2016 Seat Leon 5D warning

Safe driving
Safety
Saf e driv
in
g
Safety first! 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 starting every trip For your own safety and the safety of your
p
a
s

sengers, always note the following points
before every trip:
– Make sure that the vehicle's lights and turn
signal

s are working properly.
– Check tyre pressure. –
Ensur
e that all windows provide a clear and
good view of the surroundings.
– Make sure all luggage is secured
›››
page 151.
– Make sure that no objects can interfere
with the pedal

s.
– Adjust front seat, head restraint and mir-
rors

properly according to your size.
– Ensure that the passengers in the rear
seats alw

ays have the head restraints in
the in-use position ››› page 69.
– 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 82.
– Assume the correct sitting position. Instruct
your pa

ssengers also to assume a proper
sitting position. ››› page 66.
– Fasten your seat belt securely. Instruct your
pas

sengers also to fasten their seat belts
properly. ››› page 71.
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 r

oad ››› , for this reason:
– Always pay attention to traffic and do not
g et
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 ro

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
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, »
65
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
● belt t
en
sioners 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 s
ide seats with the “ISOFIX” system,
● height-adjustable front head restraints,
● rear head restraints with in-use position
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
sitting position for driver Fig. 82
The proper distance between driver
and s t
eerin

g wheel Fig. 83
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. 82.
– Move the driver's seat forwards or back-
ward

s 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
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. 83.
– Move the seat backrest to an upright posi-
tion so that

your back rests completely
against it.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ›››
page 71.
– Keep both feet in the footwell so that you
have the

vehicle under control at all times.
Adjustment of the driver's seat ››› page 143. WARNING
● An incorr ect

sitting position of the driver
can lead to severe injuries. 66

Safe driving
●
Adjus t
the driver'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. 82. If you are sitting closer than
25 cm, the airbag system cannot protect you
properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you
from maint
aining 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 h
ands 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
position, 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 sud
den braking 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 optima
l protection. Adjusting the steering wheel position
Read the additional information carefully
›› ›

 page 16. WARNING
● Never a dju

st 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 pos
ition does not accidentally change
during driving. risk of accident!
● Make sure you are capable of reaching and
firmly ho
lding the upper part of the steering
wheel: risk of accident!
● If you adjust the steering wheel so that it
points t
owards 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 po

ssible ››› .–
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 69.
– Always keep both feet in the footwell in
front of

the front passenger seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ›››
page 71.
It is possible to deactivate the front passen-
ger airbag in exceptional circumstances
››› page 80.
Adjusting the front passenger seat
››› page 143. WARNING
● An incorr ect

sitting 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 you are sitting closer
than 25 cm, the airbag system cannot protect
you properly.
● If your physical constitution prevents you
from maint
aining the minimum distance of 25
cm, contact a specialised workshop. The
workshop will help you decide if special spe-
cific modifications are necessary. » 67
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
●
Alw a
ys 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 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
a
s

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 69. –
Alwa
ys keep both feet in the footwell in
front of the rear seat.
– Fasten your seat belt securely ›››
page 71.
– Use an appropriate child restraint system
when you t

ake children in the vehicle
››› page 82. 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.
68

Safe driving
WARNING
● Any inc
orrect sitting position increases the
risk of severe injuries. Sitting in an incorrect
position exposes the vehicle occupants to se-
vere injuries if airbags are triggered, by strik-
ing a vehicle occupant who has assumed an
incorrect sitting position.
● 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 66, Correct posi-
tion for passengers. Correct adjustment of front head re-
s
tr
aint

s Fig. 84
Correctly adjusted head restraint as
v iew
ed fr

om the front and the side. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 14. Properly adjusted head restraints are an im-
portant

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 level
as the top of your head, or at the very least,
at eye level ››› Fig. 84. 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. 85
Head restraints in the correct posi-
tion. Fig. 86
Head restraint position warning label. Properly adjusted head restraints are an im-
por
t
ant

part of the passenger protection and
can reduce the risk of injuries in most acci-
dent situations »
69
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
Rear head restraints – The rear head restraints have 2 positions:
use
and
non-use.
– One position for use (he
ad restraint raised)
››› Fig. 85. In this position, the head re-
straints are used normally, protecting pas-
sengers along with the rear seat belts.
– And one position for non-use (he
ad re-
straint lowered).
– To fit the head restraints in position for use,
pul

l on the edges with both hands in the
direction of the arrow. WARNING
● Under no cir c

umstances should the rear
passengers travel while the head restraints
are in the non-use position. See the warning
label located on the rear side fixed window
››› Fig. 86.
● Do not swap the centre rear head restraint
with either of the out
er seat rear head re-
straints. Risk of injury in case of an accident! CAUTION
Note the instructions on the adjustment of
the hea d r

estraints ››› page 144. Pedal area
P ed
a

ls –
Ensure that you can always press the accel-
erat 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. Fasten-
ers* for floor mats are fitted in the footwells.
If a brake circuit fails, the brake pedal must
be pressed down thoroughly in order to stop
the vehicle.
Wear suitable footwear
Always wear shoes which support your feet
properly and give you a good feeling for the
pedals. WARNING
● Re s

tricting pedal operation can lead to crit-
ical situations while driving. ●
Never l a

y 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! 70

Seat belts
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. Seat belt lamp* 
Fig. 87
Instrument panel: right rear seat oc-
c upied and c
orr

esponding seat belt fastened
display. The control lamp illuminates to remind the
driv
er t
o f

asten his seat belt.
Before starting the vehicle: – Fasten your seat belt securely.
– Instruct your passengers to fasten their
seat belts

properly before driving off.
– Protect children by using a child seat ac-
cordin

g to the child's height and weight.
When the ignition is switched on, the control
lamp  in the instrument panel lights up (de-
pending on the model version) 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 vehicle is in motion. The warning
light will also flash .
The  lamp goes out when the driver and
passenger seat belts are fastened with the ig-
nition switched on.
Rear seat belts fastened display*
Depending on the model version, when the
ignition is switched on, the seat belt status
display ››› Fig. 87 on the instrument panel in-
forms the driver whether the passengers in
the rear seats have fastened their seat belts.
The  symbol indicates that the passenger in
this seat has fastened “his or her” seat belt.
When a seat belt in the rear seats is fastened
or unfastened, the seat belt status is dis-
played for approximately 30 seconds. The in-
dication can be hidden by pressing the 0.0/SET button on the dash panel.
The se at
belt

status flashes for a maximum of
30 seconds when a seat belt in the rear seats
is unfastened while the vehicle is in motion.
An audible warning will also be heard if the
vehicle is travelling at over 25 km/h
(15 mph).
71
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
The protective function of seat belts Fig. 88
Drivers with properly worn seat belts
w i
l
l not be thrown forward in the event of sud-
den braking Properly worn seat belts hold the occupants
in the pr
oper po
s

ition. 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 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!
Safety instructions on using seat
belts –
Always wear the seat belt as described in
thi s
section.
– En

sure that the seat belts can be fastened
at all
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 drivin
g 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 seat
belt is not positioned correctly.
● Never allow two passengers (even children)
to shar
e 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-
cle i
s in motion. Risk of fatal injury.
● The seat belt must never be twisted while it
is bein
g worn.
● The seat belt should never lie on hard or
fragil
e objects (such as glasses or pens, etc.)
because this can cause injuries.
● Do not allow the seat belt to be damaged or
jammed, or to rub on an
y sharp edges.
● Never wear the seat belt under the arm or
in any other inc
orrect position.
● Loose, bulky clothing (such as an overcoat
over a j
acket) impairs the proper fit and func-
tion of the seat belts, reducing their capacity
to protect. 72