2017 Seat Ateca warning

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

Airbag system
●
The s ide and he
ad airbags are managed
through sensors located in the interior of the
front doors. To ensure the correct operation of
the side and curtain airbags neither the
doors nor the door panels should be modified
in any way (e.g. fitting loudspeakers). If the
front door is damaged, the airbag system
may not work correctly. All work carried out
on the front door must be done in a special-
ised workshop. Deactivating airbags
D e

activation of front airbag Fig. 92
Control lamp for disabling the front
p a

ssenger 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 dis-
abled.Check whether the airbag should re-
main disabled.


It lights up on the dash panel
Front passenger
front airbag ena-
bled.The control lamp switches off about
60 seconds after the ignition is
turned on or after enabling of the
front passenger front airbag with the
key lock switch. Several warning and control lamps light up
f
or a f

ew seconds 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 ››› .The disabling of airbags is only carried out in
c
er

tain cases, i.e. if:
● a child seat is required in the front passen-
ger se
at with the child facing in the opposite
direction to the direction of travel (in some
countries, due to divergent legal require-
ments, facing in the direction of travel)
››› page 80;
● despite the driver's seat being in the cor-
rect
position, a minimum distance of 25 cm
cannot be maintained between the centre of
the steering wheel and the driver's torso,
● installation of special devices is required in
the st
eering wheel area due to a physical dis-
ability,
● if you have special seats installed (e.g. an
orthop
aedic seat without side airbags).
The front passenger front airbag can be disa-
bled using the switch ››› page 78.
We recommend that you contact an author-
ised SEAT dealer for the disabling of other air-
bags.
Airbag system control
The airbag system availability is controlled
electronically, regardless of whether an air-
bag is disabled. »
77
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
If an airbag was disabled using a diagnostics
sy s
tem:
● the airbag system warning lamp  il
lumi-
nates after switching on the ignition for
about 4 seconds, and then flashes for about
12 seconds.
If the airbag has been disabled with the air-
bag switch on the side of the dash panel:
● the airbag control lamp  wi
ll illuminate
for about 4 seconds after the ignition is
switched on,
● The airbag is disabled, signalled with the
warnin
g lamp   which lights up with the
word      placed in the cen-
tre part of the dash panel ››› Fig. 93. WARNING
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,
the airb ag m

ay 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
by a specialised workshop.
● Never mount a child seat in the front pas-
seng
er seat or remove the mounted child
seat! The front passenger front airbag may
deploy during an accident in spite of the
fault. CAUTION
Always pay attention to any lit control lamps
and t o the c

orresponding descriptions and in-
structions to avoid damage to the vehicle. Note
● Fo

llow the current legislation in your coun-
try regarding the disabling of airbags.
● At your authorised SEAT dealer you can find
inform
ation on which vehicle airbags can be
disabled. Front passenger front airbag switch
Fig. 93
Front passenger front airbag switch. Fig. 94
Warning lamp for disabling the front
p a
ssenger airbag. Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 15.
The switch disables only the front passenger
front airbag.
Switching on the airbag
– Switch the ignition off.
– Open the front passenger door.
– Insert the key into the slot of the switch for
deactiv

ating the front passenger airbag
››› Fig. 93. About 3/4 of the key should en-
ter, as far as it will go.
– Then turn the key gently to the ON pos
ition.
Do not force it if you feel resistance, and
make sure you have inserted the key fully.
– Close the front passenger door.
– Check, with the ignition switched on, that
the contr

ol lamp   ››› Fig. 94 does not
78

Transporting children safely
light up, with the word 
   
 in the centre part of the dash panel.
– The warning lamp   is
illuminated for
60 seconds in the centre part of the dash
panel.
Control lamp with the word   
  (front passenger airbag disabled)
If the front passenger front airbag is disa-
bled, after switching on the ignition, the con-
trol lamp will light up for several seconds,
then it will switch off for about 1 s and then
switch on again.
If the control lamp is flashing, there is a fault
in the disabling of the airbag system ››› .
Pl e

ase go immediately to an Official Service. WARNING
● The driv er of

the vehicle is responsible for
disabling or switching on the airbag.
● Always switch off the ignition before disa-
blin
g the front passenger airbag! Failure to do
so could result in a fault in the airbag deacti-
vation system.
● Never leave the key in the airbag disabling
swit
ch as it could get damaged or enable or
disable the airbag during driving.
● If the   (airbag di
sabled) control lamp
flashes, the front passenger front airbag will
not trigger in the event of an accident! Have
the system immediately checked by an Offi-
cial Service. Transporting children safely
Saf ety

for children
Introduction For safety reasons, as we have learned from
ac
c

ident statistics, we recommend that chil-
dren under 12 years of age travel in the rear
seats. Depending on their age, height and
weight, children travelling in rear seats must
use a child seat or a seat belt. For safety rea-
sons, the child seat should be installed in the
rear seat, behind the front passenger seat or
in the centre back seat.
The physical laws involved and the forces
acting in a collision apply also to children
››› page 70. But unlike adults, children do not
have fully developed muscle and bone struc-
tures. This means that children are subject to
a greater risk of injury.
To reduce the risk of injuries, children must
always use special child restraint systems
when travelling in the vehicle.
We recommend the use of child safety prod-
ucts from the SEAT Original Accessories Pro-
gramme, which includes systems for all ages
made by “Peke” (not for all countries) (see
www.seat.com). These systems have been especially de-
s
igned and ap

proved, complying with the
ECE-R44. regulation.
SEAT recommends securing the child seats
shown on the website as described below:
● Child seats in the opposite direction of
trav
el (group 0+): ISOFIX and support bracket
(Peke G0 Plus + ISOFIX Base (RWF)).
● Child seats in the direction of travel (group
1): ISOFIX and
Top Tether (Peke G1 ISOFIX
DUO Plus).
● Child seats in the direction of travel (group
2): seat
belt and ISOFIX (Peke G3 KIDFIX).
● Child seats in the direction of travel (group
3): with se
at belt (Peke G3 KIDFIX).
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and
observe any statutory requirements when in-
stalling and using child seats. Always read
and note ››› page 79.
We recommend you always carry the manu-
facturer's Child Seat Instruction Manual to-
gether with the on-board documentation.
Important information regarding the
front
passenger's airbag Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 17. »
79
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
Read and always observe the safety informa-
tion inc luded in the f
ollowing chapters:
● Safety distance with respect to the passen-
ger airb
ag ››› page 73.
● Objects between the passenger and the
pa
ssenger side airbag ››› in Front airbags
on p ag
e 75.
The passenger side front airbag, when ena-
bled, is a serious risk for a child that is facing
backward since the airbag can strike the seat
with such force that it can cause serious or
fatal injuries. Children up to 12 years old
should always travel on the rear seat.
Therefore we strongly recommend you to
transport children on the rear seats. This is
the safest location in the vehicle. Alternative-
ly, the front passenger airbag can be disa-
bled with a key-operated switch ››› page 78.
When transporting children, use a child seat
suitable for the age and size of each child
››› page 81. WARNING
● If a c

hild seat is secured to the front pas-
senger seat, 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
strik
e the rear-facing child seat and project it
with great force against the door, the roof or
the backrest. ●
Nev er in

stall a child seat facing backwards
on the front passenger 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 77. 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
switch to deactivate the airbag, the vehi-
cle must be taken to a technical service. Do
not forget to reconnect the airbag when an
adult wants to sit in the front passenger seat.
● All vehicle occupants, especially children,
mus
t assume the proper sitting position and
be properly belted in while travelling.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap,
this
can result in potentially fatal injuries to
the child!
● Never allow a child to be transported in a
vehic
le without being properly secured, or to
stand up or kneel on a seat while travelling.
In an accident, the child could be flung
through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal in-
juries to themselves and to the other vehicle
occupants.
● If children assume an improper sitting posi-
tion when the v
ehicle is moving, they expose
themselves to greater risk of injury in the
event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an
accident. This is particularly important if the child is travelling on the front passenger seat
and the airb
ag sy

stem is triggered in an acci-
dent; as this could cause serious injury or
even death.
● A suitable child seat can protect your child!
● Never leave a child alone in the child seat
or ins
ide the vehicle because depending on
the season, very high temperatures may be
reached inside a parked vehicle, which could
be fatal.
● Children who are less than 1.5 metres tall
mus
t not wear a normal seat belt without a
child seat, as this could cause injuries to the
abdominal and neck areas during a sudden
braking manoeuvre or in an accident.
● Do not allow the seat belt to become twis-
ted and the se
at belt should be properly in
place ››› page 68.
● Only one child may occupy a child seat
››

› page 80, Child seats.
● When a child seat is mounted in the rear
seat
s, the door child-proof lock should be ac-
tivated ››› page 120. Child seats
Saf ety

instructions Read the additional information carefully
› ›

›  page 17.
80