ESP Seat Alhambra 2016 User Guide

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
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, r
ollovers 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!
Head-on collisions and the laws of
phys
ics Fig. 86
A driver not wearing a seat belt is
thr own f

orward violently Fig. 87
The unbelted rear passenger is
thro wn f

orward violently, hitting the driver
wearing a seat belt It is easy to explain how the laws of physics
w
ork
in the c

ase of a head-on collision: when
a vehicle starts moving, a type of energy
called “kinetic energy” is created both in the
passengers and inside the vehicle.
The amount of “kinetic energy” depends on
the speed of the vehicle and the weight of
the vehicle and its passengers. The higher
the speed and the greater the weight, the
more energy there is to be “absorbed” in an
accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the
speed of the vehicle. If the speed doubles
from 25 km/h (15 mph) to 50 km/h
(30 mph), for example, the corresponding ki-
netic energy is multiplied by four.
Because the vehicle occupants in our exam-
ple are not restrained by seat belts, in the »
63
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Airbag system
WARNING
Vehicle occupants sitting in the front of the
vehic l
e must never carry any objects in the
deployment space between them and the air-
bags, as this increases the risk of sustaining
injuries if the airbag is triggered. This modi-
fies the airbag deployment space or the ob-
jects may fly uncontrollably and hit your
body.
● Never carry objects in your hand or on your
lap whil
e the vehicle is in motion.
● Never transport objects on the front pas-
senger se
at. In the event of sudden braking
and manoeuvres, the objects may end up in
the airbag deployment space and fly uncon-
trollably around the vehicle interior if the air-
bag is activated.
● 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. Make sure chil-
dren and other passengers also respect this
recommendation. WARNING
The airbag system provides protection for
one acc ident

only. If they have been de-
ployed, they must be replaced.
● Ensure deployed airbags and the system
components
involved are immediately re-
placed with new, SEAT-approved components
for the vehicle. ●
Have an y

repairs or modifications carried
out at a specialised workshop. Specialised
workshops have the necessary tools, diag-
nostics equipment, repair information and
qualified personnel.
● Never fit recycled or reused airbag compo-
nents in
your vehicle.
● Never modify the airbag system compo-
nents. WARNING
If the airbags are triggered, a fine dust is pro-
duc ed. Thi

s is normal and it is not an indica-
tion of fire in the vehicle.
● This fine dust may irritate the skin and eyes
and cause br
eathing difficulties, particularly
in people suffering from or who have suffered
from asthma or other illnesses of the respira-
tory tract. To reduce breathing difficulties,
get out of the vehicle and open and doors and
windows to breath in fresh air.
● Should you touch the dust, wash your
hands
and face using a mild soap and water
before you eat.
● Prevent the dust from affecting the eyes or
open wound
s.
● Rinse your eyes with water if you have dust
in them. WARNING
Solvents cause the surfaces of the airbag
modul e

s to become porous. If an airbag is ac- cidentally triggered, the detachment of plas-
tic p
ar

ts could cause serious injury.
● Never clean the dash panel and the surfa-
ces
of the airbag modules with cleaners con-
taining solvents. Description of the airbag system
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
● Head airbag
● Airbag control lamp  on the instrument
p

anel
● Key-operated switch for front passenger air-
bag
● Contr

ol lamp to disconnect/connect the
front airb
ag. »
69
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Safety
The airbag system operation is monitored
el ectr
onic
ally. 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
switc
hed on,
● turns off after 4 seconds after the ignition
is sw
itched on
● turns off and then lights up again after the
ignition is sw
itched on
● illuminates or flashes while the vehicle is
movin
g.
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 seat belt

s and airbags can only provide
maximum protection if the occupants are
seated correctly ››› page 57.
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system,
have the sy
stem checked immediately by a
specialised workshop. Otherwise there is a danger that during a collision, the system
ma
y

fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly. Airbag activation
The airbags deploy extremely rapidly, within
thous
andths

of a second, to provide addi-
tional protection in the event of an accident.
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,
such as the properties of the object the vehi-
cle 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 acc
ident

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 fol
lowing airbags are triggered in seri-
ous side-on collisions
● Front side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● Re

ar side airbag on the side of the acci-
dent.
● Cur

tain (head) airbag on the side of the ac-
cident.
In an ac

cident with airbag activation:
● the interior lights switch on (if the interior
light swit
ch is in the courtesy light position);
● the hazard warning lights switch on;
● all doors are unlocked;
● the fuel supply to the engine is cut.
70

Airbag system
CAUTION
Always pay attention to any lit control lamps
and to the c orr
esponding descriptions and in-
structions to avoid damage to the vehicle. Manual disabling and enabling of the
front
p

assenger front airbag with the
key switch Fig. 93
In the glove compartment on the front
p a
s

senger side: Key switch for enabling and
disabling the front passenger front airbag. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 18.
The front passenger front airbag must be dis-
abled when a rear-facing child seat is moun-
ted.
Activating the front passenger front airbag
● Switch the ignition off. ●
Open the glove c
ompartment on the front
passenger side.
● Insert the key into the slot of the switch for
deactivatin
g the front passenger airbag
››› Fig. 93. About 3/4 of the key should enter,
as far as it will go.
● Then turn the key gently to the ON position.
Do not
force it if you feel resistance, and
make sure you have inserted the key fully.
● Close the glove compartment on the front
pas
senger side.
● Check that, with the ignition switched on,
the contro
l lamp      on the
dash panel is not lit ››› page 72.
How to know whether the front passenger
front airbag is disabled
The only indication of the front passenger air-
bag being disabled is that the   
  control lamp on the dash panel re-
mains lit (   stays yellow) ››› page 72,
Control lamp .
If the      control lamp on
the centre console does not remain lit or is lit
in combination with the control lamp  on
the dash panel, a child restraint system can-
not be mounted on the front passenger seat
for safety reasons. The front passenger front
airbag may deploy during an accident. WARNING
The front passenger front airbag must only be
dis ab

led in special cases.
● Disable and activate the front passenger
front airb
ag when the ignition is switched off
to avoid damage to the airbag system.
● It is the driver's responsibility to ensure
that the k
ey operated switch is set to the cor-
rect position.
● Only disable the front passenger front air-
bag when a chi
ld seat is to be mounted under
exceptional circumstances.
● As soon as the child seat is no longer nee-
ded on the front p
assenger seat, reconnect
the front passenger front airbag.
● Never leave the key in the airbag deactiva-
tion switc
h as it could get damaged or acti-
vate or deactivate the airbag during driving. 73
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

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 20.
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 20. 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 21.
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

Safety
The physical principles and the forces acting
on the v
ehic
le in the event of a collision or
other type of accidents also apply to children
››› page 64. However, unlike adults and
youngsters, children do not have fully devel-
oped muscle and bone structures. In the
event of an accident, children are subject to a
greater risk than adults of sustaining severe
injuries.
Given that children's bodies are not yet fully
developed, child restraint systems must be
used that are especially adapted to their
height, weight and constitution. There are
laws in force in many countries that indicate
the use of approved seat systems for trans-
porting babies and children.
Only used authorised, approved child seats
that are suitable for the vehicle. Always con-
sult with a technical service centre or a speci-
alised workshop should you have any
doubts.
Specific child seat regulations for each coun-
try (selection)
RegulationFurther information
ECE-R 44 a)technical service centre
a)
ECE-R: Economic Comission for Europe Regulation.
Categorisation of child seats according to
ECE-R44
Weight
catego- ryWeight ofthe childInstallation of the child seat
Group 0up to 10 kgRear-facing. On rear seats,
optionally using the ISOFIX system.
Group 0+up to 13 kg
Group 19 to 18 kgForward-facing. On rear
seats, optionally using the ISOFIX system.
Group 215 to 25 kg
Forward-facing. On the outerrear seats or in the centreseat of the second row of
seats and on all seats in the third row. Optionally with ISOFIX system.
Group 322 to 36 kgForward-facing. Not all children fit in the seat of their weight
gr
oup
. Nor do al

l seats adapt to the vehicle.
Therefore, always check whether the child fits
properly in the child seat and whether the
seat can be installed safely in the vehicle.
The rear seats are suitable for child seats
with the ISOFIX system specially designed
for this type of vehicle in accordance with
regulation ECE-R 44.
Child seats approved under the ECE-R 44 reg-
ulation are fitted with the corresponding ap-
proval symbol. The sign is an upper-case E in a circle with the identification number below
it.
Use of

the child seat on the front pas-
senger se
at Transporting children on the front passenger
seat
i

s not permitted in all countries. Further-
more, not all child seats are approved for use
on the front passenger seat. Your technical
service centre has an updated list of all ap-
proved child seats. Only used child seats that
are approved for each vehicle.
The front airbag on the front passenger side
is highly dangerous for a child. The front pas-
senger seat is life-threatening to a child if he
or she is transported in a rear-facing child
seat.
If a rear-facing child seat is secured to the
front passenger seat, an inflating front airbag
can strike it with such great force that severe
or fatal injuries may result ››› . Therefore,
r e
ar

-facing child seats must never be placed
on the front passenger seat when the front
passenger front airbag is enabled.
Only use a rear-facing child seat on the front
passenger seat if the front passenger front
airbag is disabled. When it is disabled, the
yellow PASSENGER AIR BAG   control
lamp on the dash panel will be lit ›››
page 72.
If you cannot disable the front passenger
front airbag and it remains activated, it is
76

Transporting children safely
forbidden to transport children on the front
p a
s
senger seat ››› .
Thin g
s
to note if using a child seat on the
front passenger seat:
● The front passenger front airbag must
be
disabled  when using a rear-facing child
seat ››› page 73.
● The seat backrest of the front passenger
seat mu
st be upright.
● The front passenger seat must be moved as
far bac
k as possible.
● The seat backrest of the front passenger
seat mu
st be upright.
● The seat belt height adjustment must be as
high as po
ssible.
Suitable child seats
The child seat must be authorised by the
manufacturer especially for use on a front
passenger seat with a front or side airbag.
If the front passenger seat is equipped with
retaining rings, the child seat can be secured
using an approved retaining system provided
it is approved for this type of vehicle in ac-
cordance with current regulations of the
country in question.
Universal seats for children of groups 0, 0+,
1, 2 or 3 according to the standard ECE-R 44
can be mounted on the front passenger seat
and the rear seats. WARNING
If a child seat is mounted on the front passen-
ger se at, the ri

sk of the child sustaining se-
vere or fatal injuries in the event of an acci-
dent increases. Rear-facing child seats must
never be mounted on the front passenger
seat when the front passenger front airbag is
enabled. This is life-threatening to the child
should the front airbag deploy, as the child
seat would be struck by the inflated airbag
and thrown against the seat backrest. WARNING
If, in exceptional circumstances, a child must
be tran s

ported in a rear-facing child seat on
the front passenger seat, strictly observe the
following:
● Always disable the front passenger front
airbag and le
ave it disabled.
● The child seat must be approved by the
manufact
urer for use on a front passenger
seat with front and side airbag.
● Follow the installation instructions of the
chil
d seat manufacturer and observe the
warnings.
● Move the front passenger seat as far back
as po
ssible and adjust it to its highest posi-
tion to keep as far away as possible from the
front airbag.
● Move the seat backrest to the upright posi-
tion.
● The seat belt height adjustment must be as
high as po
ssible. ●
Chil dr

en must always be protected with an
approved child restraint system suited to
their height and weight. Use of the child seat on the rear seat
If a child seat is mounted on the rear seat,
ad
apt

the position of the front passenger
seat so that the child has enough space.
Therefore, adapt the front passenger seat to
the size of the child seat and the height of
the child. Ensure the passenger is in the cor-
rect position  ››› page 57.
Move the second and third rows of seats fully
back and lock them. Place the seat backs in a
vertical position and fold the head restraints
down.
ISOFIX child seats approved for rear seats
The rear seats are suitable for child seats
with the ISOFIX system specially designed
for this type of vehicle in accordance with
regulation ECE-R 44.
ISOFIX child seats are divided into “specific
categories for the vehicle”, “limited” or
“semi-universal”.
Child seat manufacturers supply a list of ve-
hicles with each ISOFIX seat, which includes
the models for which the ISOFIX child seat in
question is approved. If the vehicle is inclu-
ded in the manufacturer's list and the ISOFIX »
77
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Transporting children safely
●
All
modifications to the integrated child
seat must be carried out by a specialised
workshop.
● Replace the child seat or any seat compo-
nents d
amaged or involved in an accident. WARNING
Loose objects could fly uncontrollably around
the vehic

le interior and cause injuries in the
event of an accident or sudden braking.
● Do not leave toys or other hard, loose ob-
jects
on the child seat or on the seat while
the vehicle is in motion. Unfolding the integrated child seat
Fig. 94
Integrated child seats. lift up the
c u
shion Fig. 95
Integrated child seats. install its head
sup por
t. Lifting the cushion
●
Pull the unlock lever ››
›
Fig. 94 A on the
c u
shion in the dir
ection of the arrow
››› Fig. 94 1 .
● Fold both sides ››
›
Fig. 94 B up in the di-
r ection of
the arr
ow ››› Fig. 94 2 .
● Push the cushion ››
›
Fig. 94 C back in the
dir ection of
the arr
ow ››› Fig. 94 3 until it en-
g ag
e
s.
Install the head restraint on the child safety
seat
● Remove the head support and store it safe-
ly in the v
ehicle ››› page 142.
● Make sure that the seat belt guide is instal-
led in the hea
d support of the seat for chil-
dren on the window side ››› page 80. ●
Enter the chi
ld seat head support in the
corresponding backrest until it fits correctly
into place ››› Fig. 95.
● Make sure that the rear seats and backrests
are corr
ectly locked into place, pulling on
both of them.
79
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Emergencies
Emergencies
Self -help
In c a
se of emergency
First aid kit, warning triangle, reflec-
tive vests and fire extinguishers* Fig. 99
On the rear lid: Warning triangle
br ac
k

et Reflective vests
Some
v
ehic

les will have a driver door com-
partment to store a reflective vest
››› page 98.
Warning triangle
With the boot hatch open, rotate the lock 90°
››› Fig. 99. Lower the bracket and remove the
warning triangle. First-aid kit
There is

a first aid kit ››› page 166 in the rear
left-hand side storage compartment of the
luggage compartment.
The first aid kit must comply with legal re-
quirements. Check the expiry date of the con-
tents of the first aid kit.
Fire extinguisher
There is a Fire extinguisher underneath the
front passenger seat.
The fire extinguisher must conform to legal
requirements, be ready for use and be
checked regularly. Check the certification
seal on the extinguisher. WARNING
Loose objects in the vehicle interior can be vi-
ol ently

thrown in case of a sudden manoeu-
vre or braking and especially in accidents
causing serious injury.
● Secure fire extinguishers, first aid kit, re-
flective
vests and warning triangle securely
to their respective supports. Vehicle tool kit*
Loc
ation Fig. 100
In the luggage compartment, viewed
fr om in
s

ide the vehicle: the vehicle tool kit lo-
cated in a cavity close to the lock carrier. When securing the vehicle in case of a break-
do
wn, p
l

ease note the legal requirements for
each country.
Depending on the model, the vehicle tools
may be kept in the luggage compartment, in
a cavity close to the lock carrier ››› Fig. 100.
Loosen the safety straps and remove the ve-
hicle tool kit. For vehicles factory-fitted with
winter tyres, you will find additional tools in a
toolbox located in the luggage compartment. WARNING
Loose objects in the vehicle interior can be vi-
ol ently

fired through the compartment in
case of a sudden manoeuvre or braking and 82