Deactivating An Airbag - Skoda OCTAVIA - 05-2010 Owner's Manual

WARNING (continued)
being deployed. When the deployed head airbag is inflated, parts of the acces-
sories fitted may in certain circumstances be thrown into the interior of the car
and cause injuries to the occupants  page 214, "Accessories, changes and
replacement of parts".

Any work on the head airbag system including installing and removing
system components because of other repair work (e.g. removing headliner)
must only be carried out by a specialist garage.

Deactivating an airbag

Deactivating airbags
If any airbags have been deactivated, switch them on again as soon as
possible so that they are able to again provide their proper protection.
There is the technical means installed within your vehicle to switch off the front, side*
or head* airbag (take out of commission).
This is why you should have the deactivation of the airbags carried out by a specialist
garage.
On vehicles equipped with the switch for deactivation of the airbags, you can deacti-
vate the front passenger airbag by means of this switch  page 157.
Deactivation of airbags is envisaged only for particular instances, such as if:

you must in exceptional cases use a child seat on the front passenger seat where
the child has its back to the direction of travel of the vehicle (in some countries this
must be in the direction of travel due to other legal regulations applying)  page 159,
"Important safety information regarding the use of child safety seats",

you are not able to maintain the distance of at least 25 cm between middle of
steering wheel and chest, despite the driver seat being correctly adjusted,

special attachments are required in the area of the steering wheel because of a
physical disability,

you have installed other seats (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
Using the system Safety
Monitoring the airbag system
The functionality of the airbag system is also monitored electronically when one airbag
has been switched off.
If the airbag was switched off using diagnostic equipment:

the ignition and then flashes for 12 seconds afterwards in 2 second intervals.
The following situation applies if the airbag has been switched off using the
switch for the airbag* in the storage compartment:

each time the ignition is switched on,

the lighting up of the indicator light
Your authorised Škoda Service Partner will be able to advise you whether national
legislation in your country allows airbags in your vehicle to be deactivated, and which
ones.
Switch for the front passenger airbag*
Fig. 140 Storage compartment: Switch for the front passenger airbag / indicator light for a
switched off front seat passenger airbag
The front passenger airbag is deactivated with the switch.
Driving Tips General Maintenance
The warning light for the airbag system lights up for 4 seconds after switching on
the airbag indicator light in the instrument cluster comes on for about 4 seconds
if the airbags are switched off, this is indicated in the middle of the dash panel by
 
Note
Breakdown assistance
Airbag system
 fig. 140
- right.
Technical Data
157