airbag off Seat Alhambra 2016 Owner's Manual

The essentials
Disconnecting the passenger front air-
b ag Fig. 28
In the glove compartment on the front
p a
s
senger side: Key switch for enabling and
disabling the front passenger front airbag. Disabling the front passenger front airbag
● Switch the ignition off.
● Open the glove compartment on the front
p a
s

senger side.
● Unfold the vehicle key shaft
›››
 page 112.
● Insert the key into the slot of the switch for
deactivatin
g the front passenger airbag
››› Fig. 28. About 3/4 of the key should enter,
as far as it will go.
● Then turn the key gently to the OFF posi-
tion. 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. ●
The  
   control lamp on
the dash panel will remain lit while the igni-
tion is switched on ›››
 page 72.

››› in Manual disabling and enabling of
the front passenger front airbag with the
key switch on page 73
››› page 73 Knee airbag
Fig. 29
On the driver side: location of the
knee airb ag Fig. 30
On the driver side: radius of action of
the knee airbag. The knee airbag is located on the driver side
belo
w the d
a

sh panel ››› Fig. 29. Airbags are
identified by the word “AIRBAG”.
The area framed red ››› Fig. 30 A is covered
b y
the knee airb

ag when it is triggered (de-
ployment area). Therefore, objects should
never be placed or mounted in these areas.

››› in Knee airbag* on page 71 18

The essentials
Yellow warning lamps Front brake pads worn.
›››
page
189 
it lights up: ESC malfunction or
off.
flashes: ESC working.

ASR manually deactivated.

ABS faulty or does not work.

Electronic parking brake faulty.›››
page
189 
Rear fog light switched on.›››
page
130 
it lights up: Driving light totally
or partially faulty.›››
page
91
flashes: Fault in the adaptive
light system.››› page
130 
Fault in catalytic converter.
›››
page
202 
it lights up: pre-ignition of diesel
engine.
flashes: Fault in engine manage-
ment.

Fault in engine management.

Diesel particulate filter blocked

Fault in the steering system.›››
page
183 
Tyre pressure too low.›››
page
288
Fault in the tyre pressure gauge.››› page
234 
Level of windscreen washer fluid
too low.›››
page
137 
Fuel tank almost empty.›››
page
264 
flashes: engine oil sensor faulty.›››
page
276it lights up: insufficient engine
oil. 
Fault in airbag system and seat
belt tensioners.›››
page
72 

Front passenger front airbag is
disabled (  
 ).
››› page
72 
Top up "AdBlue", or there is a
fault in the "AdBlue" system.›››
page
270 
Fuel tank not closed correctly.›››
page
264 
Lane Assist is switched on, but
not active.›››
page
223 Other warning lamps

Left or right turn signal.›››
page
130
Hazard warning lights on.››› page
82 
Use the foot brake!
Change
››› page
194
Brake
››› page
189 
Cruise control operating.›››
page
221 
Lane Assist is switched on and
active.›››
page
223 
Main beam on or flasher on.›››
page
130 Headlight adjustment (Light As-
sist) on.

Electronic immobiliser active.›››
page
185 
Service interval display›››
page
103 
Mobile telephone is connected
via Bluetooth to the original tel-
ephone device.›››
Book-
let Radio
or
››› Book-
let Navi-
gation
system 
Mobile telephone battery charge
meter. Available only for pre-in-
stalled factory-fitted devices.

Freezing warning. The outside
temperature is lower than +4°C
(+39°F).›››
page
102» 33

Safe driving
Danger of injuries due to an incorrect
s ittin
g po
sitionNumber of seats
Dependin
g on the equipment,

your vehicle
has a total of five or seven seats. Each seat is
equipped with a seat belt.
5 seats
Seats in the frontSeats in thesecond rowSeats in the third row
23–
7 seats
Seats in the frontSeats in thesecond rowSeats in the third row
232 If the seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at
al
l, the ri
sk

of severe injuries increases. Seat
belts can provide optimal protection only if
the belt web is properly worn. Being seated
in an incorrect position means the seat belt
cannot offer its full protection. This could re-
sult in severe and even fatal injuries. The risk
of severe or fatal injuries is especially height-
ened when a deploying airbag strikes a vehi-
cle occupant who has assumed an incorrect
sitting position. The driver is responsible for
all passengers in the vehicle, particularly
children. The following list shows just some examples
of incorr

ect sitting positions which can be
dangerous to all vehicle occupants.
Whenever the vehicle is in motion:
● Never stand in the vehicle.
● Never stand on the seats.
● Never kneel on the seats.
● Never tilt your seat backrest too far to the
rear
.
● Never lean against the dash panel.
● Never lie on the rear bench.
● Never sit on the front edge of a seat.
● Never sit sideways.
● Never lean out of a window.
● Never put your feet out of a window.
● Never put your feet on the dash panel.
● Never put your feet on the surface of a seat
or seat b
ackrest.
● Never travel in a footwell.
● Never sit on the armrests.
● Never travel on a seat without wearing the
seat belt
.
● Never carry any person in the luggage com-
partment
. WARNING
An incorrect sitting position in the vehicle
can l e

ad to severe injuries or death in the event of sudden braking or manoeuvres, colli-
sion or ac
c

idents or if the airbag deploys.
● Before the vehicle moves, assume the prop-
er sitting po
sition and maintain it throughout
the trip. This also includes fastening the seat
belt.
● Never transport more people than there are
seats
with a seat belt available in the vehicle.
● Children must always be protected with an
appro
ved child restraint system suited to
their height and weight ››› page 74.
● Always keep your feet in the footwell while
the vehic
le is in motion. Never, for example,
put your feet on the surface of a seat or on
the dash panel and never put them out of a
window. Otherwise the airbag and seat belt
offer insufficient protection and the risk of in-
jury in the event of an accident is increased. WARNING
Before every trip, adjust the seat, the seat
belt and the he a

d restraints and instruct your
passengers to fasten their seat belts proper-
ly.
● Move the front passenger seat back as far
as po
ssible.
● Adjust the driver seat so that there is a dis-
tance of
at least 25 cm (10 inches) between
the centre of your chest and the hub of the
steering wheel. Adjust the driver seat so that
you are able to press the accelerator, brake
and clutch pedals to the floor with your knees
slightly angled and that the distance » 59
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

Seat belts
Fig. 89
Position of seat belt during pregnan-
cy . Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle oc-
c
up
ants
in the position that most protects
them in the event of an accident or sudden
braking ››› .
F a
s

tening the seat belt
Fasten your seat belt before each trip.
● Adjust the front seat and head restraint cor-
rectly ›

›› page 57.
● Engage the seat backrest of the rear seat in
an upright pos
ition ››› .
● Pull the latch plate and place the belt web-
b in
g ev

enly across your chest and lap. Do not
twist the seat belt when doing so ››› .
● Engage the latch plate in the buckle of the
c orr
e

sponding seat ›››
Fig. 88 A. ●
Pul
l the belt to ensure that the latch plate is
securely engaged in the buckle.
Unfastening the seat belt
The seat belt must not be unfastened until
the vehicle has come to a standstill ››› .
● Press the red button on the buckle
› ›
›

Fig. 88 B. The latch plate is released from
the buckle.
● Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls
up eas
ily and the trim will not be damaged.
Correct belt position
Seat belts offer their maximum protection in
the event of an accident and reduce the risk
of sustaining severe or fatal injuries only
when they are properly positioned. Further-
more, if the webbing is correctly positioned,
the seat belt will hold the vehicle occupants
in the optimum position to ensure the airbag
provides the maximum protection. The seat
belt must therefore always be worn and the
webbing correctly positioned.
Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause severe
or even fatal injuries ››› page 57, Correct po-
sition of the vehicle occupants .
● The shoulder part of the seat belt must lie
on the centre of
the shoulder, never across
the neck or the arm, under the arm or behind
the shoulder. ●
The lap par
t of the seat belt must lie across
the pelvis, never across the stomach.
● The seat belt must lie flat and fit comforta-
bly. P
ull the belt tight if necessary to take up
any slack.
In the case of pregnant women , the seat belt
must lie evenly across the chest and as low
as possible over the pelvis, never across the
stomach and must be worn properly at all
times during the pregnancy ››› Fig. 89.
Adapting the position of the belt webbing to
your size
The seat belt can be adapted using the fol-
lowing equipment:
● Belt height adjustment for the front seats.
● Front seat height adjustment. WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause
sever e or f

atal injuries in the event of an acci-
dent.
● The seat belt cannot offer its full protection
unl
ess the seat backrest is in an upright posi-
tion and the seat belt is worn correctly, ac-
cording to your size.
● Unbuckling your seat belt while the vehicle
is in motion c
an cause severe or fatal injuries
in the event of an accident or sudden braking. » 65
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Seat belts
WARNING
An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause
sever e or f
atal injuries in the event of an acci-
dent.
● The seat belt cannot offer its full protection
unl
ess the seat backrests are in an upright
position and the seat belt is worn correctly,
according to your size.
● Unbuckling your seat belt while the vehicle
is in motion c
an cause severe or fatal injuries
in the event of an accident or sudden braking. Note
Seat belts with two buckles include a dia-
gram t o sho

w how to fasten the seat belt.Belt height adjustment
Fig. 91
Next to the front seats: belt height ad-
ju s
t

er Using the height adjusters for the front seats
and the out
er se
ats

of the second row, the
position of the seat belts can be adjusted in
the shoulder area according to the height of
the occupant:
● Keep the guide device pressed down in the
direction of the arr
ow ››› Fig. 91.
● Move the guide device up or down until the
seat belt
lies over the centre of your shoulder
››› page 64.
● Release the guide device.
● Pull the belt sharply to check that the de-
vice i
s engaged securely. WARNING
Never adjust the belt height while the vehicle
is in motion. Seat belt tensioners
Aut omatic

belt retractor, belt tension-
er, belt tension limiter Seat belts are part of the vehicle’s safety fea-
t
ur
e

s and consist of the following important
functions:
Automatic belt retainer
Every seat belt is equipped with an automatic
belt retainer on the shoulder belt. If the belt is pulled slowly or during normal driving, the
syst

em allows for total freedom of movement
on the shoulder belt. However, during sud-
den braking, during travel in mountains or
bends and during acceleration, the automat-
ic belt retainer on the seat belt is locked is
pulled quickly.
Belt tensioners
The seat belts on the front seats and the out-
er seats of the second row are equipped with
belt tensioners.
Sensors trigger the belt tensioners during se-
vere head-on, lateral and rear collisions and
retract and tighten the seat belts. If the seat
belt is loose, it is retracted to reduce the for-
wards movement of vehicle occupants or
movement in the direction of the collision.
The belt tensioner works in combination with
the airbag system. The belt tensioner will not
be triggered in the event of the vehicle over-
turning if the side airbags are not deployed.
If the belt tensioner is triggered, a fine dust is
produced. This is normal and it is not an indi-
cation of fire in the vehicle.
Belt tension limiter
The belt tension limiter reduces the force of
the seat belt on the body in the event of an
accident. »
67
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Airbag system
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

Safety
●
Gre at
forces must not be exerted on the
seat backrest bolsters because the side air-
bags might not deploy correctly, might not
deploy at all or might deploy unexpectedly.
● Any damage to the original seat upholstery
or around the se
ams of the side airbag units
must be repaired immediately by a special-
ised workshop. Curtain airbags*
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 20. WARNING
The airbag is deployed at high speed in frac-
tions of

a second.
● Always keep the deployment areas of the
head-pr
otection airbags free.
● Do not fix objects to the cover or in the de-
ployment
area of the curtain airbag.
● Vehicle occupants of the front and outer
rear se
ats must never carry any other people,
pets or objects in the deployment space be-
tween them and the airbags.
● The built-in coat hooks should be used only
for lightweight
clothing. Do not leave any
heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
● Do not mount accessories on the doors. ●
Do not fit c

urtains to the windows other
than those expressly approved for use in the
vehicle.
● Only turn the sun blinds towards the win-
dows
if there is no object, e.g. pens or garage
remote controls, secured to the sun blind. Deactivating airbags
Contr o

l lamp Fig. 92
Control lamp for disabling the front
p a
s

senger front airbag on the dash panel 
It lights up on the combi-in-
strument
Fault in airbag
system and seat
belt tensioners.Have the system checked immedi-
ately by a specialised workshop.  
It lights up on the dash panel
Fault in the air-
bag system.Have the system checked immedi-
ately by a specialised workshop.
Front passenger
front airbag disa-
bled.Check whether the airbag should
remain disabled
Several warning and indication lamps light
up for a f
ew sec

onds when the ignition is
switched on, signalling that the function is
being verified. They will switch off after a few
seconds.
If the front passenger airbag is deactivated,
the lamp      does not re-
main lit, or if it is lit together with the control
lamp  on the dash panel, there may be a
fault in the airbag system ››› .
WARNING
In the event of a fault in the airbag system,
the airbag m a

y not trigger correctly, may fail
to trigger or may even trigger unexpectedly,
leading to severe or fatal injuries.
● Have the airbag system checked immedi-
ately b
y a specialised workshop.
● Never mount a child seat in the front pas-
senger se
at ››› page 78 or remove the
mounted child seat! The front passenger front
airbag may deploy during an accident in spite
of the fault. 72

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