weight Seat Altea XL 2009 Owner's Manual

Safe driving17
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
•
Never lay or fit floor mats or other floor coverings over the original floor
mats. This would reduce the pedal area and could obstruct the pedals. Risk
of accident.
Stowing luggageLoading the boot
All luggage and other loose object s must be safely secured in
the luggage compartment.Unsecured objects which shift back and forth could impair the
driving safety or driving characteristics of the vehicle by shifting the
centre of gravity.
– 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*.
WARNING
•
Loose luggage and other objects in the boot could cause serious inju-
ries.
•
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 or passers-by. 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 ther e are no adults or children in the
vehicle.
•
Never transport passengers in the luggage compartment. Every
passenger must be properly belted in ⇒ page 19.
WARNING (continued)
WARNING (continued)
AlteaXL_EN.book Seite 17 Montag, 2. Februar 2009 12:26 12

Seat belts19
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Seat beltsBrief IntroductionBefore driving: remember your seat belt!
Wearing a seat belt properly can save your life!In this chapter you will learn the importance of wearing seat belts,
how they work and how to properly fasten, adjust and wear them.
– Read and consider all the information as well as the warnings in
this chapter.
WARNING
•
If seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at all, the risk of severe injuries
increases.
•
Properly worn seat belts can reduce severe injuries in case of sudden
braking manoeuvres or accidents. For safety reasons, you and your passen-
gers must always wear the seat belts properly while the vehicle is moving.
•
Pregnant women or people with physical disabilities must also use seat
belts. Like all other passengers, these people can also sustain severe inju-
ries if they are not wearing their seat belts properly.
Number of seatsYour vehicle has five seats, two on the front part and three on the rear part.
Each seat is equipped with a three-point seat belt.
WARNING
•
More people than available seats must never be transported in your
vehicle.
•
Every passenger in the vehicle must properly fasten and wear the seat
belt belonging to his or her seat. Chil dren must be protected with an appro-
priate child restraint system.
Seat belt warning lamp*

The warning lamp acts as a reminder to the driver to fasten
the seat belt.Before starting the vehicle:
– Fasten your safety belt securely.
– Instruct your passengers to fasten their seat belts properly before driving off.
– Protect children by using a child seat according to the child's height and weight.After the ignition has been switched on, the warning lamp  on the instru-
ment panel lights up
1) if the driver has not fastened his/her seat belt, and a
warning signal* is heard if the vehicle is driven at more than 30 km/h for 90
seconds.
1)Depending on the model version
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Seat belts
20The warning lamp*
 is switched off if the driver seat belt is fastened while
the ignition is switched on.
Why wear seat belts?Physical principles of frontal collisions
In the event of a frontal collision, a large amount of kinetic
energy must be absorbed.
It is easy to explain how the laws of physics work in the case of a head-on
collision: When a vehicle starts moving ⇒fig. 7 there is a certain amount of
energy known as “kinetic energy”, both in the vehicle and in the occupants.
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 “released” in an accident.
The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle. If the speed
doubles from 25 km/h to 50 km/h, for example, the kinetic energy is multi-
plied by four.
Because the passengers in our example ar e not restrained by seat belts, the
entire amount of kinetic energy has to be absorbed at the point of impact
⇒ fig. 8 .
Even at speeds of 30 km/h to 50 km/h, the forces acting on bodies in a colli-
sion can easily exceed one tonne (1000 kg). At greater speed these forces are
even higher.
Passengers not wearing seat belts are not “attached” to the vehicle. In a
frontal collision, they will move forward at the same speed their vehicle was
Fig. 7 Vehicle about to hit
a wall: the occupants are
not wearing seat belts
Fig. 8 The vehicle hits
the wall: the occupants
are not wearing seat belts
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Airbag system29
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Airbag systemBrief introductionWhy wear a seat belt and assume the correct sitting position?
For the inflating airbags to achieve the best protection, the
sea t b el t m u st a l w ay s be w o rn p ro p e rly a n d t h e co rrec t s i tt i ng
position must be assumed.For your own safety and the safety of the passengers, please ensure
the following before driving:
– Always wear the seat belt properly ⇒page 19.
– Adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel correctly ⇒page 10.
– Adjust the front passenger seat correctly ⇒page 11.
– Adjust the head restraint correctly ⇒page 13.
– Use the correct child restraint system to protect children in your vehicle ⇒ page 45.The airbag is deployed at high speed in fractions of a second. If you have an
incorrect seating position at the time the airbag is deployed, it could cause
you critical injuries. Therefore, it is essential that all passengers in the vehicle
assume a correct sitting position while travelling.
A sharp braking before an accident may cause a passenger not wearing a seat
belt to be thrown forward into the area of the deploying airbag. In this case, the inflating airbag may inflict critical or fatal injuries on the occupant. This
also applies to children.
Always maintain the greatest possible distance between yourself and the
front airbag. This way, the front airbag
s can completely deploy when trig-
gered, providing their maximum protection.
The most important factors that will trigger an airbag are: the type of acci-
dent, the angle of collision and the s peed of the vehicle.
Whether the airbags are triggered depends primarily on the vehicle deceler-
ation rate resulting from the collision an d detected by the control unit. If the
vehicle deceleration occurring during the collision and measured by the
control unit remains below the specifie d reference values, the front, side
and/or curtain airbag will not be triggered. Take into account that the visible
damage in a vehicle involved in an ac cident, for whatever reason, is not an
indication as to why the airbags had been triggered.
WARNING
•
Wearing the seat belt incorrectly or assuming an incorrect sitting posi-
tion can lead to critical or fatal injuries.
•
All occupants, including children, who are not properly belted can
sustain critical or fatal injuries if the airbag is triggered. You should always
transport all children up to 12 years of age on the rear seat. Never transport
children in the vehicle if they are not restrained or the restraint system is
not appropriate for their age, size or weight.
•
If you are not wearing a seat belt, if you lean forward or to the side while
travelling or assume an incorrect sitt ing position, there is a substantially
increased risk of injury. This increased risk of injury will be further
increased if you are struck by an inflating airbag.
•
To reduce the risk of injury from an inflating airbag, always wear the
seat belt properly ⇒page 19.
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Airbag system39
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Safety notes on the operation of the side airbag system
I f a i r b a g s a re u s e d c o r r e c t l y , t h e y c a n c o n s i d e ra b l y re d u c e t h e
risk of injury in side impact collisions.
WARNING
•
If you do not wear a seat belt, if you lean forward, or are not seated
correctly while the vehicle is in motion, you are at a greater risk of injury if
the side airbag system is triggered in an accident.
•
In order for the side airbags to provide their maximum protection, the
prescribed sitting position must alwa ys be maintained with seat belts
fastened while travelling.
•
Occupants of the outer seats must never carry any objects or pets in the
deployment space between them and th e airbags, or allow children or
other passengers to travel in this position. It is also important not to attach
any accessories (such as cup holders) to the doors. This would impair the
protection offered by the side airbags.
•
The built-in coat hooks should be used only for lightweight clothing. Do
not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets.
•
Great forces, such as hard blows or kicks, must not be exerted upon the
backrest bolster because the system may be damaged. In this case, the
side airbags would not be triggered.
•
Under no circumstances should protective covers be fitted over the
driver seat or front passenger seat unless the covers have been expressly
approved for use in your vehicle. Because the airbag is triggered from the
side of the backrest, the use of non-approved seat covers would obstruct
the side airbag, seriously reducing the airbag's effectiveness ⇒page 208,
“Accessories, parts replacement and modifications”.
•
Any damage to the original seat uphol stery or around the seams of the
side airbag units must be repaired immediately by a qualified workshop.
•
The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them once
they have deployed.
•
When children assume an incorrect sitting position, they expose them-
selves to an increased risk of injury in the event of an accident. This is
particularly the case if the child is travelling on the front passenger seat
and the airbag system is triggered in an accident; this could have critical
consequences including serious injury or death ⇒page 45, “Child safety”.
•
Any work on the side airbag system or removal and installation of the
airbag components for other repairs (such as removal of the front seat)
should only be performed by a qualified workshop. Otherwise, faults may
occur during the airbag system operation.
•
Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any way.
•
The side and head airbags are managed through sensors located in the
interior of the front doors. To ensure the correct functioning of the side and
head airbags neither the doors nor the door panels should be modified in
any way (e.g. fitting loudspeakers). If the front door is damaged, the airbag
system may not work correctly. All work carried out on the front door must
be made in a qualified workshop.WARNING (continued)
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Airbag system
42•
There must be no other persons, animals or objects between the occu-
pants of the outer seats and the deployment space of the curtain airbags
so that the curtain airbag can deploy without restriction and provide the
greatest possible protection. Therefore, sun blinds which have not been
expressly approved for use in your vehicle may not be attached to the side
windows ⇒ page 208, “Accessories, parts replacement and modifica-
tions”.
•
The built-in coat hooks should be used only for lightweight clothing. Do
not leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets. Please, do not
hang the clothes on coat hangers.
•
The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them once
they have deployed.
•
Any work on the curtain airbag system or removal and installation of
the airbag components for other repairs (such as removal of the roof lining)
should only be performed by a qualified workshop. Otherwise, faults may
occur during the airbag system operation.
•
Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any way.
•
The side and head airbags are managed through sensors located in the
interior of the front doors. To ensure the correct functioning of the side and
head airbags neither the doors nor the door panels should be modified in
any way (e.g. fitting loudspeakers). If the front door is damaged, the airbag
system may not work correctly. All work carried out on the front door must
be made in a qualified workshop.WARNING (continued)
AlteaXL_EN.book Seite 42 M ontag, 2. Februar 2009 12:26 12

Child safety45
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Child safetyBrief introductionIntroduction
Statistics show that children are generally safer on the rear
seat than on the front passenger seat.We recommend that children under 12 years of age are transported on the
rear seats. Children travelling on th e rear seat must use a child restraint
system or the seat belts provided, depending on their age, height and
weight. For safety reasons, the child r estraint system should be installed in
the centre of the rear seat or behind the front passenger's seat.
The physical laws involved and the forces acting in a collision apply also to
children. ⇒page 20, “Why wear seat belts?”. But unlike adults, children do
not have muscle and bone structures fully developed. This means that chil-
dren are subject to a greater risk of injury.
To reduce this risk, children must always use special child restraint systems
when travelling in the vehicle.
We recommend the use of child safety products from the SEAT Genuine Acces-
sories Program including systems for all ages made by “Peke”
2).
These systems have been especially designed and approved, complying with
the ECE-R44. regulation.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats. Always read and observe
⇒ page 46, “Safety notes on using child seats”. We recommend you to include together
with the on-board documentation,
the manufacturer's Child Se at instructions manual.
2)Not for all countries
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Child safety47
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Child seatsCategorisation of child seats into groups
Use only child seats that are officially approved and suitable
for the child.Child seats are subject to the regulation ECE-R 44. ECE-R. It means that:
Economic Commission for Europe Regulation
The child seats are grouped into 5 categories:
Group 0: Children up to 10 kg
Group 0+ : Children up to 13 kg
Group 1: from 9 to 18 kg
Group 2: from 15 to 25 kg
Group 3: from 22 to 36 kg
Child seats that have been tested and approved under the ECE R 44 standard
bear the test mark on the seat (the letter E in a circle with the test number
below it).
Group 0 and 0+ child seats
A suitable child seat and a corr ectly adjusted seat belt can
help you to protect your child.Group 0: For babies from about 9 months old and 10 kg in weight the most
suitable seats are those ap pearing in the illustration ⇒fig. 28 .
Group 0+: For babies from about 18 months old and 13 kg in weight the most
suitable seats are those ap pearing in the illustration.
Follow the manufacturer's instructio ns and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats.
We recommend you to include together with the on-board documentation,
the manufacturer's Child Se at instructions manual.
WARNING
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use of
child seats ⇒ in “Safety notes on using child seats” on page 46.
Fig. 28 A group 0 rear-
facing child seat fitted on
the rear seat.
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Child safety49
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
WARNING
•
The shoulder part of the seat belt mu st lie approximately on the centre
of the shoulder, never across the neck or the arm. The seat belt must lie
close to the upper part of the body. The lap belt part must lie across the
pelvis, not across the stomach, and always fit closely. Pull the belt tight if
necessary to take up any slack ⇒page 23, “Seat belts”.
•
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use
of child seats ⇒ in “Safety notes on using child seats” on page 46.
Securing child seatsWays to secure a child seat
A child seat can be secured differently on the rear seat and on
the front passenger seat.You can secure a child seat to the rear seat or front passenger seat in the
following ways:•
Child seats in groups 0 to 3 can be secured with a seat belt.
•
Group 0, 0+ and 1 child seats with the “ISOFIX” system can be secured to
the “ISOFIX” retaining rings. In this case, seat belts are not necessary. U: Suitable for universal approved restraining systems for use in this age
category (universal retention systems are those fitted using the adult
seat belt).
*: Move the passenger seat as far to rear as possible, as high as possible and always deactivate the airbag.
L: Suitable for retention systems using the “ISOFIX” anchors.
WARNING
•
When travelling, children must be secured in the vehicle with a
restraint system suitable for age, weight and size.
•
Never install a child seat facing backwards (or rear-facing) on the front
passenger seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. This
could cause fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is necessary, in excep-
tional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger seat, the front
passenger airbag must always be disabled ⇒page 43, “Deactivating
airbags*” and move the seat to its h ighest position, in case it has this
adjustment.
•
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use
of child seats ⇒ in “Safety notes on using child seats” on page 46.Category
Weight
Seat locations
Front
passenger
Rear outer
Rear centre
Group 0
<10 kg
U*
U/L
U
Group 0+
<13 kg
U*
U/L
U
Group 1
9-18 kg
U*
U/L
U
Group 2 / 3
15-36 kg
U*
U
U
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Seats and stowage131
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Front seatsAdjustment of the front seatsThe control elements in ⇒ fig. 94 are mirrored for the front right-
hand seat.
Adjusting the seat forwards and backwards
– Pull up the grip and move the seat forwards or backwards.
– Then release the grip and move the seat further until the catch engages.
Adjusting the seat height*
– Pull the lever up or push down (several times if necessary) from its home position. This adjusts the seat height in stages. Adjusting the backrest angle
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel.
Adjusting the lumbar support*
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel to adjust the lumbar support.
The backrest curvature of the cushioned area is determined by the settings
made in the lumbar region. This supports the natural curvature of the spine
very effectively.
WARNING
•
Never adjust the driver or front passenger seat while the vehicle is in
motion. While adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect sitting
position. Risk of fatal accidents. Adjust the driver or front passenger seat
only when the vehicle is stationary.
•
To reduce the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger in case of
a sudden braking or an accident, never drive with the backrest tilted
towards the rear. The maximum protection of the seat belt can be achieved
only when the backrests are in an upright position and the driver and front
passenger have properly adjusted their seat belts. The further the back-
rests are tilted to the rear, the greate r the risk of injury due to improper
positioning of the belt web!
•
Exercise caution when securing the seat height into forwards/back-
wards position. Injuries can be caused if the backrest is tilted without due
care and attention.
Fig. 94 Front left seat
controls
A1
A1
A2
A3A4
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