Safe driving
Safety
Safe driving Safety first! This chapter contains important information,
tips, suggestions and warnings that you
should read and consider for both your own
safety and for your passengers' safety.
WARNING
● This manual contains important informa-
tion about the operation of the vehicle, both
for the driver and the passengers. The other
sections of the on-board documentation also
contain further information that you should
be aware of for your own safety and for the
safety of your passengers.
● Ensure that the on-board documentation is
kept in the vehicle at all times. This is espe-
cially important when lending or selling the
vehicle to another person. Advice about driving
Before starting every trip For your own safety and the safety of your
passengers, always note the following points
before every trip: –
Make sure that the vehicle's lights and turn
signals are working properly.
– Check tyre pressure.
– Ensure that all windows provide a clear and
good view of the surroundings.
– Make sure all luggage is secured
››› page 81 .
– Mak
e sure that no objects can interfere
with the pedals.
– Adjust front seat, head restraint and rear vi-
sion mirrors properly according to your
size.
– Ensure that the passengers in the rear
seats always have the head restraints in
the in-use position ››› page 10.
– Instruct passengers to adjust the head re-
straints according to their height.
– Protect children with appropriate child
seats and properly applied seat belts
››› page 24.
– Ass
ume the correct sitting position. Instruct
your passengers also to assume a proper
sitting position. ››› page 6.
– Fasten your seat belt securely. Instruct your
passengers also to fasten their seat belts
properly. ›››
page 11. What
affects driving safety? As a driver, you are responsible for yourself
and your passengers. When your concentra-
tion or driving safety is affected by any cir-
cumstance, you endanger yourself as well as
others on the road
››› , for this reason:
– Always pay attention to traffic and do not
get distracted by passengers or telephone calls.
– Never drive when your driving ability is im-
paired (e.g. by medication, alcohol, drugs).
– Observe traffic laws and speed limits.
– Always reduce your speed as appropriate
for road, traffic and weather conditions.
– When travelling long distances, take
breaks regularly - at least every two hours.
– If possible, avoid driving when you are tired
or stressed. WARNING
When driving safety is impaired during a trip,
the risk of injury and accidents increases. Safety equipment
Never put your safety or the safety of your
passengers in danger. In the event of an acci-
dent, the safety equipment may reduce the
»
5
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Safety
risk of injury. The following list includes most
of the safety equipment in your SEAT:
● Three-point seat belts
● belt tension limiters for the front and rear
side seats,
● Belt tensioners for the front seats
● Belt height adjustment for the front seats
● Front airbags
● Side airbags in the front seat backrests
● Side airbags in the rear seat backrests*
● Head-protection airbags
● Active front head restraints*
● “ISOFIX” anchor points for child seats in
the rear side seats with the “ISOFIX” system,
● Height-adjustable front head restraints
● Rear head restraints with in-use position
and non-use position
● Adjustable steering column
The safety equipment mentioned above
works together to provide you and your pas-
sengers with the best possible protection in
the event of an accident. However, these
safety systems can only be effective if you
and your passengers are sitting in a correct
position and use this equipment properly.
Safety is everyone's business! Sitting position for vehicle
occupants
Correct sitting position for driver Fig. 1
The proper distance between driver
and steering wheel Fig. 2
Correct head restraint position for the
driver. For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident, we recom-mend the following adjustments for the driv-
er:
– Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 25 cm between the
steering wheel and the centre of your chest
››› Fig. 1 .
– Mo v
e the driver seat forwards or backwards
so that you are able to press the accelera-
tor, brake and clutch pedals to the floor
with your knees still slightly angled ››› .
– Ensure that you can reach the highest point
of the steering wheel.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper
edge is at the same level as the top of your
head, or as close as possible to the same
level as the top of your head ››› Fig. 2 .
– Mo v
e the seat backrest to an upright posi-
tion so that your back rests completely
against it.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ››› page 11.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you
have the vehicle under control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver seat ››› page 72. WARNING
● An incorrect sitting position of the driver
can lead to severe injuries.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is at
least 25 cm distance between the centre of 6
Safe driving
upwards at the same time. This movement re-
duces the distance between the occupant's
head and the head restraint, thus reducing
the risk of injuries such as whiplash. WARNING
● Travelling with the head restraints removed
or improperly adjusted increases the risk of
severe injuries. An improper adjustment of
the head restraints may cause death in an ac-
cident and increase the risk of suffering inju-
ries during abrupt braking actions or unex-
pected manoeuvres.
● The head restraints must always be adjus-
ted according to the height of the passenger. Note
The active head restraints* could also be trig-
gered if a vehicle occupant applies a high lev-
el of pressure to the seat backrest (e.g. by
“falling” back into the seat when entering the
vehicle) or if pressure is applied to a front
seat head restraint from the rear. This acci-
dental activation is, however, not dangerous,
as the active head restraints will return to the
original position immediately and are thus
once again ready. Examples of incorrect sitting
positions
Seat belts can provide optimal protection on-
ly when the belt webs are properly posi- tioned. Incorrect sitting positions substan-
tially reduce the protective function of seat
belts and increase the risk of injury due to in-
correct seat belt position. As the driver, you
are responsible for all passengers, especially
children.
– Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
sitting position in the vehicle while travel-
ling ››› .
The following list contains examples of sit-
ting positions that could be dangerous for all
vehicle occupants. The list is not complete,
but we would like to make you aware of this
issue.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is in motion:
● Never stand in the vehicle.
● Never stand on the seats.
● Never kneel on the seats.
● Never tilt your seat backrest far to the rear.
● Never lean against the dash panel.
● Never lie on the rear bench.
● Never sit on the front edge of a seat.
● Never sit sideways.
● Never lean out of a window.
● Never put your feet out of a window.
● Never put your feet on the dash panel.
● Never put your feet on the surface of a seat. ●
Do not allow anyone to travel in the foot-
well.
● Never travel without wearing the seat belt.
● Do not allow anyone to travel in the lug-
gage compartment. WARNING
● Any incorrect sitting position increases the
risk of severe injuries.
● Sitting in an incorrect position exposes the
vehicle occupants to severe injuries if airbags
are triggered, by striking a vehicle occupant
who has assumed an incorrect sitting posi-
tion.
● Before the vehicle moves, assume the prop-
er sitting position and maintain it throughout
the trip. Before every trip, instruct your pas-
sengers to sit properly and to stay in this po-
sition during the trip ››› page 6, Sitting posi-
tion for vehicle occupants . 9Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
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*
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.
The control lamp 1)
on the instrument panel
lights up if the driver or passenger has not
fastened their belt when the ignition is
switched on.
If, when starting to drive, speed surpasses
25 km/h (15 mph) approx. and no seat belts
are worn or they are unfastened during the
drive, a warning sound will be heard for a few
seconds. The warning light will also flash .
The lamp goes out when the driver and
passenger seat belts are fastened with the ig-
nition switched on. Seat belt protection Fig. 6
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. They also help prevent
uncontrolled movements that may result in
serious injury and reduce the risk of being
thrown out of the vehicle in case of an acci-
dent.
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.
»1)
Depending on the model version
11
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Safety
How to properly adjust your
seatbelt Fastening and unfastening your seat
belt Fig. 9
Positioning and removing the seat belt
buckle. Fig. 10
Placing the seat belt in the shoulder
and pelvis area for pregnant women. Fasten your seat belt
The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if
the seat belt is not positioned correctly.
● Adjust the seat and head restraint correctly.
● To fasten the belt, take hold of the latch
plate and pull it slowly across your chest and
lap.
● Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the
appropriate seat and push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click
››› Fig. 9
A .
● Pu
ll the belt to ensure that the latch plate is
securely engaged in the buckle.
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 15.
Seat
belt release
● Press the red button on the belt buckle
››› Fig. 9 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.
Positioning seat belts
Seat belts offer their maximum protection on-
ly when they are properly positioned.
The following features are available to adjust
the seat belt in the shoulder region:
● belt height adjustment for the front seats.
● front seat height adjustment*.
14
Seat belts
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.
● The shoulder part of the seat belt must lie
on the centre of the shoulder, never across
the neck. The seat belt must lie flat and snug-
ly on the torso ››› Fig. 10.
● The l ap p
art of the seat belt must lie across
the pelvis, never across the stomach. The
seat belt must lie flat and snugly on the pel-
vis ››› Fig. 10. Pull the belt tight if necessary
to t
ake up any slack.
● 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.
● Always engage the retractor lock when you
are securing a child seat in group 0, 0+ or 1
››› page 24.
● Re
ad and observe the warnings ››› page 12. Adjusting the seat belt height
Fig. 11
Location of the belt height adjuster. The seat belt adjuster for the front seats can
be used to adjust the proper belt position at
the shoulder.
– Press the upper part of the shoulder belt
guide and hold it in this position ››› Fig. 11 .
– Mo v
e the shoulder belt guide up or down
until you have adjusted the seat belt
››› page 14.
– Aft
er adjusting, pull the shoulder belt
sharply to check that the catch on the
shoulder belt guide is engaged securely. 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. 15
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Safety
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 illuminate 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 disa-
bling 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 13 . 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. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and
observe any statutory requirements when in-
stalling and using child seats. Always read
and note
››› page 25.
We r
ecommend you always carry the manu-
facturer's Child Seat Instruction Manual to-
gether with the on-board documentation.
24
Transporting children safety
Important information regarding the
front passenger's airbag Fig. 19
Passenger's side sun visor: airbag
sticker. Fig. 20
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 16, Why wear a seat belt
and assume the correct sitting position? .
● Objects between the passenger and the
passenger side airbag ››› in Front airbags
on page 20 .
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 22.
When transporting children, use a child seat
suitable for the age and size of each child
››› page 24. 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 22. If the
front passenger seat has a height adjustment
option, 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.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap,
this can result in potentially fatal injuries to
the child!
● Never allow a child to be transported in a
vehicle without being properly secured, or to
stand up or kneel on a seat while travelling.
In an accident, the child could be flung
through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal in-
juries to themselves and to the other vehicle
occupants.
● If children assume an improper sitting posi-
tion when the vehicle is moving, they expose
themselves to greater risk of injury in the
event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an
accident. This is particularly important if the
child is travelling on the front passenger seat » 25
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety