WARNING (Continued)
■ The seat belts for the rear seats can only fulfil their function reliably when
the seat backrests are correctly locked into position » page 71.
■ The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may im-
pair proper operation of the inertia reel » page 173, Seat belts .
■ The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not attempt
to repair the seat belts yourself.
■ Check the condition of all the seat belts on a regular basis. If any damage to
the seat belts, seat belt tongue, inertia reel or the lock is detected, the rele-
vant seat belt must be replaced by a
ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident and
were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a
ŠKODA
specialist garage. The anchorage points for the belts should also be checked. Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when using seat belts. ÐThe physical principle of a frontal collision
Fig. 137
Driver without a fastened seat belt/rear seat passenger without a
fastened seat belt
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 144.
The physical principle of a frontal collision can be explained quite simply.
ä 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 en-
ergy depends essentially on the speed at which the vehicle is travelling and on
the weight of the vehicle including 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 longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed of 30
km/h to 50 km/h, the forces that your body
is exposed to in the event of an accident can exceed a tonne (1 000 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants 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, dash panel or windscreen » Fig. 137 - . In certain circum-
stances you could even be thrown out of the vehicle, which could cause life
threatening or even 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 uncontrolled manner in the event
of an accident A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a dan-
ger not only to himself but also for those seated at the front » Fig. 137 - . Ð
145
Seat belts
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
Fig. 138
Fastening/unfastening the seat beltFig. 139
Routing of belt webbing over the shoulders and the lap belt/Rout-
ing of belt webbing for an expectant mother
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 144.
Fasten
›
Correctly adjust the front seat and head restraint before fastening the seat
belt » page 70 .
› Use the lock tongue to slowly pull the webbing over your chest and pelvis.
› Insert the lock tongue into the belt buckle
» Fig. 138 - that is part of the seat
until it clicks into place.
› Pull on the belt to check that it has engaged correctly in the lock.
A plastic knob in the belt webbing holds the belt tongue in a position which is
easy to get hold of.
ä It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed to ensure seat belts offer
the maximum protection. The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run
across the neck but must roughly run over the middle of the shoulder and fit
snugly against the chest. The lap part of the belt must run across the pelvis, must
not be positioned across the stomach and must always fit snugly
» Fig. 139 - .
Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way of en-
suring optimal protection for the unborn child. On expectant mothers, the lap part
of the belt must be positioned as low as possible on the pelvis to avoid exerting
any pressure on the lower abdomen » Fig. 139 - .
Release
Release the seat belt only when the vehicle is stationary.
› Press the red button in the belt buckle
» Fig. 138 - , the lock tongue pops out.
› Manually guide the belt back so that it is easier to fully roll up the webbing, the
seat belt does not twist.
Belt inertia reel
Each seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel. This inertia reel offers you com-
plete freedom of movement if the belt is unreeled slowly. If the brakes are ap-
plied suddenly, the inertia reel will block. The belts also block when the car accel-
erates, when driving downhill and when cornering. CAUTION
When releasing the seatbelt ensure that the tongue of the lock does not damage
the door trim or other parts of the interior. Ð
146 Safety
Seat belt height adjuster on the front seats
Fig. 140
Front seat: Seat belt height ad-
juster
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 144.
The seat belt height adjuster makes it possible to adjust the routing of the front
seat belts in the area of the shoulder to the body size.
›
Press the height adjuster and move up or down in the desired direc-
tion » Fig. 140.
› Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has cor-
rectly locked in place. ÐBelt tensioners
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 144.
The safety for the driver, front passenger and passengers on the outer rear seats
who are wearing their seat belts
, is enhanced by the belt tensioners fitted to the
inertia reels on the front and rear external three-point seat belts.
The three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned 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 fastened three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a
frontal or side collision of a certain severity.
Belt tensioners are not activated in the event of minor frontal collisions, side and
rear-end collisions, in the case of a rollover and also not in accidents in which no
major forces are produced from the front.
ä
ä WARNING
■ Any work on the belt tensioner system including removal and installation of
system components because of other repair work, must only be carried out by
a
ŠKODA 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. Note
■ Smoke is generated when the belt tensioners are deployed. This is not an indi-
cation of a fire in the vehicle. ■ When disposing of the vehicle or parts of the belt tensioner system, it is impor-
tant to comply with national legal requirements.
ŠKODA Service Partners are fa-
miliar with these regulations and will be able to provide you with detailed infor-
mation. Ð 147
Seat belts
Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introductory information
The operational readiness of the airbag system is monitored electronically. The
airbag indicator light comes on for a few seconds each time the ignition is
switched on »
page 25.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed to offer additional
protection in the event of an accident.
The airbag system (according to vehicle equipment) consists of: › an electronic control unit;
› Front airbags for the driver and front seat passenger
» page 149;
› a driver’s knee airbag » page 150;
› side airbags » page 151;
› head airbags » page 152;
› an airbag indicator light in the instrument cluster
» page 25;
› a key switch for the front seat passenger airbag
» page 153;
› an indicator light in the middle of the dash panel to indicate the front seat pas-
senger airbag is switched off » page 153.
A fault in the airbag system exists if:
› the indicator light
does not illuminate when the ignition is switched on;
› the indicator light
does not go out 4 seconds after the ignition is switched
on;
› the indicator light
goes out and comes on again after the ignition is switched
on;
› the indicator light
comes on or flashes when driving;
› the indicator light in the middle of the dash panel for the deactivated front seat
passenger airbag flashes. WARNING
■ The airbag is not a substitute for the seat belt, but instead forms part of the
complete passive vehicle safety concept. Please note that an airbag can only
offer you optimal protection in combination with a seat belt which is fas-
tened.
■ To ensure passengers are protected with the greatest possible effect when
the airbag is deployed, the front seats must be correctly adjusted to match
the body size »
page 141, Correct seated position .
■ If you do not fasten the seat belts when driving, lean too far forward or
adopt an incorrect seated position, you are exposing yourself to increased risk
of injury in the event of an accident. ■ If there is a fault, have the airbag system checked immediately by a ŠKODA
specialist garage. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activated in
the event of an accident. ■ No modifications of any kind must be made to parts of the airbag system.
Any work on the airbag system including the installation and removal of sys-
tem components due to other repair work (e.g. removal of the steering wheel)
must only be carried out by a
ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ Never make any changes to the front bumper or bodywork.
■ It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system as this
might result in the airbag being deployed. ■ The protective function of the airbag system is sufficient for only one acci-
dent. The airbag system must then be replaced if the airbag has been de-
ployed.
■ The airbag system needs no maintenance during its working life.
■ If you sell your vehicle, provide the complete vehicle documentation to the
new owner. Please note that the information relating to the possibility of de-
activating the front passenger airbag must be included! ■ When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important to
comply with the national legal requirements. Ð When are the airbags deployed?
The airbag system is only functional when the ignition is switched on.
In certain accident situations, the several airbags may be deployed simultaneous-
ly.
The airbags are not deployed in the case of minor frontal and side collisions, rear-
end collisions, tilting of the vehicle and vehicle rollover. £
148 Safety
The airbag allows the gas to flow out of the inflated airbag in a controlled manner
(depending on the load of the particular car occupant) in order to cushion head
and chest areas. The airbag then deflates subsequently to such an extent, after
an accident, to again provide a clear view forward.
WARNING
■ For the driver and front passenger, it is important to maintain a distance of
at least 25 cm to the steering wheel or dashboard A
» Fig. 142. Not maintain-
ing 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.
■ The airbag develops enormous forces when triggered, which can lead to in-
juries if the sitting position or seated position is not correct.
■ There must not by any further persons, animals or objects positioned be-
tween the front seated occupants and the deployment area of the airbag. ■ Never transport children on the front seat of a vehicle without using a prop-
er restraint system. If airbags are deployed in the event of an accident, the
child might suffer severe or even fatal injuries!
■ It is essential to always switch off the front passenger airbag when attach-
ing a child safety seat to the front passenger seat where the child is seated
with its back facing in direction of travel » page 152, Deactivating airbags. If
this is not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal inju-
ries if the front passenger airbag is deployed. When transporting a child on
the front passenger seat, pay attention to any relevant national regulations
regarding the use of child safety seats.
■ The steering wheel and the surface of the airbag module in the dash panel
on the passenger side must not have stickers attached, be covered or modi-
fied in any other way. These parts should only be cleaned with a cloth that is
dry or has been moistened with water. No objects such as cup holders, mobile
phone mounts, etc. must be attached to the covers of the airbag modules or
be located within their immediate vicinity.
■ Never place objects on the surface of the front passenger airbag module in
the dash panel. Ð Driver’s knee airbag
Fig. 143
Driver's knee airbag below the
steering column
The driver's knee airbag offers adequate protection for the driver's legs.
The driver's knee airbag is located in the lower part of the dash panel below the
steering column » Fig. 143.
In the event of a severe frontal collision, the driver's knee airbag and the belt ten-
sioner are deployed.
The forward movement of the body is cushioned when it makes contact with the
fully inflated airbag and the risk of injury to the legs of the driver is thus reduced. WARNING
■ Adjust the driver's seat in a forward/back direction so that there is a gap of
at least 10 cm between the legs and the dash panel in the vicinity of the knee
airbag B
» Fig. 135 on page 142. If it is not possible to meet this requirement
due to your body size, visit a ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ The surface of the airbag module in the lower part of the dash panel below
the steering column not have stickers attached, be covered or modified in any
other way. This part should only be cleaned with a cloth that is dry or has
been moistened with water. No objects must be attached to the cover of the
airbag module or located within the immediate vicinity. ■ Do not attach any bulky and heavy objects (bunch of keys etc.) to the igni-
tion key. These can be ejected by the knee airbag when it is deployed and can
cause injuries. Ð
150 Safety
Side airbags
Fig. 144
Location of the side airbag in the driver's seat/gas-filled side air-
bags
In the event of severe side collisions, the side airbag system provides additional
protection for the upper body (chest, stomach and pelvis) of passengers in the ve-
hicle.
The front side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the seat backrests of the
front seats » Fig. 144 - .
The rear side airbags are located between the entrance area and the seat back-
rest.
When the side airbags » Fig. 144 - are deployed, the head airbag and belt ten-
sioner are also automatically deployed on the relevant side.
The load of the occupants is cushioned when plunging into the fully inflated air-
bag and the risk of injury to the entire upper body (chest, stomach and pelvis) is
reduced on the side facing the door. WARNING
■ Your head should never be positioned in the deployment area of the side
airbag. You might suffer severe injuries in the event of an accident. This ap-
plies in particular to children who are transported without using a suitable
child safety seat » page 155, Child safety and side airbag .
■ There must not be any further persons, animals as well as objects posi-
tioned between the occupants and the deployment area of the airbag. No ac-
cessories, such as cup holders, should be attached to the doors. WARNING (Continued)
■ If children adopt an incorrect seated position when travelling, they may be
exposed to an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident. This can re-
sult in serious injuries » page 154, Child seat.
■ The airbag control unit operates with pressure sensors located in the front
doors. For this reason no adjustments must be carried out to the doors and
door panels (e.g. additional installation of loudspeakers). Resulting damages
can have a negative affect on the operation of the airbag system. All work on
the front doors and their panels must only be carried out by a
ŠKODA special-
ist garage.
■ In the event of a side collision, the side airbags will not function properly, if
the sensors cannot measure the increasing air pressure inside the doors, be-
cause the air can escape through large, non-sealed openings in the door pan-
el. ■ Never drive with removed inner door panels.
■ Never drive, if parts of the inner door panel have been removed and the
remaining openings have not been properly sealed.
■ Never drive, if the loudspeakers in the doors have been removed, only if
the loudspeaker openings have been properly sealed.
■ Always make sure that the openings are covered or filled, if additional
loudspeakers or other equipment parts are installed in the inner door pan-
els.
■ Always have work completed by a
ŠKODA Service Partner or a competent
ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ Only hang light items of clothing on the hooks fitted in the vehicle. Never
leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of cloth-
ing.
■ Ensure that there are no excessive forces, such as violent knocks, kicks etc.,
impact on the backrests of the seats otherwise the system may be damaged.
The side airbags would not be deployed in such a case!
■ Any seat or protective covers which you fit to the driver or front passenger
seats must only be of the type expressly authorized by
ŠKODA. In view of the
fact that the airbag inflates out of the backrest of the seat, use of non-ap-
proved seat or protective covers would considerably impair the protective
function of the side airbag. ■ Any damage to the original seat covers in the area of the side airbag module
must be repaired without delay by your
ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ The airbag modules in the front seats must not display any damage, cracks
or deep scratches. It is not permissible to use force in order to open the mod-
ules. Ð
151
Airbag system
Head airbags
Fig. 145
Location of the head airbag/gas-filled head airbag
In the event of a severe side collision, the head airbag system offers additional
protection for the head and neck area of passengers.
The head airbags are positioned above the doors on both sides in the interior of
the car » Fig. 145 - .
In the event of a side collision the head airbag is deployed together with the rele-
vant side airbag and the belt tensioner on the side of the car on which the acci-
dent occurs.
When deployed, the airbags cover the side window and door pillar »
Fig. 145 - .
Any impact of the head against parts of the interior or objects outside of the car,
is cushioned by the inflated head airbag. The reduction in any impact to the head
and the resultant minimizing of any movements of the head additionally reduce
the risk of injuries to the neck area. The head airbag also offers additional protec-
tion in the case of an offset impact by covering the middle door pillar. WARNING
■ There must not be any objects in the deployment area of the head airbags
which might prevent the airbags from inflating properly.
■ Only hang light items of clothing on the hooks fitted in the vehicle. Never
leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets of the items of cloth-
ing. Additionally, clothes hangers must not be used to hang up items of cloth-
ing. WARNING (Continued)
■ The airbag control unit operates with sensors located in the front doors. For
this reason no adjustments must be carried out to the doors and door panels
(e.g. additional installation of loudspeakers). Resulting damages can have a
negative affect on the operation of the airbag system. All work on the front
doors and their panels must only be carried out by a
ŠKODA specialist garage.
■ There must no other persons (e.g. children) or animals between the passen-
ger and the deployment area of the head airbag. In addition, none of the occu-
pants should lean their head out of the window when driving, or extend their
arms and hands out of the window.
■ The sun visors must not be swivelled towards the side windows in the de-
ployment area of the head airbags if any objects, such as ball-point pens, etc.
are attached to them. This might result in injuries to the occupants if the head
airbag is deployed.
■ The installation of impermissible accessories in the vicinity of the head air-
bags can considerably impair the protection offered by the head airbag in the
event of it being deployed. When the deployed head airbag is inflated, parts of
the fitted accessories could be thrown into the interior of the car and injure
the occupants » page 194, Accessories, changes and replacement of parts .Ð Deactivating airbags
Deactivating airbags
Deactivation of airbags is envisaged only for particular instances, such as if:
› using a child seat on the front passenger seat, in which the child has its back to
the vehicle's direction of travel (in some countries this must be in the direction
of travel due to different legal regulations applying) » page 154, Transporting
children safely ;
› not being able to maintain a distance of at least 25 cm between the middle of
the steering wheel and chest, despite the driver's seat being correctly adjusted;
› special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because of a
physical disability;
› other seats have been installed (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
The front passenger airbag can be switched off with the key-operated
switch » Fig. 146 on page 153.
We recommend that you ask a
ŠKODA Service Partner to switch off any other air-
bags. £
152 Safety
Transporting children safely
Child seat
ä
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Use of a child seat on the front passenger seat 154
Child safety and side airbag 155
Classification of child seats 155
Suitability of child seats 156
Child seats with the ISOFIX system 156
Child seat with the TOP TETHER system 156
Children are generally safer on the rear seats than on the front passenger seat.
In contrast to adults, the muscles and bone structure of children are not yet fully
developed. Thus children are exposed to increased risk of injury.
Children should be transported in accordance with the relevant statutory provi-
sions.
Child seats that comply with the ECE-R
44 standard must be used. The ECE-R
Norm stands for: Economic Commission for Europe - Regulation.
Child seats that comply with the ECE-R 44 standard have a test seal that cannot
be removed: a large E within a circle with the test number below. WARNING
■ The national legal requirements must be observed when using child seats.
■ One should never carry children, and also not babies! - on one's lap.
■ Never leave children unattended in the vehicle. Certain outside climatic con-
ditions can cause life-threatening temperatures in the vehicle.
■ Under no circumstances allow children to be transported without the use of
a suitable restraint system. In the event of an accident the child will be
thrown through the vehicle and may as a result suffer fatal injuries, and also
injure other occupants. WARNING (Continued)
■ Children are exposed to an increased risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent if they lean forward or adopt an incorrect seated position when the vehi-
cle is moving. This particularly applies to children who are transported on the
front passenger seat as they can suffer severe, or even fatal injuries if the air-
bag system is deployed!
■ Pay particular attention to the information provided by the manufacturer of
the child safety seat regarding the correct routing of the belt. Seat belts
which are not correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in minor
accidents.
■ Safety belts must be checked to ensure that they are running properly. One
should also ensure that the belt is not damaged by sharp-edged fittings.
■ It is essential to switch off the front passenger airbag if using a child seat in
which the child is seated with its back facing the direction of travel on the
front passenger seat. Further information » page 154, Use of a child seat on
the front passenger seat. Note
We recommend that you use child seats from ŠKODA Original Accessories. These
child seats were developed and also tested for use in
ŠKODA vehicles. They fulfil
the ECE-R 44 standard. Ð Use of a child seat on the front passenger seat
Fig. 147
Sticker on the B column on the
front passenger side.
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 154.
For safety reasons, we recommend that you install child seats on the rear seats
whenever possible. £
ä
154 Safety