2013 SKODA RAPID SPACEBACK height

Safety
Passive Safety
General information
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Before setting off
6
Driving safety
6
Safety equipment
6
In this section you will find important information, tips and notes on the sub-
ject of passive safety in your vehicle.
We have combined everything here which you should be familiar with, for ex-
ample, regarding seat belts, airbags, child seats and safety of children.
WARNING■ This chapter contains important information on how to use the vehicle for
the driver and his occupants.■
You can find further information on safety concerning you and those trav-
elling with you in the following chapters of this owner's manual.
■
The complete on-board literature should always be in the vehicle. This
applies in particular, if you rent out or sell the vehicle.
Before setting off
Read and observe
on page 6 first.
For your own safety and the safety of the people travelling with you, please
pay attention to the following points before setting off.
Ensure that the lighting and the turn signal system are functioning proper-
ly.
Ensure that the function of the wipers and the condition of the wiper
blades are free of any defects.
Ensure that all of the windows offer good visibility to the outside.
Adjust the rear-view mirror so that vision to the rear is guaranteed.
Ensure that the mirrors are not covered.
Check the tyre inflation pressure.
Check the engine oil, brake fluid and coolant level.
Secure all items of luggage.
Do not exceed the permissible axle loads and permissible gross weight of
the vehicle.
Close all doors as well as the bonnet and boot lid.
Ensure that no objects can obstruct the pedals.
Protect children in suitable child seats with correctly fastened seat
belts » page 20 , Transporting children safely .
Adopt the correct seated position » page 7, Correct and safe seated
position . Tell your passengers to assume the correct seated position.
Driving safety
Read and observe
on page 6 first.
The driver is fully responsible for himself and his occupants. If your driving
safety is effected, you place yourself and the oncoming traffic at risk.
The following guidelines must therefore be observed. Do not become distracted from concentrating on the traffic situation, e.g.
by your passengers or mobile phone calls.
Never drive when your driving ability is impaired, e.g. due to medication, al-
cohol or drugs.
Keep to the traffic regulations and the permissible speed limit.
Always adjust the driving speed to the road, traffic and weather condi-
tions.
Take regular breaks on long journeys – at least every two hours.
Safety equipment
Read and observe
on page 6 first.
The following list contains only part of the safety equipment in your vehicle.
› Three-point seat belts for all the seats.
› Belt force limiters for the front seats.
› Belt tensioners for the front seats.
› Seat belt height adjusters for the front seats.
› Front airbag for the driver and the front passenger.
› Side airbags. 

6Safety

›Head airbags.
› Anchoring points for child seats using the ISOFIX system.
› Anchoring points for child seats using the TOP TETHER system.
› Head restraints adjustable for height 1)
.
› Adjustable steering column.
The specified safety equipment works together, in order to optimally protect
you and those travelling with you in accident situations.
The safety equipment does not protect you or the people travelling with you, if
you or your occupants adopt an incorrect seated position or the equipment is
not correctly adjusted or used.
If the seat belt is not fastened properly, this may result in injuries if an airbag is
activated in the event of an accident.
Correct and safe seated position
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Correct seated position for the driver
7
Adjusting the steering wheel position
8
Correct seated position for the front passenger
8
Correct seated position for the passengers in the rear seats
9
Examples of incorrect seated positions
9WARNING■ The front seats and all head restraints must be adjusted to match the
body size at all times and the seat belt must always be fastened properly to
provide the most effective levels of protection to the passengers.■
Each occupant must correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to the seat.
Children must be fastened » page 20, Transporting children safely with a
suitable restraint system.
■
If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.
WARNING (Continued)■ If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury
is increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.■
The seat backrests must not be tilted too far back when driving, as this
will impair the function of the seat belts and of the airbag system – risk of
injury!
Correct seated position for the driver
Fig. 1
The correct distance of the driver to the steering wheel/correctly
adjusted head restraint
Read and observe
on page 7 first.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident,the following instructions must be observed.
Adjust the driver’s seat in the forward/back direction so that the pedals
can be fully depressed with slightly bent legs.
Adjust the seat backrest so that the highest point of the steering wheel
can be reached with your arms at a slight angle.
Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance
A
between the steering
wheel and your chest is at least 25 cm » Fig. 1. Adjust the steering
wheel » page 8 , Adjusting the steering wheel position .
Adjust the head restraint such that the top edge of the head restraint is at
the same level as the top of your head 1)

B
» Fig. 1 .
Correctly fasten the seat belt » page 10, Using seat belts .
Adjust the seats and head restraints » page 64. 
1)
Not valid for sports seat.
7Passive Safety

WARNING■Always assume the correct seated position before setting off and do not
change this position while driving. Also advise your passengers to adopt
the correct seated position and not to change this position while the car is
moving.■
Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering wheel. Not maintain-
ing this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able
to properly protect you – hazard!
■
When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the out-
er edge in the “9 o'clock” and “3 o'clock” position. Never hold the steering
wheel in the “12 o'clock” position or in any other way (e.g. in the middle or
inner edge of the steering wheel). In such cases, you could severely injure
the arms, hands and head when the driver airbag is deployed.
■
Ensure that there are no objects in the driver's footwell as they may get
caught behind the pedals when driving or applying the braking. You would
then no longer be able to operate the clutch, brake or acceleration pedals.
Adjusting the steering wheel position
Fig. 2
Adjusting the steering wheel po-
sition
Read and observe on page 7 first.
The height and forward/back position of the steering wheel can be adjusted.
›
Swivel the lever underneath the steering wheel downwards » Fig. 2.
›
Adjust the steering wheel to the desired position (with regard to the height
and forward/back position).
›
Push the lever upwards to the stop.
WARNING■ The lever for adjusting the steering wheel must be locked whilst driving
so that the steering wheel cannot accidentally change position during the
journey – risk of accident!■
Never adjust the steering wheel when the vehicle is moving only when
the vehicle is stationary!
Correct seated position for the front passenger
Read and observe
on page 7 first.
For passenger safety and to reduce the risk of injury in an accident, the follow-ing instructions must be observed.
Position the front passenger seat back as far as possible. The front pas-
senger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel so
that the airbag offers the greatest possible safety if it is deployed.
Adjust the head restraint such that the top edge of the head restraint is at
the same level as the top of your head 1)

B
» Fig. 1 on page 7 .
Correctly fasten the seat belt » page 10, Using seat belts .
Adjust the seats and head restraints » page 64.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactiva-
ted » page 18 , Deactivating airbags .
WARNING■
Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel. Not maintaining
this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to
properly protect you – hazard!■
Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven – nev-
er place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the
surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it be-
comes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an air-
bag is deployed, you could suffer fatal injuries by adopting an incorrect
seated position!
1)
Not valid for sports seat.
8Safety

Seat belts
Using seat belts
Introduction
Fig. 3
Driver wearing seat belt
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
The physical principle of a frontal collision
11
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
12
Belt height adjustment on the front seats
13
Seat belts that are fastened correctly offer good protection in the event of an
accident. They reduce the risk of an injury and increase the chance of survival
in the event of a major accident.
Correctly fastened seat belts hold occupants of the car in the correct seated
position » Fig. 3.
The seat belts reduce the kinetic energy (energy of motion) to a considerable
extent. They also prevent uncontrolled movements which, in turn, may well re-
sult in severe injuries.
Occupants of a vehicle who have correctly fastened their seat belts have the
major benefit of the fact that the kinetic energy is absorbed as effectively as
possible by the belts.
The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety meas-
ures, such as the airbag system, also contribute to the kinetic energy being re-
duced as effectively as possible. The energy produced is thus absorbed and
there is less risk of injury.
Particular safety aspects must be observed when transporting children in the
vehicle » page 20 , Transporting children safely .
WARNING■
Fasten your seat belt before each journey – even when driving in town!
This also applies to the passengers seated at the rear – risk of injury!■
Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way
of ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child » page 12, Fastening
and unfastening seat belts .
■
Maximum seat belt protection is only achieved if you are correctly seat-
ed » page 7 , Correct and safe seated position .
■
The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
WARNINGInformation on the correct routing of the belt■Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even
in minor accidents.■
Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the
belt is roughly positioned across the middle of your shoulder – on no ac-
count across your neck.
■
A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is
moved forward by the kinetic energy produced in an accident and is then
suddenly held firm by the belt.
■
The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. specta-
cles, ball-point pens, bunches of keys etc.). Such objects can cause injury.
WARNINGInformation on dealing with the safety belts■The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twis-
ted, or chafe against any sharp edges.■
Make sure you do not catch the seat belt in the door when closing it.
WARNINGInformation on the proper use of the safety belts■Never use one seat belt to secure two persons (including children). The
seatbelt must not be placed over a child who is sitting on the lap of another
passenger. 10Safety

Belt height adjustment on the front seatsFig. 7
Front seat: Seat belt height ad-
juster
Read and observe on page 10 first.
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 seat belt height adjuster and move up or down in the desired di-
rection » Fig. 7.
›
Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has
correctly locked in place.
Inertia reels and belt tensioners
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Inertia reels
13
Belt tensioners
13
Inertia reels
Each seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel.
When pulling slowly on the seat belt, the belt can move freely. When pulling
sharply on the seat belt, the movement is locked by the inertia reel.
The belts also lock when full braking, when the car accelerates, when driving
downhill and when cornering.
WARNINGIf the seat belt does not lock when pulling sharply on it, have it inspected
immediately by a specialist garage.Belt tensioners
Safety for the driver and front passenger wearing their seat belts is enhanced
by the belt tensioners fitted to the inertia reels of the front 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 seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a collision of a cer-
tain 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.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 specialist garage.■
The protective function of the system is only adequate for a single acci-
dent. If the belt tensioners have been deployed, it is then necessary to re-
place the entire system.
Note
■ Smoke is generated when the belt tensioners are deployed. This is not an in-
dication of a fire in the vehicle.■
When disposing of the vehicle or parts of the belt tensioner system, it is im-
portant to comply with national legal requirements. ŠKODA service partners
are familiar with these regulations and will be able to provide you with de-
tailed information.
13Seat belts

Fig. 14
Front passenger sun visor / label
Read and observe
and on page 20 first.
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 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.
› 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 18, Deactivating airbags .■
Never use a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat if the pas-
senger airbag is activated. This child safety seat is positioned in the deploy-
ment area of the front passenger airbag. The airbag may cause the child se-
vere, 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 fol-
lowing locations. ■On the B-column on the front passenger side » Fig. 13. The sticker is
visible upon opening the front passenger door.
■ On the front passenger's sun visor. In some countries, the sticker is lo-
cated on the front seat passenger's sun visor » Fig. 14.
■
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 passen-
ger side.
■
As soon as the rear-facing child seat is no longer being used on the pas-
senger seat, the front passenger airbag should be re-activated again.
Child safety and side airbag
Fig. 15
Incorrect seated position of a
child who is not properly secured
– risk from the side airbag/Child
properly protected by safety seat
Read and observe and on page 20 first.
The child must not be positioned in the deployment area of the side air-
bag » Fig. 15 - 
.
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
possible » Fig. 15 - 
. 
21Transporting children safely

Seats and head restraints
Seats and head restraints
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Adjusting the front seats
64
Head restraints - adjusting height
65
Head restraints - Removing and installing
65
The driver's seat should be adjusted in such a way that the pedals can be fully
pressed to the floor with slightly bent legs.
The seat backrest on the driver's seat should be adjusted in such a way that the upper point of the steering wheel can be easily reached with slightly bent
arms.
Correct adjustment of the seats is particularly important for the following rea-
sons.
› Reaching the controls safely and quickly.
› A relaxed and fatigue-free body position.
› Achieving the maximum protection offered by the seat belts and the airbag
system.
WARNING■ Only adjust the driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary – risk of acci-
dent!■
Caution when adjusting the seat! You may suffer injuries or bruises as a
result of adjusting the seat without paying proper attention.
■
Never carry more people than the number of seats in the vehicle.
■
Do not carry any objects on the front passenger seat, except objects de-
signed for this purpose (e.g. child seats) – risk of accident!
Note
After a certain time, play can develop within the adjustment mechanism of the
backrest angle.Adjusting the front seatsFig. 49
Control elements at the seat
Read and observe on page 64 first.
Control elements at the seat » Fig. 49
Adjusting a seat in a forward/back direction
Adjusting height of seat
Adjusting the angle of the seat backrest
Adjusting a seat in a forward/back direction
›
Pull lever
A
» Fig. 49 (in the centre) in the direction of arrow and push the
seat in the required direction.
The lock must click into place after you release the lever.
Adjusting height of seat
›
Again push or pull the lever
B
» Fig. 49 in the direction of one of the arrows.
Adjusting the angle of the seat backrest
›
The seat back release (do not lean on).
›
Pull the lever
C
» Fig. 49 in direction of arrow and with your back set the
desired inclination of the seat back.
After releasing the lever the seat backrest will remain in the set position.
ABC64Using the system

Head restraints - adjusting heightFig. 50
Set the height of the front headrest
Fig. 51
Set the height of the back headrest
Read and observe
on page 64 first.
The head restraints and the front seats must be adjusted to match the body
size at all times and the seat belt must always be fastened properly to provide
the most effective levels of protection to the passengers » page 7, Correct and
safe seated position .
Best protection is achieved if the top edge of the head rest is at the same level
as the upper part of your head.
Front restraint
›
Push the restraint upwards in the direction of arrow
1
» Fig. 50 .
›
To move the restraint down, press the securing button
A
in the direction of
arrow
2
and hold while pressing the restraint in the direction of arrow
3
.
Rear restraint›Push the restraint upwards in the direction of arrow 4 » Fig. 51 .›
To move the restraint down, press the securing button
B
in the direction of
arrow
5
and hold while at the same time pressing the restraint in the direc-
tion of arrow
6
.
WARNING■ The head restraints must be correctly adjusted in order to offer effective
protection for the occupants in the event of an accident.■
If the rear seats are occupied, the respective rear head restraint must not
be in the lower position.
Note
For the sports seats, the head restraints are integrated into the front seat
backrests. This headrest cannot be adjusted in height.
Head restraints - Removing and installing
Fig. 52
Removing and installing front head restraints 
65Seats and head restraints