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
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical Data
55
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Seat functions Introduction
Additional information and warnings:
● Adjust the seat position ⇒ page 48
● Seat belts ⇒ page 57
● Airbag system ⇒ page 67
● Child seats (accessories) ⇒ page 76
● Exterior mirrors ⇒ page 95
WARNING
Inappropriate use of the seat functions can cause severe injuries.
● Assume the proper sitting position before your trip and remain in it
throughout. This also applies to the other occupants.
● Keep hands, fingers, feet and other limbs away from the seat operat-
ing and adjustment radius.
Seat heating*
Fig. 34 In the centre
console: Front seats
heating switch
The front seat cushions can be heated electrically when the ignition is
switched on.
Switch off seat heating if there is nobody in the seat.
FunctionAction ⇒ Fig. 34To switch on:Press button . Seat heating is switched on fully.
All warning signals light up.
Adjusting the heating
output:Press the button again to adjust the desired
heat.
To switch off:Keep pressing button until all of the lights are
switched off.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical Data
57
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Seat belts
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 Specialised
workshop ⇒
. The Specialised workshop must use the appropriate spare
parts corresponding to the vehicle, the equipment and the model year. SEAT
recommends visiting a Technical Service.
Additional information and warnings:
● Adjust the seat position ⇒ page 48
● Airbag system ⇒ page 67
● Child seats (accessories) ⇒ page 76
● Accessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 222
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 fas-
tened and used correctly.
● Seats belts are the most effective ways of reducing the risk of sus-
taining severe or fatal injuries In the event of an accident. Correctly fas-
ten seat belts when the vehicle is in motion to protect the driver and all
vehicle occupants.
● Before each trip, every occupant in the vehicle occupants must sit
properly, 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.
WARNING (Continued)
● When 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 ⇒ page 76.
● Instruct your passengers to fasten their seat belts properly before
driving off.
● Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat and en-
sure it is engaged. Using the latch plate in the buckle of another seat will
not protect you properly and may cause severe injuries.
● Do not allow liquids or foreign bodies to enter the buckle fastenings.
This could damage the buckles and seat belts.
● Never unbuckle your seat belt when the vehicle is moving.
● Never allow more than one passenger to share the same seat belt.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap sharing the same seat belt.
● Loose, bulky clothing (such as a jacket) impairs the proper fit and
function of the seat belt.
WARNING
It is extremely dangerous to drive using damaged seat belts and could re-
sult in serious injury or loss of life.
● Avoid damaging the seat belt by jamming it in the door or the seat
mechanism.
● If 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.
● Always 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 Specialised
workshop. Renewal may be necessary even if there is no apparent dam-
age. The belt anchor points should also be checked.
● Never attempt to repair, modify or remove a seat belt yourself. All re-
pairs to seat belts, retractors and buckles must be carried out by a Speci-
alised workshop.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical Data
59
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
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 0.0 / SET
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. An audible
warning will also be heard if the vehicle is travelling at over 25 km/h
(15 mph).
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.
Frontal collisions and the laws of physics
Fig. 37 Vehicle about to
hit a wall: the occupants
are not wearing seat
belts
Fig. 38 The vehicle hits
the wall: the occupants
are not wearing seat
belts
It is easy to explain how the laws of physics work in the case of a head-on
collision: when a vehicle starts moving ⇒ Fig. 37, 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 (15 mph) to 50 km/h (30 mph), for example,
the kinetic energy is multiplied 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.
Vehicle occupants 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 vehicle occupants' kinetic energy has to be absorbed at
the point of impact ⇒ Fig. 38.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical Data
61
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
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 seat
passengers who do not use seat belts endanger not only themselves but al-
so the driver and other occupants ⇒ Fig. 40.
Seat belt protection
Fig. 41 Drivers with
properly worn seat belts
will not be thrown for-
ward in the event of sud-
den braking
Wearing a correctly fastened seat belt can significantly change the situa-
tion. Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the correct sit-
ting positions 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 vehicle ⇒ Fig. 41.
Vehicle occupants 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.
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
countries.
Although your vehicle is equipped with airbags, fasten and wear the seat
belts. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some frontal acci-
dents. 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 vehicle
occupants have fastened their seat belts properly before you drive off!
Using seat belts
Checklist
Use of the seat belt ⇒
:
¥ Check the condition of all the seat belts at regular intervals.
¥ Keep the seat belts clean.
¥ Keep the seat belt web, the latch plate and the buckle free of foreign
bodies and liquids.
¥ Do not jam or damage the seat belt or the latch plate when closing
the door, for example.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical Data
63
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Fastening the seat belt
Fasten your seat belt before each trip.
● Correctly adjust the front seat ⇒ page 48.
● Engage the seat backrest in the upright position and correctly adjust the
hear restraint ⇒
.
● Pull the latch plate and place the belt webbing evenly across your chest
and lap. Do not twist the seat belt when doing so ⇒
.
● Engage the latch plate in the buckle of the corresponding seat ⇒ Fig. 42.
● Pull 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 stand-
still ⇒
. ●
Press the red button on the buckle ⇒ Fig. 43. 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.
WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe or fatal injuries in the
event of an accident.
● The 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.
● Unbuckling your seat belt while the vehicle is in motion can cause se-
vere or fatal injuries in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
Seat belt position
Fig. 44 Correct seat belt position
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical Data
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.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical Data
67
Ensuring you are correctly and safely seated
Airbag system Introduction
Front airbags have been installed for both driver and passenger. The front
airbags can also protect the chest and head of driver and passenger if the
seats, seat belts head restraints and, for the driver, the steering wheel are
correctly adjusted and used. Airbags are considered as additional safety
equipment. An airbag cannot replace the safety belt, which must be worn at
all times, even in front seats where front airbags have been installed.
Additional information and warnings:
● Driving tips ⇒ page 25
● Correct sitting position ⇒ page 48
● Seat belts ⇒ page 57
● Child seats (accessories) ⇒ page 76
● Care and cleaning of the vehicle interior ⇒ page 205
● Accessories, parts replacement, repairs and modifications ⇒ page 222
● Notes for the user ⇒ page 233
WARNING
Never exclusively trust the airbag system as a means of protection.
● Even when triggered, airbag protection is only auxiliary.
● The airbags provide the best protection when the seat belts are prop-
erly fastened, thus reducing the risk of sustaining injuries ⇒ page 57,
Seat belts.
● Before each trip, every occupant must sit properly, correctly fasten
the seat belt belonging to his or her seat and keeping it fastened
throughout the trip. This rule is valid for all occupants.
WARNING
Occupants sitting in the front of the vehicle must never carry any objects
in the deployment space between them and the airbags, as this increa-
ses the risk of sustaining injuries if the airbag is triggered. This modifies
the airbag deployment space or the objects may fly uncontrollably and
hit your body.
● Never carry objects in your hand or on your lap while the vehicle is in
motion.
● Never transport objects on the front passenger seat. In the event of
sudden braking and manoeuvres, the objects may end up in the airbag
deployment space and fly uncontrollably around the interior if the airbag
is activated.
● Occupants of the front and rear seats must never carry any other peo-
ple, pets or objects in the deployment space between them and the air-
bags. Make sure children and other passengers also respect this recom-
mendation.
WARNING
The airbag system provides protection for one accident only. If they have
been deployed, replace them.
● Ensure deployed airbags and the system components involved are im-
mediately replaced with new, SEAT-approved components for the vehicle.
● Have any repairs or modifications carried out at a Specialised work-
shop. Specialised workshops have the necessary tools, diagnostics
equipment, repair information and qualified personnel.
● Never fit recycled or reused airbag components in your vehicle.
● Never modify the airbag system components.
Vehicle diagramPrior to a journey...While drivingCare, cleaning and mainte-
nanceIf and whenTechnical Data