2013 Seat Toledo airbag

18Safe driving
–Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
– Place heavy objects as far forward as possible in the luggage
compartment.
– Place the heavy objects first.
– Secure heavy objects to the fastening rings ⇒ page 18.
WARNING
● Loose luggage and other objects in the luggage compartment could
cause serious injuries.
● Always stow objects in the luggage compartment and secure them on
the fastening rings.
● Use suitable straps to secure heavy objects.
● During sudden manoeuvres or accidents, loose objects can be thrown
forward, injuring vehicle occupants or passers-by. This increased risk of
injury will be further increased if a loose object is struck by an inflating
airbag. If this happens, objects can be transformed into “missiles”. Risk
of fatal injury.
● Please note that the centre of gravity may shift when transporting
heavy objects; this may affect vehicle handling and lead to an accident.
Therefore, it is essential to adjust your speed and driving style accord-
ingly, to avoid accidents.
● Never exceed the allowed axle weights or allowed maximum weight.
If the allowed axle load or the allowed total weight is exceeded, the driv-
ing characteristics of the vehicle may change, leading to accidents, inju-
ries and damage to the vehicle.
● Never leave your vehicle unattended, especially when the rear lid is
open. Children could climb into the luggage compartment, closing the
door behind them; they will be trapped and run the risk of death.
WARNING (Continued)
● Never allow children to play in or around the vehicle. Close and lock
all the doors and rear lid when you leave the vehicle. Before you lock the
vehicle, make sure that there are no adults or children in the vehicle.
● Never transport passengers in the luggage compartment. All vehicle
occupants must have their seat belt fastened ⇒ page 20.
Note
● Air circulation in the vehicle helps reduce fogging of the windows. Used
air escapes through ventilation slits in the side trim of the luggage compart-
ment. Ensure that the ventilation slits are never covered.
● Straps for securing the load to the fastening rings are commercially
available. 
Fastening rings*
There can be four fastening rings in the luggage compart-
ment for fastening luggage and other objects.
– Always use suitable and undamaged straps to secure luggage
and other objects to the fastening rings ⇒ 
in Loading the lug-
gage compartment on page 18.
– Pull up the fastening rings to attach the straps.
During a collision or an accident, even small and light objects can build up
so much energy that they can cause very severe injuries. The amount of ki-
netic energy depends on the speed of the vehicle and the weight of the ob-
ject. The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle.
Example: An object weighing 4.5 kg is lying unsecured in the vehicle. Dur-
ing a frontal collision at a speed of 50 km/h (31 mph), this object generates
a force corresponding to 20 times its weight. That means that the effective 

19
Safe driving
weight of the object increases to about 90 kg. You can imagine the severity
of the injuries which might be sustained if this object strikes an occupant as
it flies through the interior of the vehicle. This increased risk of injury will be
further increased if a loose object is struck by an inflating airbag.
WARNING
● If pieces of luggage or other objects are secured to the fastening
rings with inappropriate or damaged retaining cords, injuries could be
sustained in the event of braking manoeuvres or accidents.
● To prevent pieces of luggage or other objects from flying forward, al-
ways use appropriate retaining cords which are secured to the fastening
rings.
● Never secure a child seat on the fastening rings.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

23
Seat belts
Vehicle occupants not wearing seat belts are not “attached” to the vehicle.
In a head-on collision, they will move forward at the same speed their vehi-
cle was travelling just before the impact. This example applies not only to
head-on collisions, but to all accidents and collisions. 
The danger of not using the seat belt
The general belief that the passengers can protect them-
selves with their hands in a minor collision is false.
Fig. 8 A driver not wear-
ing a seat belt is thrown
forward violently
Fig. 9 The unbelted pas-
senger in the rear seat is
thrown forward violently,
hitting the driver wearing
a seat belt
Even at low speeds the forces acting on the body in a collision are so great
that it is not possible to brace oneself with one's hands. In a frontal colli-
sion, unbelted vehicle occupants are thrown forward and will make violent
contact with the steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen or whatever else is
in the way ⇒ Fig. 8.
The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts. When triggered, airbags
provide only additional protection. All occupants (including the driver) must
wear seat belts properly at all times during the trip. This will reduce the risk
of severe injuries in the event of an accident – regardless of whether an air-
bag is fitted for the seat or not.
Note that airbags can be triggered only once. To achieve the best possible
protection, the seat belt must always be worn properly so that you will be
protected in accidents in which no airbag is deployed.
It is also important for the rear passengers to wear seat belts properly, as
they could otherwise be thrown forward violently through the vehicle interi-
or in an accident. Passengers in the rear seats who do not use seat belts
endanger not only themselves but also the front occupants ⇒ Fig. 9.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

24Seat belts
Seat belt protection
Passengers not wearing seat belts risk severe injuries in the
event of an accident.
Fig. 10 A driver wearing
the seat belt properly is
secured by the belt in
sharp braking
Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the correct sitting po-
sitions and substantially reduce the kinetic energy in the event of an acci-
dent. Seat belts also help to prevent uncontrolled movements that could
lead to severe injuries. In addition, properly worn seat belts reduce the dan-
ger of being thrown from the vehicle.
Vehicle occupants wearing their seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the
ability of the belts to absorb kinetic energy. The front part of your vehicle
and other passive safety features (such as the airbag system) are also de-
signed to absorb the kinetic energy released in a collision. Taken together,
all these features reduce the releasing kinetic energy and consequently, 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 that wearing seat belts is an effective means of substantially
reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of survival in a seri-
ous accident. Furthermore, properly worn seat belts improve the protection
provided by 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, the seat belts must be fas-
tened and worn. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some
frontal accidents. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal
collisions, minor side collisions, rear collisions, overturns 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 all vehicle
occupants have fastened their seat belts properly before you drive off!

Safety instructions on using seat belts
If seat belts are used correctly, they can considerably reduce
the risk of injury in an accident.
– Always wear the seat belt as described in this section.
– Ensure that the seat belts can be fastened at all times and are
not damaged. 

29
Seat belts
– Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls up easily and the
trim is not damaged.
WARNING
Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. If you do, you
increase the risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries.

Adjusting the seat belt height
Seat belt height adjusters can be used to adjust the position
of the seat belt at the shoulder.
Fig. 16 Location of the
belt height adjuster
The seat belt adjuster for the front seats can be used to adjust the
proper belt position at the shoulder.
– Press the upper part of the shoulder belt guide and hold it in
this position ⇒ Fig. 16.
– Move the shoulder belt guide up or down until you have adjus-
ted the seat belt ⇒ 
page 27. –
After adjusting, pull the shoulder belt sharply to check that the
catch on the shoulder belt guide is engaged securely. 
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 24.

Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

31
Airbag system
Airbag system
Brief introduction Why wear a seat belt and assume the correct sitting
position?
For the inflating airbags to achieve the best protection, the
seat belt must always be worn properly and the correct sit-
ting position must be assumed.For your own safety and the safety of the passengers, please en-
sure the following before driving:
– Always wear the seat belt properly ⇒ page 20.
– Adjust the driver seat and the steering wheel correctly
⇒ page 11.
– Adjust the front passenger seat correctly ⇒ page 12.
– Adjust the head restraint correctly ⇒ page 14.
– Use the correct child restraint system to protect children in your
vehicle ⇒ page 46.
The airbag is deployed at high speed in fractions of a second. If you have an
incorrect seating position at the time the airbag is deployed, it could cause
you critical injuries. Therefore, it is essential that all vehicle occupants as-
sume a correct sitting position while travelling.
Sharp braking before an accident may cause a passenger not wearing a seat
belt to be thrown forward into the area of the deploying airbag. In this case, the inflating airbag may inflict critical or fatal injuries on the occupant. This
also applies to children.
Always maintain the greatest possible distance between yourself and the
front airbag. This way, the front airbags can completely deploy when trig-
gered, providing their maximum protection.
The most important factors that will trigger an airbag are: the type of acci-
dent, the angle of collision and the speed of the vehicle.
Whether the airbags are triggered depends primarily on the vehicle deceler-
ation rate resulting from the collision and detected by the control unit. If the
vehicle deceleration occurring during the collision and measured by the
control unit remains below the specified reference values, the front, side
and/or curtain airbag will not be triggered. Take into account that the visible
damage in a vehicle involved in an accident, no matter how serious, is not a
determining factor for the airbags to have been triggered.
WARNING
● Wearing the seat belt incorrectly or assuming an incorrect sitting po-
sition can lead to critical or fatal injuries.
● All vehicle occupants, including children, who are not properly belted
can sustain critical or fatal injuries if the airbag is triggered. Children up
to 12 years old should always travel on the rear seat. Never transport
children in the vehicle if they are not restrained or the restraint system is
not appropriate for their age, size or weight.
● 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. 
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications

32Airbag system
WARNING (Continued)
● To reduce the risk of injury from an inflating airbag, always wear the
seat belt properly ⇒ page 20.
● Always adjust the front seats properly.

The danger of fitting a child seat on the front passenger
seat
Rear-facing child seats must never be used on the front pas-
senger seat when the front passenger airbag is enabled. The front passenger front airbag is a serious risk for a child if it is activated.
The front passenger seat is life threatening to a child if he/she is transpor-
ted in a rear-facing child seat. Children up to 12 years old should always
travel on the rear seat.
If a rear-facing child seat is secured to the front passenger seat, an inflating
airbag can strike it with such force that it can cause critical or fatal injuries.
Therefore we strongly recommend you to transport children on the rear
seats. That is the safest place for children in the vehicle. Alternatively, the
front passenger airbag can be disabled with a key-operated switch
⇒ page 43. When transporting children, use a child seat suitable for the
age and size of each child ⇒ page 46.
For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the airbag
off, a Technical Service must be consulted.
WARNING
● If a child seat is secured to the front passenger seat, the risk to the
child of sustaining critical or fatal injuries in the event of an accident in-
creases.
● Never secure a rear-facing child seat to the front passenger seat if the
front passenger airbag is enabled. The child can suffer critical or fatal in-
juries if the front passenger airbag is triggered.
● An inflating front passenger airbag can strike the rear-facing child
seat and project it with great force against the door, the roof or the back-
rest.
● For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to turn the
airbag off, a Technical Service must be consulted.
● If, under special circumstances, it is necessary to transport a child in
a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat, it is absolutely es-
sential that you observe the following safety measures:
–Deactivate the front passenger airbag ⇒ page 43.
– Child seats must be approved by the child seat manufacturer for
use on a front passenger seat with front or side airbag.
– Follow the installation instructions given by the child seat manu-
facturer and observe the safety instructions ⇒ page 46, Child safe-
ty.
– Before properly installing the child seat, push the front passenger
seat completely backwards so that the greatest possible distance to
the front passenger airbag is ensured.
– Ensure that no objects prevent the front passenger seat from being
pushed completely back.
– The backrest of the front passenger seat must be in an upright po-
sition.


33
Airbag system
Control lamp for airbag and seat belt tensioner 
This control lamp monitors the airbag and seat belt tension-
er system.
The control lamp monitors all airbags and seat belt tensioners in the vehi-
cle, including control units and wiring connections.
Monitoring of airbag and belt tensioner system
Both the airbag and belt tensioner systems operation is constantly moni-
tored electronically. Each time the ignition is switched on, the control lamp
 lights for several seconds and the instrument panel display* shows AIR-
BAG/TENSIONER.
The system must be checked when the control lamp  :
● does not light up when the ignition is switched on
● turns off after 4 seconds after the ignition is switched on
● 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. In
addition, depending on the malfunction, a fault message appears in the in-
strument panel display for approx. 10 seconds and a short audible warning
is given. In this event, you should have a specialised workshop check the
system immediately.
If any of the airbags are disabled by a Technical Service, the warning lamp
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. 
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