Seat belts
Seat belt control lamp* Fig. 50
Warning lamp on the instrument pan-
el. The control lamp illuminates to remind the
driver to fasten his seat belt.
Before starting the vehicle:
– Fasten your seat belt securely.
– Instruct your passengers to fasten their
seat belts properly before driving off.
– Protect children by using a child seat ac-
cording to the child's height and weight.
When the ignition is switched on, the control
lamp in the instrument panel lights up* if
the driver or passenger* have not fastened
their seat belts.
An audible warning signal will sound for a
few seconds if the seat belts are not fastened
as the vehicle drives off and reaches a speed
of more than approximately 25 km/h (15 mph) or if the seat belts are unfastened
while the vehicle is in motion. The warning
lamp will also flash
.
The
l
amp goes out when the driver and
p
assenger seat belts are fastened with the ig-
nition switched on.
Seat belt protection Fig. 51
Drivers with properly worn seat belts
will not be thrown forward in the event of sud-
den braking Properly worn seat belts hold the occupants
in the proper position. These also help pre-
vent uncontrolled movements that may result
in serious injury and reduce the risk of being
thrown out of the vehicle.
Vehicle occupants wearing their seat belts
correctly benefit greatly from the ability of the
belts to absorb kinetic energy. In addition,
the front part of your vehicle and other pas-sive safety features (such as the airbag sys-
tem) are designed to absorb the kinetic ener-
gy released in a collision. Taken together, all
these features reduce the releasing kinetic
energy and consequently, the risk of injury.
This is why it is so important to fasten seat
belts before every trip, even when "just driv-
ing around the corner".
Ensure that your passengers wear their seat
belts as well. Accident statistics have shown
that wearing seat belts is an effective means
of substantially reducing the risk of injury
and improving the chances of survival when
involved in a serious accident. Furthermore,
properly worn seat belts improve the protec-
tion provided by airbags in the event of an
accident. For this reason, wearing a seat belt
is required by law in most countries.
Although your vehicle is equipped with air-
bags, the seat belts must be fastened and
worn. The front airbags, for example, are only
triggered in some cases of head-on collision.
The front airbags will not be triggered during
minor frontal or side collisions, rear-end colli-
sions, rollovers or accidents in which the air-
bag trigger threshold value in the control unit
is not exceeded.
Therefore, you should always wear your seat
belt and ensure that all vehicle occupants
have fastened their seat belts properly before
you drive off!
35
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Seat belts
called “kinetic energy” is created both in the
passengers and inside the vehicle.
The amount of “kinetic energy” depends on
the speed of the vehicle and the weight of
the vehicle and its passengers. The higher
the speed and the greater the weight, the
more energy there is to be “absorbed” in an
accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the
speed of the vehicle. If the speed doubles
from 25 km/h (15 mph) to 50 km/h
(30 mph), for example, the corresponding ki-
netic energy is multiplied by four.
Because the vehicle occupants in our exam-
ple are not restrained by seat belts, in the
event of crashing against a wall, all of the oc-
cupants' kinetic energy will be absorbed
solely by said impact.
Even at speeds of 30 km/h (19 mph) to
50 km/h (30 mph), the forces acting on bod-
ies in a collision can easily exceed one tonne
(1000 kg). At greater speed these forces are
even higher.
Vehicle occupants not wearing seat belts are
not “attached” to the vehicle. In a head-on
collision, they will move forward at the same
speed their vehicle was travelling just before
the impact. This example applies not only to
head-on collisions, but to all accidents and
collisions. Even at low speeds the forces acting on the
body in a collision are so great that it is not
possible to brace oneself with one's hands.
In a frontal collision, unbelted passengers
are thrown forward and will make violent con-
tact with the steering wheel, dash panel,
windscreen or whatever else is in the way
››› Fig. 52 .
It i
s also important for rear passengers to
wear seat belts properly, as they could other-
wise be thrown forward violently through the
vehicle interior in an accident. Passengers in
the rear seats who do not use seat belts en-
danger not only themselves but also the front
occupants ››› Fig. 53. How t
o properly adjust your
seatbelt
Fastening and unfastening your seat
belt Fig. 54
Positioning and removing the seat
belt buckle. » 37
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Seat belts
Belt pretensioners* How the seat belt tensioner works During a frontal collision, the seat belts on
the front seats are retracted automatically.
The seat belts for the occupants in the front
seats are equipped with belt tensioners. Sen-
sors will trigger the belt pretensioners during
severe head-on, lateral and rear collisions
only if the seat belt is being worn. This re-
tracts and tightens the seat belts, reducing
the forward motion of the occupants.
The seat belt tensioner can be triggered only
once.
The belt tensioners will not be triggered in
the event of light frontal and side collisions,
if the vehicle overturns, or in situations
where no large forces act on the front, side or
rear of the vehicle.
Note
● If the seat belt tensioners are triggered, a
fine dust is produced. This is normal and it is
not an indication of fire in the vehicle.
● The relevant safety requirements must be
observed when the vehicle or components of
the system are scrapped. Specialised work-
shops are familiar with these regulations,
which are also available to you. Service and disposal of belt
tensioners
The belt tensioners are components of the
seat belts that are installed in the seats of
your vehicle. If you work on the belt tension-
ers or remove and install parts of the system
when performing other repair work, the seat
belt may be damaged. The consequence may
be that, in the event of an accident, the belt
tensioners function incorrectly or may not
function at all.
So that the effectiveness of the seat belt ten-
sioner is not reduced and that removed parts
do not cause any injuries or environmental
pollution, regulations, which are known to
the specialised workshops, must be ob-
served.
WARNING
● Improper use or repairs not carried out by
qualified mechanics increase the risk of se-
vere or fatal injuries. The belt tensioners may
fail to trigger or may trigger in the wrong cir-
cumstances.
● Never attempt to repair, adjust, remove or
install parts of the belt tensioners or seat
belts.
● The seat belt tensioner, seat belt and auto-
matic retractor cannot be repaired.
● Any work on the belt tensioners and seat
belts, including the removal and refitting of
system parts in conjunction with other repair work, must be performed by a specialised
workshop only.
●
The belt tensioners will only provide pro-
tection for one accident and must be changed
if they have been activated. 39Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Airbag system
The airbag system operation is monitored
electronically. The airbag control lamp will il-
luminate for a few seconds every time the ig-
nition is switched on (self-diagnosis).
There is a fault in the system if the control
lamp
:
● doe
s not light up when the ignition is
switched on ››› page 42
,
● turns off after 4 seconds after the ignition
is switched on
● turns off and then lights up again after the
ignition is switched on
● illuminates or flashes while the vehicle is
moving.
The airbag system is not triggered if:
● the ignition is switched off
● there is a minor frontal collision
● there is a minor side collision
● there is a rear-end collision
● the vehicle turns over. WARNING
● The seat belts and airbags can only provide
maximum protection if the occupants are
seated correctly ››› page 30, Proper sitting
position for occupants.
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system,
have the system checked immediately by a
specialised workshop. Otherwise, during a frontal collision the system might not trigger
correctly or may fail to trigger at all.
Airbag activation
The airbags deploy extremely rapidly, within
thousandths of a second, to provide addi-
tional protection in the event of an accident.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag de-
ploys. This is normal and it is not an indica-
tion of fire in the vehicle.
The airbag system is only ready to function
when the ignition is on.
In special accidents instances, several air-
bags may activate at the same time.
In the event of minor head-on and side colli-
sions, rear-end collisions, overturning or roll-
over of the vehicle, airbags
do not activate.
Activation factors
The conditions that lead to the airbag system
activating in each situation cannot be gener-
alised. Some factors play an important role,
such as the properties of the object the vehi-
cle hits (hard/soft), angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc.
Deceleration trajectory is key for airbag acti-
vation. The control unit analyses the collision trajec-
tory and activates the respective restraint
system.
If the deceleration rate is below the prede-
fined reference value in the control unit the
airbags will not be triggered, even though
the accident may cause extensive damage to
the car.
The following airbags are triggered in
serious head-on collisions
● Driver airbag.
● Front passenger front airbag
The following airbags are triggered in
serious side-on collisions
● Front side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● Rear side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● Curtain (head) airbag on the side of the ac-
cident.
In an accident with airbag activation:
● the interior lights switch on (if the interior
light switch is in the courtesy light position);
● the hazard warning lights switch on;
● all doors are unlocked;
● the fuel supply to the engine is cut.
41
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Airbag system
Fig. 57
Front passenger airbag located in
dash panel. The front airbag for the driver is located in
the steering wheel
››› Fig. 56 and the airbag
f or the fr
ont passenger is located in the dash
panel ››› Fig. 57. Airbags are identified by the
wor
d “AIRBAG”.
The airbag covers fold out of the steering
wheel and dashboard respectively when the
driver and front passenger airbags are trig-
gered ››› Fig. 57
. The airbag covers remain connected to the steering wheel or the dash
panel.
In conjunction with the seat belts, the front
airbag system gives the driver and the front
passenger additional protection for the head
and chest in the event of a severe frontal col-
lision.
The special design of the airbag allows the
controlled escape of the propellant gas when
an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus,
the head and chest are surrounded and pro-
tected by the airbag. After the collision, the
airbag deflates sufficiently to allow visibility.
WARNING
● The seat belts and airbags can only provide
maximum protection if the occupants are
seated correctly ››› page 30, Proper sitting
position for occupants.
● The deployment space between the front
passengers and the airbags must not in any
case be occupied by other passenger, pets
and objects.
● The airbags provide protection for just one
accident; replace them once they have de-
ployed.
● It is also important not to attach any ob-
jects such as cup holders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the air-
bag units.
● Do not attempt to modify components of
the airbag system in any way. Side airbags*
Fig. 58
Side airbag in driver seat. Fig. 59
Illustration of completely inflated side
airbag on left side of vehicle. The side airbags are located in the driver seat
and front passenger seat backrests
››› Fig. 58 . The locations are identified by the
t e
xt “AIRBAG” in the upper region of the
backrests. »
43
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Airbag system
Head-protection airbags* Fig. 60
Location and deployment area of the
head-protection airbag. There is a head airbag on each side of the in-
terior above the doors
››› Fig. 60 . Airbags are
identified b y
the word “AIRBAG”.
The area framed in red is covered by the head
protection airbag when it is deployed
››› Fig. 60 (deployment area). Therefore, ob-
jects
should never be placed or mounted in
this area ››› .
In the event of a side collision the curtain air-
bag is triggered on the impact side of the ve-
hicle.
In side collisions, the head-protection air-
bags reduce the risk of injury to passengers
in the front and rear side seats facing the im-
pact. WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in frac-
tions of a second.
● Do not obstruct the head-protection airbag
deployment areas.
● Never secure objects over the curtain air-
bag cover or in its deployment area.
● Occupants of the front seats and rear side
seats must never carry any other people, ani-
mals or objects in the deployment space be-
tween them and the airbags. Make sure that
all the vehicle occupants, including children,
observe this.
● The clothes hangers are intended only for
light articles of clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
● Do not mount accessories on the doors.
● Use only sun blinds which have been ex-
pressly approved for use in your vehicle.
● Do not turn the sun blinds towards the win-
dows if there are objects, e.g. pens or garage
remote controls, secured to them. Deactivating airbags
Front passenger airbag deactivation* Fig. 61
In the glove compartment: Switch for
activating and deactivating the front passen-
ger airbag Fig. 62
Centre side of dash panel: control
lamp for deactivated front passenger airbag
in centre console Read the additional information carefully
››› page 11
»
45
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Transporting children safety
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and
observe any statutory requirements when in-
stalling and using child seats. Always read
and note ››› page 47 .
W e r
ecommend you always carry the manu-
facturer's Child Seat Instruction Manual to-
gether with the on-board documentation.
Important information on the front
passenger airbag Fig. 63
Passenger's side sun visor: airbag
sticker. Fig. 64
On the rear frame of the passenger
side door: airbag sticker. A sticker with important information about
the passenger airbag is located on the pas-
senger's sun visor and/or on the passenger
side door frame. Read and always observe
the safety information included in the follow-
ing chapters:
● Safety distance with respect to the passen-
ger airbag ››› page 40 .
● Ob
jects between the passenger and the
passenger side airbag ››› in Front airbags
on page 43 .
The p a
ssenger side front airbag, when ena-
bled, is a serious risk for a child that is facing
backward since the airbag can strike the seat
with such force that it can cause serious or
fatal injuries. Children up to 12 years old
should always travel on the rear seat.
Therefore we strongly recommend you to
transport children on the rear seats. This is the safest location in the vehicle. Alternative-
ly, the front passenger airbag can be disa-
bled with a key-operated switch
››› page 45.
When transporting children, use a child seat
appropriate to the age and size of each child. WARNING
● If a child seat is secured to the front pas-
senger seat, the risk to the child of sustain-
ing critical or fatal injuries in the event of an
accident increases.
● An inflating front passenger airbag can
strike the rear-facing child seat and project it
with great force against the door, the roof or
the backrest.
● Never install a child seat facing backwards
on the front passenger seat unless the front
passenger front airbag has been disabled.
Risk of potentially fatal injuries to the child!
However, if it is necessary, in exceptional ca-
ses, to transport a child in the front passen-
ger seat, the front passenger front airbag
must always be disabled ››› page 45, Front
passenger airbag deactivation*. If the front
passenger seat has a height adjustment op-
tion, move it to the highest position.
● For those vehicles that do not include a key
lock switch to deactivate the airbag, the vehi-
cle must be taken to a technical service.
● All vehicle occupants, especially children,
must assume the proper sitting position and
be properly belted in while travelling. » 47
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Transporting children safety
Ways to secure a child seat Fig. 65
On the rear seats: Possible installations for the child seat. Figure
››› Fig. 65 A shows the basic child re-
straint system mounting using lower retain-
ing rings and the upper retaining strap. Fig-
ure ››› Fig. 65 B shows the child restraint
system mounting using the vehicle seat belt.
You can secure a child seat to the rear seat or
front passenger seat in the following ways:
● Child seats in groups 0 to 3 can be secured
w ith a se
at belt.
● Child seats for groups 0, 0+ and 1
can be
fastened without seatbelts, using the “ISO-
FIX” system, using the “ISOFIX” ››› page 50
securing rings.
● During installation of some models of
group I, II and III child seats in the rear seat,
difficulty may arise in mounting given that
the seat comes into contact with the head re- straint. In this case, adjust the height of the
head restraint or remove it from the seat fol-
lowing the instructions in the corresponding
chapter
››› page 101. Once you remove the
child seat, replace the head restraint in its
original position.
Weight group
Seating position
Front
passen-
ger seatRear side seatRear cen-tral seat
Group 0
to 10 kgU*UU
Group 0+ to 13 kgU*UU
Group I
9 to 18 kgU*UU
Group II
15 to 25 kgXUU
Group III
22 to 36 kgXUU» 49
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials