SKODA FABIA 2014 3.G / NJ User Guide

Safety
Passive Safety
General information
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Before every journey
8
Driving safety
8
Safety equipment
8
In this section, you will find important information, tips and notes on the sub-
ject of passive safety in your vehicle.
We have combined everything here which you should be familiar with, for ex-
ample, regarding seat belts, airbags, child seats and the safety of children.
WARNING■ This chapter contains important information on how to use the vehicle for
the driver and their occupants.■
You will find further information 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
particularly applies, if you rent out or sell the vehicle.
Before every journey
Read and observe
on page 8 first.
For your own safety and the safety of passengers, the following points must
be observed before every ride.
Ensure that the lighting and the turn signal system are functioning proper-
ly.
Make sure that the function of the wiper and the condition of the wiper
blades are free of any defects.
Ensure that all of the windows offer good visibility to the outside.
Adjust the rear-view mirror so that vision to the rear is guaranteed.
Ensure that the mirrors are not covered.
Check the tyre inflation pressure.
Check the engine oil, brake fluid and coolant levels.
Secure all items of luggage.
Do not exceed the permissible axle loads and permissible gross weight of
the vehicle – risk of accident.
Close all doors and the engine compartment and luggage compartment lid.
Ensure that no objects can obstruct the pedals.
Protect children in suitable child seats with correctly fastened seat belts
» page 22 , Transporting children safely .
Adopt the correct seated position » page 9, Correct and safe seated
position . Tell your passengers to assume the correct seated position.
Driving safety
Read and observe
on page 8 first.
The driver is fully responsible for himself/herself and his/her occupants. If your
driving safety is affected, you place yourself and oncoming traffic at risk.
The following guidelines must be observed. Do not get distracted from concentrating on the traffic situation, e.g. by
your passengers or mobile phone calls.
Never drive when your driving ability is impaired, e.g. through medication,
alcohol or drugs.
Keep to the traffic regulations and the permissible speed limit.
Always adjust the driving speed to the road, traffic and weather condi-
tions.
Take regular breaks on long journeys – at least every two hours.
Safety equipment
Read and observe
on page 8 first.
The following list contains only part of the safety equipment in your vehicle.
› Three-point seat belts for all the seats.
› Belt force limiters for the front seats.
› Belt tensioners for the front seats.
› Seat belt height adjusters for the front seats.
› Front airbag for the driver and the front passenger.
› Front side airbags.
› Head airbags.
› Anchoring points for child seats using the ISOFIX system. 

8Safety

›Anchoring points for child seats using the TOP TETHER system.
› Head restraints adjustable for height 1)
.
› 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.
If the seat belt is not fastened properly, this may result in injuries during an
accident caused by the deployed airbag.
Correct and safe seated position
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Correct seated position of the driver
9
Adjusting the steering wheel position
10
Correct seated position of the front passenger
10
Correct seated position of the rear seat passengers
11
Examples of incorrect seated positions
11WARNING■ The front seats and all head restraints must be adjusted to match body
size at all times and the seat belt must always be fastened properly to pro-
vide the most effective levels of protection to passengers.■
Each occupant must correctly fasten the seat belt belonging to the seat.
Children must be fastened » page 22, Transporting children safely with a
suitable restraint system.
■
If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.
■
If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury
is increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.
■
The seat backrests must not be tilted too far back when driving, as this
will impair the function of the seat belts and of the airbag system – risk of
injury!
Correct seated position of the driverFig. 1
The correct distance of the driver
to the steering wheel / correctly
adjusted head restraint
Read and observe on page 9 first.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident, we recommend the following settings.
Adjust the driver’s seat in the forward/back direction so that the pedals
can be fully depressed with slightly bent legs.
Adjust the seat backrest so that the highest point of the steering wheel
can be reached with your arms at a slight angle.
Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance
A
between the steering
wheel and your chest is at least 25 cm » Fig. 1. Adjusting the steering
wheel » page 10 , Adjusting the steering wheel position .
Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at
the same level as the top of your head 1)

B
» Fig. 1 .
Correctly fasten the seat belt » page 12, Wearing seat belts .
WARNING■
Always assume the correct seated position before setting off and do not
change this position while driving. Also advise your passengers to adopt
the correct seated position and not to change this position while the car is
moving.■
Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering wheel. Not keeping
to this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able
to properly protect you – risk of death! 
1)
Not valid for sports seats.
9Passive Safety

WARNING (Continued)■When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the out-
er edge in the “9 o'clock” and “3 o'clock” position. Never hold the steering
wheel in the “12 o'clock” position or in any other way (e.g. in the middle or
inner edge of the steering wheel). In such cases, you could severely injure
your arms, hands and head when the driver airbag is deployed.■
Ensure that there are no objects in the driver's footwell, as these may get
caught in the pedal apparatus when driving or braking. You would then no
longer be able to operate the clutch, brake or acceleration pedals.
Adjusting the steering wheel position
Fig. 2
Adjusting the steering wheel position
Read and observe
on page 9 first.
The height and forward/back position of the steering wheel can be adjusted.
›
Swing the safety lever under the steering wheel in the direction of arrow
1
» Fig. 2 .
›
Adjust the steering wheel to the desired position. The steering wheel can be
adjusted in direction of arrow
2
.
›
Pull the holder until it stops in arrow direction
3
.
WARNING■ The lever for adjusting the steering wheel must be locked while you are
driving so that the position of the steering wheel cannot accidentally
change during the journey – there is the risk of an accident!■
Never adjust the steering wheel when the vehicle is moving, but only
when the vehicle is stationary!
Correct seated position of the front passenger
Read and observe
on page 9 first.
For passenger safety and to reduce the risk of injury in an accident, the follow-ing instructions must be observed.
Position the front passenger seat back as far as possible. The front pas-
senger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel so
that the airbag offers the greatest possible safety if it is deployed.
Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at
the same level as the top of your head 1)

B
» Fig. 1 on page 9 .
Correctly fasten the seat belt » page 12, Wearing seat belts .
Setting the seats and head restraints » page 71.
In exceptional cases, the front passenger airbag can be deactivated
» page 20 , Deactivating airbags .
WARNING■
Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel. Not keeping to
this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to
properly protect you – risk of death!■
Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven – nev-
er place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the
surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it be-
comes necessary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an air-
bag is deployed, you may suffer fatal injuries when adopting an incorrect
seated position!
1)
Not valid for sports seats.
10Safety

Correct seated position of the rear seat passengersRead and observe
on page 9 first.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or anaccident, the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following.
Adjust the head restraint such that the top edge of the head restraint is at
the same level as the upper part of the head
B
» Fig. 1 on page 9 .
Correctly fasten the seat belt » page 12, Wearing seat belts .
Use a suitable child restraint system if transporting children in the vehicle
» page 22 , Transporting children safely .
Setting the seats and head restraints » page 71.
Examples of incorrect seated positions
Read and observe
on page 9 first.
The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if your
seatbelts are fastened correctly.
Incorrect seated positions considerably reduce the protective functions of the
seat belts and therefore increase the risk of injury due to an incorrect routing
of the seat belt.
The driver is fully responsible for himself/herself and passengers, especially
children. Never allow a passenger to adopt an incorrect seated position when
the car is moving.
The following list contains instructions which, if not observed, may lead to se-
rious injuries or death. This list is not complete, however we would like you to
familiarise yourself with this subject.
Observe the following instructions while driving. Do not stand up.
Do not stand on the seats.
Do not kneel on the seats.
Do not recline the seat backrest too far.
Do not lean against the dash panel.
Do not lie on the rear bench seat.
Do not sit only on the front edge of the seat.
Do not sit facing to the side.
Do not lean out of the window.
Do not put your feet out of the window.
Do not put your feet on the dash panel.
Do not put your feet on the seat upholstery.
Do not transport somebody in the footwell.
Do not drive without wearing a seat belt.
Do not sit in the luggage compartment.11Passive Safety

Seat belts
Wearing seat belts
Introduction
Fig. 3
Driver wearing seat belt
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
The physical principle of a frontal collision
13
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
14
Belt height adjustment on the front seats
15
Seat belts that are fastened correctly offer good protection in the event of an
accident. They reduce the risk of an injury and increase the chance of survival
in the event of a major accident.
Correctly fastened seat belts hold occupants of the car in the correct seated
position » Fig. 3.
The seat belts reduce the kinetic energy (energy of motion) to a considerable
extent. They also prevent uncontrolled movements which, in turn, may well re-
sult in severe injuries.
The occupants of a vehicle who have fastened and correctly adjusted their
seat belts benefit greatly from the fact that the kinetic energy is absorbed by
the belts as much as possible.
The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety meas-
ures, such as the airbag system, also contribute to reducing the kinetic energy
in the best possible way. The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is
less risk of injury.
Particular safety aspects must be observed when transporting children in the
vehicle » page 22 .
WARNING■
Fasten your seat belt before each journey - even when driving in town!
This also applies to the people seated at the rear – there is a 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 14, Fastening
and unfastening seat belts .
■
The maximum protection which seat belts can offer is only achieved if you
are correctly seated » page 9.
■
The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the
rear, otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
WARNINGInformation on the correct routing of the belt■Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even
in minor accidents.■
Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the
belt is roughly positioned across the middle of your shoulder - on no ac-
count across your neck.
■
The belt must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. spectacles, ball-
point pens, keys, etc.). Such objects can cause injury.
WARNINGInformation on dealing with the safety belts■The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twis-
ted or chafe against any sharp edges.■
Make sure you do not catch the seat belt in the door when closing it.
WARNINGInformation on the proper use of the safety belts■Never use a seatbelt to secure two persons (not even children). Nor may
the seat belt be placed over a child who is sitting on the lap of another pas-
senger.■
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 slot of the belt tongue must not be blocked otherwise the belt
tongue will not lock in place properly. 
12Safety

WARNING (Continued)■Many layers of clothing and loose clothing (e. g. a winter coat over a jack-
et) do not allow you to be correctly seated and impairs proper operation of
the seat belts.■
Do not use clamps or similar items, which prevent the lash-lock function
of the seat from operating. A seat belt which is hanging too loose can re-
sult in injuries, as your body is moved forward by the kinetic energy pro-
duced in an accident and is then abruptly held firm by the belt.
■
The seat belts for the rear seats can only fulfil their function reliably
when the seat backrests are correctly locked into position » page 74.
WARNINGInformation on the care and maintenance of the safety belts■The belt webbing must always be kept clean. Soiled belts may impair
proper operation of the inertia reel » page 147.■
The seat belts must not be removed or changed in any way. Do not at-
tempt to repair the seat belts yourself.
■
Check the condition of all the seat belts on a regular basis. If any damage
to the seat belts, seat belt connections, inertia reel or the lock is detected,
the seat belt concerned must be replaced by a specialist garage.
■
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 inspec-
ted. The anchorage points for the belts should also be checked.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when using seat belts.The physical principle of a frontal collisionFig. 4
Driver without a fastened seat belt/rear seat passenger without a
fastened seat belt
Read and observe
on page 12 first.
As soon as the vehicle is moving, so-called kinetic energy (the energy of mo-
tion) is produced, both in terms of the car as well as in terms of the occupants.
The magnitude of this kinetic energy depends essentially on the speed at
which the vehicle is travelling and on the weight of the vehicle, including the
occupants. The greater the speed and weight increase, the greater the
amount of energy which has to be absorbed in the event of an accident.
The speed of the vehicle is the most important factor. Doubling the speed of
the vehicle from 25 km/h up to 50 km/hour increases the kinetic energy four
times.
The notion that it is possible to support your body with your hands in a minor
accident is incorrect. Even in a collision at only a low speed, the forces acting
on the body are such that it is no longer possible to support your body.
Even if you only drive at a speed of 30 km/h to 50 km/h, the forces that your body is exposed to in the event of an accident can exceed a ton (1,000 kg).
For example, a person's weight of 80 kg “increases” at 50 km/h to 4.8 tons (4,800 kg).
In the event of a frontal collision, occupants of the car not wearing a seat belt
are thrown forward and strike parts of the interior of the car, such as the
steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen in ways which cannot be controlled
» Fig. 4 - 
. In certain circumstances, you could even be thrown out of the ve-
hicle, which could cause life-threatening or even fatal injuries. 
13Seat belts

It is also important that rear passengers fasten their seat belts, as they could
otherwise be thrown through the vehicle in an uncontrolled manner in the
event of an accident.
A rear seat passenger who has not fastened their seat belt is a danger not on-
ly to himself or herself but also to those seated in the front » Fig. 4 - 
.
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
Fig. 5
Fastening/unfastening the seat belt
Fig. 6
Routing of belt webbing over the shoulders and the lap belt/Rout-
ing of belt webbing for an expectant mother
Read and observe
on page 12 first.
Fastening
›
Correctly adjust the front seat and head restraint 1)
before fastening the seat
belt » page 9 .
›Use the lock tongue to slowly pull the webbing over your chest and pelvis.›Insert the lock tongue into the belt buckle belonging to the seat
» Fig. 5 - 
until you hear it click into place.›
Pull on the belt to check that it has engaged correctly in the lock.
A plastic knob in the belt webbing holds the belt tongue in a position which is
easy to get hold of.
It is important that the belt is properly routed to ensure seat belts offer the
maximum protection.
The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across the neck but must
roughly run over the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest.
The lap part of the belt must run across the pelvis, must not lie across the
stomach and must always fit snugly » Fig. 6 -
 .
Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way of ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child.
The lap part of the belt must be positioned as low as possible on the pelvis on expectant mothers to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower abdomen
» Fig. 6 -
 .
Release
Release the seat belt only when the vehicle is stationary.
›
Press the red button in the belt buckle » Fig. 5 -
 and the lock tongue will
pop out.
›
Manually guide the belt back so that it is easier to fully roll up the webbing
and to ensure the seat belt does not twist.
CAUTION
When releasing the seatbelt, ensure that the tongue of the lock does not dam-
age the door trim or other parts of the interior.1)
Not valid for sports seats.
14Safety

Belt height adjustment on the front seatsFig. 7
Front seat: Seat belt height ad-
juster
Read and observe on page 12 first.
The seat belt height adjuster makes it possible to adjust the routing of the
front seat belts in the area of the shoulder to the body size.
›
Press the height adjuster and move up or down in the desired direction
» Fig. 7 .
›
Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has
correctly locked in place.
Inertia reel and belt pre-tensioners
 Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Inertia reel
15
Belt tensioners
15
Inertia reel
Each seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel.
The seat belt can move freely when it is pulled slowly. The seat belt is locked
by the inertia reel when it is pulled suddenly.
The belts also lock under full braking, under acceleration, when driving down-
hill and when cornering.
WARNINGIf the seat belt does not lock when it is pulled sharply, have it inspected im-
mediately by a specialist garage.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 three-point seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a frontal
collision of a certain severity. The belt tensioners can also be deployed if the
seat belts are not fastened.
The seat belts are automatically tensioned in the event of a collision of a cer-
tain severity.
Belt tensioners are not activated in the event of minor frontal collisions, side
and rear-end collisions, in the case of a roll-over and also not in accidents in
which no major forces are produced.WARNING■ Any work on the belt tensioner 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 acci-
dent. If the belt tensioners have been deployed, it is then necessary to re-
place the entire system.
Note
■ Smoke is generated when the belt tensioners are deployed. This is not an in-
dication of a fire in the vehicle.■
When disposing of the vehicle or parts of the belt tensioner system, it is im-
portant to comply with national legal requirements. ŠKODA service partners
are familiar with these regulations and will be able to provide you with de-
tailed information.
15Seat belts

Airbag system
Description of the airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
System description
16
Airbag deployment
16
The airbag system as a supplement to the seat belts provides additional occu-
pant protection during severe frontal and side collisions.
WARNING■ An airbag can only offer you optimal protection in combination with a
fastened seat belt .■
The airbag is not a substitute for the seat belt, but instead forms part of
the complete passive vehicle safety concept.
■
To ensure passengers are protected with the greatest possible effect
when the airbag is deployed, the front seats must be correctly adjusted to
match body size » page 9, Correct and safe seated position .
■
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.
WARNINGInformation on the use of the airbag system■If there is a fault, the airbag system must be checked by a specialist ga-
rage immediately. Otherwise, there is a risk of the airbag not being activa-
ted in the event of an accident.■
No modifications of any kind must be made to parts of the airbag system.
■
Any work on the airbag system including the installation and removal of
system components due to other repair work (e.g. removal of the steering
wheel) must only be carried out by a specialist garage.
■
Never make any changes to the front bumper or bodywork.
■
It is prohibited to tamper with 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 ac-
cident. The airbag system must be replaced if an airbag has been deployed.
System description
Read and observe
on page 16 first.
The functional status of the airbag system is indicated by the 
indicator light
in the instrument cluster » page 36.
When the airbags are deployed, they fill with gas and inflate.
A grey white or red, non-harmful gas is released when the airbag is inflated.
This is perfectly normal and is not an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
The airbag system consists – depending on the vehicle equipment – of the
following modules.
› Electronic control unit.
› Front airbag for the driver and the front passenger
» page 17.
› Side airbags
» page 18.
› Head airbags
» page 19.
› Airbag indicator light in the instrument cluster
» page 36.
› Key switch for the front passenger airbag
» page 21.
› Warning light for front passenger airbag deactivation in dash panel centre
» page 21 .
Note
■
The airbag system needs no maintenance during its working life.■If you sell your vehicle, pass on the complete vehicle documentation to the
new owner. Take care to ensure that the information relating to the possibility
of deactivating the front passenger airbag must be included!■
When disposing of vehicle or parts of the airbag system, it is important to
comply with the national legal requirements.
Airbag deployment
Read and observe
on page 16 first.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to beable to offer that additional protection in the event of an accident.
The airbag system is only functional when the ignition is switched on.
In certain accident situations, several airbags may be deployed simultaneously. The airbags are not deployed in the case of minor frontal and side collisions,
rear-end collisions, tilting of the vehicle and vehicle roll-over. 
16Safety

Deployment factors
It is not possible to generally determine which deployment conditions apply to
the airbag system in every situation. An important role is played by factors
such as the type of object that the vehicle hits (hard/soft), the impact angle,
vehicle speed, etc.
A decisive factor for the deployment of the airbags is the deceleration which
occurs. The control unit analyses the nature of the collision and activates the
relevant restraint system.
If the vehicle deceleration which occurs and is measured during the collision
remains below the prescribed reference values specified in the control unit,
the airbags are not deployed although the vehicle may well suffer severe dam-
age to the bodywork as a consequence of the accident.
The following airbags will be deployed in the event of a severe frontal
collision.
› Driver’s front airbag.
› Front passenger airbag.
The following airbags will be deployed in the event of a severe side collision.
› Front side airbag on the side of the accident.
› Head airbags on the side of the accident.
When an airbag is deployed, the following events occur.
› The interior lighting comes on (if the switch for the interior light is in the door
contact position).
› The ignition is switched on.
› All the doors are unlocked.
› The fuel supply to the engine is interrupted.
Airbag overview

Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Front airbags
17
Side airbags
18
Head airbags
19Front airbagsFig. 8
Locations of the airbags / gas filled airbags
Fig. 9
Safe distance to steering wheel
In the event of a severe frontal collision, the front airbag system offers addi-
tional protection for the head and chest area of the driver and front passenger.
The driver's front airbag is located in the steering wheel, the front passenger
airbag is located in the instrument panel above the glove compartment » Fig. 8
-  .
When the front airbags » Fig. 8 -
 are triggered, the belt tensioners are also
activated.
The forward movement of the driver and of the front passenger is cushioned
when they make contact with the fully inflated airbag and the risk of injury to
head and chest is thus reduced. 
17Airbag system