49
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
WARNING (Continued)
● Keep your back straight and resting completely against the backrest
and the front seats correctly adjusted. Never place any part of your body
in the area of the airbag or very close to it.
● If passengers on the rear seats are not sitting in an upright position,
the risk of severe injury due to incorrect positioning of the belt web in-
creases.
WARNING
Incorrect seat adjustment may lead to accidents and severe injuries.
● Only adjust the seats when the vehicle is stationary, as the seats
could move unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion and you could
lose control of the vehicle. Furthermore, an incorrect position is adopted
when adjusting the seat.
● Only adjust the height, backrest and forwards or backwards position
of the seat when there is nobody in the seat adjustment area.
● There must be no objects blocking the front seat adjustment area.
Danger of injuries due to an incorrect sitting position
If the seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at all, the risk of severe or fatal
injuries increases. Seat belts can provide optimal protection only if the belt
web is properly worn. The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the belt
web is not positioned correctly. This could result in severe and even fatal in-
juries. The risk of severe or fatal injuries is especially increased when a de-
ploying airbag strikes an occupant who has assumed an incorrect sitting
position. The driver is responsible for all passengers in the vehicle, particu-
larly children.
The following list shows just some examples of incorrect sitting positions
which can be dangerous to all occupants. When the vehicle is in motion:
●
Never stand in the vehicle.
● Never stand on the seats.
● Never kneel on the seats.
● Never tilt your backrest too far to the rear.
● Never lean against the dash panel.
● Never lie on the rear seats.
● Never sit on the front edge of a seat.
● Never sit sideways.
● Never lean out of a window.
● Never put your feet out of a window.
● Never put your feet on the dash panel.
● Never put your feet on the surface of a seat or backrest.
● Never travel in a footwell.
● Never travel on a seat without wearing the seat belt.
● Never carry any person in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Every incorrect sitting position increases the risk of severe or fatal inju-
ries in the event of accidents or sudden braking or manoeuvres.
● All vehicle occupants must assume the proper sitting position and be
properly belted in while travelling.
● Occupants in incorrect sitting positions, not wearing their seat belt or
too close to the airbag run the risk of suffering severe or fatal injuries,
particularly if the airbag deploys and hits an occupant sitting in an incor-
rect position.
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50Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Correct sitting position
Fig. 28 The proper dis-
tance between driver and
steering wheel
Fig. 29 Correct seat belt
web and head restraint
positions
The correct sitting positions for the driver and passengers are shown below.
If your physical constitution prevents you from maintaining the correct sit-
ting position, contact a Specialised workshop for help with any special devi-
ces. The seat belt and airbag can only provide optimum protection if a cor- rect sitting position is adopted. SEAT recommends visiting a Technical Serv-
ice.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent or sudden braking or manoeuvre, SEAT recommend the following posi-
tions:
Valid for the driver:
●
Adjust the backrest to an upright position so that your back rests com-
pletely against it.
● Adjust the seat so that there is a distance of at least 25 cm between the
steering wheel and your chest ⇒ Fig. 28 and so that you can hold the steer-
ing wheel with both hands on the outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3
o'clock positions with your arms slightly bent.
● The adjusted steering wheel must face your chest and not your face.
● Adjust the driver seat forwards or backwards so that you are able to
press the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals to the floor with your knees
slightly angled and the distance between your knees and the dash panel is
at least 10 cm ⇒ Fig. 28.
● Adjust the height of the driver seat so that you can easily reach the top
of the steering wheel.
● Keep both feet in the footwell so that you have the vehicle under control
at all times.
● Adjust and fasten your seat belt correctly ⇒ page 57.
Valid for the passenger:
● Adjust the backrest to an upright position so that your back rests com-
pletely against it.
● Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible for optimum pro-
tection should the airbag deploy.
● Always keep your feet in the footwell while the vehicle is in motion.
● Adjust and fasten your seat belt correctly ⇒ page 57.
53
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Removing and installing the rear head restraints
Fig. 32 Removing the
rear head restraint
The rear seats are equipped with a head restraint.
Removing the rear head restraint.
● Unlock the rear seat bench backrest and fold it forward ⇒ page 100.
● Push the head restraint up as far as it will go ⇒
.
● Pull the head restraint out of the fitting without releasing the button
⇒ Fig. 32 1
.
● Fold the backrest of the rear seat bench backwards until it is engaged.
● Safely store the removed head restraints.
Removing the rear head restraint.
● Unlock the rear seat bench backrest and fold it forward ⇒ page 100.
● Correctly insert the head restraint into the guides on the backrest.
● Push the head restraint down as far as it will go while pressing button
1
.
● Fold the backrest of the rear seat bench backwards until it is engaged.
● Adjust the head restraint to the correct position ⇒ page 52.
WARNING
Travelling with the head restraints removed or improperly adjusted in-
creases the risk of severe or fatal injuries in the event of accidents and
sudden braking or manoeuvres.
● Always fit and adjust the head restraint properly whenever a person
is occupying a seat.
● Refit any removed head restraints immediately so that passengers
are properly protected.
CAUTION
On removing and fitting the head restraint, make sure the head restraint
does not hit the interior roof of the vehicle or the backrest of the front seat.
This could damage the interior roof and other parts of the vehicle.
Adjusting the steering wheel position
Fig. 33 Mechanical
steering wheel adjust-
ment
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54Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Adjust the steering wheel before your trip and only when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
● Push the lever ⇒ Fig. 33 1
downwards.
● Adjust the steering wheel so that you can hold onto the steering wheel
with both hands on the outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock
positions and your arms slightly bent.
● Push the lever firmly upwards until it is flush to the steering column
⇒
.
Adjust the correct distance between the driver and the steering wheel
⇒ Fig. 28 using the controls on the driver seat ⇒ page 51.
WARNING
Incorrect use of the steering wheel adjustment function and an incorrect
adjustment of the steering wheel can result in severe or fatal injury.
● After adjusting the steering column, push the lever ⇒ Fig. 33 1
firm-
ly upwards to ensure the steering wheel does not accidentally change po-
sition while driving.
● Never adjust the steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion. If you
need to adjust the steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion, stop
safely and make the proper adjustment.
● The adjusted steering wheel should be facing your chest and not your
face so as not to hinder the driver's frontal airbag protection in the event
of an accident.
● When driving, always hold the steering wheel with both hands on the
outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to reduce inju-
ries when the driver's frontal airbag deploys.
● Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or in any oth-
er manner (e.g. in the centre of the steering wheel). In such cases, if the
driver's airbag deploys, you may sustain injuries to your arms, hands and
head.
65
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Note
If your physical constitution prevents you from maintaining the correct posi-
tion of the belt webbing, contact a Specialised workshop for help with any
special devices to ensure the optimum protection of the seat belt and air-
bag. SEAT recommends visiting a Technical Service.
Automatic belt retainer, belt tension device, belt tension
limiter
Seat belts are part of the vehicle safety concept ⇒ page 67 and consist of
the following important functions:
Automatic belt retainer
Every seat belt is equipped with an automatic belt retainer on the shoulder
belt. If the belt is pulled slowly or during normal driving, the system allows
for total freedom of movement on the shoulder belt. However, during sud-
den braking, during travel in mountains or bends and during acceleration,
the automatic belt retainer on the seat belt is locked is pulled quickly.
Belt tension devices
The seat belts for the front occupants are equipped with belt tensioners.
Sensors will trigger the belt tension devices during severe head-on, lateral
and rear collisions and retract and tighten the seat belts. If the seat belt is
loose, it is retracted to reduce the forwards movement of occupants or
movement in the direction of the collision. The belt tension device works in
combination with the airbag system. The belt tension device will not be trig-
gered in the event of the vehicle overturning if the side airbags are not de-
ployed.
If the belt tension device is triggered, a fine dust is produced. This is normal
and it is not an indication of fire in the vehicle. Belt tension limiter
The belt tension limiter reduces the force of the seat belt on the body in the
event of an accident.
Note
The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the vehicle or
components of the system are scrapped. These requirements are known to
specialised workshops ⇒ page 65.
Service and disposal of belt tension devices
If you work on the belt tension devices or remove and install other parts of
the vehicle when performing other repair work, the seat belt may be dam-
aged. The consequence may be that, in the event of an accident, the belt
tension devices function incorrectly or not at all.
Observe regulations so that the effectiveness of the belt tension device is
not reduced and that removed parts do not cause any injuries or environ-
mental pollution. These requirements are known to qualified dealerships.
WARNING
Improper handling and home-made repairs of seat belts, automatic belt
retainers and tension devices increase the risk of sustaining severe or fa-
tal injuries. The belt tension device may fail to trigger or may trigger in
the wrong circumstances.
● Never attempt to repair, adjust or remove or install parts of the belt
tension devices or seat belts. Any work must be performed by a special-
ised workshop only ⇒ page 222.
● Do not repair belt tension devices and automatic belt retainers. Re-
place them.
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Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
When the front airbags are triggered they fill the zones marked in
red ⇒ Fig. 47 and ⇒ Fig. 48 (radius of action). Therefore, objects should
never be placed or mounted in these areas ⇒
. Factory-fitted accessories
are outside the range of the front airbag for the driver and the front passen-
ger, e.g. the baseplate for the mobile telephone support.
The airbag covers fold out of the steering wheel ⇒ Fig. 47 or dash panel
⇒ Fig. 48 when the driver and front passenger airbags are triggered. The air-
bag covers remain connected to the steering wheel or the dash panel.
WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in fractions of a second.
● Always keep the deployment areas of the front airbags vacant.
● Never secure objects to the covers or in the deployment area of the
airbag modules, e.g. drink holders or phone supports.
● The deployment space between the front passengers and the airbags
must not in any case be occupied by other passenger, pets and objects.
● Never fix any object to the windscreen above the front airbag on the
front passenger side.
● Do not alter, cover or stick anything to the steering wheel hub or the
surface of the airbag module on the passenger side of the dash panel.
WARNING
Front airbags are deployed in front of the steering wheel ⇒ Fig. 47 and
the dash panel ⇒ Fig. 48.
● When driving, always hold the steering wheel on the outer edge of
the ring with both hands: 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position.
WARNING (Continued)
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is a distance of at least
25 cm(10 inches) between the centre of your chest and the hub of the
steering wheel. If you physical constitution prevents you from meeting
these requirements, make sure you contact a Specialised workshop.
● Adjust the front passenger seat so there is as much distance as possi-
ble between the front passenger and the dash panel.
Deactivating and activating the front passenger airbag
using the key switch
Fig. 49 On front passen-
ger side: key switch for
disabling and enabling
the front passenger air-
bag
Disable the front passenger airbag when a rear-facing child seat is moun-
ted.
Deactivating the front passenger airbag
● Switch the ignition off.
● Open the door on the front passenger side.
● Unfold the key shaft ⇒ page 28.
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Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
● Make sure the seat belt is not twisted.
● Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat and push it
down until it is securely locked with an audible click.
● Ensure that the upper belt web lies tightly on the child seat.
● Pull the belt (it must be no longer possible to pull the lower belt web-
bing out).
Removing the child seat
The seat belt must not be unfastened until the vehicle has come to a stand-
still ⇒
.
● Press the red button on the buckle. The latch plate is released from the
buckle.
● Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls up easily and the trim will not
be damaged.
● Remove the child seat from the vehicle.
WARNING
Unbuckling the seat belt while the vehicle is in motion can cause severe
or fatal injuries in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
● The seat belt must not be unfastened until the vehicle has come to a
standstill.
Securing the child seat using the lower anchor points (ISOFIX, LATCH)
Fig. 53 On the vehicle
seat: Identification var-
iants of the anchor points
for the child seats Each seat of the rear seat bench has
two retainers named lower anchor
points.
Overview of ISOFIX installation
In compliance with the European directive ECE 16, The following table de-
tails the installation possibilities for ISOFIX child seats with the lower an-
chor points in each of the vehicle seats.
The allowed body weight for the child seat or information regarding size A
to G is indicated on the label on the child seat with certification “universal”
or “semi-universal”.
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Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Securing a child seat using a Top Tether retaining strap
Fig. 54 Example of an
upper retaining strap
connected.
● Observe the manufacturer's instructions when installing and removing
the child seat ⇒
.
● Unlock the seat backrest and fold it gently forward
⇒ page 55.
● Remove the head restraints situated behind the child seat and store
them safely in the vehicle ⇒ page 48.
● Guide the upper retaining strap from of the child seat back to the lug-
gage compartment, feeding it through the seat backrest and the rear shelf.
● Fold back the seat backrest and push it firmly into the lock.
● Secure the child seat to the lower anchor points
⇒ page 81
● Hook the upper retaining strap in the luggage compartment, to the cor-
responding retaining ring ⇒ Fig. 54.
● Tighten the strap so that the top of the child seat rests on the backrest.
WARNING
Child seats with lower anchor points and with an upper retaining strap
must be installed in line with the manufacturer's instructions. Failure to
comply could result in severe injuries.
● Always secure just one retaining strap to a child seat with the lug-
gage compartment retaining ring.
● Always use the correct retaining rings for the retaining strap.
● Never secure the retaining strap to a retainer.
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