height adjusterThe seat belt height adjuster makes it possible for you to adapt the routing of the three-
point seat belt in the area of the shoulder to match your body size.
– In order to adjust the height, press on the upper seat belt deflection and push it into the desired direction up or down so th at the shoulder part of the belt is posi-
tioned approximately across th e middle of your shoulder page 104, fig. 111 .
– Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has correctly
locked in place.
WARNING
Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the belt is
positioned approximately across the middle of your shoulder - on no account
across your neck.
Note
It is also possible to adapt the routing of the belt webbing at the front seats by adjusting
the height of the seat.
Fig. 113 Front seat: Seat belt
height adjuster
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The rear middle seat is fitted with a pelvic be
lt. 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 angles to the belt webbing and pull through the
desired amount of belt webbing fig. 116 .Shortening the pelvic belt– Pull on the free end of the belt.
– Fix the excess belt length by thre ading 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 ac ross 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 te nsioned in the event of a frontal collision
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 re els during deployment. The belt webbing is
pulled into the inertia reels by a mechanical system and the belt is tensioned.
Belt tensioners are not activated in the even t of minor frontal collisions, side and rear-
end collisions, in the case of a rollover an d 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.
The protective function of the system is only adequate for a single accident.
If the belt tensioners have been deployed, it is then necessary to replace the
entire system.
The Owner's Manual must also be handed over to the new owner if the
vehicle is sold.Note
Smoke is generated when the belt tensione rs are deployed. This is not an indica-
tion of a fire in the vehicle.
It is essential to pay attent ion to relevant safety regulations if the vehicle or indi-
vidual parts of the system are scrapped. Specialist garages are familiar with these regu-
lations and will be able to provide you with detailed information in this respect.
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the system, it is important to comply with the
national legal requirements.
Fig. 116 Extending the pelvic
belt
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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 situ ations, 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 ex ample, is played by factors such as the type
of object against which the vehicle impacts (h ard, 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 measured
during the collision remains below the prescribed reference values specified in the
control unit, the airbags are no t 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 indicati on of a fire in the vehicle.
The dash panel must be replaced after 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 li ght is switched on;
All the doors are unlocked.
Front airbagsDescription of the front airbags
The airbag system is not a su bstitute for the seat belt!The front airbag for the driver is housed in the steering wheel fig. 117 . The front
airbag for the front passenger* is housed in the dash panel above the storage
Fig. 117 Driver airbag in the
steering wheelFig. 118 Front passenger airbag
in the dash panel
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WARNING
Never transport children on the front seat of a vehicle without using a
proper restraint system. If airbags are de ployed 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 page 110, fig. 120 . Not
maintaining 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 occupant.
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 countries also
when the child is facing the direction of travel) page 113, “Deactivating an
airbag”. If this is not done, there is a ri sk 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 deac-
tivated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply
with the appropriate national regulati ons 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 imme-
diate 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 wo rk (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 module
in the dash panel.
Side airbags*Description of side airbags
The side airbag increases protection of the passenger concerned in the
case of a side impact.The side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the seat backrests of the front seats.
The side airbag system in combination with the three-point seat belts, offers additional
protection for the upper area of the body (chest, stomach and pelvis) of the occupants
of the vehicle in the event of severe side collisions in “Important safety informa-
tion on the side airbag” on page 112.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts is to also
hold the driver and front pass enger in a correct seated position in the event of a side
collision so as to enable the side ai rbags 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 102, “Why seat
belts?”.
Fig. 121 Installation position of
side airbag in driver seat
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