2016 Seat Ateca belt

Seat belts
The protective function of seat belts Fig. 87
Drivers with properly worn seat belts
w i
ll not be thrown forward in the event of sud-
den braking Properly worn seat belts hold the occupants
in the pr
oper po

sition. 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.
This is why it is so important to fasten seat
belts before every trip, even when "just driv-
ing around the corner". Ensure that your passengers wear their seat
belts a

s well. Accident statistics have shown
that wearing seat belts is an effective means
of substantially reducing the risk of injury
and improving the chances of survival when
involved in a serious accident. Furthermore,
properly worn seat belts improve the protec-
tion provided by airbags in the event of an
accident. For this reason, wearing a seat belt
is required by law in most countries.
Although your vehicle is equipped with air-
bags, the seat belts must be fastened and
worn. The front airbags, for example, are only
triggered in some cases of head-on collision.
The front airbags will not be triggered during
minor frontal or side collisions, rear-end colli-
sions, rollovers or accidents in which the air-
bag trigger threshold value in the control unit
is not exceeded.
Therefore, you should always wear your seat
belt and ensure that all vehicle occupants
have fastened their seat belts properly before
you drive off!
Safety instructions on using seat
belts –
Always wear the seat belt as described in
thi s

section.
– Ensure that the seat belts can be fastened
at al

l times and are not damaged. WARNING
● If se

at belts are worn incorrectly or not at
all, the risk of severe injuries increases. The
optimal protection from seat belts can be
achieved only if you use them properly.
● Fasten your seat belt before every trip -
even when driv
ing in town. Other vehicle oc-
cupants must also wear the seat belts at all
times, otherwise they run the risk of being in-
jured.
● The seat belt cannot offer its full protection
if the se
at belt is not positioned correctly.
● Never allow two passengers (even children)
to sh
are the same seat belt.
● Always keep both feet in the footwell in
front
of your seat as long as the vehicle is in
motion.
● Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehi-
cl

e is in motion. Risk of fatal injury.
● The seat belt must never be twisted while it
is

being worn.
● The seat belt should never lie on hard or
fragi
le objects (such as glasses or pens, etc.)
because this can cause injuries.
● Do not allow the seat belt to be damaged or
jammed, or t
o rub on any sharp edges.
● Never wear the seat belt under the arm or
in any
other incorrect position.
● Loose, bulky clothing (such as an overcoat
ov
er a jacket) impairs the proper fit and func-
tion of the seat belts, reducing their capacity
to protect. » 69
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
●
The s lot
in the seat belt buckle must not be
blocked with paper or other objects, as this
can prevent the latch plate from engaging se-
curely.
● Never use seat belt clips, fastening rings or
simi
lar items to alter the position of the belt
webbing.
● Frayed or torn seat belts or damage to the
connection
s, belt retractors or parts of the
buckle could cause severe injuries in the
event of an accident. Therefore, you must
check the condition of all seat belts at regular
intervals.
● Seat belts which have been worn in an acci-
dent and s
tretched must be replaced by a
specialised workshop. Renewal may be nec-
essary even if there is no apparent damage.
The belt anchorage should also be checked.
● Do not attempt to repair a damaged seat
belt
yourself. The seat belts must not be re-
moved or modified in any way.
● The belts must be kept clean, otherwise the
retr
actors may not work properly. Head-on collisions and the laws of
ph
y

sics Fig. 88
A driver not wearing a seat belt is
thr o

wn forward violently Fig. 89
The unbelted passenger in the rear
se at

is thrown forward violently, hitting the
driver who is wearing a seat belt. It is easy to explain how the laws of physics
w
ork

in the case of a head-on collision: when
a vehicle starts moving, a type of energy called “kinetic energy” is created both in the
pa

ssengers 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
they are, the more energy there is to be “ab-
sorbed” in the event of 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.
Given that the passengers of the vehicle in
our example do not have their seat belts fas-
tened, in the event of a collision the entire
amount of the passengers' kinetic energy will
be only absorbed by the mentioned 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 collision are so great that it is not
70

Seat belts
possible to brace oneself with one's hands.
In a fr ont
al 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. 88.
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. 89. How to properly adjust your
seat
belt
Fastening and unfastening the seat
belt Fig. 90
Positioning and removing the seat
belt b

uckle. Fig. 91
Position of seat belt during pregnan-
cy . Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 13.
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
pl

ate and pull it slowly across your chest and
lap.
● Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the
appr
opriate seat and push it down until it is
securely locked with an audible click
››› Fig. 90 A.
● Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is
secur
ely engaged in the buckle. »
71
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
The seat belts are equipped with an automat-
ic r
etractor 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 72.
Releasing the seat belt ● Press the red button on the belt buckle
››

› Fig. 90 B. The latch plate is released and
springs out ››› .
● Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls
up e a

sily and the trim is not damaged.
Positioning seat belts
Seat belts offer their maximum protection on-
ly when they are properly positioned. WARNING
● The se at

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. ●
Nev er u

nbuckle 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-
ver
e 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. 91.
● Always engage the retractor lock when you
are sec
uring a child seat in group 0, 0+ or 1
››› page 79.
● Read and observe the warnings ››
› page 69. Seat belt tensioners
Ho w the se

at belt tensioner works Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 14.
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 belt tensioners will not be triggered in
the event of minor collisions, if the vehicle overturns, or in accidents where no major
for

ces act on the vehicle. Note
● If the se

at 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
ob
served 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 tension-
er
s The belt tensioners are components of the
se
at

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
do not cause any injuries or environmental
pollution, regulations, which are known to
the specialised workshops, must be ob-
served.
72

Airbag system
WARNING
● Impr oper u
se or repairs not carried out by
qualified mechanics increase the risk of se-
vere or fatal injuries. The belt tensioners may
fail to trigger or may trigger in the wrong cir-
cumstances.
● Never attempt to repair, adjust, remove or
ins
tall parts of the belt tensioners or seat
belts.
● The seat belt tensioner, seat belt and auto-
matic
retractor cannot be repaired.
● Any work on the belt tensioners and seat
belts, inc
luding the removal and refitting of
system parts in conjunction with other repair
work, must be performed by a specialised
workshop only.
● The belt tensioners will only provide pro-
tection f
or one accident and must be changed
if they have been activated. Airbag system
Brief intr

oduction
Why is it so important to wear a seat
belt and to sit correctly? For the inflating airbags to achieve the best
pr
ot

ection, the seat belt must always be worn
properly and the correct sitting position must
be assumed.
The airbag system is not a substitute for seat
belts, but it is an integral part of the vehicle's
overall passive safety system. Please bear in
mind that the airbag system can only work ef-
fectively when the vehicle occupants are
wearing their seat belts correctly and have
adjusted the head restraints properly. There-
fore, it is most important to properly wear the
seat belts at all times, not only because this
is required by law in most countries, but also
for your safety ›››
page 68, Why wear a seat
belt?.
The airbag inflates in a matter of seconds, so
if you are not properly seated when the air-
bag is triggered, you may sustain fatal inju-
ries. Therefore, it is essential that all vehicle
occupants assume a correct sitting position
while travelling.
Sharp braking before an accident may cause
a passenger not wearing a seat belt to be
thrown forward into the area of the deploying airbag. In this case, the inflating airbag may
inflict
c

ritical or fatal injuries on the occu-
pant. This also applies to children.
Always maintain the greatest possible dis-
tance between yourself and the front airbag.
This way, the front airbags can completely
deploy when triggered, providing their maxi-
mum protection.
The most important factors that will trigger
an airbag are: the type of accident, the angle
of collision and the speed of the vehicle.
Whether or not the airbags are triggered de-
pends primarily on the vehicle deceleration
rate resulting from the collision and detected
by the control unit. If the vehicle deceleration
occurring during the collision and measured
by the control unit remains below the speci-
fied reference values, the front, side and/or
curtain airbags will not be triggered. Take in-
to account that the visible damage in a vehi-
cle involved in an accident, no matter how
serious, is not a determining factor for the
airbags to have been triggered. WARNING
● We

aring the seat belt incorrectly or assum-
ing an incorrect sitting position can lead to
critical or fatal injuries.
● All vehicle occupants, including children,
who are not
properly belted can sustain criti-
cal or fatal injuries if the airbag is triggered.
Children up to 12 years old should always » 73
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
travel on the rear seat. Never transport
c
hi
ldren 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
le

an 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, a
lways wear the seat belt properly
››› page 68.
● Always adjust the front seats properly. Description of the airbag system
Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 15.
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 ●
Hea
d airbag
● Airbag control lamp  on the ins
trument
panel
● Key-operated switch for front passenger air-
bag
● C

ontrol 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
swit
ched 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
mov
ing.
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 se at

belts and airbags can only provide
maximum protection if the occupants are
seated correctly ››› page 63, Correct position
for passengers.
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system,
hav
e 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
thou
s

andths 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,
74

Airbag system
such as the properties of the object the vehi-
c l
e 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 seri-
ous head-on collisions
● Driver airbag.
● Front passenger front airbag
● Knee airbag for the driver.
The fo
llowing airbags are triggered in seri-
ous side-on collisions
● Front side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● R

ear side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● C

urtain (head) airbag on the side of the ac-
cident
. In an accident with airbag activation:
●
the interior lights switch on (if the interior
light sw
itch 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 safety instructions Front
airbags Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 15. WARNING
● The dep lo

yment space between the front
passengers and the airbags must not in any
case be occupied by other passenger, pets
and objects.
● The airbags provide protection for just one
acc
ident; replace them once they have de-
ployed.
● It is also important not to attach any ob-
ject
s such as cup holders or telephone
mountings to the surfaces covering the air-
bag units.
● Do not attempt to modify components of
the airbag sy
stem in any way. Knee airbag*
Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 16. WARNING
● The knee airb ag i

s deployed in front of the
driver's knees. Always keep the deployment
areas of the knee airbags free.
● Never not fix objects to the cover or in the
deplo
yment area of the knee airbag.
● Adjust the driver's seat so that there is a
dis
tance of at least 10 cm (4 inches) between
your knees and the location of the this air-
bag. If your physical constitution prevents
you from meeting these requirements, make
sure you contact a specialised workshop. Side airbags*
Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 16. 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
max
imum protection, the prescribed sitting » 75
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
position must always be maintained with
se
at
belts fastened while travelling.
● In a side-on collision the side airbags will
not w
ork 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 remo
ved or if the panels have not been
correctly fitted.
● Never drive the vehicle if the loudspeakers
in the door panel
s have been removed, un-
less the holes left by the loudspeakers have
been closed properly.
● Always check that the openings are closed
or co
vered if loudspeakers or other equip-
ment are fitted inside the door panels.
● Occupants of the outer seats must never
carr
y 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 lightw
eight clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
● Great forces, such as hard blows or kicks,
mus
t 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 c ir

cumstances 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 arou
nd the seams of the side airbag units
must be repaired immediately by a special-
ised workshop.
● The airbags provide protection for just one
acc
ident; replace them once they have de-
ployed.
● Any work on the side airbag system or re-
mov
al 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 sy
stem in any way. Curtain airbags*
Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 17. WARNING
● In or der f

or the head-protection airbags to
provide their maximum protection, the pre- scribed sitting position must always be main-
t
ained w

ith seat belts fastened while travel-
ling.
● For safety reasons, the curtain airbag must
be dis
abled in those vehicles fitted with a
screen dividing the interior of the vehicle.
See your technical service to make this ad-
justment.
● There must be no other persons, animals or
ob
jects 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 lightw
eight 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
acc
ident; replace them once they have de-
ployed.
● Any work on the head-protection airbag
sys
tem 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 sy
stem in any way.76