warning Seat Alhambra 2006 User Guide
Page 17 of 299
Safe driving15
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
– Distribute the load evenly in the luggage compartment.
– Lay and stow heavy luggage as far forward as possible in the
luggage compartment.
– Stow heavy luggage as low as possible in the luggage compart-
ment.
– Secure heavy objects to the fitted fastening rings Ÿ page 15.
WARNING
•Loose luggage and other objects in the luggage compartment can
cause serious injuries.
•Always stow objects in the luggage compartment and secure them on
the fastening rings.
•Use suitable specialist straps to secure heavy objects.
•During sudden manoeuvres or accidents, loose objects can be thrown
forward, injuring vehicle occupants. This increased risk of injury will be
further increased if a loose object is struck by an inflating airbag. If this
happens, objects can be transformed into “missiles”. Risk of fatal injury.
•Please note that the centre of gravity may shift when transporting
heavy objects; this may affect the vehicle's handling and lead to an acci-
dent. Therefore, it is essential to adjust your speed and driving style
accordingly, to avoid accidents.
•Never exceed the allowed axle loads or allowed maximum weight. If the
allowed axle load or the allowed total weight is exceeded, the driving char-
acteristics of the vehicle may change, leading to accidents, injuries and
damage to the vehicle.
•Never leave your vehicle unattended, especially when the tailgate is
open. Children could climb into the luggage compartment closing the door
behind them; they will remain trapped without help and there is a mortal
risk.
•Never allow children to play in or around the vehicle. Close and lock
both the tailgate and all the doors when you leave the vehicle. Before you
lock the vehicle, make sure that there are no adults or children in the
vehicle.
•Never transport passengers in the luggage compartment. Every
passenger must be properly belted in Ÿpage 17.
Note
•Air circulation in the vehicle helps reduce fogging of the windows. Used
air escapes through ventilation slits in the side trim of the luggage compart-
ment. Ensure that the ventilation slits are never covered.
•Straps for securing the load to the fastening rings are commercially
available.
Fastening rings
There are four fastening rings in the luggage compartment
which can be used to secure luggage and other objects.
– Always use suitable and undamaged straps to secure luggage
and other objects to the fastening rings Ÿ in “Loading the
luggage compartment” on page 14.
– Pull up the fastening rings to attach the straps.
The retainers for the detachable seat belts for the third row of seats and the
floor anchors for the seats can be used as fastening rings for items of
luggage.
WARNING (continued)
Page 18 of 299
Safe driving 16
During a collision or an accident, even small and light objects can build up so
much energy that they can cause very severe injuries. The amount of “kinetic
energy” depends on the speed of the vehicle and the weight of the object.
The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle.
For example: an object weighing 4.5 kg is lying unsecured in the vehicle.
During a frontal collision at a speed of 50 km/h, this object generates a force
corresponding to 20 times its weight. That means that the effective weight of
the object increases to about 90 kg. You can imagine the severity of the inju-
ries which might be sustained if this “projectile” strikes an occupant as it flies
through the passenger compartment. This increased risk of injury will be
further increased if a loose object is struck by an inflating airbag.
WARNING
If pieces of baggage or other objects are secured to the fastening rings with
inappropriate or damaged retaining cords, injuries could result in the event
of braking manoeuvres or accidents.
•To prevent pieces of luggage or other objects from flying forward,
always use appropriate retaining cords which are secured to the fastening
rings.
•Never secure a child seat on the fastening rings.
Page 19 of 299
Seat belts17
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Seat belts
Introduction
Always fasten seat belts before driving!
Properly worn seat belts can save lives!
In this chapter you will learn why seat belts are so important, how
they work and how to properly fasten, adjust and wear them.
– Read and observe all the information as well as the warnings in
this chapter.
WARNING
•If the seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at all, the risk of severe inju-
ries increases.
•Properly worn seat belts can reduce severe injuries in the event of
sudden braking manoeuvres or accidents. Therefore, you and your passen-
gers should always wear the seat belts properly as long as the vehicle is in
motion.
•Pregnant women or persons with physical disabilities must also use
seat belts. Like all other occupants, these persons can also sustain severe
injuries if they are not wearing their seat belts properly.
Number of seats
Vehicles with five seats
Your vehicle has five passenger places, two individual front seats and three
places on the rear seat.
The front seats and the outer rear seats are fitted with a three-point automatic
seat belt.
Vehicles with seven seats*
The vehicle has seven seats, two seats in the front, three seats in the second
row and two seats in the third row.
WARNING
•Never transport more people than there are seats available in the
vehicle.
•Every occupant in the vehicle must properly fasten and wear the seat
belt belonging to his or her seat. Children must be protected with an appro-
priate child restraint system.
Seat belt warning lamp* 4
The warning lamp acts as a reminder to the driver to fasten
the seat belt.
Before you drive:
– Always fasten your seat belt correctly before driving off.
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Seat belts 18
– Instruct your passengers to fasten their seat belts properly before
driving off.
– Protect your children with child restraint systems appropriate for
the size and age of the children.
The warning lamp 4 in the combi-instrument lights up if the driver seat belt
is not fastened when the ignition is switched on. In addition, an acoustic
signal can also be heard for a couple of seconds.
The warning lamp*
4 does not go out until the driver seat belt is fastened
while the ignition is switched on.
Page 23 of 299
Seat belts21
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
Seat belts protect
Passengers not wearing seat belts risk severe injuries in the
event of an accident.
Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the correct sitting posi-
tions and substantially reduce the kinetic energy in the event of an accident.
Seat belts also help to prevent uncontrolled movements that could lead to
severe injuries. In addition, properly worn seat belts reduce the danger of
being thrown from the car.
Passengers wearing their seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the ability
of the belts to absorb kinetic energy. The front crumple zones and other
passive safety features (such as the airbag system) are also designed to
absorb the kinetic energy generated in a collision. Taken together, all these
features reduce the forces acting on the occupants and consequently the risk
of injury.
Our examples describe frontal collisions. Of course, properly worn seat belts
reduce substantially the risk of injury in all other types of accidents. This is why it is so important to fasten seat belts before every trip, even when "just
driving around the corner".
Ensure that your passengers wear their seat belts as well. Accident statistics
have shown properly worn seat belts to be an effective means of substantially
reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of survival in a serious
accident. Furthermore, properly worn seat belts improve the protection
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 airbags, the seat belts must be
fastened and worn. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some
frontal accidents. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal
collisions, minor side collisions, rear collisions, rolls or accidents in which the
airbag trigger threshold in the control unit is not exceeded.
Therefore, you should always wear your seat belt and ensure that your
passengers have fastened their seat belts properly before you drive off!Safety notes on using seat belts
If seat belts are used correctly, they can reduce the risk of
injury in an accident.
– Always wear the seat belt as described in this booklet.
– Ensure that the seat belts can be fastened at all times and are not
damaged.
WARNING
•If the seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at all, the risk of severe inju-
ries increases. The optimal protection from seat belts can be achieved only
if you use them properly.
Fig. 9 Driver protected by
the properly worn seat
belt during a sudden
braking manoeuvre.
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Seat belts 22
•Fasten your seat belt before every trip - even when driving in town. That
applies also to your front and rear passengers – danger of injury!
•The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the belt web is not posi-
tioned correctly.
•Never allow two passengers (even children) to share the same seat belt.
•Keep both feet in the foot-well in front of your seat as long as the
vehicle is in motion.
•Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. Risk of fatal
injury.
•The belt webbing must never be twisted while it is being worn.
•The belt webbing should never lie on hard or fragile 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 any
sharp edges.
•Never wear the seat belt under the arm or in any other incorrect posi-
tion.
•Loose, bulky clothing (such as an overcoat over a jacket) impairs the
proper fit and function of the belts, reducing their capacity to protect.
•The slot in the seat belt buckle must not be blocked with paper or other
objects, as this can prevent the latch plate from engaging securely.
•Never use seat belt clips, retaining rings or similar instruments to alter
the position of the belt webbing.
•Frayed or torn seat belts or damage to the connections, belt retractors
or parts of the buckle could cause severe injuries in the event of an acci-
dent. Therefore, you must check the condition of all seat belts at regular
intervals.
•Seat belts which have been worn in an accident and stretched must be
replaced by a qualified workshop. Renewal may be necessary 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 removed or modified in any way.
•The belts must be kept clean, otherwise the retractors may not work
properly.
Seat belts
Fastening seat belt (one buckle)
The seat belts on the front seats and the seats in the second
and third row are fastened using one buckle.
The seat belt cannot offer its full protection if the belt web is not
positioned correctly.
WARNING (continued)WARNING (continued)
Fig. 10 Belt buckle and
latch plate of seat belt
Page 25 of 299
Seat belts23
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a
– Adjust the seat and head restraint correctly.
– To fasten the belt, take hold of the latch plate and pull it slowly
across your chest and lap Ÿ.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the appropriate seat and
push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click
Ÿpage 22, fig. 10.
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in
the buckle.
Every seat belt is equipped with an automatic belt retractor on the shoulder
belt. Full freedom of movement is permitted when the shoulder belt is pulled
slowly. However, during sudden braking, during travel in mountains 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 belt tension
devices .
WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe injuries in the event of
an accident.
•The seat belts offer best protection only when the backrests are in an
upright position and the seat belts have been fastened properly.
•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.
•If an occupant is incorrectly belted in, the belt cannot protect him or her
properly. An incorrectly positioned belt web can cause extremely severe
injuries.
Fastening seat belts (with two buckles)
The seat belt for the centre seat in the second row of seats is
fastened using two buckles.
– Adjust the seat and head restraint correctly.
– Use latch plate of the belt Ÿfig. 11 to pull the belt down.
– Insert latch plate into the buckle belonging to the seat and
push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click.
– Use latch plate of the belt to pull the belt across your lap.
– Insert latch plate into the buckle belonging to seat and
push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click.
– Pull the belt to ensure that both latch plates are securely
engaged in the buckles.
Fig. 11 Fastening the
seat belt on the centre
seat in the second row of
seats
A1
A1AA
A2
A2AB
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Seat belts 24
The seat belt for the centre seat in the second row of seats has a belt retractor
fitted in the car roof. Full freedom of movement is permitted when the
shoulder belt is pulled slowly. However, during sudden braking, during travel
in mountains or bends and during acceleration, the automatic retractor on
the seat belt is locked.
WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe injuries in the event of
an accident.
•The seat belts offer best protection only when the backrests are in an
upright position and the seat belts have been fastened properly.
•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.
•If an occupant is incorrectly belted in, the belt cannot protect him or her
properly. An incorrectly positioned belt web can cause extremely severe
injuries.
Note
An illustration of how to fasten the seat belts can be found on each buckle.
Seat belt position
Seat belts offer their maximum protection only when they are
properly positioned.
Fig. 12 Correct belt web
and head restraint posi-
tions, viewed from front
Fig. 13 Correct belt web
and head restraint posi-
tions, viewed from side
Page 27 of 299
Seat belts25
Safety FirstOperating instructionsTips and MaintenanceTe c h n i c a l D a t a The following features are available to adjust the seat belt in the shoulder
region:
•Belt height adjustment for the front seats and the outer seats in the
second row,
•front seat height adjustment*.
WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe injuries in the event of
an accident.
•The shoulder part of the seat belt must lie on the centre of the shoulder,
never across the neck. The seat belt must lie flat and fit comfortably on the
torso
•The lap part of the seat belt must lie across the pelvis, never 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.
•Read and observe the warnings Ÿpage 22.
Pregnant women must also fasten their seat belts properly
The best protection for the unborn child is for the mother to
wear the seat belt properly at all times during the pregnancy.
The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the belt web
is properly positioned Ÿpage 24.
– Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly Ÿpage 9.
– Holding the latch plate, pull the belt evenly across your chest and
as low as possible over the pelvis Ÿfig. 14.
– Insert the latch plate into the buckle for the corresponding seat
and push it down until it is securely locked with an audible click
Ÿ.
– Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in
the buckle.
Fig. 14 Positioning seat
belts during pregnancy
Page 28 of 299
Seat belts 26
WARNING
•An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe 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.
•Read and observe the warnings Ÿpage 21.
Belt height adjustment
Using the height adjusters for the front seats and the outer
seats in the second row the position of the seat belts can be
adjusted in the shoulder area according to the height of the
occupant.
The seat belt adjustment for the front seats and the outer seats in
the second row can be used to adjust the proper belt web position
at the shoulder.
– Press the upper part Ÿfig. 15 of the shoulder belt guide in the
direction of the arrow and hold it in this position.
– Move the shoulder belt guide up or down until you have the seat
belt in a position suitable for your size .
– Release the shoulder belt guide.
– After adjusting, pull the shoulder belt sharply to check that the
catch on the shoulder belt guide is engaged securely.
Unfastening seatbelt (with one buckle)
The seat belt must not be unfastened until the vehicle has
come to a standstill.
Fig. 15 Location of the
belt height adjuster
Fig. 16 Removing latch
plate from buckle