2016 Seat Ibiza ST airbag

Safe driving
risk of injury. The following list includes most
of the s
afety
equipment in your SEAT:
● Three-point seat belts
● Belt tension limiter for the front and rear
side seats
● Belt

tensioners for the front seats
● Front airbags
● Side airbags in the front seat backrests,
with ches
t and head protection
● “ISOFIX” anchor points for “ISOFIX” rear
child se
at system
● Height-adjustable front head restraints
● Rear-centre head restraints with in-use po-
sition and non-use pos
ition
● 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 s
itting 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
distanc

e of at least 25 cm between the
steering wheel and the centre of your chest
››› Fig. 75.
– Move the driver's seat forwards or back-
wards

so that you are able to press the ac-
celerator, brake and clutch pedals to the
floor with your knees still slightly angled
››› .
– Ensure that you can reach the highest point
of the s
teerin

g 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 y

our back rests completely
against it.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ››› p
age 61.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you
have the v

ehicle under control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver's seat ››› page 128. WARNING
● An incorrect s

itting position of the driver
can lead to severe injuries. » 57
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
●
Adjust the driv
er's seat so that there is at
least 25 cm distance between the centre of
the chest and the centre of the steering
wheel ››› Fig. 75. If distance is less than 25
cm, the airbag system may not protect you
properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you
from maintainin
g the minimum distance of 25
cm, contact a specialised workshop. The
workshop will help you decide if special spe-
cific modifications are necessary.
● When driving, always hold the steering
wheel with both hand
s on the outside of the
ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions.
This reduces the risk of injury when the driver
airbag is triggered.
● Never hold the steering wheel at the 12
o'clock po
sition, or in any other manner (e.g.
in the centre of the steering wheel). In such
cases, if the airbag is triggered, you may sus-
tain injuries to the arms, hands and head.
● To reduce the risk of injury to the driver
during sudden br
aking manoeuvres or an ac-
cident, never drive with the backrest tilted far
back! The airbag system and seat belts can
only provide optimal protection when the
backrest is in an upright position and the
driver is wearing his or her seat belt correct-
ly.
● Adjust the head restraint properly to ach-
ieve optimal
protection. Adjusting the steering wheel position
Read the additional information carefully
›››
 p

age 14 WARNING
● Never adju s

t the position of the steering
wheel when the vehicle is moving, as this
could cause an accident.
● Move the lever up firmly so the steering
wheel position doe
s not accidentally change
during driving. risk of accident!
● Make sure you are capable of reaching and
firmly hol
ding the upper part of the steering
wheel: risk of accident!
● If you adjust the steering wheel so that it
points to
wards your face, the driver airbag
will not protect you properly in the event of
an accident. Make sure that the steering
wheel points towards your chest. Correct sitting position for front pas-
sen
g
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 front
passenger:
– Move the front passenger seat back as far
as pos

sible ››› .–
Mo v
e the se at

backrest to an upright posi-
tion so that your back rests completely
against it.
– 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 ››› page 60.
– Always keep both feet in the footwell in
front of the fr

ont passenger seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ››› p
age 61.
It is possible to deactivate the front passen-
ger airbag in exceptional circumstances
››› page 70.
Adjusting the front passenger seat
›››  page 12. WARNING
● An incorrect s

itting position of the front
passenger can lead to severe injuries.
● Adjust the front passenger seat so that
there is at
least 25 cm between your chest
and the dash panel. If distance is less than
25 cm, the airbag system may not protect you
properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you
from maintainin
g the minimum distance of 25
cm, contact a specialised workshop. The
workshop will help you decide if special spe-
cific modifications are necessary. 58

Safe driving
●
Alwa y
s keep your feet in the footwell when
the vehicle is moving; never rest them on the
dash panel, out the window or on the seat. An
incorrect 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 event
s 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 achieve m
aximum protection. Correct sitting position for rear seat
p
a
ssen

gers To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a
s
ud
den br ak

ing 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. –
Alway
s keep both feet in the footwell in
front of the rear seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ››› p
age 61.
– Use an appropriate child restraint system
when you tak

e children in the vehicle
››› page 72. WARNING
● If the pa s

sengers in the rear seats are not
sitting properly, they could sustain severe in-
juries.
● Adjust the head restraint correctly in order
to achieve m
aximum protection.
● Seat belts can only provide optimal protec-
tion when seat bac
krests 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
we

bs 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 an
yone to assume an incorrect
sitting position in the vehicle while travel-
ling ››› .
The f o
llo

wing 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.
● Nev

er travel without wearing the seat belt.
● Do not allow anyone to travel in the lug-
gage comp
artment. »
59
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
WARNING
● Any inc orr
ect sitting position increases the
risk of severe injuries.
● Sitting in an incorrect position exposes the
vehicle oc
cupants 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 pos
ition 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 fr

ont and the side. Properly adjusted head restraints are an im-
por
t
ant p

art of passenger protection and can
reduce the risk of injuries in most accident
situations.
– Adjust the head restraint so that its upper
edge is, as

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 el

ling 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 accor
ding 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 s ition, 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 arro

w. To place it in rest posi-
tion B , lower the head restraint.
WARNING
● Whenever a pa s

senger is seated on the rear
seats, the head restraint should be placed in
the position for use A .
60

Safety
Seat belt lamp* Fig. 79
Warning lamp on the instrument pan-
el . The control lamp illuminates to remind the
driv
er t
o fa
sten his seat belt.
Before starting the vehicle: – Fasten your seat belt securely.
– Instruct your passengers to fasten their
seat belts pr

operly before driving off.
– Protect children by using a child seat ac-
cording t

o the child's height and weight.
When the ignition is switched on, the control
lamp  in the instrument panel lights up* if
the driver or passenger* have not fastened
their seat belts.
An audible warning signal will sound for a
few seconds if the seat belts are not fastened
as the vehicle drives off and reaches a speed
of more than approximately 25 km/h (15 mph) or if the seat belts are unfastened
while the v

ehicle is in motion. The warning
lamp will also flash .
The  lamp goes out when the driver and
passenger seat belts are fastened with the ig-
nition switched on.
The protective function of seat belts Fig. 80
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.

These also help pre-
vent uncontrolled movements that may result
in serious injury and reduce the risk of being
thrown out of the vehicle.
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 des

igned 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 as 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!
62

Safety
only if the seat belt is being worn. This re-
tr acts
and tight en
s 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
forces act on 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
observ
ed 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 th

at 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, re

gulations, which are known to
the specialised workshops, must be ob-
served. WARNING
● Improper use or r ep

airs 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
insta
ll parts of the belt tensioners or seat
belts.
● The seat belt tensioner, seat belt and auto-
matic retr
actor cannot be repaired.
● Any work on the belt tensioners and seat
belts, including the r
emoval 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 for one acc
ident and must be changed
if they have been activated. Airbag system
Brief intr
oduction
Wh y

is it so important to wear a seat
belt and to sit correctly? For the inflating airbags to achieve the best
protection, the se
at

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 61, 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
66

Airbag system
airbag. In this case, the inflating airbag may
inflict c
ritic al
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
● Wearin g the se

at 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 travel on the rear seat. Never transport chil-
dren in the v
ehic

le if they are not restrained
or the restraint system is not appropriate for
their age, size or weight.
● If you are not wearing a seat belt, or if you
lean for
ward 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, alwa
ys wear the seat belt properly.
● Always adjust the front seats properly. Description of airbag system
The airbag system mainly comprises (as per
v
ehic
le equipment):
● an el

ectronic control and monitoring sys-
tem (contro
l unit)
● frontal airbags for driver and passenger,
● side airbags,
● curtain airbags,
● a control lamp  on the dash panel
›

›› page 68.
● key-operated switch for front passenger air-
bag,
● a contro

l lamp for disabling/enabling the
front pa
ssenger airbag. The airbag system operation is monitored
electronical

ly. 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
switched on ›

›› page 68,
● turns off after 4 seconds after the ignition
is swit
ched on
● turns off and then lights up again after the
ignition is swit
ched on
● illuminates or flashes while the vehicle is
moving.
The airb

ag 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 seat belt s

and airbags can only provide
maximum protection if the occupants are
seated correctly ››› page 57, Correct position
for passengers.
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system,
have the sys
tem checked immediately by a
specialised workshop. Otherwise, during a » 67
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
frontal collision the system might not trigger
correctly
or m
ay fail to trigger at all.Airbag activation
The airbags deploy extremely rapidly, within
thousandths
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,
such as the properties of the object the vehi-
cle 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 activ

ates 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
The follo
wing airbags are triggered in seri-
ous side-on collisions
● Front side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● Rear s

ide airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● Curt

ain (head) airbag on the side of the ac-
cident.
In an acc

ident with airbag activation:
● the interior lights switch on (if the interior
light switc
h 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 control lamp and seat belt ten-
sioner  The control lamp monitors all airbags and
seat belt
t

ensioners in the vehicle, including
control units and wiring connections.
Monitoring of airbag and belt tensioner sys-
tem
Both the airbag and belt tensioner systems
operation is constantly monitored electroni-
cally. The control lamp  will light up for a
few seconds every time the ignition is switch-
ed on (self-diagnosis).
The system must be checked when the con-
trol lamp  :
● does not light up when the ignition is
switc hed on,
● t

urns off after 4 seconds after the ignition
is swit
ched on
● turns off and then lights up again after the
ignition is swit
ched on
● illuminates or flashes while the vehicle is
moving.
In the ev

ent of a malfunction, the warning
lamp remains on continuously. Have the air-
bag system inspected immediately by a spe-
cialised workshop.
68