28Seat belts
Incorrectly fastened seat belts
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause severe or even mortal
injuries.
Seat belts can provide optimal protection only if the belt web is
properly worn. The seat belts must be fastened exactly in the order
described in this chapter. An incorrect sitting position impairs sub-
stantially the protection a seat belt offers and can lead to severe or
fatal injuries. The risk of severe or fatal injuries is especially in-
creased when a deploying airbag strikes a vehicle occupant who
has assumed an incorrect sitting position. As the driver, you are re-
sponsible for yourself and all passengers, especially children.
Therefore:
– Never allow anyone to wear the seat belt incorrectly while the
vehicle is moving ⇒
.
WARNING
● An incorrectly worn seat belt increases the risk of severe injuries.
● Before every trip, instruct your passengers to adjust their seat belts
properly and to wear them for the whole journey.
● Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the
use of seat belts ⇒ page 23.
Seat belt tensioners*
Function of the seat belt tensioner
During a frontal collision, the seat belts on the front seats
are retracted automatically.
The seat belts for the occupants in the front seats are equipped with belt
tensioners. Sensors will trigger the belt tensioners during severe head-on,
lateral and rear collisions only if the seat belt is being worn. This retracts
and tightens the seat belts, reducing the forward motion of the occupants.
The seat belt tensioner can be triggered only once.
The belt tensioners will not be triggered in the event of light frontal and side
collisions, if the vehicle overturns, or in situations where no large forces act
on the front, side or rear of the vehicle.
Note
● If the seat belt tensioners are triggered, a fine dust is produced. This is
normal and it is not an indication of fire in the vehicle.
● The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the vehicle or
components of the system are scrapped. Specialised workshops are famili-
ar with these regulations, which are also available to you.
Service and disposal of belt tensioners
The belt tensioners are components of the seat belts that are installed in
the seats of your vehicle. If you work on the belt tensioners or remove and
install parts of the system when performing other repair work, the seat belt
may be damaged. The consequence may be that, in the event of an acci-
dent, the belt tensioners function incorrectly or not at all.
38Airbag 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 39, 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 control lamp on the dash panel ⇒ page 31
The airbag system operation is monitored electronically. The airbag control
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.
118Seats and storage
Head restraints
Correct adjustment of head restraints
Properly adjusted head restraints are an important part of
passenger protection and can reduce the risk of injuries in
most accident situations.
Fig. 71 Front view: head
restraints and seat belts
correctly adjusted
Fig. 72 Side view: head
restraints and seat belts
correctly adjusted
– Adjust the head restraint so that the top is at the same level as
the top of your head or as close as possible to the same level as
the top of your head, at least at eye level ⇒ Fig. 71 and
⇒ Fig. 72.
Adjusting the head restraints ⇒ page 119
WARNING
● Travelling with the head restraints removed or improperly adjusted
increases the risk of severe injuries.
● Improperly adjusted head restraints could lead to death in the event
of a collision or accident.
● Incorrectly adjusted head restraints also increase the risk of injury
during sudden or unexpected driving or braking manoeuvres.
● The head restraints must always be adjusted according to the height
of the passenger.
119
Seats and storage
Removing or adjusting head restraints
The head restraints can be adjusted by moving them up and
down.
Fig. 73 Adjusting and re-
moving the head re-
straints
Adjusting height (front seats)
– Press the button on the side and pull upwards to the desired
position.
– To lower the head restraint, press the button and push head re-
straint downwards.
– Make sure that it engages securely into position.
Adjusting height (rear seats)
– Press the button on the side and pull upwards to the desired
position.
– To lower the head restraint, press the button and push head re-
straint downwards. –
Make sure that the head restraint engages securely in one of its
positions ⇒ page 14.
Removing the head restraint
– Push the head restraint up as far as it will go.
– Press the button ⇒ Fig. 73 (arrow).
– Pull head restraint out of fitting without releasing the button.
Fitting the head restraint
– Insert the head restraint into the guides on the backrest.
– Push head restraint down.
– Adjust the head restraint to suit body size ⇒ page 13.
WARNING
● Never drive if the head restraints have been removed. Risk of injury.
● Never drive if the head restraints are in an unsuitable position, there
is a risk of serious injury.
● After refitting the head restraint, you must always adjust it properly
for height to achieve optimal protection.
● Please observe the safety warnings in ⇒ page 118, Correct adjust-
ment of head restraints.
Note
● To fit and remove the rear head restraints, gently tilt the seat backrest
forwards.
● When fitting the head restraints again, insert the tubes as far as possi-
ble into the guides without pressing the button.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
123
Seats and storage
Rear seats
Folding down rear seats
Fig. 77 Folding up the
rear seat cushion
Fig. 78 Button for un-
locking the rear backrest Folding seat down
–
Remove the head restraint ⇒ page 119.
– Pull the front edge of the seat cushion ⇒ Fig. 77 1
upwards in
the direction of the arrow.
– Lift the cushion 2
forwards in the direction of the arrow.
– Pull the release button ⇒ Fig. 78 in the direction of the arrow
and fold the backrest forwards.
– Insert the head restraints in the spaces on the rear of the seat
cushion which are visible when the seat cushion is lowered.
Folding seat forward
– Remove the head restraints from the spaces in the seat cush-
ion.
– Lift the backrest, before securing it, replace the head restraints
in the seat cushion, and then click the seat correctly onto the
locking rails.
– Once the backrest is locked, pull on the central seat belt or di-
rectly on the backrest to check that the backrest has properly
engaged in position.
– Check that the position lever is in neutral position.
– Lower the cushion and push it backwards below the seat belt
buckles.
– Press the front part of the cushion downwards.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
134Seats and storage
Applies to the model: IBIZA ST Luggage net*
The luggage net can be used to secure and retain light items
in the luggage compartment.
Fig. 98 Stretched lug-
gage net
Luggage net
– Secure the luggage net to the four fastening rings -arrows-
⇒ Fig. 98.
The luggage net can be attached to the fastening rings in the bottom of the
luggage compartment panel.
WARNING
The luggage net should only be used to hold objects weighing up to 5 kg.
Heavier objects cannot be safely secured (risk of injury).
Rear shelf
Fig. 99 Rear shelf
Removing the shelf
– Unhook the loops ⇒ Fig. 99 B
from housings A.
– Extract the cover from its slot, in its rest position and pull out-
wards.
WARNING
Do not place heavy or hard objects on the rear shelf, because they will
endanger the vehicle occupants in case of sudden braking.
CAUTION
● Before closing the rear lid, ensure that the rear shelf is correctly fitted.
● An overloaded luggage compartment could mean that the rear shelf is
not correctly seated and it may be bent or damaged.
● If the luggage compartment is overloaded, remove the tray.
135
Seats and storage
Note
● Ensure that, when placing items of clothing on the luggage compart-
ment cover, rear visibility is not reduced.
Applies to the model: IBIZA ST Rear shelf with storage compartment*
Fig. 100 Removing stor-
age compartment
Fig. 101 Accessing stor-
age compartment
To remove the storage compartment
– Remove the rear shelf and pull the storage compartment up-
wards holding it by the edges ⇒ Fig. 100.
The storage compartment can be accessed from the rear seats by lifting the
front side of the rear shelf ⇒ Fig. 101.
WARNING
Do not place heavy or hard objects on the rear shelf, because they will
endanger the vehicle occupants in case of sudden braking.
CAUTION
● Before closing the rear lid, ensure that the rear shelf is correctly fitted.
● An overloaded luggage compartment could mean that the rear shelf is
not correctly seated and it may be bent or damaged.
● If the luggage compartment is overloaded, remove the tray.
● The load in the storage compartment should not exceed 3 kg.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications