2013 SKODA ROOMSTER light

Correct seated position for the driverFig. 109
The correct distance between the driver and the steering wheel/
correctly adjusted head restraint
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 124.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident,
we recommend the following setting.
› Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance
A

» Fig. 109 between the steer-
ing wheel and your chest is at least 25 cm.
› 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 head restraint such that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head
B
.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 127, Using seat belts .
Driver seat adjustment » page 53.

Correct seated position for the front passenger
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 124.
For the safety of the front passenger and to reduce the risk of injury in the event
of an accident, we recommend the following setting.
› Position the front passenger seat back as far as possible. The front passenger
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 upper part of your head
B
» Fig. 109 on page 125 » page 125.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 127, Using seat belts .
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactivated » page 136,
Deactivating airbags .
Front passenger adjustment » page 53, Adjusting the front seats .

Correct seated position for the passengers in the rear seats
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 124.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an ac-
cident, the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following.
› Adjust the head restraint such that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of the head
B
» Fig. 109 on page 125 » page 125.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 127, Using seat belts .
› Use a suitable child restraint system if transporting children in the vehi-
cle » page 139 , Transporting children safely .

Examples of incorrect seated positions
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 124.
Maximum seat belt protection is only achieved if seat belts are fastened correctly.
Incorrect seated positions considerably reduce the protective functions of the
seat belts and therefore increase the risk of injury due to an incorrect routing of
the seat belt. 
125Passive Safety

Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
System description
132
Airbag deployment
132WARNING■ 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 124, 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 132.
The functional status of the airbag system is indicated by the indicator light  in
the instrument cluster » page 26.
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 134.
› Side airbags
» page 135.
› Head airbags
» page 136.
› Airbag warning light in the instrument cluster
» page 26.
› Key switch for the front passenger airbag
» page 137.
› Warning light for the front passenger airbag deactivation/activation in the mid-
dle of the dash panel » page 137.
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 132.
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. 
132Safety

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.
Deployment factors
It is not possible to generally determine which deployment conditions apply to the airbag system in every situation. An important role is played by factors such as the type of object that the vehicle hits (hard/soft), the impact angle, vehicle
speed etc.
A decisive factor for the deployment of the airbags is the deceleration which oc- curs. The control unit analyses the nature of the collision and activates the rele-
vant restraint system.
If the vehicle deceleration which occurs and is measured during the collision re-
mains below the prescribed reference values specified in the control unit, the air-
bags are not deployed although the vehicle may well suffer severe damage to thebodywork as a consequence of the accident.
The following airbags will be deployed in the event of a severe frontal collision.
› Driver’s front airbag.
› Front passenger airbag.
The following airbags will be deployed in the event of a severe side collision.
› Front side airbag on the side of the accident.
› Head airbags on the side of the accident.
In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed:
› the interior lighting comes on (if the switch for the interior light is in the door
contact position),
› the hazard warning light is switched on;
› all the doors are unlocked;
› the fuel supply to the engine is interrupted.
Airbag overview

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Front airbags
134
Side airbags
135
Head airbags
136
133Airbag system

Side airbagsFig. 117
Location of the side airbag in the driver's seat/gas-filled side airbag
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 133.
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 seat backrests of the front
seats » Fig. 117 – 
.
The head airbag and belt tensioner on the relevant side are also automatically de-
ployed when the side airbags » Fig. 117 - 
are deployed.
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 140, 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 139, 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.

135Airbag system

Head airbagsFig. 118
Location of the head airbag/gas-filled head airbag
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 133.
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 ofthe car » Fig. 118 - 
.
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.
The airbag covers the windows of the front and rear doors, as well as the door
pillar when it is deployed » Fig. 118 - 
.
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 146.
■
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
The word AIRBAG can be seen on the B pillar trim in vehicles with head airbags.
Deactivating airbags
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Deactivating airbags
137
Deactivating the front passenger airbag
137
136Safety

Deactivating airbagsFirst read and observe the introductory information given on page 136.
Deactivating an airbag should be considered in cases such as the ones below.› If using a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat (due to different le-
gal regulations, the airbag must be deactivated if using a forwards-facing child
seat in some countries) » page 139, Transporting children safely .
› If it is not possible 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 adjus-
ted.
› If special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because of
a physical disability.
› If different seats have been fitted (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
The front passenger airbag can be switched off with the key-operated
switch » page 137 .
We recommend that you ask a ŠKODA service partner to deactivate any other air- bags.
Monitoring the airbag system
The operational capability of the airbag system is monitored electronically, includ-
ing when one of the airbags is switched off.
Airbag deactivated using diagnostic equipment
› The warning light

lights up for approx. 3 seconds after switching on the igni-
tion and then flashes again for approx. 12 seconds.
Front passenger airbag deactivated using the key switch in the storage com-
partment
› The warning light

lights up for approx. 3 seconds after switching on the igni-
tion.
› The



3
» Fig. 119 on page 137 warning light comes on when the ignition is
switched on.
Note■ The national regulations for switching off airbags must be observed.■A ŠKODA service partner will be able to inform you which, if any, of your vehi-
cle's airbags can or must be deactivated.

Deactivating the front passenger airbag
Fig. 119
Key switch for front passenger airbag/warning light for front pas-
senger airbag activation/deactivation
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 136.
Only the front passenger airbag is deactivated with the key switch.
Switching off
›
Switch off the ignition.
›
Use the key to turn the slot of the key switch to position
2
» Fig. 119 OFF .
›
After switching on the ignition, check whether the warning light
3

 1)
is illu-
minated in writing 




is illuminated in the centre panel.
Switching on
›
Switch off the ignition.
›
Use the key to turn the slot of the key switch to position
1
» Fig. 119 ON .
›
After switching on the ignition, check whether the warning light
3


is not
illuminated in writing 




is not illuminated in the centre panel. 

1)
The warning light
  comes on for a few seconds after the ignition is switched on, goes out for
about 1 second and then comes on again.
137Airbag system

WARNING■The driver is responsible for whether the airbag is switched on or switched
off.■
Only switch off the airbag when the ignition is switched off! Otherwise a
fault can occur in the system for deactivating the airbag.
■
If the warning light   flashes, then the front passenger airbag will not be
deployed in the event of an accident. Have the airbag system checked by a
specialist garage immediately.

138Safety

WARNINGObserve the following instructions for handling the airbag system.■It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system, as this
might result in the airbag being deployed.■
Never install any airbag parts into the vehicle that have been removed from
old cars or have been recycled.
■
Never install damaged airbag parts in the vehicle. The airbags may then not
be deployed properly or even at all in the event of an accident.
■
No modifications of any kind must be made to parts of the airbag system.
WARNING■ A change to the vehicle's wheel suspension, including the use of non-ap-
proved wheels and tire combinations, can alter the functioning of the airbag system - risk of accident and fatal injury!■
Never make any changes to the front bumper or the bodywork.

Washing your car
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Washing by hand
149
Automatic car wash systems
150
Washing with a high-pressure cleaner
150
The best way to protect your vehicle against harmful environmental influences is frequent washing.
How often the vehicle should be washed depends on factors such as: › Frequency of use.
› Parking situation (garage, under trees etc.).
› Season.
› Weather conditions.
› Environmental influences.
The longer insect residues, bird droppings, tree sap, road and industrial dust, tar,
soot particles, road salt and other aggressive deposits remain adhering to the
paintwork of your vehicle, the more detrimental their destructive effect can be.
High temperatures, such as those caused by intensive sun's rays, accentuate this
caustic effect.
It is essential to also thoroughly clean the underside of the vehicle at the end of
the winter.WARNING■ When washing your vehicle in the winter: Water and ice in the braking sys-
tem can affect the braking efficiency – risk of accident!■
Only wash the vehicle when the ignition is switched off – risk of accident!
CAUTION
Do not wash your vehicle in bright sunlight – risk of paint damage.
For the sake of the environment
Only wash the vehicle at washing bays intended for this purpose.
Washing by hand
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 149.
Soak the dirt with plenty of water and rinse as well as possible.
Clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a washing glove or a washing brush . Work
from the top to the bottom - starting with the roof.
Only use a car shampoo for stubborn dirt.
Wash out the sponge or washing glove thoroughly at short intervals.
Clean wheels, door sills and similar parts last. Use a second sponge for such
areas.
Give the vehicle a good rinse after washing it and dry it off using a chamois leath- er. 
149Car care