The essentials
Top Tether* retainer straps Fig. 27
Position of the Top Tether rings on the
b ac
k
of the rear seat. Child seats with the Top Tether system come
w
ith a s
tr
ap for securing the seat to the vehi-
cle anchor point, located at the back of the
rear seat backrest and provide greater re-
straint.
The objective of this strap is to reduce the
forward movement of the child seat in a
crash, to reduce the risk of injuries to the
head from hitting the inside of the vehicle.
Using the Top Tether in rear-facing mounted
seats
Currently, there are very few rear-facing child
safety seats that have Top Tether. Please
carefully read and follow the seat manufac-
turer instructions to learn the proper way to
install the Top Tether strap. Securing the Top Tether* of the child
seat t
o the anchorage point Fig. 28
Retainer strap: correct adjustment
and fittin g. Securing to the anchorage point located on
the r
e
ar of
the backrest
● Follow the manufacturer's instructions to
deploy
the child seat Top Tether retainer
strap.
● Guide the strap under the rear seat head re-
straint
››› Fig. 28 (lift the head restraint where
necessary).
● Slide the strap and secure it properly with
the anchorag
e of the backrest.
● Firmly tighten the Top Tether belt following
the manufact
urer's instructions.
Releasing the retaining strap
● Loosen the strap following the manufactur-
er's ins
tructions. ●
Push the loc
k and release it from the an-
choring support.
››› in Safety instructions on page 73 Starting the vehicle
Ignition lock Fig. 29
See position on page 7-8 Switch ignition on: Place the key in the igni-
tion and s
t
ar
t the engine.
Locking and unlocking the steering wheel
● Engaging the steering wheel lock: Remove
the key fr
om the ignition and turn the wheel
until it locks. In vehicles with an automatic
gearbox, the gear lever must be in the P posi-
tion in order to remove the key. If necessary, 20
Safety
Safety
Saf e driv
in
g
Safety first! This chapter contains important information,
tips, s
ug
gestions and warnings that you
should read and consider for both your own
safety and for your passengers' safety. WARNING
● This m
anual 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
B ef or
e setting off For your own safety and the safety of your
p
a
s
sengers, always note the following points
before every trip: –
Make s
ure that the vehicle's lights and turn
signals are working properly.
– Check tyre pressure.
– Ensure that all windows provide a clear and
good v
iew of the surroundings.
– Ensure that all luggage is correctly secured
›››
page 139.
– Make sure that no objects can interfere
with the pedal
s.
– Adjust front seat, head restraint and rear vi-
sion mirror
s properly according to your
size.
– Ensure that the passenger in the central
rear se
at always has the head restraint in
the correct position for use.
– Instruct passengers to adjust the head re-
straints
according to their height.
– Protect children with appropriate child
seats and pr
operly applied seat belts
››› page 72.
– Assume the correct sitting position. Instruct
your pa
ssengers also to assume a proper
sitting position. ››› page 57.
– Fasten your seat belt securely. Instruct your
pas
sengers also to fasten their seat belts
properly. ›››
page 61. What affects driving safety? As a driver, you are responsible for yourself
and y
our p
assengers. 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 di
stracted 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 r o
ad, traffic and weather conditions.
– When travelling long distances, take
break
s regularly - at least every two hours.
– If possible, avoid driving when you are tired
or stre
ssed. 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
p
a
s
sengers in danger. In the event of an acci-
dent, the safety equipment may reduce the
56
Safe driving
risk of injury. The following list includes most
of the s
af
ety equipment in your SEAT:
● Three-point seat belts
● Belt tension limiter for the front and rear
side seats
● B
elt tensioners for the front seats
● Front airbags
● Side airbags in the front seat backrests,
with che
st and head protection
● “ISOFIX” anchor points for “ISOFIX” rear
chil
d seat system
● Height-adjustable front head restraints
● Rear-centre head restraints with in-use po-
sition and non-use po
sition
● 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! Correct position for passengers
Correct
sitting position for driver Fig. 75
The proper distance between driver
and s t
eerin
g wheel Fig. 76
Correct head restraint position for the
driv er
. For your own safety and to reduce the risk of
injur
y
in the ev
ent of an accident, we recom- mend the following adjustments for the driv-
er:
– Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a
dist
ance of at least 25 cm between the
steering wheel and the centre of your chest
››› Fig. 75.
– Move 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 s
t
eering 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. 76.
– Move the seat backrest to an upright posi-
tion so that
your back rests completely
against it.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ›››
page 61.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you
have the
vehicle under control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver seat ››› page 132. WARNING
● An incorr ect
sitting position of the driver
can lead to severe injuries.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is at
lea
st 25 cm distance between the centre of » 57
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Safe driving
dash panel, out the window or on the seat. An
incorr
ect
sitting position exposes you to an
increased risk of injury in case of a sudden
braking or an accident. If the airbag is trig-
gered, you could sustain severe injuries due
to an incorrect sitting position.
● To reduce the risk of injury to the front pas-
senger in ev
ents such as sudden braking ma-
noeuvres or an accident, never travel with the
backrest tilted far back! The airbag system
and seat belts can only provide optimal pro-
tection when the backrest is in an upright po-
sition and the front passenger is wearing his
or her seat belt properly. 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 po-
sition!
● Adjust the head restraint correctly in order
to achiev
e maximum protection. Correct sitting position for rear seat
p
as
sengers To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a
s
ud
den br
aking manoeuvre or an accident,
passengers on the rear seat bench must con-
sider the following:
– Sit up straight.
– Adjust the head restraint to the correct po-
sition ››
› page 60. –
Alwa
ys keep both feet in the footwell in
front of the rear seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ›››
page 61.
– Use an appropriate child restraint system
when you t
ake children in the vehicle
››› page 72. WARNING
● If the p a
ssengers in the rear seats are not
sitting properly, they could sustain severe in-
juries.
● Adjust the head restraint correctly in order
to achiev
e maximum protection.
● Seat belts can only provide optimal protec-
tion when seat b
ackrests are in an upright
position and the vehicle occupants are wear-
ing their seat belts correctly. If passengers In
the rear seats are not sitting in an upright po-
sition, the risk of injury due to incorrect posi-
tioning of the seat belt increases. Examples of incorrect sitting posi-
tion
s Seat belts can provide optimal protection on-
ly
when the belt
w
ebs 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 allo
w anyone to assume an incorrect
sitting position in the vehicle while travel-
ling ››› .
The f o
l
lowing 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 c
ompartment. »
59
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Safety
WARNING
● Any inc
orrect sitting position increases the
risk of severe injuries.
● Sitting in an incorrect position exposes the
vehicl
e 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 po
sition 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 57, Correct posi-
tion for passengers. Correct adjustment of front head re-
s
tr
aint
s Fig. 77
Correctly adjusted head restraint as
v iew
ed fr
om the front and the side. Properly adjusted head restraints are an im-
por
t
ant
part of passenger protection and can
reduce the risk of injuries in most accident
situations.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper
edge is, a
s far as possible, at the same lev-
el as the top of your head, or at the very
least, at eye level ››› Fig. 77. WARNING
● Trav
elling 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 acc
ording to the height of the passenger. Correct adjustment of rear head re-
s
tr
aint
s Fig. 78
Rear head restraint adjustment. The rear head restraints have 2 positions:
● Raised position or position for use A ›››
Fig. 78. In this po
sition, the head restraint
is used normally, protecting the occupant of
the rear seats, along with the rear seat belts.
● Rest position, not in use B
› ›
› Fig. 78
. This
position improves the driver's rear visibility.
To fit the head restraint in position for use A , pull on the edges with both hands in the
dir ection of
the arr
ow. To place it in rest posi-
tion B , lower the head restraint.
WARNING
● Whenever a p a
ssenger is seated on the rear
seats, the head restraint should be placed in
the position for use A .
60
Seat belts
●
Do not sw ap the c
entre rear head restraint
with either of the outer seat rear head re-
straints. Risk of injury in case of an accident! Note
Note the instructions on the head restraints
a dju s
tment. Pedal area
P ed
a
ls –
Ensure that you can always press the accel-
er at
or
, brake and clutch pedals unimpaired
to the floor.
– Ensure that the pedals can return unim-
paired t
o their initial positions.
– Ensure that the floor mats are securely fas-
tened during the trip and do not
obstruct
the pedals ››› .
On ly
u
se floor mats which leave the pedals
clear and which are secured to prevent them
from slipping. You can obtain suitable floor
mats from a specialised dealership.
If a brake circuit fails, the brake pedal must
be pressed down thoroughly in order to stop
the vehicle. Wear suitable footwear
Alwa
ys wear shoes which support your feet
properly and give you a good feeling for the
pedals. WARNING
● If the ped a
ls are obstructed, an accident
may occur. Risk of serious injuries.
● Never lay or fit floor mats or other floor cov-
erings
over the original floor mats. This
would reduce the pedal area and could ob-
struct the pedals. Risk of accident.
● Never place objects in the driver footwell.
An obj
ect could move into the pedal area and
impair pedal operation. In the event of a sud-
den driving or braking manoeuvre, you will
not be able to operate the brake, clutch or ac-
celerator pedal. Risk of accident! Seat belts
Wh y
w
ear a seat belt?
Number of seats Your vehicle has
five se
ats, two in the front
and three in the rear. 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
rear seats. WARNING
● Never tr an
sport more than the permitted
amount of people in your vehicle.
● Every vehicle occupant must properly fas-
ten and we
ar the seat belt belonging to his or
her seat. Children must be protected with an
appropriate child restraint system. 61
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Safety
called “kinetic energy” is created both in the
p a
s
sengers 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 co
llision 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. 81.
It is 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. 82. How to properly adjust your
seatbelt
F
astening and unfastening the seat
belt Fig. 83
Positioning and removing the seat
belt b
uc
kle. 64
Seat belts
Fig. 84
Position of seat belt during pregnan-
cy . Fasten your seat belt
The se
at
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
plat
e and pull it slowly across your chest and
lap.
● Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the
appropri
ate seat and push it down until it is
securely locked with an audible click
››› Fig. 83.
● Pull 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
area
s 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 65.
Releasing the seat belt ● Press the red button on the belt buckle
›››
Fig. 83. The latch plate is released and
springs out ››› .
● Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls
up e a
s
ily and the trim is not damaged.
Positioning seat belts
Seat belts offer their maximum protection on-
ly when they are properly positioned. WARNING
● The seat belt
s 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 i
s in motion. If you do, you increase the
risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries. ●
An incorr ectly
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 fit
comfortably on the torso
● The lap part of the seat belt must lie across
the pelvis, nev
er 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, never across the stomach, and always
lie flat so that no pressure is exerted on the
abdomen ››› Fig. 84.
● Always engage the retractor lock when you
are securin
g a child seat in group 0, 0+ or 1
››› page 72.
● Read and observe the warnings ›››
page 63. Belt pretensioners*
Ho w the se at
belt tensioner works Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 13
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 »
65
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety