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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. 137 - .
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
Fig. 138
Fastening/unfastening the seat belt
Fig. 139
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 164.
Fasten
›
Correctly adjust the front seat and head restraint before fastening the seat belt » page 161 .
›Use the lock tongue to slowly pull the webbing over your chest and pelvis.›Insert the lock tongue into the belt buckle for the seat until audibly it clicks into
place » Fig. 138 - .›
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. 139 -
.
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. 139
-
.
Release
Release the seat belt only when the vehicle is stationary.
›
Press the red button in the belt buckle » Fig. 138 -
, 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.
166Safety
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Belt height adjustment on the front seatsFig. 140
Front seat: Seat belt height ad-
juster
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 164.
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. 140 .
›
Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has cor-
rectly locked in place.
Seat belt for the rear middle seat
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 164.
The seat belt for the rear middle seat is anchored in the area of the boot on the
left side of the headliner.
Fasten
›
Pull the belt with both lock tongues out of the headliner mount.
›
Insert the lock tongue at the end of the belt into the belt buckle on the left side
until it is heard to lock in place.
›
Pull the second lock tongue, which is moveable on the seat belt, over the chest
and insert it into the belt buckle on the right side until it is heard to lock in place.
›
Pull on the seat belt to check that both lock tongues are securely engaged inthe locks.
The belt tongues for the rear middle seat are shaped differently so that they only
fit into the correct belt buckle. If you are not able to insert a lock tongue into the
wrong belt lock you probably tried to put it into the wrong buckle.
Release›
Take off the safety belt in the reverse order to how you fasten it.
›
Guide the belt back by hand so that the webbing rolls up easily, the seat belt is not twisted and the trim panel is not damaged.
WARNING■ After releasing the seat belt hold it tight and let it slowly reel up until both
lock tongues lock into the headliner mount and are secured with a magnet -
there is a risk of injury.■
Never unlock both lock tongues simultaneously.
Inertia reels and belt tensioners
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects: Intertia reel
167
Belt tensioners
168
Intertia reel
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 167.
Each seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel.When pulling slowly on the seat belt, the belt can move freely. When pullingsharply 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.
167Seat belts
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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 167.
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 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.
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.
168Safety
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Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
System description
169
Airbag deployment
169WARNING■ 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 161, 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.
WARNINGInformation on the use of 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 169.
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 171.
› Driver’s knee airbag
» page 172.
› Side airbags
» page 173.
› Head airbags
» page 174.
› Airbag warning light in the instrument cluster
» page 21.
› Key switch for the front passenger airbag
» page 176.
› Warning light for the front passenger airbag deactivation/activation in the mid-
dle of the dash panel » page 176.
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 169.
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.
169Airbag system
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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
171
Driver’s knee airbag
172
Side airbags
173
Head airbags
174
170Safety
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Front airbagsFig. 141
Locations of the airbags / gas filled airbags
Fig. 142
Safe distance to steering wheel
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 170.
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 driver's front airbag is located in the steering wheel, the front passenger air-
bag is located in the instrument panel above the glove compartment » Fig. 141 -
.
When the airbags are deployed, they inflate in front of the driver and front pas-
senger » Fig. 141 -
. 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. 142 . 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 175, 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 information■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.
171Airbag system
Page 175 of 266

Note■In vehicles with head airbags, the word AIRBAG can be seen on the steering
wheel.■
In vehicles with front passenger airbags, the word AIRBAG is located on the
dash panel on the passenger side.
Driver’s knee airbag
Fig. 143
Position of the airbag / gas filled airbag
Fig. 144
Safe distance from the control
panel
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 170.
The driver's knee airbag offers adequate protection for the driver's legs.
The driver's knee airbag is located in the lower part of the dash panel below the
steering column » Fig. 143 -
.
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 » Fig. 143 - 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 10 cm between the legs A and the dash panel in the vicinity of the
knee airbag » Fig. 144. 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.
Note
In vehicles with a driver's knee airbag, a symbol with the word AIRBAG is located
on the side panel on the driver's side.
172Safety
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Side airbagsFig. 145
Position of the airbag in the front seat / back
Fig. 146
Inflated airbags
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 170.
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. 145 -
.
The rear side airbags are located between the entrance area and the seat back-
rest » Fig. 145 -
.
When the side airbags are deployed, the head airbag and belt tensioner are also automatically deployed on the relevant side.
The load of the occupants is cushioned when plunging into the fully inflated air-
bag » Fig. 146 and the risk of injury to the entire upper body (chest, stomach and
pelvis) is reduced on the side facing the door.WARNINGInformation on correct seating 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 suitablechild safety seat » page 179, Child safety and side airbag .■
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 177, Child seat .
WARNINGThe airbag control unit operates using pressure sensors located in the front
doors. For this reason, no adjustments may be carried out to the doors or door
panels (e.g. installation of additional loudspeakers). Resulting damage can have a negative impact on the function of the airbag system. Any work on thefront doors and door panels must be carried out by a specialist garage. The
following instructions must be observed.■
Never drive with inner door panels removed.
■
Never drive if parts of the inner door panel have been removed and the re-
sulting openings have not been properly sealed.
■
Never drive if the loudspeakers in the doors have been removed, unless the
loudspeaker openings have been properly sealed.
■
Always make sure that the openings are covered or filled if additional loud-
speakers or other equipment parts have been installed in the inner door pan-
els.
■
Always have work carried out by a ŠKODA service partner or a professional
specialist garage.
173Airbag system