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. Tips for driving
Introduction Depending upon how you expect to use your
vehicle, it may a good idea to protect the en-
gine from below. An undercarriage may help to reduce the risk of damage to the lower part
of the vehicle and the oil sump when driving
over kerbs, or along dirt tracks or unsurfaced
roads, etc. SEAT recommends you have the
guard fitted by a technical service centre.
WARNING
Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs,
medication or narcotics may result in severe
accidents and even loss of life.
● Alcohol, drugs, medication and narcotics
may significantly alter perception, affect re-
action times and safety while driving, which
could result in the loss of control of the vehi-
cle. 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 98.
– Make 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 90.
– Instruct passengers to adjust the head re-
straints according to their height.
– Protect children with appropriate child
seats and properly applied seat belts
››› page 26 .
– As s
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 14.
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).
»
5
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Safety
– 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
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
● Front airbags
● knee airbags,
● Side airbags in the front seat backrests
● Side airbags in the rear seat backrests*
● Head-protection airbags ●
“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 occupants
Correct sitting position Fig. 1
The correct distance between the driver
and the steering wheel must be at least 25
cm (10 inches). Fig. 2
Correct belt web and head restraint po-
sitions The correct sitting positions for the driver and
passengers are shown below.
6
Safe driving
If your physical constitution prevents you
from maintaining the correct sitting position,
contact a specialised workshop for help with
any special devices. The seat belt and airbag
can only provide optimum protection if a cor-
rect sitting position is adopted. SEAT recom-
mends taking your car in for technical serv-
ice.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injury in the event of an accident or sudden
braking or manoeuvre, SEAT recommend the
following positions:
Valid for all vehicle occupants:
● 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 lev-
el as the top of your head and under no cir-
cumstances below eye level. Keep the back
of your neck as close as possible to the head
restraint ››› Fig. 1 and
›
›› Fig. 2.
● Short people must lower the head restraint
completely, even if your head is below its up-
per edge.
● Tall people must raise the head restraint
completely.
● Adjust the seat backrest to an upright posi-
tion so that your back rests completely
against it.
● Always keep your feet in the footwell while
the vehicle is in motion. ●
Adjust and fasten your seat belt correctly
››› page 14.
Al
so valid for the driver:
● Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
distance of at least 25 cm (10 inches) be-
tween it and your chest ››› Fig. 1 and so that
you c
an hold the steering wheel with both
hands on the outside of the ring at the 9
o'clock and 3 o'clock positions with your
arms slightly bent.
● The adjusted steering wheel must face your
chest and not your face.
● Adjust the driver seat forwards or back-
wards so that you are able to press the accel-
erator, brake and clutch pedals to the floor
with your knees slightly angled and the dis-
tance between your knees and the dash pan-
el is at least 10 cm (4 inches) ››› Fig. 1
.
● Adjust the height of the driver seat so that
you can easily reach the top of the steering
wheel.
● Keep both feet in the footwell so that you
have the vehicle under control at all times.
Also valid for the front passenger:
● Move the front passenger seat back as far
as possible for optimum protection should
the airbag deploy. Adjusting the steering wheel position
Fig. 3
Mechanical steering wheel adjustment Adjust the steering wheel before your trip
and only when the vehicle is stationary.
●
Push the lever ››› Fig. 3 1 downwards.
● Adjust the steering wheel so that you can
hold onto the steering wheel with both hands
on the outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and
3 o'clock positions and your arms slightly
bent.
● Push the lever firmly upwards until it is
flush to the steering column ››› .
WARNING
Incorrect use of the steering wheel adjust-
ment function and an incorrect adjustment of
the steering wheel can result in severe or fa-
tal injury.
● After adjusting the steering column, push
the lever ››› Fig. 3 1 firmly upwards to
» 7
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Safety
ensure the steering wheel does not acciden-
tally change position while driving.
●
Never adjust the steering wheel while the
vehicle is in motion. If you need to adjust the
steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion,
stop safely and make the proper adjustment.
● The adjusted steering wheel should be fac-
ing your chest and not your face so as not to
hinder the driver's front airbag protection in
the event of an accident.
● When driving, always hold the steering
wheel with both hands on the outside of the
ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions
to reduce injuries when the driver's front air-
bag deploys.
● Never hold the steering wheel at the 12
o'clock position or in any other manner (e.g.
in the centre of the steering wheel). In such
cases, if the driver's airbag deploys, you may
sustain injuries to your arms, hands and
head. Danger of injuries due to an incorrect
sitting position
Number of seats
Depending on the equipment, your vehicle
has a total of
five or
seven seats. Each seat is
equipped with a seat belt.
EquipmentSeats in
the frontSeats in the sec-
ond rowSeats in
the third row
5 seats23–
7 seats232 If the seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at
all, the risk of severe injuries increases. Seat
belts can provide optimal protection only if
the belt web is properly worn. Being seated
in an incorrect position means the seat belt
cannot offer its full protection. This could re-
sult in severe and even fatal injuries. The risk
of severe or fatal injuries is especially height-
ened when a deploying airbag strikes a vehi-
cle occupant who has assumed an incorrect
sitting position. The driver is responsible for
all passengers in the vehicle, particularly
children.
The following list shows just some examples
of incorrect sitting positions which can be
dangerous to all vehicle occupants.
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 too 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
or seat backrest.
● Never travel in a footwell.
● Never sit on the armrests.
● Never travel on a seat without wearing the
seat belt.
● Never carry any person in the luggage com-
partment. WARNING
An incorrect sitting position in the vehicle
can lead to severe injuries or death in the
event of sudden braking or manoeuvres, colli-
sion or accidents or if the airbag deploys.
● Before the vehicle moves, assume the prop-
er sitting position and maintain it throughout
the trip. This also includes fastening the seat
belt.
● Never transport more people than there are
seats with a seat belt available in the vehicle.
● Children must always be protected with an
approved child restraint system suited to
their height and weight ››› page 26,
››› page 20.8
Safe driving
●
Always keep your feet in the footwell while
the vehicle is in motion. Never, for example,
put your feet on the surface of a seat or on
the dash panel and never put them out of a
window. Otherwise the airbag and seat belt
offer insufficient protection and the risk of in-
jury in the event of an accident is increased. WARNING
Before every trip, adjust the seat, the seat
belt and the head restraints and instruct your
passengers to fasten their seat belts proper-
ly.
● Move the front passenger seat back as far
as possible.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is a dis-
tance of at least 25 cm (10 inches) between
the centre of your chest and the hub of the
steering wheel. Adjust the driver seat so that
you are able to press the accelerator, brake
and clutch pedals to the floor with your knees
slightly angled and that the distance be-
tween your knees and the dash panel is at
least 10 cm (4 inches). If your physical consti-
tution prevents you from meeting these re-
quirements, contact a specialised workshop
to make any modifications required.
● Never drive with the seat backrest tilted far
back. The further the seat backrests are tilted
to the rear, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the belt web or to
the incorrect sitting position!
● Never drive with the seat backrest tilted
forwards. Should a front airbag deploy, it could throw the seat backrest backwards and
injure the passengers of the rear seats.
●
Sit as far away as possible from the steer-
ing wheel and the dash panel.
● Keep your back straight and resting com-
pletely against the seat backrest and the
front seats correctly adjusted. Never place
any part of your body in the area of the airbag
or very close to it.
● If passengers on the rear seats are not sit-
ting in an upright position, the risk of severe
injury due to incorrect positioning of the belt
web increases. WARNING
Incorrect seat adjustment may lead to acci-
dents and severe injuries.
● Only adjust the seats when the vehicle is
stationary, as the seats could move unex-
pectedly while the vehicle is in motion and
you could lose control of the vehicle. Further-
more, an incorrect position is adopted when
adjusting the seat.
● Only adjust the height, seat backrest and
forwards or backwards position of the seat
when there is nobody in the seat adjustment
area.
● There must be no objects blocking the seat
adjustment area.
● Only adjust the height, angle and longitu-
dinal position of the rear seats when nobody
is in the way. ●
The seat adjustment and lock areas must
be kept clean. Pedal area
Pedals Do not allow floor mats or other objects to
obstruct the free passage of the pedals.
Floor mats should leave the pedal area free
and unobstructed and be correctly secured in
the footwell zone.
In the event of failure of a brake circuit, the
brake pedal must be pressed harder than
normal to brake the vehicle.
WARNING
Objects falling into the driver's footwell could
prevent use of the pedals. This could lead the
driver to lose control of the vehicle, increas-
ing the risk of a serious accident.
● Make sure the pedals can be used at all
times, with no objects rolling underneath
them.
● Always secure the mat in the footwell.
● Never place other mats or rugs on top of
the original mat supplied by the factory.
● Ensure that no objects can fall into the driv-
er's footwell while the vehicle is in motion. » 9Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Safety
CAUTION
The pedals must always have free and unob-
structed passage to the floor. For example, in
case of a fault in the brake circuit, the brake
pedal will need to be pressed further to stop
the vehicle. To press the brake pedal down
further will require more force than usual. Seat belts
The whys and wherefores of
seat belts Introduction Check the condition of all the seat belts at
regular intervals. If you notice that the belt
webbing, fittings, retractor mechanism or
buckle of any of the belts is damaged, the
belt must be replaced immediately by a spe-
cialised workshop
››› . The specialised
workshop must use the appropriate spare
parts corresponding to the vehicle, the
equipment and the model year. SEAT recom-
mends taking your car in for technical serv-
ice. WARNING
Unbuckled or badly buckled seat belts in-
crease the risk of severe or even fatal inju-
ries. The seat belt cannot offer its full protec-
tion if it is not fastened and used correctly.
● Seat belts are the most effective way of re-
ducing the risk of sustaining severe or fatal
injuries in the event of an accident. Seat belts
must be correctly fastened when the vehicle
is in motion to protect the driver and all vehi-
cle occupants.
● Before each trip, every occupant in the ve-
hicle occupants must sit properly, correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to his or her
seat and keep it fastened throughout the trip.
This also applies to other vehicle occupants
when driving in town.
●
When travelling, children must be secured
in the vehicle with a child restraint system
suitable for their weight and height and with
the seat belts correctly fastened
››› page 26.
● Ins
truct your passengers to fasten their
seat belts properly before driving off.
● Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the
appropriate seat and ensure it is engaged.
Using the latch plate in the buckle of another
seat will not protect you properly and may
cause severe injuries.
● Do not allow liquids or foreign bodies to en-
ter the buckle fastenings. This could damage
the buckles and seat belts.
● Never unbuckle your seat belt when the ve-
hicle is moving.
● Never allow more than one passenger to
share the same seat belt.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap
sharing the same seat belt.
● Loose, bulky clothing (such as a jacket) im-
pairs the proper fit and function of the seat
belt. 10
Seat belts
● Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is
securely engaged in the buckle.
Unfastening the seat belt
The seat belt must not be unfastened until
the vehicle has come to a standstill ››› .
● Press the red button on the buckle ››› Fig. 9
B . The latch plate is released from the buckle.
● Guide the belt b
ack by hand so that it rolls
up easily and the trim will not be damaged.
Correct belt position
Seat belts offer their maximum protection in
the event of an accident and reduce the risk
of sustaining severe or fatal injuries only
when they are properly positioned. Further-
more, if the webbing is correctly positioned,
the seat belt will hold the vehicle occupants
in the optimum position to ensure the airbag
provides the maximum protection. The seat
belt must therefore always be worn and the
webbing correctly positioned.
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause severe
or even fatal injuries ››› page 6, Sitting posi-
tion for occupants.
● The shoul
der part of the seat belt must lie
on the centre of the shoulder, never across
the neck or the arm, under the arm or behind
the shoulder.
● The lap part of the seat belt must lie across
the pelvis, never across the stomach. ●
The seat belt must lie flat and fit comforta-
bly. Pull the belt tight if necessary to take up
any slack.
In the case of pregnant women , the seat belt
must lie evenly across the chest and as low
as possible over the pelvis, never across the
stomach and must be worn properly at all
times during the pregnancy ››› Fig. 10.
Adaptin
g the position of the belt webbing to
your size
The seat belt can be adapted using the fol-
lowing equipment:
● Belt height adjustment for the front seats.
● Front seat height adjustment. WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause
severe or fatal injuries in the event of an acci-
dent.
● The seat belt cannot offer its full protection
unless the seat backrest is in an upright posi-
tion and the seat belt is worn correctly, ac-
cording to your size.
● Unbuckling your seat belt while the vehicle
is in motion can cause severe or fatal injuries
in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
● The seat belt itself, or a loose seat belt, can
cause severe injuries if the belt moves from
hard areas of the body to soft areas (e.g. the
stomach). ●
The shoulder part of the seat belt must lie
on the centre of the shoulder, never across
the neck or the arm.
● The seat belt must lie flat and fit comforta-
bly on the torso
● The lap part of the seat belt must lie across
the pelvis, never across the stomach. The
seat belt must lie flat and fit comfortably on
the pelvis Pull the belt tight if necessary to
take up any slack.
● For pregnant women, the lap part of the
seat belt must lie as low as possible over the
pelvis and always lie flat, “surrounding” the
stomach.
● Do not twist the seat belt while it is fas-
tened.
● Never pull the seat belt away from your
body using your hand.
● Do not lie the seat belt across rigid or frag-
ile objects, e.g. glasses, pens or keys.
● Never use seat belt clips, retaining rings or
similar instruments to alter the position of
the belt webbing. Note
If your physical constitution prevents you
from maintaining the correct position of the
belt webbing, contact a specialised workshop
for help with any special devices to ensure
the optimum protection of the seat belt and
airbag. SEAT recommends taking your car in
for technical service. 15Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Safety
Fastening or unfastening the seat belt
with two buckles Fig. 11
Fasten the seat belt on the centre seat
in the second row of seats Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle oc-
cupants in the position that most protects
them in the event of an accident or sudden
braking
››› .
The seat belts for the centre seat in the sec-
ond row of seats and for the seats in the third
row of seats are fastened using two buckles.
Fastening the seat belt
Fasten your seat belt before each trip.
● Adjust the rear seat and head restraint cor-
rectly ››› page 6 .
● En g
age the seat backrest of the rear seat in
an upright position ››› .●
Use latch plate of the belt ››› Fig. 11 1 to
pull the seat belt down. Do not twist the seat
belt when doin
g so ››› .
● Engage the latch plate 1 in the buckle of
the corresponding seat A .
● Use the latch plate ››› Fig. 11 2 to pull the
seat belt across your lap.
● Engage the latch plate 2 in the buckle of
the corresponding seat B .
● Pull the belt to ensure that both latch
p l
ates are securely engaged in the buckles.
Unfastening the seat belt
The seat belt must not be unfastened until
the vehicle has come to a standstill ››› .
● Press the red button on the buckle
››› Fig. 11 A . The latch plate is released from
the buckle.
● Press the red button on the buckle
››› Fig. 11 B . The latch plate is released from
the buckle.
● Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls
up easily and the trim will not be damaged. WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause
severe or fatal injuries in the event of an acci-
dent.
● The seat belt cannot offer its full protection
unless the seat backrests are in an upright position and the seat belt is worn correctly,
according to your size.
●
Unbuckling your seat belt while the vehicle
is in motion can cause severe or fatal injuries
in the event of an accident or sudden braking. Note
Seat belts with two buckles include a dia-
gram to show how to fasten the seat belt. Belt height adjustment
Fig. 12
Next to the front seats: belt height ad-
juster Using the height adjusters for the front seats
and the outer seats of the second row, the
position of the seat belts can be adjusted in
the shoulder area according to the height of
the occupant:
16