2013 SKODA SUPERB Owner's Manual

WARNINGObserve the following instructions for the proper use of the seat 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.■
The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to pro-
tect and the risk of injury increases.
■
The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked, otherwise the belt tongue
will not lock in place properly.
■
Many layers of clothing and loose clothing (e. g. a winter coat over a jacket)
do not allow you to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of the
seat belts.
■
It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e. g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).
■
The seat belts for the rear seats can only fulfil their function reliably when
the seat backrests are correctly locked into position » page 73.
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for proper maintenance of the seat belts.■The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may im-
pair proper operation of the inertia reel » page 203.■
The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not attempt
to repair the seat belts yourself.
■
Check the condition of all the seat belts on a regular basis. If any damage to
the seat belts, seat belt connections, inertia reel or the lock is detected, the
relevant seat belt must be replaced by a specialist garage.
■
Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident and
were therefore stretched, must be replaced – this is best done by a specialist
garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected. The an-
chorage points for the belts should also be checked.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when using seat belts.
The physical principle of a frontal collisionFig. 145
Driver without a fastened seat belt/rear passenger without a fas-
tened seat belt
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 173.
Motion energy, so-called kinetic energy, is produced as soon as the vehicle is
moving, both for the vehicle and its occupants.
The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends essentially on the speed at which
the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the vehicle including the occupants.
The greater the speed and weight increase, the greater the amount of energy
which has to be absorbed in the event of an accident.
The speed of the vehicle is the most important factor. Doubling the speed of the
vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy four times.
The idea that it is possible to support your body with your hands in a minor acci- dent is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces acting on the
body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed of 30-50 km/h, the forces that your body is ex-
posed to in the event of an accident can exceed a metric ton (1000 kg).
For example, a person's weight of 80 kg “increases” to 4.8 tons (4800 kg) at
50 km/h.
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt, are thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the car,
such as steering wheel, dash panel or windscreen » Fig. 145 - 
. In certain circum-
stances you could even be thrown out of the vehicle, which could cause life threatening or even fatal injuries. 
174Safety

It is also important that rear passengers fasten their seat belts, as they could oth-
erwise be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontrolled manner in the event of
an accident.
A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a danger not only to
himself but also for those seated at the front » Fig. 145 -  .
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
Fig. 146
Fastening/unfastening the seat belt
Fig. 147
Routing of belt webbing over the shoulders and the lap belt/Rout-
ing of belt webbing for an expectant mother
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 173.
Fasten
›
Correctly adjust the front seat and head restraint before fastening the seat belt » page 170 .
›Use the lock tongue to slowly pull the webbing over your chest and pelvis.›Insert the lock tongue into the belt buckle
» Fig. 146 –  that is part of the seat
until it clicks into place.›
Pull on the belt to check that it has engaged correctly in the lock.
A plastic knob in the belt webbing holds the belt tongue in a position which is
easy to get hold of.
It is important that the belt is properly routed to ensure seat belts offer the maxi- mum protection.
The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across the neck but must
roughly run over the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest. The
lap part of the belt must run across the pelvis, must not be positioned across the
stomach and must always fit snugly » Fig. 147 - 
.
Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way of en-
suring optimal protection for the unborn child.
On expectant mothers, the lap part of the belt must be positioned as low as pos-
sible on the pelvis to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower abdomen » Fig. 147
- 
.
Release
Release the seat belt only when the vehicle is stationary.
›
Press the red button in the belt buckle » Fig. 146 - 
, the lock tongue pops out.
›
Manually guide the belt back so that it is easier to fully roll up the webbing, the
seat belt does not twist.
CAUTION
When releasing the seatbelt ensure that the tongue of the lock does not damage
the door trim or other parts of the interior.
175Seat belts

Seat belt height adjuster on the front seatsFig. 148
Front seat: Seat belt height ad-
juster
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 173.
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 height adjuster and move up or down in the desired direc- tion » Fig. 148 .
›
Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has cor-
rectly locked in place.

Inertia reels and belt tensioners
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects: Inertia reels
176
Belt tensioners
176
Inertia reels
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 176.
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 im- mediately by a specialist garage.

Belt tensioners
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 176.
The safety for the driver, front passenger and passengers on the outer rear seats
who are wearing their seat belts , is enhanced by the belt tensioners fitted to the
inertia reels on the front and rear external 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 fastened three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a frontal or side collision of a certain severity.
Belt tensioners are not activated in the event of minor frontal collisions, side andrear-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 accident.
If the belt tensioners have been deployed, it is then necessary to replace the
entire system. 
176Safety

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.

177Seat belts

Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
System description
178
Airbag deployment
178WARNING■ 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 170, 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 178.
The functional status of the airbag system is indicated by the indicator light  in
the instrument cluster » page 21.
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 180.
› Driver’s knee airbag
» page 181.
› Side airbags
» page 181.
› Head airbags
» page 182.
› Airbag warning light in the instrument cluster
» page 21.
› Key switch for the front passenger airbag
» page 184.
› Warning light for the front passenger airbag deactivation/activation in the mid-
dle of the dash panel » page 184.
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 178.
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. 
178Safety

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.
› Driver’s knee airbag.
The following airbags will be deployed in the event of a severe side collision.
› Front side airbag on the side of the accident.
› Rear 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
180
Driver’s knee airbag
181
Side airbags
181
Head airbags
182
179Airbag system

Front airbagsFig. 149
Driver's airbag in the steering wheel/front passenger airbag in the
dash panel
Fig. 150
Safe distance to steering wheel/inflated airbags
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 179.
In the event of a severe frontal collision, the front airbag system offers additional
protection for the head and chest area of the driver and front passenger.
The front airbag for the driver is housed in the steering wheel » Fig. 149 - 
.
The front airbag for the front seat passenger is located in the dash panel above
the stowage compartment » Fig. 149 - 
.
When the airbags are deployed, they inflate in front of the driver and front pas-
senger » Fig. 150 -
 . The forward movement of the driver and of the front pas-
senger is cushioned when they make contact with the fully inflated airbag and
the risk of injury to head and chest is thus reduced.
WARNINGCorrect seated position■For the driver and front passenger, it is important to maintain a distance of
at least 25 cm to the steering wheel or dashboard A
» Fig. 150 . Not maintain-
ing this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to
properly protect you - hazard! The front seats and the head restraints must
always also be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occupant.
■
The airbag develops enormous forces when triggered, which can lead to in-
juries if the sitting position or seated position is not correct.
■
There must not by any further persons, animals or objects positioned be-
tween the front seated occupants and the deployment area of the airbag.
WARNINGFront airbag and transporting children■Never transport children on the front seat of a vehicle without using a prop-
er restraint system. If airbags are deployed in the event of an accident, the
child might suffer severe or even fatal injuries!■
The front passenger airbag must be deactivated if using a rear-facing child
seat on the front passenger seat » page 183, Deactivating airbags . If this is
not done, there is a risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if
the front passenger airbag is deployed. When transporting a child on the front
passenger seat, pay attention to any relevant national regulations regarding
the use of child safety seats.
WARNINGGeneral■The steering wheel and the surface of the airbag module in the dash panel
on the passenger side must not have stickers attached, be covered or modi-
fied in any other way. These parts should only be cleaned with a cloth that is
dry or has been moistened with water. No objects such as cup holders, mobile
phone mounts, etc. must be attached to the covers of the airbag modules or
be located within their immediate vicinity.■
Never place objects on the surface of the front passenger airbag module in
the dash panel.

180Safety

Driver’s knee airbagFig. 151
Driver's knee airbag below the steering column
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 179.
The driver's knee airbag offers adequate protection for the driver's legs. The driver's knee airbag
A
is located in the lower part of the dash panel below
the steering column » Fig. 151.
In the event of a severe frontal collision, the driver's knee airbag and front airbags
are deployed.
The forward movement of the body is cushioned when it makes contact with the
fully inflated airbag and the risk of injury to the legs of the driver is thus reduced.
WARNING■ Adjust the driver's seat in a forward/back direction so that there is a gap of
at least 10cm between the legs B and the dash panel in the vicinity of the
knee airbag » Fig. 151. If it is not possible to meet this requirement due to your
body size, visit a specialist garage.■
The surface of the airbag module in the lower part of the dash panel below
the steering column not have stickers attached, be covered or modified in any
other way. This part should only be cleaned with a cloth that is dry or has
been moistened with water. No objects must be attached to the cover of the
airbag module or located within the immediate vicinity.
■
Do not attach any bulky and heavy objects (bunch of keys etc.) to the igni-
tion key. These can be ejected by the knee airbag when it is deployed and can
cause injuries.

Side airbagsFig. 152
Location of the side airbag in the driver's seat / gas-filled side air-
bags
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 179.
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 front side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the seat backrests of the
front seats » Fig. 152 - 
.
The rear side airbags are located between the entrance area and the seat back-
rest.
When the side airbags » Fig. 152 - 
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. 
181Airbag system