Seat belts
Seat belts
The reasons why we should
wear seat belts Number of seats Your vehicle has
five seats, two in the front
and thr ee in the r
ear. Each seat is equipped
with a three-point seat belt.
In some versions, your vehicle is approved
only for four seats. Two front seats and two
r e
ar seats. WARNING
● Never transport more than the permitted
amount of people in your vehicle.
● Every vehicle occupant must properly fas-
ten and wear the seat belt belonging to his or
her seat. Children must be protected with an
appropriate child restraint system. Seat belt warning lamp*
Fig. 60
Instrument panel: right rear seat oc-
cupied and corresponding seat belt fastened
display. 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 (de-
pending on the model version) 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
light will also flash
.
The
l
amp goes out when the driver and
p
assenger seat belts are fastened with the ig-
nition switched on.
Rear seat belts fastened display.*
Depending on the model version, when the
ignition is switched on, the seat belt status
display ››› Fig. 60 on the instrument panel in-
forms
the driver whether the passengers in
the rear seats have fastened their seat belts.
The symbol indicates that the passenger in
this seat has fastened “his or her” seat belt.
When a seat belt in the rear seats is fastened
or unfastened, the seat belt status is dis-
played for approximately 30 seconds. The in-
dication can be hidden by pressing the 0.0/SET button on the dash panel.
The seat belt status flashes for a maximum of
30 seconds when a seat belt in the rear seats
is unfastened while the vehicle is in motion.
An audible warning will also be heard if the
vehicle is travelling at over 25 km/h
(15 mph).
43
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Seat belts
The seat belts are equipped with an automat-
ic retractor on the shoulder strap. Full free-
dom of movement is permitted when the
shoulder belt is pulled slowly. However, dur-
ing sudden braking, during travel in steep
areas or bends and during acceleration, the
automatic retractor on the shoulder belt is
locked.
The automatic belt retractors on the front
seats are fitted with seat belt tensioners
››› page 47 .
R el
easing the seat belt
● Press the red button on the belt buckle
››› Fig. 64 B
. The latch plate is released and
springs out ››› .
● Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls
up easily and the trim is not damaged.
Adjusting the seat belt
Seat belts offer their maximum protection on-
ly when they are properly positioned
››› Fig. 65 . WARNING
● The seat belts offer best protection only
when the backrests are in an upright position
and the seat belts have been fastened prop-
erly.
● Never put the latch plate in the buckle of
another seat. If you do this, the seat belt will not protect you properly and the risk of injury
is increased.
●
Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehi-
cle is in motion. If you do, you increase the
risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries.
● An incorrectly worn seat belt can cause se-
vere injuries in the event of an accident.
● For pregnant women, the lap part of the
seat belt must lie as low as possible over the
pelvis, never across the stomach, and always
lie flat so that no pressure is exerted on the
abdomen ››› Fig. 65.
● Alw
ays engage the retractor lock when you
are securing a child seat in group 0, 0+ or 1
››› page 56.
● Re
ad and observe the warnings ››› page 44. Seat belt tensioners
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 tensioners only dur-
ing severe head-on, lateral and rear-end colli-
sions and only if the seat belt is worn. This
retracts and tightens the seat belts, reducing
the forward motion of the occupants.The seat belt tensioner can be triggered only
once.
The seat belt tensioners will not be triggered
in the event of a light frontal, side or rear col-
lision, 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
»
47
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Airbag system
travel on the rear seat. Never transport
children in the vehicle if they are not restrain-
ed or the restraint system is not appropriate
for their age, size or weight.
●
If you are not wearing a seat belt, or if you
lean forward or to the side while travelling or
assume an incorrect sitting position, there is
a substantially increased risk of injury. This
increased risk of injury will be further in-
creased if you are struck by an inflating air-
bag.
● To reduce the risk of injury from an inflating
airbag, always wear the seat belt properly
››› page 43.
● Alw
ays adjust the front seats properly. Description of airbag system
The airbag system is not a substitute for the
seat belts. The airbag system offers addition-
al protection for the driver and passenger in
combination with the seat belts.
The airbag system comprises the following
modules (as per vehicle equipment):
●
Electronic control unit
● Front airbags for driver and passenger
● Knee airbag for the driver
● Side airbags
● Head airbag ●
Airbag control lamp on the instrument
panel
● Key-operated switch for front passenger air-
bag
● Control lamp to disconnect/connect the
front airbag.
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 :
● does not light up when the ignition is
switched on,
● 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 38, Sitting position
for vehicle occupants .
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system,
have the system checked immediately by a
specialised workshop. Otherwise there is a
danger that during a collision, the system
may fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly. 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, »
49
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Safety
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
● Knee airbag for the driver.
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. Airbag overview
Front airbags Fig. 66
Driver airbag located in steering
wheel. 50
Airbag system
WARNING
● If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean
forward, or are not seated correctly while the
vehicle is in motion, you are at a greater risk
of injury if the side airbag system is triggered
in an accident.
● In order for the side airbags to provide their
maximum protection, the prescribed sitting
position must always be maintained with
seat belts fastened while travelling.
● In a side-on collision the side airbags will
not work if the sensors do not correctly meas-
ure the pressure increase on the interior of
the doors, due to air escaping through the
areas with holes or openings in the door pan-
el.
● Never drive if the interior door panels have
been removed or if the panels have not been
correctly fitted.
● Never drive the vehicle if the loudspeakers
in the door panels have been removed, un-
less the holes left by the loudspeakers have
been closed properly.
● Always check that the openings are closed
or covered if loudspeakers or other equip-
ment are fitted inside the door panels.
● Occupants of the outer seats must never
carry any objects or pets in the deployment
space between them and the airbags, or al-
low children or other passengers to travel in
this position. It is also important not to at-
tach any accessories (such as cup holders) to the doors. This would impair the protection
offered by the side airbags.
●
The built-in coat hooks should be used only
for lightweight clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
● Great forces, such as hard blows or kicks,
must not be exerted upon the backrest bol-
ster because the system may be damaged. In
this case, the side airbags would not be trig-
gered.
● Under no circumstances should protective
covers be fitted over seats with side airbags
unless the covers have been approved for use
in your vehicle. Because the airbag deploys
from the side of the backrest, the use of con-
ventional seat covers would obstruct the side
airbag, seriously reducing the airbag's effec-
tiveness.
● Any damage to the original seat upholstery
or around the seams of the side airbag units
must be repaired immediately by a special-
ised workshop.
● The airbags provide protection for just one
accident; replace them once they have de-
ployed.
● Any work on the side airbag system or re-
moval and installation of the airbag compo-
nents for other repairs (such as removal of
the front seat) should only be performed by a
specialised workshop. Otherwise, faults may
occur during the airbag system operation.
● Do not attempt to modify components of
the airbag system in any way. Head-protection airbags*
Fig. 72
Location of head-protection airbags. The head-protection airbags are located on
both sides in the interior above the doors
››› Fig. 72 and are identified with the text
“AIRB AG”.
In c
onjunction with the seat belts, the head-
protection airbag system gives the vehicle
occupants additional protection for the head
and upper body in the event of a severe side
collision ››› .
WARNING
● In order for the head-protection airbags to
provide their maximum protection, the pre-
scribed sitting position must always be main-
tained with seat belts fastened while travel-
ling.
● For safety reasons, the curtain airbag must
be disabled in those vehicles fitted with a
screen dividing the interior of the vehicle. » 53
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Safety
See your technical service to make this ad-
justment.
●
There must be no other persons, animals or
objects between the occupants of the outer
seats and the deployment space of the head-
protection airbags so that the head-protec-
tion airbag can deploy completely without re-
striction and provide the greatest possible
protection. Therefore, sun blinds which have
not been expressly approved for use in your
vehicle may not be attached to the side win-
dows
● The built-in coat hooks should be used only
for lightweight clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
Please, do not hang the clothes on coat hang-
ers.
● The airbags provide protection for just one
accident; replace them once they have de-
ployed.
● Any work on the head-protection airbag
system or removal and installation of the air-
bag components for other repairs (such as re-
moval of the roof lining) should only be per-
formed by a specialised workshop. Other-
wise, faults may occur during the airbag sys-
tem operation.
● Do not attempt to modify components of
the airbag system in any way.
● The side and head airbags are managed
through sensors located in the interior of the
front doors. To ensure the correct operation of
the side and curtain airbags neither the
doors nor the door panels should be modified
in any way (e.g. fitting loudspeakers). If the front door is damaged, the airbag system
may not work correctly. All work carried out
on the front door must be done in a special-
ised workshop.
Deactivating airbags
Disabling the front airbag Fig. 73
Control lamp for disabling the front
passenger front airbag on the dash panel It lights up on the combi-in-
strument
Fault in airbag
system and seat belt tensioners.Have the system checked immedi-
ately by a specialised workshop.
It lights up on the dash panel
Fault in the air-
bag system.Have the system checked immedi-
ately by a specialised workshop.
Front passenger
front airbag dis-
abled.Check whether the airbag should re-
main disabled.
It lights up on the dash panel
Front passenger
front airbag ena-
bled.The control lamp switches off about
60 seconds after the ignition is
turned on or after enabling of the
front passenger front airbag with the
key lock switch. Several warning and control lamps light up
for a few seconds when the ignition is switch-
ed on, signalling that the function is being
verified. They will switch off after a few sec-
onds.
If the front passenger airbag is deactivated,
the lamp
does not re-
m ain lit
, or if it is lit together with the control
lamp on the dash panel, there may be a
fault in the airbag system ››› .
The disabling of airbags is only carried out in
certain cases, i.e. if:
● a child seat is required in the front passen-
ger seat with the child facing in the opposite
direction to the direction of travel (in some
54
Airbag system
countries, due to divergent legal require-
ments, facing in the direction of travel)
››› page 58 ;
● de s
pite the driver seat being in the correct
position, a minimum distance of 25 cm can-
not be maintained between the centre of the
steering wheel and the driver's torso,
● installation of special devices is required in
the steering wheel area due to a physical dis-
ability,
● if you have special seats installed (e.g. an
orthopaedic seat without side airbags).
The front passenger front airbag can be disa-
bled using the switch ››› page 55.
We recommend that you contact an author-
ised SEAT dealer for the disabling of other air-
bags.
Airbag system control
The airbag system availability is controlled
electronically, regardless of whether an air-
bag is disabled.
If an airbag was disabled using a diagnostics
system:
● the airbag system warning lamp illumi-
nates after switching on the ignition for
about 4 seconds, and then flashes for about
12 seconds. If the airbag has been disabled with the air-
bag switch on the side of the dash panel:
●
the airbag control lamp will illuminate
for about
4 seconds after the ignition is
switched on,
● The airbag is disabled, signalled with the
warning lamp
which lights up with the
word placed in the cen-
tre part of the dash panel ››› Fig. 74. WARNING
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,
the airbag may not trigger correctly, may fail
to trigger or may even trigger unexpectedly,
leading to severe or fatal injuries.
● Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately by a specialised workshop.
● Never mount a child seat in the front pas-
senger seat or remove the mounted child
seat! The front passenger front airbag may
deploy during an accident in spite of the
fault. CAUTION
Always pay attention to any lit control lamps
and to the corresponding descriptions and in-
structions to avoid damage to the vehicle. Note
● Follow the current legislation in your coun-
try regarding the disabling of airbags. ●
At your authorised SEAT dealer you can find
information on which vehicle airbags can be
disabled. Front passenger front airbag switch
Fig. 74
Front passenger front airbag switch. Fig. 75
Warning lamp for disabling the front
passenger airbag. » 55
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Safety
Read the additional information carefully
››› page 11
.
The sw it
ch disables only the front passenger
front airbag.
Switching on the airbag
– Switch the ignition off.
– Open the glove compartment on the front
passenger side.
– Insert the key into the slot of the switch for
deactivating the front passenger airbag
››› Fig. 74. About 3/4 of the key should en-
ter
, as far as it will go.
– Then turn the key gently to the ON position.
Do not f
orce it if you feel resistance, and
make sure you have inserted the key fully.
– Close the passenger side storage compart-
ment.
– Check, with the ignition switched on, that
the control lamp ››› Fig. 75 does not
light up
, with the word
in the centre part of the dash panel.
– The warning lamp is illuminated for
60 seconds in the centre part of the dash
panel.
Control lamp with the word
(front passenger airbag disabled)
If the front passenger front airbag is disa-
bled
, after switching on the ignition, the con- trol lamp will light up for several seconds,
then it will switch off for about 1 s and then
switch on again.
If the control lamp is flashing, there is a fault
in the disabling of the airbag system
››› .
Please go immediately to an Official Service. WARNING
● The driver of the vehicle is responsible for
disabling or switching on the airbag.
● Always switch off the ignition before disa-
bling the front passenger airbag! Failure to do
so could result in a fault in the airbag deacti-
vation system.
● Never leave the key in the airbag disabling
switch as it could get damaged or enable or
disable the airbag during driving.
● If the (airbag disabled) control lamp
fl a
shes, the front passenger front airbag will
not trigger in the event of an accident! Have
the system immediately checked by an Offi-
cial Service. Transporting children safety
Safety for children Introduction For safety reasons, as we have learned from
accident statistics, we recommend that chil-
dren under 12 years of age travel in the rear
seats. Depending on their age, height and
weight, children travelling in rear seats must
use a child seat or a seat belt. For safety rea-
sons, the child seat should be installed in the
rear seat, behind the front passenger seat or
in the centre back seat.
The physical laws involved and the forces
acting in a collision apply also to children
››› page 45 . But unlike adults, children do not
h av
e fully developed muscle and bone struc-
tures. This means that children are subject to
a greater risk of injury.
To reduce the risk of injuries, children must
always use special child restraint systems
when travelling in the vehicle.
We recommend the use of child safety prod-
ucts from the SEAT Original Accessories Pro-
gramme, which includes systems for all ages
made by “Peke” (not for all countries).
These systems have been especially de-
signed and approved, complying with the
ECE-R44. regulation.
56