SKODA OCTAVIA TOUR 2010 1.G / (1U) Columbus Navigation System Manual

Passive Safety
100

The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the se at belts and of the airbag system - risk
of injury!
Correct seated position for the occupants on the rear seats
Occupants on the rear seats must sit upright, keep the feet in the foot-
well and must have their seat belts correctly fastened.To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an accident,
the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following:
Adjust the head restraints so that the top edge of the head restraints is at the same
level as the upper part of your head page 98, fig. 107 .

Fasten the seat belt correctly page 104, “How are seat belts correctly fastened?”.

If you are transporting page 115, “Transporting children safely” children in the
vehicle, please use a suitable child restraint system.
WARNING

The head restraints must always be adjusted to match the body size, in
order to offer an optimal protection for you and your occupants.

Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never
put your feet out of the window or on the surfaces of the seats. You will be
exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes necessary to apply the brake or
in the event of an accident. If an airbag is deployed, you may suffer fatal injuries
when adopting an incorrect seated position!

If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury is
increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.
Examples of an incorrect seated position
An incorrect seated position can lead to severe injuries or death for the
occupants.Seat belts offer their optimum protection only if the webbing of the seat belts is prop-
erly routed. Incorrect seated positions considerably reduce the protective functions of
the seat belts and therefore increase the risk of injury due to an incorrect routing of the
seat belt. The driver is fully responsible for himself and the occupants, in particular for
the children. Do not permit an occupant to adopt an incorrect seated position when
the car is moving.
The following list contains the examples of seated positions which are dangerous for
the occupants. This list is not complete, however we would like you to get interested in
this subject.
Therefore, while the car is moving never:
stand up in the vehicle,

stand up on the seats,

kneel onto the seats,

tilt the seat backrest fully to the back,

lean against the dash panel,

lie on the rear seats,

only sit on the front area of the seat,

sit to the side,

lean out of the window,

put the feet out of the window,

put the feet on the dash panel,

put the feet on the seat upholstery,

occupy the footwell,

have the seat belt not fastened,

occupy the luggage compartment.
WARNING (continued)
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Passive Safety101
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING

If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.

Before setting off, please adopt the correct seated position and do not
change this seated position while the car is moving. Also advise your occupants
to adopt the correct seated position and not to change this seated position
while the car is moving.
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Seat belts
102
Seat beltsWhy seat belts?It is a proven fact that seat belts offer good protection in accidents fig. 108 . Thus
wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement in most countries.
Seat belts which have been correctly fasten ed and adjusted hold the occupants of the
car in the correct seated position fig. 108 . The belts reduce the kinetic energy
(energy of motion) to a considerable exte nt. They also prevent uncontrolled move-
ments which, in turn, may well result in severe injuries.
The occupants of a vehicle who have fastened and correctly adjusted their seat belt,
profit to a major extent from the fact that the kinetic energy is optimally absorbed by
the belts. The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety meas-
ures, such as the airbag system, also cont ribute to reducing the kinetic energy. The
energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less risk of injury.
Accident statistics prove that seat belts which are fastened and properly adjusted
reduce the risk of an injury and enhance the chance of survival in a major accident
 page 103. It is important that you pay attention to
safety measures, particularly when trans-
porting children in the vehicle page 115, “What you should know about trans-
porting children!”.
WARNING

Fasten your seat belt each time before setting off, also when driving in town!
This also applies to the people seated at the rear - risk of injury!

Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way of
ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child page 104, “Fastening
three-point seat belts”.

It is important for the belt webbing to be properly routed if the seat belts are
to offer the maximum protection. You can see a description of how safety belts
should be fitted properly on the next pages.Note
Please comply with any differing legal requirements when using the seat belts.
Fig. 108 Driver wearing seat belt
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Seat belts103
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The physical principle of a frontal collisionThe physical principle of a frontal ac cident can be explained quite simply:
Motion energy, so-called kinetic energy, is produced as soon as the vehicle is moving,
both for the vehicle and its occupants. The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends
essentially on the speed at which the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the
vehicle and the occupants. The greater the speed and weight increase, the greater the
amount of energy which has to be absorbed in the event of an accident. The speed of the vehicle is, nevertheless, the most important factor. Doubling the
speed of the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy four
times.
The common opinion that it is possible to support your body in a minor accident with
your hands, is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces acting on the
body are such that it is no long
er possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed within the range from 30 km/hour to 50 km/hour, the
forces which are produced on your body in the event of an accident can easily exceed
10.000 N (Newton). This equals a weight of one tonne (1 000 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupant s of the car not wearing a seat belt, are
thrown forward and strike in an uncontrolled way parts of the interior of the car, such
as steering wheel, da sh panel, windscreen, fig. 109 . The occupants of a vehicle who
have not fastened their seat belts may even be thrown out of the vehicle. This can
result in fatal injuries.
It is also important that rear seat occupants fasten their seat belts as they will otherwise
be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontr olled manner in the event of an accident
A rear seat passenger who has not fastened the seat belt is a danger not only to himself
but also for those seated at the front fig. 110 .
Important safety information regarding the use of seat beltsThe correct use of the seat belts considerably reduces the risk of injury!
WARNING

The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted,
or chafe against any sharp edges.

It is important that the belt webbing is properly routed if the seat belts are
to offer their maximum protection page 104, “How are seat belts correctly
fastened?”.

No two persons (also not children) should ever use a single seat belt
together.

The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if you
are correctly seated page 98, “Correct seated position”.
Fig. 109 The driver is catapulted
forward if not wearing a beltFig. 110 The rear seat occupant
is catapulted forward if not
wearing a belt
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Seat belts
104

The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. specta-
cles, ball-point pens, keys etc.) as this may be a cause of injuries.

Bulky, loose clothing (e.g. a winter coat over a jacket) does not allow you to
be correctly seated and impairs pr oper operation of the seat belts.

It is prohibited to use clamps or other objects to adjust seat belts (e.g. for
shortening the belts for smaller persons).

The lock tongue should only be inserted into the lock which is the correct
one for your seat. Wrong use of the safety belt will reduce its capacity to protect
and the risk of injury increases.

The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.

The belt webbing must al ways be kept clean. Soiled belt webbing may
impair proper operation of the inertia reel page 143, “Seat belts”.

The slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked by paper or similar objects
otherwise the belt tongue will not lock in place properly.

Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condition. If you
find seat belts which have damage to th e seat belt webbing, seat belt connec-
tions, to the inertia reels or to the lock, the relevant safety belt must be replaced
by a specialist garage.

The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not make an
attempt to repair the seat belts yourself.

Damaged seat belts which have been subjected to stress in an accident and
were therefore stretched, must be replaced - this is best done by a specialist
garage. The anchorage points of the belts must also be inspected. The
anchorage points for the belts should also be checked.

In certain countries it is possible to use seat belts which differ in terms of
their operation from the seat belts wh ich are described on the pages which
follow.
How are seat belts correctly fastened?Fastening three-point seat belts
Fasten your seat be lt before starting!– Correctly adjust the front seat and the he ad restraint before fastening your seat
belt page 56.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 111 Routing of webbing
over the shoulders and the lap
beltFig. 112 Routing of belt webbing
for an expectant mother
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Seat belts105
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– Slowly pull the belt webbing at the tongue
of the lock over your chest and pelvis
 .
– Insert the tongue of the lock into the seat belt buckle belonging to the seat until it is heard to lock in place.
– Pull on the belt to check that it has also reliably engaged in the lock.
Each three-point seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel. This inertia reel offers you
complete freedom of movement if the belt is unreeled slowly. If the brakes are applied
suddenly, the inertia reel will block. It also blocks the belts when the car accelerates,
when driving uphill and when cornering.
Expectant mothers must also wear the seat belt .
WARNING

The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across your neck but must
run approximately over the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the
chest. The lap part of the belt must run across the hip and must never be routed
across the stomach. It must always fit snugly page 104, fig. 111 . Adjust the
belt webbing as required.

The lap part of the belt should be positioned as low as possible at the pelvis
of an expectant mother in order to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower
abdomen.

Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctly adjusted ca n themselves cause injuries even in
minor accidents.

A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is
moved forward by the kinetic energy produced in an accident and is then
suddenly held firm by the belt.

Only insert the lock tongue into the lock which is the correct one for your
seat. This will affect the protection which the belt offers and increase the risk of
an injury.
Seat belt height adjusterThe seat belt height adjuster makes it possible for you to adapt the routing of the three-
point seat belt in the area of the shoulder to match your body size.
– In order to adjust the height, press on the upper seat belt deflection and push it into the desired direction up or down so th at the shoulder part of the belt is posi-
tioned approximately across th e middle of your shoulder page 104, fig. 111 .
– Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has correctly
locked in place.
WARNING
Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the belt is
positioned approximately across the middle of your shoulder - on no account
across your neck.
Note
It is also possible to adapt the routing of the belt webbing at the front seats by adjusting
the height of the seat.
Fig. 113 Front seat: Seat belt
height adjuster
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Seat belts
106
Taking seat belts off– Press the red button in the belt lock fig. 114 . The spring force causes the tongue
of the lock to jump out.
– Guide the belt back with your hand to en able the inertia reel to wind up the belt
webbing more easily.
A plastic knob in the belt webbing holds the be lt tongue in a position which is easy to
get hold of.Three-point seat belt with the Interlock System*A three-point safety belt with the Interlock System is used on some vehicles instead of
a pelvic belt.
If the backrest of the rear seats is not secured, the retractor blocks and the seat belt
cannot be reeled down.Rear middle three-point safety belt with safety lock for a child seat*In order to attach a child seat the rear middle three-point safety belt with the blocking,
the so-called child safety locks, can be used.
Switching child safety lock on– Attach the child safety seat with the three-point seat belt (self-retracting) as stated
in the manufacturer's instructions.
– Reel up the shoulder part of the belt comp letely. When the belt is reeled up, this
can be detected by a “clicking” noise.
– After fixing the child seat in place, let th e belt freely reel up. Now the belt can no
longer be reeled down.
– Check if the safety lock is activated by pulling on the belt.Switching child safety lock off– By pressing the button in the lock of the safety belt, the blocking is unblocked and
afterwards the safety belt starts to reel up.
– After fully reeling up the belt, you can freely reel it down again.The pelvic belt*
Fig. 114 Releasing lock tongue
from belt lock
Fig. 115 Fasten pelvic belt
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Seat belts107
Using the system
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The rear middle seat is fitted with a pelvic be
lt. The lock part of the two-point pelvic belt
is operated in the same way as for a three-point safety belt. An unused pelvic belt
should be stowed away together with the lock for safety reasons.
Extending the pelvic belt– Hold the lock tongue at right angles to the belt webbing and pull through the
desired amount of belt webbing fig. 116 .Shortening the pelvic belt– Pull on the free end of the belt.
– Fix the excess belt length by thre ading it through the plastic slider.
The adjustment of the belt length is facili tated by simultaniously pressing the belt
tongue and the belt cover lengthwise.
WARNING
The pelvic belt must always sit firmly ac ross the pelvis; tighten the belt webbing
if necessary.
Belt tensionersSafety for the driver and front passenger wearing their seat belts is enhanced by the
belt tensioners fitted to the inertia reels of the front three-point seat belts, in addition
to the protection afforded by the airbag system.
The three-point seat belts are automatically te nsioned in the event of a frontal collision
of a certain severity. The belt tensioners can also be deployed if the seat belts are not
fastened.
The belt tensioner is deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity. A
powder charge is ignited in the inertia re els during deployment. The belt webbing is
pulled into the inertia reels by a mechanical system and the belt is tensioned.
Belt tensioners are not activated in the even t of minor frontal collisions, side and rear-
end collisions, in the case of a rollover an d also not in accidents in which no major
forces are produced from the front.
WARNING

Any work on the system including removal and installation of system
components because of other repair work, must only be carried out by a
specialist garage.

The protective function of the system is only adequate for a single accident.
If the belt tensioners have been deployed, it is then necessary to replace the
entire system.

The Owner's Manual must also be handed over to the new owner if the
vehicle is sold.Note

Smoke is generated when the belt tensione rs are deployed. This is not an indica-
tion of a fire in the vehicle.

It is essential to pay attent ion to relevant safety regulations if the vehicle or indi-
vidual parts of the system are scrapped. Specialist garages are familiar with these regu-
lations and will be able to provide you with detailed information in this respect.

When disposing of vehicle or parts of the system, it is important to comply with the
national legal requirements.
Fig. 116 Extending the pelvic
belt
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Airbag system
108
Airbag systemDescription of the airbag systemGeneral information on the airbag systemThe front airbag system is complementary to the three-point seat belts and offers
additional protection for the head and chest area of the driver and passenger in the
event of a frontal collision.
In the case of a violent side cr ash, the side airbags* reduce the risk of injuries to the
occupants on the side of the collision .
The airbag system is only functional af ter the ignition has been switched on.
The operational readiness of the airbag syst em is monitored electronically. The airbag
indicator light comes on for a few seconds each time the ignition is switched on.
The airbag system (according to vehicle equipment) consists of:
an electronic control unit,

front airbag for the driver and the front seat passenger*,

side airbags*,

an airbag indicator light in the instrument cluster,

Switch for front passenger airbag* in front passenger storage compartment
 page 113,

Indicator light for a switched off front seat passenger airbag* page 113.
A fault in the airbag system exists if:

the airbag indicator light does not light up when the ignition is switched on,

the warning light does not go out after about 4 seconds after the ignition is
switched on,

the airbag indicator light goes out and come s on again after the ignition is switched
on,

the airbag indicator light comes on or flickers when driving.
WARNING

To enable the occupants of a vehicle to be protected with the greatest
possible effect when the airbag is deployed, the front seats must be page 98,
“Correct seated position” correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occu-
pant.

If you do not fasten the seat belts when driving, lean too far forward or
adopt an incorrect seated position, you are exposing yourself to increased risk
of injury in the event of an accident.

Have the airbag system checked immediat ely by a specialist garage if a fault
exists. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activated in the event of
an accident.

No modifications of any kind may be made to parts of the airbag system.

It is prohibited to manipulate individual parts of the airbag system as this
might result in the airbag being deployed.

The protective function of the airbag system is sufficient for only one acci-
dent. The airbag system must then be re placed if the airbag has been deployed.

The airbag system needs no maintenance during its working life.

If you sell your car, please hand ov er the complete vehicle documentation
to the new owener. Please note that the documents relating to the possibility of
deactivating the front passenger airbag are also part of the vehicle documents!

If the vehicle or individual parts of the airbag system are scrapped, it is
essential to observe the relevant safety precautions. Specialist garages are
familiar with these regulations.

When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important to
comply with the national legal requirements.
When are the airbags deployed?The airbag system is designed in such a way that the driver and the front passenger
airbag* are deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major severity.
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Airbag system109
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In the case of a
violent side crash , the side airbag* is depl oyed on the side of the
vehicle on which the collision occurs.
In certain accident situ ations, the front as well as the side airbags are deployed at the
same time.
The airbags are not deployed in the case of minor frontal and side collisions, in the
case of rear-end collisi ons and vehicle rollover.
Deployment factors
It is not possible to state globally which deployment conditions apply to the airbag
system in every situation as the circumstances which exist in the case of accidents vary
greatly. An important role in this case, for ex ample, is played by factors such as the type
of object against which the vehicle impacts (h ard, soft), the angle of impact, the vehicle
speed etc.
A decisive factor for the deployment of the airbags is the deceleration which occurs
during a collision. The control unit analyses the nature of the collision and activates the
relevant restraint system. If the vehicle deceleration which occurs and is measured
during the collision remains below the prescribed reference values specified in the
control unit, the airbags are no t deployed although the vehicle may well suffer severe
damage to the bodywork as a consequence of the accident.
The airbags are not deployed if:

ignition is switched off;

a minor frontal collision;

a minor side collision;

a rear-end collision;

Rollover of the vehicle.Note

A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly
normal and is not an indicati on of a fire in the vehicle.

The dash panel must be replaced after the front passenger airbag has been
deployed.

In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed: 
the interior lighting comes on (if the swit ch for the interior light is in the door
contact position),
 the hazard warning li ght is switched on;
 All the doors are unlocked.
Front airbagsDescription of the front airbags
The airbag system is not a su bstitute for the seat belt!The front airbag for the driver is housed in the steering wheel fig. 117 . The front
airbag for the front passenger* is housed in the dash panel above the storage
Fig. 117 Driver airbag in the
steering wheelFig. 118 Front passenger airbag
in the dash panel
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