2013 SKODA RAPID belt

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.

134Safety

Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
System description
135
Airbag deployment
135WARNING■ An airbag can only offer you optimal protection in combination with a fas-
tened seat belt .■
The airbag is not a substitute for the seat belt, but instead forms part of the
complete passive vehicle safety concept.
■
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 127, 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.
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for handling the airbag system.■If there is a fault, the airbag system must be checked by a specialist garage
immediately. 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 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.

System description
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 135.
The functional status of the airbag system is indicated by the indicator light  in
the instrument cluster » page 20.
When the airbags are deployed, they fill with gas and inflate.
A grey white or red, non-harmful gas is released when the airbag is inflated. This
is perfectly normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
Depending on the vehicle equipment, the airbag system consists of the
following modules.
› Electronic control unit.
› Front airbag for the driver and the front passenger
» page 137.
› Side airbags
» page 138.
› Head airbags
» page 139.
› Airbag warning light in the instrument cluster
» page 20.
› Key switch for the front passenger airbag
» page 140.
› Warning light for the front passenger airbag deactivation/activation in the mid-
dle of the dash panel » page 140.
Note
■
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 deactivating
the front passenger airbag must be included!■
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important to com-
ply with the national legal requirements.

Airbag deployment
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 135.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to be able
to offer additional protection in the event of an accident.
The airbag system is only functional when the ignition is switched on. 
135Airbag system

Side airbagsFig. 121
Location of the side airbag in the driver's seat/gas-filled side airbag
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 136.
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 side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the front seat backr-
ests » Fig. 121 - 
.
When the side airbags » Fig. 121 - 
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.
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for the correct seated position.■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 144, Child safety and side airbag .WARNING (Continued)■
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.■
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 142, Child seat .
WARNING■
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 immediately by a 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.

138Safety

Head airbagsFig. 122
Location of the head airbag/gas-filled head airbag
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 136.
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 of the vehicle in-terior » Fig. 122 - 
.
In the event of a side collision the head airbag is deployed together with the rele-
vant side airbag and the front seat belt tensioner on the side of the car on which
the accident occurs.
When deployed, the airbag covers the window area of the front and rear doors, as well as the area of the door pillar » Fig. 122 - 
.
Head impact with interior parts is reduced by the inflated head airbag. The reduc- tion 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.
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.
■
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 accessories fitted could be thrown into the interior of the car and injure
the occupants » page 149.
■
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.
■
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.
Note
In vehicles with head airbags, the word AIRBAG can be seen on the B column
cladding.
Deactivating airbags
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Deactivating airbags
140
Deactivating the front passenger airbag
140
139Airbag system

Transporting children safely
Child seat
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Use of a child seat on the front passenger seat
143
Child safety and side airbag
144
Classification of child seats
144
Use of child seats fastened with a seat belt
144
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 complying with the ECE-R 44 standard must be used. ECE-R stands
for: Economic Commission for Europe – Regulation.
Child seats that comply with the ECE-R 44 standard are identified with a testmark that cannot be removed: a large E within a circle with the test number be-
low.
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.
■
The child must be secured in the vehicle during the entire journey! Other-
wise, the child would be thrown through the vehicle in the event of an acci-
dent, causing fatal injuries to both the child and 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.
■
The front passenger airbag must be deactivated if using a rear-facing child
seat on the front passenger seat. Further information » page 143, Use of a
child seat on the front passenger seat .
CAUTION
When installing a child seat in which the child faces forward, adjust the head re-
straints so that they are as high as possible.
Note
We recommend that you use child seats from ŠKODA Original Accessories. Thesechild seats were developed and also tested for use in ŠKODA vehicles. They meet
the ECE-R 44 standard.
142Safety

Use of a child seat on the front passenger seat
Never use a backwards-facing child restraint system on a seat that is protected by an active airbag installed in front of it. This could cause the child severe injury
or even death.Fig. 124
Sticker on the B column on the
front passenger side.
Fig. 125
Front passenger sun visor / label
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 142.
For safety reasons, we recommend that you install child seats on the rear seats
whenever possible.
The following instructions must be followed when using a child seat on the front passenger seat.
› The front passenger airbag must be deactivated if using a rear-facing child
seat »
.
› If possible, adjust the front passenger seat backrest so that it is as vertical, so
as to ensure secure contact between the passenger seat backrest and the back of the child seat.
› If possible, move the front passenger seat backwards so that there is no con-
tact between the front passenger seat and the child seat behind it.
› With child safety seats in groups 2 or 3, make sure that the loop-around fittings
attached to the child seat headrest is positioned in front of or at the same
height as the loop-around fittings on the B pillar on the passenger side.
› Set the height-adjustable front passenger seat as high up as possible.
› Set the front passenger seat belt as high up as possible.
› Place and fasten the child seat on the seat and the child in the child seat ac-
cording to the specifications in the manufacturer's user manual of the child seat .WARNING■ The front passenger airbag must be deactivated if using a rear-facing child
seat on the front passenger seat » page 139, Deactivating airbags .■
Never use a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat if the passen-
ger airbag is activated. This child safety seat is positioned in the deployment
area of the front passenger airbag. The airbag may cause the child severe, or
even fatal injuries, in the event of it being deployed.
■
This fact is also indicated by the label that can be found in one of the follow-
ing locations. ■ On the B-column on the front passenger side » Fig. 124. The sticker is visi-
ble upon opening the front passenger door. ■ On the front passenger's sun visor. In some countries, the sticker is loca-
ted on the front seat passenger's sun visor » Fig. 125.
■
With child safety seats in groups 2 or 3, make sure that the loop-around fit-
tings attached to the child seat headrest is positioned in front of or at the
same height as the loop-around fittings on the B pillar on the passenger side.
■
As soon as the rear-facing child seat is no longer being used on the passen-
ger seat, the front passenger airbag should be re-activated again.

143Transporting children safely

Child safety and side airbagFig. 126
Incorrect seated position of a child who is not properly secured –
risk from the side airbag/child properly protected by child seat
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 142.
The child must not be positioned in the deployment area of the side air-
bag » Fig. 126 - 
.
There must be sufficient room between the child and the deployment area of the
side airbag to ensure that the airbag can provide as much protection as possi-
ble » Fig. 126 - 
.
WARNING■
Children must never be seated with their head in the deployment area of
the side airbag – risk of injury!■
Do not place any objects within the deployment area of the side airbags –
risk of injury!

Classification of child seats
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 142.
Classification of child seats according to the ECE-R 44 standard.
GroupWeight of the childApproximate age0up to 10 kgup to 9 months0 +up to 13 kgup to 18 months19-18 kgup to 4 years215-25 kgup to 7 years322-36 kgover 7 years

Use of child seats fastened with a seat belt
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 142.
Overview of the usability of child seats fastened with a seat belt on each of the
seats in accordance with the ECE-R 16 standard.
GroupFront passenger seatRear seatsexternalRear seat centre0
up to 10 kgUUU0 +
up to 13 kgUUU1
9-18 kgUUU2
15-25 kgUUU3
22-36 kgUUU
“Universal” child seat category - a child seat designed to be attached to the
seat using the seat belt.

U144Safety

Fastening systems
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Anchor eyelets for the ISOFIX system
145
Use of child seats with the ISOFIX system
145
Anchor eyelets for the TOP TETHER system
146
Anchor eyelets for the ISOFIX system
Fig. 127
Labels on the ISOFIX system
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 145.
There are two locking eyes between the rear exterior seats for fixing the ISOFIX
system child seat in place. The points are marked with labels with the ISOFIX logo » Fig. 127 .
WARNING■
Always refer to the instructions from the manufacturer of the child seat
when installing and removing a child seat with the ISOFIX system.■
Never attach other child seats, belts or objects to the anchor eyelets inten-
ded for the installation of a child seat with the ISOFIX system – risk to life!
Note
■ A child seat fitted with the ISOFIX system can only be mounted in a vehicle fit-
ted with an ISOFIX system if the child seat has been approved for this type of ve-
hicle. Further information is available from a ŠKODA Partner.■
Child seats with the ISOFIX system can be purchased from ŠKODA Original Ac-
cessories.

Use of child seats with the ISOFIX system
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 145.
Overview of the usability of child seats with the ISOFIX system on each of the
seats in accordance with the ECE-R 16 standard. 
GroupSize class of
the child seat a)Front passenger seat b)Outer rear seatsRear seat middle0
up to 10 kgEXIL-SUX0 +
up to 13 kgE
XIL-SUX
DC 145Transporting children safely