Leon owner’s manual inglés 1P0012003ee (07. 11) (GT9) leon

39
Airbag system
WARNING (Continued)
●
Never drive the vehicle if the loudspeakers in the door panels have
been removed, unless the holes left by the loudspeakers have been cor-
rectly closed.
●
Always check that the openings are closed or covered if loudspeakers
or other equipment are fitted in the interior door panels.
●
Any work carried out to the doors should be made in a specialised
workshop.
●
The seat belts and airbags can only provide maximum protection if
the occupants are seated correctly 
⇒ page 10, Proper sitting position for
occupants.
●
If a fault has occurred in the airbag system, have the system checked
immediately by a specialised workshop. Otherwise, during a side colli-
sion, the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly.

Operation of side airbags
Inflated airbags can reduce the risk of head or chest injury
in many side impact collisions.
Fig. 22  Illustration of
principle: inflated side
airbags on left side of ve-
hicle
In some 
side collisions, the side airbag is triggered on the impact side of
the vehicle 
⇒ fig. 22
.
In certain types of accident the front, curtain and side airbags may be trig-
gered together.
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas.
The airbags deploy extremely rapidly, within thousandths of a second, to
provide additional protection in the event of an accident. A fine dust may
develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal and it is not an indication
of fire in the vehicle.
The fully deployed airbags cushion the movement of the occupants of the
front seats and the outer rear seats and help to reduce the risk of injury to
the upper body.

Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications

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40
Airbag system
The special design of the airbag allows the controlled escape of the propel-
lant gas when an occupant puts pressure on the bag. Thus, the head and
chest are surrounded and protected by the airbag.

Safety notes on the operation of the side airbag system
If airbags are used correctly, they can considerably reduce
the 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 always 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 the 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 im-
pair 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.
WARNING (Continued)
●
Under no circumstances should protective covers be fitted over seats
with side airbags unless the covers have been 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, serious-
ly reducing the airbag's effectiveness 
⇒ page 208, Accessories, parts re-
placement and modifications.
●
Any damage to the original seat upholstery or around the seams of
the side airbag units must be repaired immediately by a specialised
workshop.
●
The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them
once they have deployed.
●
When children assume an incorrect sitting position, they expose
themselves 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 46,
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 specialised 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 dam-
aged, the airbag system may not work correctly. All work carried out on
the front door must be made in a specialised workshop.


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