2014 SKODA OCTAVIA steering wheel

›Head airbags.
› Anchoring points for child seats using the ISOFIX system.
› Anchoring points for child seats using the TOP TETHER system.
› Head restraints adjustable for height 1)
.
› Adjustable steering column.
The specified safety equipment works together, in order to optimally protect
you and those travelling with you in accident situations.
The safety equipment does not protect you or the people travelling with you, if
you or your occupants adopt an incorrect seated position or the equipment is
not correctly adjusted or used.
If the seat belt is not fastened properly, this may result in injuries during an
accident caused by the deployed airbag.
Correct and safe seated position
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Correct seated position for the driver
9
Adjusting the steering wheel position
10
Correct seated position for the front passenger
10
Correct seated position for the passengers in the rear seats
11
Examples of an incorrect seated position
11WARNING■ The front seats and all head restraints must be adjusted to match the
body size at all times and the seat belt must always be fastened properly to
provide the most effective levels of protection to the passengers.■
Each occupant must correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to the seat.
Children must be fastened » page 22, Transporting children safely with a
suitable restraint system.
■
If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.
WARNING (Continued)■ If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury
is increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.■
The seat backrests must not be tilted too far back when driving, as this
will impair the function of the seat belts and of the airbag system – risk of
injury!
Correct seated position for the driver
Fig. 1
Correct seated position for the
driver
Read and observe on page 9 first.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident, the following instructions must be observed.
Adjust the driver’s seat in the forward/back direction so that the pedals
can be fully depressed with slightly bent legs.
For vehicles with driver knee air-bag adjust the driver's seat in a forward/
back direction so that there is a gap of at least 10 cm between the legs and the dash panel in the vicinity of the knee airbag -
B
» Fig. 1 .
Adjust the seat backrest so that the highest point of the steering wheel
can be reached with your arms at a slight angle.
Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance
A
between the steering
wheel and your chest is at least 25 cm » Fig. 1. Adjust the steering
wheel » page 10 , Adjusting the steering wheel position .
Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at
the same level as the upper part of your head 1)

C
» Fig. 1 .
Correctly fasten the seat belt » page 12, Using seat belts .
Adjust the seats and head restraints » page 86. 
1)
Not valid for sport seats.
9Passive Safety

WARNING■Always assume the correct seated position before setting off and do not
change this position while driving. Also advise your passengers to adopt
the correct seated position and not to change this position while the car is
moving.■
Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel, and a dis-
tance of at least 10 cm between the legs and the dash panel at the height
of the knee airbag. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that
the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you – hazard!
■
When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the out-
er edge in the “9 o'clock” and “3 o'clock” position. Never hold the steering
wheel in the “12 o'clock” position or in any other way (e.g. in the middle or
inner edge of the steering wheel). In such cases, you could severely injure
the arms, hands and head when the driver airbag is deployed.
■
Ensure that there are no objects in the driver's footwell as they may get
caught behind the pedals when driving or applying the braking. You would
then no longer be able to operate the clutch, brake or acceleration pedals.
Adjusting the steering wheel position
Fig. 2
Adjusting the steering wheel position
Read and observe
on page 9 first.
The height and forward/back position of the steering wheel can be adjusted.
›
Swivel the safety lever under the steering wheel in the direction of arrow
1
» Fig. 2 .
›Adjust the steering wheel to the desired position. The steering wheel can be
adjusted in the direction of arrow 2.›
Pull the safety lever in the direction of arrow
3
to the stop.
WARNING■ The safety lever must be locked while you are driving so that the position
of the steering wheel cannot accidentally change during the journey – risk
of accident!■
Never adjust the steering wheel when the vehicle is moving only when
the vehicle is stationary!
Correct seated position for the front passenger
Read and observe
on page 9 first.
For passenger safety and to reduce the risk of injury in an accident, the follow-ing instructions must be observed.
Position the front passenger seat back as far as possible. The front pas-
senger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel so
that the airbag offers the greatest possible safety if it is deployed.
Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at
the same level as the upper part of your head 1)

C
» Fig. 1 on page 9 .
Correctly fasten the seat belt » page 12.
Adjust the seats and head restraints » page 86.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactiva-
ted » page 21 , Deactivating airbags .
WARNING■
Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel. Not maintaining
this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to
properly protect you - hazard!■
Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven – nev-
er place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the
surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it be-
comes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an air-
bag is deployed, you could suffer fatal injuries by adopting an incorrect
seated position!
1)
Not valid for sport seats.
10Safety

WARNING (Continued)■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
protect 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 jack-
et) 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 92.
WARNINGInformation on the care and maintenance of the safety belts■The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may im-
pair proper operation of the inertia reel » page 187.■
The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not at-
tempt 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 for the belts should also be
checked.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when using seat belts.The physical principle of a head-on collisionFig. 4
Driver without a fastened seat belt/rear seat passenger without a
fastened seat belt
Read and observe
on page 12 first.
As soon as the vehicle is moving, so-called kinetic energy (the energy of mo-
tion) is produced both in terms of the car as well as in terms of the 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 opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident with
your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces act-
ing 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 km/h to 50 km/h, the forces that your
body is exposed to in the event of an accident can exceed a metric ton
(1000 kg).
For example, a person's weight of 80 kg “increases” at 50 km/h to 4.8 tons
(4800 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt
are thrown forward and strike parts of the interior of the car, such as the
steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen in ways which cannot be control-
led » Fig. 4 - 
. In certain circumstances you could even be thrown out of the
vehicle, which could cause life threatening or even fatal injuries. 
13Seat belts

Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
System description
16
Airbag deployment
16WARNING■ An airbag can only offer you optimal protection in combination with a
fastened 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 9, Correct and safe 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 ga-
rage immediately. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activa-
ted 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
system 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 ac-
cident. The airbag system must then be replaced if the airbag has been de-
ployed.
System description
Read and observe
on page 16 first.
The functional status of the airbag system is indicated by the indicator light 
in the instrument cluster » page 38.
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.
The airbag system consists – depending on the vehicle equipment – of the
following modules.
› Electronic control unit.
› Front airbag for the driver and the front passenger
» page 17.
› Driver’s knee airbag
» page 18.
› Side airbags
» page 19.
› Head airbags
» page 20.
› Airbag warning light in the instrument cluster
» page 38.
› Key switch for the front passenger airbag
» page 21.
› Warning light for the front passenger airbag/activation in dash panel cen-
tre » page 21 .
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 de-
activating the front passenger airbag must be included!■
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important to
comply with the national legal requirements.
Airbag deployment
Read and observe
on page 16 first.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to beable to offer that additional protection in the event of an accident.
The airbag system is only functional when the ignition is switched on.
In certain accident situations, the several airbags may be deployed simultane-
ously. 
16Safety

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
occurs. The control unit analyses the nature of the collision and activates the
relevant restraint system.
If the vehicle deceleration which occurs and is measured during the collision
remains below the prescribed reference values specified in the control unit,
the airbags are not deployed although the vehicle may well suffer severe dam-
age to the bodywork 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.
When an airbag is deployed, the following occurs.
› The interior lighting illuminates (if the switch for the interior lighting is in the
door contact position).
› The hazard warning lights are 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
17
Driver’s knee airbag
18Side airbags19Head airbags20
Front airbags
Fig. 8
Locations of the airbags / gas filled airbags
Fig. 9
Safe distance to steering wheel
In the event of a severe frontal collision, the front airbag system offers addi-
tional 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
airbag is located in the instrument panel above the glove compartment » Fig. 8
-  .
The airbags inflate in front of the driver and front passenger when they are
deployed » Fig. 8 -
 . The forward movement of the driver and of the front
passenger is cushioned when they make contact with the fully inflated airbag
and the risk of injury to head and chest is thus reduced. 
17Airbag system

WARNINGInformation on correct seated position■It is important that the driver and front passenger maintain a distance of
at least 25 cm to the steering wheel or dashboard A
» Fig. 9 . 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 occu-
pant.
■
The airbag develops enormous forces when triggered, which can lead to
injuries 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
proper 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 21, 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 regula-
tions regarding the use of child safety seats.
WARNINGGeneral information■The steering wheel and the surface of the airbag module in the dash pan-
el on the passenger side must not have stickers attached, be covered or
modified 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 hold-
ers, mobile phone mounts, etc. must be attached to the covers of the air-
bag modules or be located within their immediate vicinity.■
Never place objects on the surface of the front passenger airbag module
in the dash panel.
Note■ In vehicles with a driver's front airbag, the text  can be seen on the
steering wheel.■
In vehicles with a front passenger airbag, the text 
can be seen on the
dash panel on the passenger side.
Driver’s knee airbag
Fig. 10
Installation of the airbag / Gas-filled Airbag / Safe distance be-
tween the legs and the instrument panel
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. 10.
In the event of a severe frontal collision, the driver's knee airbag and front air-
bags are deployed.
The forward movement of the body is cushioned when it makes contact with
the fully inflated airbag
B
and the risk of injury to the legs of the driver is thus
reduced. 
18Safety

Deactivating airbags
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Deactivating airbags
21
Deactivating the front passenger airbag
21
Deactivating airbags
Deactivating an airbag should be considered in cases such as the ones
outlined below.
› If using a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat (due to different
legal regulations, the airbag must be deactivated if using a forward-facing
child seat in some countries) » page 22, Transporting children safely .
› If not being able to maintain a distance of at least 25 cm between the middle
of the steering wheel and chest, despite the driver's seat being correctly ad-
justed.
› If special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because
of a physical disability.
› If other seats have been installed (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side air-
bags).
The front passenger airbag can be switched off with the key-operated
switch » page 21 , Deactivating the front passenger airbag .
We recommend that you ask a ŠKODA service partner to deactivate any other
airbags as appropriate.
Monitoring the airbag system
The functionality of the airbag system is monitored electronically even if one
of the airbags is switched off.
Airbag was switched off using diagnostic equipment
› The warning light
 lights up for approx. 4 seconds after switching on the
ignition and then flashes again for approx. 12 seconds.
Front passenger airbag switched off with the key switch in the storage com-
partment
› The warning light
 comes on for about 4 seconds after the ignition has
been switched on.
› The warning light


» Fig. 14 on page 21 -
 comes on after the ignition
has been switched on.
Note■ The national regulations for switching off airbags must be observed.■A ŠKODA service partner will be able to inform you which, if any, of your vehi-
cle's airbags can or must be deactivated.
Deactivating the front passenger airbag
Fig. 14
Key-operated switch for the front passenger airbag/warning light
for the front passenger airbag
Only the front passenger airbag is deactivated with the key switch.
Switching off
›
Switch off the ignition.
›
Open the storage box on the front passenger's side.
›
Fold the key bit out completely for the radio key » .
›
Carefully insert the key into the key slot in the key switch as far as the stop.
›
Use the key to turn the slot of the key switch carefully into the position
 » Fig. 14 - 
.
›
Pull the key out of the slot in the key switch » .
›
Close the storage box on the front passenger's side.
›
Check that the warning light 

underneath the text 
 » Fig. 14 - 
lights up after the ignition is switched on.
Switching on
›
Switch off the ignition.
›
Open the storage box on the front passenger's side.
›
Fold the key bit out completely for the radio key » .
›
Carefully insert the key into the key slot in the key switch as far as the stop.
›
Use the key to turn the slot of the key switch carefully into the position
 » Fig. 14 - 
.
›
Pull the key out of the slot in the key switch » .
21Airbag system

Using the system
Cockpit
OverviewElectrical power windows
64
Electric exterior mirror adjustment
85
Door opening lever
56
Air outlet vent
116
Parking ticket holder
95
Operating lever:
› Turn signal light, headlight and parking light, headlight
flasher
73
› Speed regulating system
148
›Activating the Assist systems menu item
51
Steering wheel:
› With horn
› With driver’s front airbag
17
›With buttons for the operation of the information system
45
›With buttons for the Infotainment Control
» Infotainment
Manual , chapter Device Operation
Instrument cluster
30
Operating lever: › Windscreen wiper and wash system
81
›Multifunction display
47
›Information system
51
Infotainment
» owner's manual for the Infotainment radio or
navigation
Air outlets in the central part of the dash panel
116
Button for hazard warning light system
77
Warning light for the deactivated front seat passenger airbag
21
Interior rear-view mirror
84
Storage compartment on the front passenger side
100
Front passenger airbag
17
CD/DVD drive and memory card slot (in the passenger-side stor-
age compartment) » owner's manual for the Infotainment radio
and/or navigation
1234567891011121314151617Key switch for switching off the front passenger airbag (in front
passenger storage compartment)21
Air outlet vent
116
Door opening lever
56
Power window in the front passenger door
65
Light switch
71
Bonnet release lever
194
Storage compartment on the driver's side
95
Fuse box (behind the storage compartment on the driver's
side)
228
Operating lever for adaptive cruise control
152
Lever for adjusting the steering wheel
10
Ignition lock
127
Pedals
132
Handbrake lever
131
Depending on equipment fitted:
› Gearshift lever (manual gearbox)
132
›Selector lever (automatic gearbox)
133
Depending on equipment fitted:
› 12-Volt power socket
98
›Cigarette lighter
97
Bar with keys depending on the equipment fitted:
› 
Central locking system
58
› 
START STOP
158
› 
Traction control TCS
139
›
Electronic Stability Control ESC
138
› 
/
 Selection of travel mode
160
›
Park Assist
144
› 
Parking aid
140
› 
Tyre control display
167
Shelf/phonebox
96

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