2011 Seat Ibiza 5D Owner's manual

31
Airbag system
Monitoring of airbag and belt tensioner system
Both the airbag and belt tensioner systems operation is constantly moni-
tored electronically. The warning lamp  will light up for a few seconds ev-
ery time the ignition is switched on (self-diagnosis).
The system must be checked when the warning lamp  :
● does not light up when the ignition is switched on,
● after the ignition is switched on, it turns off after 4 seconds,
● turns off and then lights up again after the ignition is switched on,
● lights up or flashes while the vehicle is moving.
In the event of a malfunction, the warning lamp remains on continuously.
Have the airbag system inspected immediately by a qualified workshop.
If any of the airbags are de-activated by the Authorised Service Centre, the
indicator lights for several seconds more after the verification and will turn
off if there is no fault.
WARNING
● If there is a malfunction, the airbag and belt tensioner system cannot
properly perform its protective function.
● If a malfunction occurred, have the system checked immediately by a
specialised workshop. Otherwise, in the event of an accident, the airbag
system and belt tensioners may not be triggered, or may not be triggered
correctly.

Repairs, maintenance and disposal of airbags
The parts of the airbag system are installed in various places in your vehi-
cle. If work is carried out on the airbag system or parts have to be removed
and fitted on the system when performing other repair work, parts of the air- bag system may be damaged. In the event of an accident this could cause
the airbag to inflate incorrectly or not inflate at all.
The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the vehicle or
components of the airbag are
scrapped. Specialised workshops and vehicle
disposal centres are familiar with these requirements.
WARNING
● If repairs are not carried out by a professional, or if the airbags are
used incorrectly, the risk of severe or fatal injuries is increased. The air-
bags may fail to inflate, or could inflate in the wrong circumstances.
● Do not cover or stick anything on the steering wheel hub or the sur-
face of the airbag unit on the passenger side of the dash panel, and do
not obstruct or modify them in any way.
● It is important not to attach any objects such as cup holders or tele-
phone mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units.
● To clean the steering wheel or dash panel, you may use only a dry or a
water-moistened cloth. Never clean the dash panel and the airbag mod-
ule surface with cleaners containing solvents. Solvents cause the surface
to become porous. If the airbag triggered, plastic parts could become de-
tached and cause injuries.
● Never attempt to repair, adjust, remove or install parts of the airbag
system.
● Any work on the airbag system or removal and installation of the air-
bag components for other repairs (such as repairs to the steering wheel)
should be performed only by a specialised workshop. Specialised work-
shops have the necessary tools, repair information and qualified person-
nel.
● We strongly recommend you to go to a specialised workshop for all
work on the airbag system.
● Never attempt to alter the front bumper or the body.
● The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them
once they have deployed. 
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32Airbag system
For the sake of the environment
The airbags, which are a special type of waste, must be disposed of through
an authorised service, because they contain pyrotechnic elements. 

33
Airbag system
Front airbags
Description of front airbags
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.
Fig. 16 Driver airbag lo-
cated in steering wheel
Fig. 17 Front passenger
airbag located in dash
panel The front airbag for the driver is located in the steering wheel
⇒ fig. 16 and
the airbag for the front passenger is located in the dash panel ⇒ fig. 17. Air-
bags are identified by the word “AIRBAG”.
In conjunction with the seat belts, the front airbag system gives the front
occupants additional protection for the head and chest in the event of a se-
vere frontal collision ⇒ page 36, Safety notes on the front airbag system.
In addition to their normal function of restraining the occupants, the seat
belts also hold the driver and front passenger in a position where the air-
bags can provide maximum protection in a frontal collision.
The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts, but it is an integral part
of the vehicle's overall passive safety system. Please bear in mind that the
airbag system can only work effectively when the occupants are wearing
their seat belts correctly and have adjusted the head restraints properly. For
this reason, it is most important to wear the seat belts at all times, not only
because this is required by law in most countries, but also as a contribution
to your own safety
The main parts of the front airbag system are:
● an electronic control and monitoring system (control unit)
● the two front airbags (airbag with gas generator) for the driver and front
passenger,
● a warning lamp  on the instrument panel ⇒ page 30
The airbag system operation is monitored electronically. The airbag warning
lamp will light up for a few seconds every time the ignition is switched on
(self-diagnosis).
There is a fault in the system if the warning lamp :
● does not light up when the ignition is switched on ⇒ page 30
● after the ignition is switched on, it turns off after 4 seconds,
● turns off and then lights up again after the ignition is switched on,
● lights up or flashes while the vehicle is moving. 
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34Airbag system
The front airbag system will not be triggered if:
● the ignition is switched off
● there is a minor frontal collision,
● there is a side collision,
● there is a rear-end collision
● the vehicle turns over
WARNING
● The seat belts and airbags can only provide maximum protection if
the occupants are seated correctly ⇒ page 10, Proper sitting position for
occupants.
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system, have the system checked
immediately by a specialised workshop. Otherwise, during a frontal colli-
sion the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly.
 Operation of front airbags
Inflated airbags reduce the risk of head or chest injury.
Fig. 18 Inflated front air-
bags
The airbag system is designed so that the airbags for the driver and front
passenger are triggered in a severe frontal collision.
In certain types of accident the front and side airbags may be triggered to-
gether.
When the system is triggered, the airbags fill with a propellant gas and de-
ploy in front of the driver and front passenger ⇒ fig. 18. The fully deployed
airbags cushion the forward movement of the front occupants and help to
reduce the risk of injury to the head and the upper part of the body.
The special design of the airbag allows the controlled escape of the propel-
lant gas when an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus, the head and
chest are surrounded and protected by the airbag. After the collision, the
airbag deflates sufficiently to allow visibility.
The airbags deploy extremely rapidly, within thousandths of a second, to
provide additional protection in the event of an accident. A fine dust may 

35
Airbag system
develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal and it is not an indication
of fire in the vehicle. 
Airbag covers when the frontal airbags are triggered
Fig. 19 Airbag covers reacting when the front airbags
are triggered
The airbag covers fold out of the steering wheel or dash panel when the
driver and front passenger airbags are triggered ⇒ fig. 19. The airbag covers
remain connected to the steering wheel or the dash panel. 
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36Airbag system
Safety notes on the front airbag system
If you use airbags correctly, they can considerably reduce
the risk of injury in many kinds of accident.
WARNING
● It is important for the driver and front passenger to keep a distance of
at least 25 cm from the steering wheel and dash panel. If the minimum
distance is not observed, the airbags do not correctly protect the vehicle
occupants; risk of fatal injuries! In addition, the front seats and head re-
straints must always be positioned correctly for the height of the occu-
pant.
● If you are not wearing a seat belt, if you lean forward or to the side
while travelling or assume an incorrect sitting position, there is a sub-
stantially increased risk of injury. This increased risk of injury will be fur-
ther increased if you are struck by an inflating airbag.
● Never let a child travel on the front seat without an appropriate re-
straint system. If the airbag is triggered in an accident, children can sus-
tain serious or fatal injuries from the airbag as it inflates ⇒ page 42,
Child safety.
● The deployment space between the front passengers and the airbags
must not in any case be occupied by other passenger, pets and objects.
● The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them
once they have deployed.
● It is also important not to attach any objects such as cup holders or
telephone mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units.
● Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any
way.


37
Airbag system
Side airbags Description of side airbags
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.
Fig. 20 Side airbag in
driver seat
The side airbags are located in the driver seat and front passenger seat
backrests ⇒ fig. 20. The locations are identified by the text “AIRBAG” in the
upper region of the backrests.
Together with the seat belts, the side airbag system gives the front seat oc-
cupants additional protection for the upper body in the event of a severe
side collision ⇒ page 38, Safety notes on the operation of the side airbag system.
In a side collision, the side airbags reduce the risk of injury to passengers
on the front seats to the areas of the body facing the impact. In addition to
their normal function of protecting the occupants in a collision, the seat
belts also hold the passengers on the front seats in a position where the
side airbags can provide maximum protection. The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts, but it is an integral part
of the vehicle's overall passive safety system. Please bear in mind that the
airbag system can only work effectively when the occupants are wearing
their seat belts. For this reason, it is most important to wear the seat belts
at all times, not only because this is required by law in most countries, but
also as a contribution to your own safety
The side airbag system will not be triggered if:
●
the ignition is switched off
● there is a minor side collision
● there is a frontal collision
● there is a rear-end collision
● the vehicle turns over
The main parts of the airbag system are:
● an electronic control and monitoring system (control unit)
● the side airbags in the sides of the backrests of the front seats,
● a warning lamp  on the instrument panel ⇒ page 30
The airbag system operation is monitored electronically. The airbag warning
lamp will light up for approx. 4 seconds every time the ignition is switched
on (self-diagnosis).
WARNING
● Never drive the vehicle if the interior panels have been removed.
● Never drive if the interior door panels have been removed or if the
panels have not been correctly fitted.
● Never drive the vehicle if the loudspeakers in the door panels have
been removed, unless the holes left by the loudspeakers have been cor-
rectly closed. 
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38Airbag system
WARNING (Continued)
● Always check that the openings are closed or covered if loudspeakers
or other equipment are fitted in the interior door panels.
● Any work carried out to the doors should be made in a specialised
workshop.
● The seat belts and airbags can only provide maximum protection if
the occupants are seated correctly ⇒ page 10, Proper sitting position for
occupants.
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system, have the system checked
immediately by a specialised workshop. Otherwise, during a side colli-
sion, the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly.

Operation of side airbags
Inflated airbags can reduce the risk of head or chest injury
in a side impact collision. In some side collisions the side airbag is triggered on the impact side of the
vehicle.
In certain types of accident the front and side airbags may be triggered to-
gether.
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas.
The airbags deploy extremely rapidly, within thousandths of a second, to
provide additional protection in the event of an accident. A fine dust may
develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal and it is not an indication
of fire in the vehicle.
The fully deployed airbags cushion the movement of the occupants of the
front seats and help to reduce the risk of injury to the upper body. The special design of the airbag allows the controlled escape of the propel-
lant gas when an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus, the head and
chest are surrounded and protected by the airbag.

Safety notes on the operation of the side airbag system
If airbags are used correctly, they can considerably reduce
the risk of injury in side impact collisions.
WARNING
● If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean forward, or are not seated
correctly while the vehicle is in motion, you are at a greater risk of injury
if the side airbag system is triggered in an accident.
● In order for the side airbags to provide their maximum protection, the
prescribed sitting position must always be maintained with seat belts
fastened while travelling.
● Occupants of the outer seats must never carry any objects or pets in
the deployment space between them and the airbags, or allow children
or other passengers to travel in this position. It is also important not to
attach any accessories (such as cup holders) to the doors. This would im-
pair the protection offered by the side airbags.
● The built-in coat hooks should be used only for lightweight clothing.
Do not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
● Great forces, such as hard blows or kicks, must not be exerted upon
the backrest bolster because the system may be damaged. In this case,
the side airbags would not be triggered. 