Seat belts
Seat belts
Wh y
w
ear a seat belt?
Introduction Check the condition of all the seat belts at
re
gu
lar 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
w ork
shop mu
st 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-
cr e
ase 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 ri
sk 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 oc
cupants 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 drivin
g in t
own.
● When travelling, children must be secured
in the vehic
le with a child restraint system
suitable for their weight and height and with
the seat belts correctly fastened
››› page 74.
● Instruct your passengers to fasten their
seat belt
s properly before driving off.
● Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the
appropri
ate 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 buc
kle fastenings. This could damage
the buckles and seat belts.
● Never unbuckle your seat belt when the ve-
hicle i
s moving.
● Never allow more than one passenger to
share the s
ame seat belt.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap
sharing the s
ame seat belt.
● Loose, bulky clothing (such as a jacket) im-
pairs
the proper fit and function of the seat
belt. WARNING
It is extremely dangerous to drive using dam-
aged se at
belts and could result in serious in-
jury or loss of life. ●
Av oid d
amaging the seat belt by jamming it
in the door or the seat mechanism.
● If the fabric or other parts of the seat belt
are dam
aged, the seat belts could break in
the event of an accident or sudden braking.
● Always have damaged seatbelts replaced
immediately
by seat belts approved for the
vehicle in question by SEAT. Seat belts which
have been worn in an accident and stretched
must be replaced by a specialised workshop.
Renewal may be necessary even if there is no
apparent damage. The belt anchorage should
also be checked.
● Never attempt to repair, modify or remove a
seat belt
yourself. All repairs to seat belts, re-
tractors and buckles must be carried out by a
specialised workshop. 61
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Seat belts
Fig. 88
Position of seat belt during pregnan-
cy . Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle oc-
c
up
ants
in the position that most protects
them in the event of an accident or sudden
braking ››› .
F a
s
tening the seat belt
Fasten your seat belt before each trip.
● Adjust the front seat and head restraint cor-
rectly ›
›› page 57.
● Engage the seat backrest of the rear seat in
an upright pos
ition ››› .
● Pull the latch plate and place the belt web-
b in
g ev
enly across your chest and lap. Do not
twist the seat belt when doing so ››› .
● Engage the latch plate in the buckle of the
c orr
e
sponding seat ›››
Fig. 87 A. ●
Pul
l 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. 87 B. The latch plate is released from
the buckle.
● Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls
up eas
ily 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 57, Correct po-
sition of the vehicle occupants .
● The shoulder 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 par
t of the seat belt must lie across
the pelvis, never across the stomach.
● The seat belt must lie flat and fit comforta-
bly. P
ull 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. 88.
Adapting 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
sever e or f
atal injuries in the event of an acci-
dent.
● The seat belt cannot offer its full protection
unl
ess 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 c
an cause severe or fatal injuries
in the event of an accident or sudden braking. » 65
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Safety
●
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 t
orso
● 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 and always lie flat, “surrounding” the
stomach ››› Fig. 88.
● Do not twist the seat belt while it is fas-
tened.
● Once the se
at belt is positioned correctly,
don't pu
ll it away from your body with your
hand.
● Do not lie the seat belt across rigid or frag-
ile o
bjects, e.g. glasses, pens or keys.
● Never use seat belt clips, retaining rings or
simil
ar instruments to alter the position of
the belt webbing. Note
If your physical constitution prevents you
from m aint
aining the correct position of the belt webbing, contact a specialised workshop
for help w
ith an
y special devices to ensure
the optimum protection of the seat belt and
airbag. SEAT recommends taking your car in
for technical service. Fastening or unfastening the seat belt
with tw
o b
uckles Fig. 89
Fasten the seat belt on the centre seat
in the sec ond r
o
w of seats Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle oc-
c
up
ants
in the position that most protects
them in the event of an accident or sudden
braking ››› .
The se at
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 57.
● Engage the seat backrest of the rear seat in
an upright pos
ition ››› .
● Use latch plate of the belt ››
›
Fig. 89 1 to
p u
l
l the seat belt down. Do not twist the seat
belt when doing so ››› .
● Engage the latch plate 1 in the buckle of
the c orr
e
sponding seat A .
● Use the latch plate ››
›
Fig. 89 2 to pull the
se at
belt
across your lap.
● Engage the latch plate 2 in the buckle of
the c orr
e
sponding seat B .
● Pull the belt to ensure that both lat
c
h
plates 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. 89 A . The latch plate is released from
the b uc
k
le.
● Press the red button on the buckle
›››
Fig. 89 B . The latch plate is released from
the b uc
k
le.
● Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls
up eas
ily and the trim will not be damaged.
66
Seat belts
WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause
sever e or f
atal injuries in the event of an acci-
dent.
● The seat belt cannot offer its full protection
unl
ess 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 c
an cause severe or fatal injuries
in the event of an accident or sudden braking. Note
Seat belts with two buckles include a dia-
gram t o sho
w how to fasten the seat belt.Belt height adjustment
Fig. 90
Next to the front seats: belt height ad-
ju s
t
er Using the height adjusters for the front seats
and the out
er se
ats
of the second row, the
position of the seat belts can be adjusted in
the shoulder area according to the height of
the occupant:
● Keep the guide device pressed down in the
direction of the arr
ow ››› Fig. 90.
● Move the guide device up or down until the
seat belt
lies over the centre of your shoulder
››› page 64.
● Release the guide device.
● Pull the belt sharply to check that the de-
vice i
s engaged securely. WARNING
Never adjust the belt height while the vehicle
is in motion. Seat belt tensioners
Aut omatic
belt retractor, belt tension-
er, belt tension limiter Seat belts are part of the vehicle’s safety fea-
t
ur
e
s and consist of the following important
functions:
Automatic belt retainer
Every seat belt is equipped with an automatic
belt retainer on the shoulder belt. If the belt is pulled slowly or during normal driving, the
syst
em allows for total freedom of movement
on the shoulder belt. However, during sud-
den braking, during travel in mountains or
bends and during acceleration, the automat-
ic belt retainer on the seat belt is locked is
pulled quickly.
Belt tensioners
The seat belts on the front seats and the out-
er seats of the second row are equipped with
belt tensioners.
Sensors trigger the belt tensioners during se-
vere head-on, lateral and rear collisions and
retract and tighten the seat belts. If the seat
belt is loose, it is retracted to reduce the for-
wards movement of vehicle occupants or
movement in the direction of the collision.
The belt tensioner works in combination with
the airbag system. The belt tensioner will not
be triggered in the event of the vehicle over-
turning if the side airbags are not deployed.
If the belt tensioner is triggered, a fine dust is
produced. This is normal and it is not an indi-
cation of fire in the vehicle.
Belt tension limiter
The belt tension limiter reduces the force of
the seat belt on the body in the event of an
accident. »
67
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Airbag system
Airbag safety instructions Fr ont
airb
agsRead the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 17. WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in frac-
tions of
a second.
● Always keep the deployment areas of the
front airb
ags free.
● Never secure objects to the covers or in the
deployment
area of the airbag modules, e.g.
drink holders or phone supports.
● The deployment space between the front
pas
sengers and the airbags must not in any
case be occupied by other passenger, pets
and objects.
● Never fix any object to the windscreen
above the fr
ont airbag on the front passenger
side.
● Do not alter, cover or stick anything to the
steerin
g wheel hub or the surface of the air-
bag module on the passenger side of the
dash panel. WARNING
Front airbags are deployed in front of the
st eerin
g wheel ›››
Fig. 25 and the dash
panel ›››
Fig. 26. ●
When drivin g, a
lways hold the steering
wheel on the outer edge of the ring with both
hands: 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is at
lea
st 25 cm distance between your chest and
the hub of the steering wheel. If your physi-
cal constitution prevents you from meeting
these requirements, make sure you contact a
specialised workshop.
● Adjust the front passenger seat so there is
as muc
h distance as possible between the
front passenger and the dash panel. Knee airbag*
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 18. WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in frac-
tions of
a second.
● The knee airbag is deployed in front of the
driver's knee
s. Always keep the deployment
areas of the knee airbags free.
● Never not fix objects to the cover or in the
deployment
area of the knee airbag.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is a dis-
tance of
at least 10 cm (4 inches) between
your knees and the location of the knee 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 19. WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in frac-
tions of
a second.
● Always keep the deployment areas of the
side airbag
s free.
● Vehicle occupants of the front and outer
rear se
ats must never carry any other people,
pets or objects in the deployment space be-
tween them and the airbags.
● The built-in coat hooks should be used only
for lightweight
clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
● Do not mount accessories on the doors.
● Only used protective covers for the seats
that ar
e approved for the vehicle. Otherwise,
the side airbag would be obstructed when de-
ployed. WARNING
Incorrect handling of the driver's and front
pa s
senger seat could prevent the side airbag
from deploying properly and cause severe in-
juries.
● Never remove the front seats of the vehicle
or modify an
y of their components. » 71
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Safety
●
Gre at
forces must not be exerted on the
seat backrest bolsters because the side air-
bags might not deploy correctly, might not
deploy at all or might deploy unexpectedly.
● Any damage to the original seat upholstery
or around the se
ams of the side airbag units
must be repaired immediately by a special-
ised workshop. Curtain airbags*
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 20. WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in frac-
tions of
a second.
● Always keep the deployment areas of the
head-pr
otection airbags free.
● Do not fix objects to the cover or in the de-
ployment
area of the curtain airbag.
● Vehicle occupants of the front and outer
rear se
ats must never carry any other people,
pets or objects in the deployment space be-
tween them and the airbags.
● The built-in coat hooks should be used only
for lightweight
clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
● Do not mount accessories on the doors. ●
Do not fit c
urtains to the windows other
than those expressly approved for use in the
vehicle.
● Only turn the sun blinds towards the win-
dows
if there is no object, e.g. pens or garage
remote controls, secured to the sun blind. Deactivating airbags
Contr o
l lamp Fig. 91
Control lamp for disabling the front
p a
s
senger front airbag on the dash panel
It lights up on the combi-in-
strument
Fault in airbag
system and seat
belt tensioners.Have the system checked immedi-
ately by a specialised workshop.
It lights up on the dash panel
Fault in the air-
bag system.Have the system checked immedi-
ately by a specialised workshop.
Front passenger
front airbag disa-
bled.Check whether the airbag should
remain disabled
Several warning and control lamps light up
for a f
ew sec
onds when the ignition is switch-
ed on, signalling that the function is being
verified. They will switch off after a few sec-
onds.
If the front passenger airbag is deactivated,
the lamp does not re-
main lit, or if it is lit together with the control
lamp on the dash panel, there may be a
fault in the airbag system ››› .
WARNING
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,
the airbag m a
y not trigger correctly, may fail
to trigger or may even trigger unexpectedly,
leading to severe or fatal injuries.
● Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately b
y a specialised workshop.
● Never mount a child seat in the front pas-
senger se
at ››› page 78 or remove the
mounted child seat! The front passenger front
airbag may deploy during an accident in spite
of the fault. 72
Safety
Transporting children safely Saf ety
f
or children
Introduction Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 21.
Please read the information regarding the air-
bag system fully before transporting babies
and children in a child seat or other child re-
straint system installed on the front passen-
ger seat.
This information is extremely important for
driver and passenger safety, particularly that
of babies and children.
SEAT recommends the use of child seats from
the SEAT accessory programme. These child
seats have been designed and tested for use
in SEAT vehicles. You can purchase child
seats with different mountings from a techni-
cal service centre.
Using child restraint systems with a base or
foot
Some child retention systems are secured to
the seat using a base or support leg. For cer-
tain kinds of equipment the use of an addi-
tional accessory will be necessary (e.g. an ac-
cessory for the footwell) to fit the child reten-
tion system correctly and securely. WARNING
Make sure children are properly belted in and
corr ectly
secured to avoid severe or fatal inju-
ries while the vehicle is in motion.
● If a child seat is secured to the front pas-
senger se
at, the risk to the child of sustain-
ing critical or fatal injuries in the event of an
accident increases.
● An inflating front passenger airbag can
strike the r
ear-facing child seat and project it
with great force against the door, the roof or
the backrest.
● Never install a child seat facing backwards
on the front p
assenger seat unless the front
passenger front airbag has been disabled.
Risk of potentially fatal injuries to the child!
However, if it is necessary, in exceptional ca-
ses, to transport a child in the front passen-
ger seat, the front passenger front airbag
must always be disabled ››› page 72. If the
passenger seat has a height adjustment op-
tion, move it to the highest, most upright po-
sition. If you have a fixed seat, do not install
any child restraint system in this location.
● For those vehicles that do not include a key
lock sw
itch to deactivate the airbag, the vehi-
cle must be taken to a technical service.
● Children up to 12 years old should always
travel
on the rear seat.
● Children must always be protected with an
appro
ved child restraint system suited to
their height and weight. ●
Chil dr
en must assume the proper sitting
position and be properly belted in while trav-
elling.
● Ensure the seat backrest is upright when a
chil
d seat is being used on it.
● Do not allow the child's head or other part
of his
or her body to fall into the deployment
area of the side airbags.
● Make sure the belt webbing is correctly
positioned.
● Nev
er hold children or babies on your lap or
in your arms.
● On
ly one child may occupy a child seat.
● If you are using a child seat with a base or
foot, alw
ays install this base or foot correctly
and safely.
● If the vehicle has a storage compartment in
the footwel
l in front of the last row of seats,
this compartment cannot be used as de-
signed; on the contrary: It must be filled us-
ing the specially designed accessory so that
the base or foot is correctly supported by the
closed compartment and the child seat is se-
cured properly. If this compartment is not
suitably secured when using a child seat with
a base or foot then the compartment cover
could rupture in an accident and the child will
be ejected and suffer serious injury.
● Please read and observe the child seat
manufact
urer's handling instructions.74
Transporting children safely
WARNING
An empty or loose child seat could fly uncon-
tro l
lably around the vehicle interior and
cause injuries in the event of an accident or
sudden braking.
● When not in use while the vehicle is in mo-
tion, alwa
ys safely secure the child seat or
store it in the luggage compartment. Note
Replace the child seat after an accident, as it
ma y
have invisible damage. Important information regarding the
fr
ont
p
assenger's airbag Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 21.
Read and always observe the safety informa-
tion included in the following chapters:
● Child seats and passenger side airbag
›››
page 76, Use of the child seat on the
front passenger seat .
● Safety distance with respect to the passen-
ger airbag ›
›› in Introduction on page 68.
● Objects between the passenger and the
p a
s
senger side airbag ››› in Front airbags
on p age 71
. Child seats
Safety in
structions Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 21. WARNING
The lower anchor points for child seats are
not anc hor
s meant to support cargo. Only se-
cure booster seats to lower anchor points. WARNING
Child seats with lower anchor points and with
an upper r et
aining strap must be installed in
line with the manufacturer's instructions.
Failure to comply could result in severe inju-
ries.
● Always secure just one r
etaining strap from
a child seat to a retaining ring (for Top Tether)
on the seat backrest on the rear seat in the
boot.
● Never fix child seats to the cargo anchors in
the luggag
e compartment.
● Never secure a child seat to the movable at-
tachment
elements for vehicles with an at-
tachment element and rail system . WARNING
In general, the rear seat is always the safest
pl ac
e for correctly belted in children in the
event of an accident. ●
A suit ab
le child seat that is correctly instal-
led and used on one of the rear seats offer
the most protection possible for babies and
small children in most accidents. WARNING
Unbuckling the seat belt while the vehicle is
in motion c an cau
se severe or fatal injuries in
the event of an accident or sudden braking.
● The seat belt must not be unfastened until
the vehic
le has come to a standstill. Note
Other accessories may be required to fit the
chi l
d retention system with a base or foot se-
curity and safely. Contact a technical service
centre or specialised workshop. General information on transporting
c
hi
l
dren in the vehicle Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 22.
Legal regulations and provisions will always
take priority over the descriptions of this in-
struction manual. There are different regula-
tions and provisions for the use of child seats
and their mountings ( ›››
table on page 76).
In some countries, for example, the use of
child seats on certain seats in the vehicle
may be forbidden. »
75
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety