technical data SKODA FABIA 2005 1.G / 6Y Repair Manual

Passive Safety123
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Safety
Passive Safety
Basic information
Driving the safe way
Passive safety measures reduce the risk of injury in acci-
dent situations.
In this section you will find important information, tips and notes on the
subject of passive safety in your vehicle. We have combined everything
here which you should be familiar with, for example, regarding seat belts,
airbags, child seats and safety of children. It is therefore important, in
particular, to comply with the notes and warnings in this section for your
own interest and in the interest of those travelling with you.
WARNING
•This chapter contains important information on how to use the
vehicle for the driver and his occupants. You will find further infor-
mation on safety, which concerns you and those travelling with
you, in the following chapters of this Owner's Manual.
•The complete on-board literature should always be in the
vehicle. This applies in particular, if you rent out or sell the
vehicle.
Safety equipment
The safety equipment is part of the occupant protection
and it can reduce the risk of injuries in accident situations.
“Do not put at risk” your safety and the safety of those travelling with you.
In the event of an accident, the safety equipment can reduce the risk of
injuries. The following list contains part of the safety equipment in your
vehicle:
•Three-point seat belts for all the seats*,
•belt force limiter for front seats*,
•belt tensioner for front seats,
•seat belt height adjuster for front seats,
•front airbags*,
•Side airbags*,
•anchoring points for child seat using the “ISOFIX” system,
•head restraint adjustable for height,
•adjustable steering column.
The specified safety equipment works together, in order to optimally
protect you and those travelling with you in accident situations. The safety
equipment does not protect you or the people travelling with you, if you or
your occupants adopt an incorrect seated position or the equipment is not
correctly adjusted or used.
For this reason you will be provided with information on why this equip-
ment is very important, how it protects you and the occupants, what
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Correct seated position
Correct seated position for the driver
Correct seated position for the driver is important for safe
and relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an acci-
dent, we recommend the following setting.
•Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance between the steering
wheel and your chest is at least 25 cm ⇒fig. 102 .
•Position the driver seat in the forward/back direction so that you are
able to press the pedals with your legs at a slight angle .
•Adjust the backrest so that you are able to reach the highest point of
the steering wheel with your arms at a slight angle.
•Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is
at the same level as the upper part of your head ⇒fig. 103 .
•Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒page 132, “How are seat belts
correctly fastened?”.
Driver seat adjustment ⇒page 68, “Adjusting the front seats”.
WARNING
•The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted
to match the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts
Fig. 102 The correct
distance of the driver
from the steering wheel
Fig. 103 The correct
head restraint adjust-
ment for the driver
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Correct seated position for th e occupants on the rear
seats
Occupants on the rear seats must sit upright, keep the feet
in the footwell 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
are at the same level as the upper part of your head ⇒page 125, fig. 103 .
•Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒page 132, “How are seat belts
correctly fastened?”.
•If you are transporting ⇒page 147, “Transporting children safely” chil-
dren 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 occu-
pants.
•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 acci-
dent. 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 in correct 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 properly 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 respon-
sible for himself and his 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 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,
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Seat belts129
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Seat belts
Why seat belts?
It is a proven fact that seat belts offer good protection in accidents
⇒fig. 104 . Thus wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement in most coun-
tries.
Seat belts which have been correctly fastened and adjusted hold the
occupants of the car in the correct seated position ⇒fig. 104 . The belts
reduce the kinetic energy (energy of motion) to a considerable extent.
They also prevent uncontrolled movements 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 measures, such as the airbag system, also contribute 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 130.
It is important that you pay attention to safety measures, particularly when
transporting children in the vehicle ⇒page 147, “Transporting children
safely”.
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 132, “Fastening a three-point seat belt”.
•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. 104 Driver
wearing seat belt
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Seat belts131
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Important safety information regarding
the use of seat belts
The 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 webb ing is properly routed if the seat
belts are to offer their maximum protection ⇒page 132, “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 125, “Correct seated
position”.
•The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects
(e.g. spectacles, 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 proper 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 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 always be kept clean. Soiled belt
webbing may impair proper operation of the inertia reel
⇒ page 184, “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 prop-
erly.
•Inspect the seat belts regularly to ensure they are in good condi-
tion. If you find seat belts which have damage to the seat belt
webbing, seat belt connections, 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 which are described
on the pages which follow.
WARNING (continued)
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•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 adjuster
The 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.
– To adjust the belt height press the height adjuster and move it up or down ⇒fig. 109 . – 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 on the front seats
by adjusting the height of the seat*.
Taking seat belts off
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 109 Front seat:
Seat belt height
adjuster
Fig. 110 Releasing
lock tongue from belt
lock
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WARNING
•The pelvic belt must always sit firmly across the pelvis; tighten
the belt webbing if necessary.
•An unused pelvic belt should be stowed away together with the
lock for safety reasons.
Note
The vehicles of the group N1 are not equipped with the third seat belt on
the rear seats. The vehicle is only approved for four persons!
Three-point safety belt for the middle rear seat*
It is used in the same way as the normal three-point seat belts on the left
and right (at front and rear). The three-point seat belt for the rear middle
seat must be put on first to allow the pelvic part of the belt to run between
the belt lock for the right three-point seat belt and the backrest, while
avoiding crossing the belt webbing of the right and middle seat belts.
WARNING
The three-point safety belt for the rear middle seat can only fulfil its
function reliably when the backrests are correctly locked into posi-
tion ⇒page 71.
Note
The vehicles of the group N1 are not equipped with the third seat belt on
the rear seats. The vehicle is only approved for four persons!
Belt tensioners
Safety 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.
The fastened three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned in the
event of a frontal collision of a certain severity. On vehicles fitted with side
airbags, a seat belt which is not fastened is also tensioned.
The belt tensioner is deployed in the event of a frontal collision of major
severity. A powder charge is ignited in the inertia reels 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 event of minor frontal collisions,
side and rear-end collisions, in the case of a rollover and also not in acci-
dents in which no major forces are produced from the front.
WARNING
•The service life of seat belts and belt tensioners is 15 years from
the date of manufacture of the vehicle. It is then necessary to have
the seat belts replaced by a specialist garage.
•Any work on the belt tightener 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.
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Airbag system137
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Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
General information on the airbag system
The 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 event of a side collision, the side airbags reduce the risk of injury to
the occupants to the part of their body facing the side of the accident.
The airbag system is only functional after the ignition has been switched
on.
The operational readiness of the airbag system is monitored electroni-
cally. The airbag warning light comes on for a few seconds each time the
ignition is switched on.
The airbag system (according to vehicle equipment) essentially
consists of:
•an electronic control unit,
•the front airbags for the driver and front passenger ⇒page 139,
•the side airbags ⇒page 141,
•an airbag warning light in the instrument cluster ⇒page 36,
•a front passenger airbag switch* ⇒page 145,
•an indicator light showing a switched-off front passenger airbag* in the
middle of the dash panel ⇒page 145.
A fault in the airbag system exists if:
•the airbag indicator light does not light up when the ignition is switched
on,
•the airbag indicator light does not go out after about 3 seconds after
the ignition is switched on,
•the airbag indicator light goes out and comes on again after the ignition
is switched on,
•the airbag indicator light comes on or flickers when driving,
•an airbag indicator light showing a switched-off front passenger
airbag* in the middle of the dash panel flashes.
WARNING
•To enable the occupants of a car to be protected with the
greatest possible effect when the airbag is deployed, the front
seats must be ⇒page 125, “Correct seated position” correctly
adjusted to match the body size of the occupant.
•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 immediately 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 accident. The airbag system must then be replaced if the
airbag has been deployed.
•The airbag system needs no maintenance during its working
life.
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Front airbags
Description
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belt!
Vehicles with an airbag system for the driver and front passenger* are
recognisable by the lettering “AIRBAG” on the padded centre of the
steering wheel ⇒fig. 113 and on the right hand side of the dash panel
⇒ fig. 114 .
The front airbag system, in combination with three-point safety belts,
offers additional protection for the head and chest area of the driver and
front passenger in the event of a frontal collision of major severity ⇒ in
“Important safety information regarding the front airbag system” on
page 140.
The airbag is not a substitute for the seat belt, but is part of the complete
passive vehicle safety concept. Please note that an airbag can only
offer you optimal protection in combination with a seat belt which is
fastened.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts
is to also hold the driver and front passenger in a correct seated position
in the event of a frontal collision so as to enable the front airbags to offer
the maximum protection.
You should therefore always fasten ⇒page 129, “Why seat belts?” the
seat belts, not only because this is required by law, but also for safety
reasons and for your own protection.
Note
The dash panel must be replaced after the front passenger airbag has
been deployed.
Fig. 113 Driver airbag
in the steering wheel
Fig. 114 Front
passenger airbag in the
dash panel
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WARNING
•Never transport children on the front seat of a vehicle without
using a proper restraint system. If airbags are deployed in the event
of an accident, the child might suffer severe or even fatal injuries!
•For the driver and front passenger it is important to maintain a
distance of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel
⇒ page 140, fig. 116 . Not maintaining this minimum distance will
mean that the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you
- hazard! The front seats and the head restraints must always also
be correctly adjusted to match the body size of the occupant.
•It is essential to always switch off ⇒page 144, “Deactivating an
airbag” the front passenger airbag when attaching a child safety
seat on the front passenger seat where the child is seated with its
back facing in direction of travel (in some countries also when the
child is facing the direction of travel). If this is not done, there is a
risk of the child suffering severe or even fatal injuries if the front
passenger airbag is deployed. In certain countries national legal
provisions also require that the side passenger airbags be deacti-
vated. When transporting a child on the front passenger seat,
please comply with the appropriate national regulations regarding
the use of child safety seats.
•There must not by any further persons, animals or objects posi-
tioned between the front seated occupants and the deployment
area of the airbag.
•The steering wheel and the surface of the airbag module in the
dash panel on the passenger side must not be stuck onto, covered
or modified in any other way. These parts should only be cleaned
with a dry cloth or a cloth moistened with water. No objects such as
cup holders, mobile phone mounts, etc. may be attached to the
covers of the airbag modules or be located within the immediate
area.
•No modifications of any kind may be made to parts of the airbag
system. Any work on the airbag system including removing and installing system components because of other repair work (e.g.
removing steering wheel) must only be carried out by a specialist
garage.
•Never carry out changes on the front bumper or on the body.
•Never place any objects on the surface of the front passenger
airbag in the dash panel.
Side airbags*
Description of side airbags
The side airbag increases protection of the passenger
concerned in the case of a side impact.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 117 Driver seat:
Installation position of
airbag
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