Seat Alhambra 2021-2023 Seat Belt Guidance

In the Seat Alhambra cars from 2021 to 2023, seat belts and how important they are to safety take center stage. The Alhambra has enough seats for up to seven people and uses a complex system of seat belts that were carefully built to keep people safe on every trip. Each seat has a three-point seat belt system, which is a modern standard that best holds people in place in the event of a quick stop or a crash. This makes the seats both comfortable and safe. Even the middle seat in the back of the Alhambra has a three-point seat belt to keep you safe. Seat belts in the Alhambra are known for being modern and safe. Using cutting-edge technology, pretensioners in the seat belts tighten automatically when the car stops quickly. This reduces slack and improves safety. In the same way, force limiters work together to reduce the effect on the chest area and make sure that the body responds in a controlled way to collision forces. Child seat pins make it easy for families to sit in the back seats, which can hold child safety seats that are fastened with the seat belts. The Alhambra’s seat belt system is made to meet strict safety certifications. This shows how much the company cares about safety and following the rules. 

Pedal area

Pedals

• Ensure that you can always press the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals unimpaired to the floor.
• Ensure that the pedals can return unimpaired to their initial positions.
• Ensure that the floor mats are securely fastened during the trip and do not obstruct the pedals.

Only use floor mats which leave the pedals clear and which are secured to prevent them from slipping. You can obtain suitable floor mats from a specialised dealership. Fasteners for floor mats are fitted in the footwells. If a brake circuit fails, the brake pedal must be pressed down thoroughly in order to stop the vehicle.

Wear suitable footwear

• Always wear shoes which support your feet properly and give you a good feeling for the pedals.

WARNING

• Restricting pedal operation can lead to critical situations while driving.
• 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.
• Never place objects in the driver footwell. An object could move into the pedal area and impair pedal operation.

Seat belts

The whys and wherefores of seat belts

Control lamps

Lights up or flashes

• Driver or passenger has not fastened seat belt.

Objects on the front passenger seat.
Remove the objects from the front passenger seat and store them safely.

The control lamp lights up to remind the driver to fasten their seat belt.

Before starting the vehicle:

• Fasten your seat 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.

When starting to drive, if the vehicle’s speed exceeds approx. 25 km/h (15 mph) and the seat belts are not fastened or are unfastened while driving, a warning sound will be heard for a few seconds. The warning light will also flash.

The lamp goes out when the driver and passenger seat belts are fastened with the ignition switched on.

Rear seat belts fastened display

Depending on the model version, when the ignition is switched on, the seat belt status display ››› Fig. 6 on the instrument panel informs the driver whether the passengers in the rear seats have fastened their seat belts.

• It indicates that the corresponding seat is empty.
• Indicates that the seat is occupied and the occupant is wearing the seat belt.

The seat belt status flashes for a maximum of 30 seconds when a seat belt in the rear seats is unfastened while the vehicle is in motion. An audible warning will also be heard if the vehicle is travelling at over 25 km/h (15 mph).

The rear seat display can be enabled or disabled by a technical service centre. If a seat belt is fastened or unfastened while driving in some of the rear seats, the seat belt status is displayed for approximately 30 seconds. The indication can be hidden by pressing the button on the instrument panel.

The protective function of seat belts

Properly worn seat belts hold the occupants in the proper position. They also help prevent uncontrolled movements that may result in serious injury and reduce the risk of being thrown out of the vehicle in case of an accident.

Vehicle occupants wearing their seat belts correctly benefit greatly from the ability of the belts to absorb kinetic energy. In addition, the front part of your vehicle and other passive safety features (such as the airbag system) are designed to absorb the kinetic energy released in a collision. Taken together, all these features reduce the releasing kinetic energy and consequently, the risk of injury. This is why it is so important to fasten seat belts before every trip, even when “just driving around the corner”.

Ensure that your passengers wear their seat belts as well. Accident statistics have shown that wearing seat belts is an effective means of substantially reducing the risk of injury and improving the chances of survival when involved in a serious accident. Furthermore, properly worn seat belts improve the protection provided by airbags in the event of an accident. For this reason, wearing a seat belt is required by law in most countries. Although your vehicle is equipped with airbags,0 the seat belts must be fastened and worn. The front airbags, for example, are only triggered in some cases of head-on collision. The front airbags will not be triggered during minor frontal or side collisions, rear-end collisions, overturns or accidents in which the airbag trigger threshold value in the control unit is not exceeded.

Important safety instructions for the use of seat belts

• Always wear the seat belt as described in this section.
• Ensure that the seat belts can be fastened at all times and are not damaged.

WARNING

• If seat belts are worn incorrectly or not at all, the risk of severe injuries increases. The optimal protection from seat belts can be achieved only if you use them properly.
• Never allow two passengers (even children) to share the same seat belt.
• Never unbuckle a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. Risk of fatal injury.
• The seat belt should never lie on hard or fragile objects (such as glasses or pens, etc.) because this can cause injuries.
• Do not allow the seat belt to be damaged or jammed, or to rub on any sharp edges.
• Never wear the seat belt under the arm or in any other incorrect position.
• Bulky and unfastened clothing (such as an overcoat over a sweater) impairs the proper fit and function of the seat belts, reducing their capacity to protect.
• The slot in the seat belt buckle must not be blocked with paper or other objects, as this can prevent the latch plate from engaging securely.
• Never use seat belt clips, fastening rings or similar items to alter the position of the belt webbing.
• Frayed or torn seat belts or damage to the connections, belt retractors or parts of the buckle could cause severe injuries in the event of an accident. Therefore, you must check the condition of all seat belts at regular intervals.
• Seat belts which have been worn in an accident and have been stretched must be replaced by a specialized workshop. Renewal may be necessary even if there is no apparent damage. The belt anchorage should also be checked.
• Do not attempt to repair a damaged seat belt yourself. The seat belts must not be removed or modified in any way.
• The belts must be kept clean, otherwise the retractors may not work properly.

Head-on collisions and the laws of physics

The effects of the laws of physics in the case of a head-on collision are easy to explain: the moment a vehicle starts moving, a type of energy called “kinetic energy” starts acting on both the vehicle and its passengers. The amount of “kinetic energy” depends on the speed of the vehicle and on the weight of the vehicle and of its passengers. The higher they are, the more energy there is to be “absorbed” in the event of an accident.

The most significant factor, however, is the speed of the vehicle. If the speed doubles from 25 km/h (15 mph) to 50 km/h (30 mph), for example, the corresponding kinetic energy is multiplied by four.

Given that the passengers of the vehicle in our example do not have their seat belts fastened, in the event of a collision the entire amount of the passengers’ kinetic energy will be only absorbed by the mentioned impact. Even at speeds of 30 km/h (19 mph) to 50 km/h (30 mph), the forces acting on bodies in a collision can easily exceed one tonne (1000 kg). At greater speed these forces are even higher. Vehicle occupants not wearing seat belts are not “attached” to the vehicle. In a head-on collision, they will move forward at the same speed their vehicle was travelling just before the impact. This example applies not only to head-on collisions, but to all accidents and collisions.

Even at low speeds the forces acting on the body in a collision are so great that it is not possible to brace oneself with one’s hands. In a frontal collision, unbelted passengers are thrown forward and will make violent contact with the steering wheel, dash panel, windscreen or whatever else is in the way ››› Fig. 8.
It is also important for rear passengers to wear seat belts properly, as they could otherwise be thrown forward violently through the vehicle interior in an accident. Passengers in the rear seats who do not use seat belts endanger not only themselves but also the front occupants ››› Fig. 9.

How to properly adjust your seat belt

Fastening and unfastening the seat belt

Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the position that most protects them in the event of an accident or sudden braking.

Fastening the seat belt

Fasten your seat belt before each trip.

• Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly.
• Engage the seat backrest of the rear seat in an upright position.
• Pull the latch plate and place the belt webbing evenly across your chest and lap. Do not twist the seat belt when doing so.
• Engage the latch plate in the buckle of the corresponding seat Fig. 10.
• Pull the belt to ensure that the latch plate is securely engaged in the buckle.

Releasing the seat belt

Only unfasten the seat belt when the vehicle has come to a standstill.

• Press the red button on the buckle ››› Fig. 11. The latch plate is released from the buckle.
• Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls up easily and the trim will not be damaged.

WARNING

• The seat belt cannot offer its full protection unless the seat backrest is in an upright position and the seat belt is worn correctly, according to your size.
• Unbuckling your seat belt while the vehicle is in motion can cause severe or fatal injuries in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
• The seat belt itself, or a loose seat belt, can cause severe injuries if the belt moves from hard areas of the body to soft areas (e.g. the stomach).

Correct seat belt position

Seat belts offer their maximum protection in the event of an accident and reduce the risk of sustaining severe or fatal injuries only when they are properly positioned. Furthermore, if the webbing is correctly positioned, the seat belt will hold the vehicle occupants in the optimum position to ensure the airbag provides the maximum protection. The seat belt must therefore always be worn and the webbing correctly positioned.

Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause severe or even fatal injuries, Correct sitting position of vehicle occupants.

• The shoulder part of the seat belt must lie on the centre of the shoulder, never across the neck or the arm, under the arm or behind the shoulder.
• The lap part of the seat belt must lie across the pelvis, never across the stomach.
• The seat belt must lie flat and fit comfortably. Pull the belt tight if necessary to take up any slack.

In the case of pregnant women, the seat belt must lie evenly across the chest and as low as possible over the pelvis, never across the stomach and must be worn properly at all times during the pregnancy ››› Fig. 13.

Adapting the position of the belt webbing to your size

The seat belt can be adapted using the following equipment:

• Belt height adjustment for the front seats.
• Front seat height adjustment.

WARNING

An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe or fatal injuries in the event of an accident.

• The shoulder part of the seat belt must lie on the centre of the shoulder, never across the neck or the arm.
• The seat belt must lie flat and fit comfortably on the torso
• The lap part of the seat belt must lie across the pelvis, never across the stomach. The seat belt must lie flat and fit comfortably on the pelvis Pull the belt tight if necessary to take up any slack.
• For pregnant women, the lap part of the seat belt must lie as low as possible over the pelvis and always lie flat, “surrounding” the stomach ››› Fig. 13.
• Do not twist the seat belt while it is fastened.
• Once the seat belt is positioned correctly, don’t pull it away from your body with your hand.
• Do not lie the seat belt across rigid or fragile objects, e.g. glasses, pens or keys.
• Never use seat belt clips, retaining rings or similar instruments to alter the position of the belt webbing.

Note: If your physical constitution prevents you from maintaining the correct position of the belt webbing, contact a specialised workshop for help with any special devices to ensure the optimum protection of the seat belt and airbag. SEAT recommends taking your car in for technical service.

Fastening or unfastening the seat belt with two buckles

Properly worn seat belts hold the vehicle occupants in the position that most protects them in the event of an accident or sudden braking.
The seat belts for the centre seat in the second row of seats and for the seats in the third row of seats are fastened using two buckles.

Fastening the seat belt

Fasten your seat belt before each trip.

• Adjust the rear seat and head restraint correctly.
• Engage the seat backrest of the rear seat in an upright position.
• Use latch plate of the belt ››› Fig. 14 1 to pull the seat belt down. Do not twist the seat belt when doing so.
• Engage the latch plate 1 in the buckle of the corresponding seat A.
• Use the latch plate ››› Fig. 14 2 to pull the seat belt across your lap.
• Engage the latch plate 2 in the buckle of the corresponding seat B.
• Pull the belt to ensure that both latch plates are securely engaged in the buckles.

Unfastening the seat belt

The seat belt must not be unfastened until the vehicle has come to a standstill.

• Press the red button on the buckle ››› Fig. 14 A. The latch plate will come out of the buckle.
• Press the red button on the buckle ››› Fig. 14 B. The latch plate will come out of the buckle.
• Guide the belt back by hand so that it rolls up easily and the trim will not be damaged.

WARNING

An incorrectly worn seat belt web can cause severe or fatal injuries in the event of an accident.

• The seat belt cannot offer its full protection unless the seat backrests are in an upright position and the seat belt is worn correctly, according to your size.
• Unbuckling your seat belt while the vehicle is in motion can cause severe or fatal injuries in the event of an accident or sudden braking.

Note

• Seat belts with two buckles include a diagram to show how to fasten the seat belt.

Seat belt height adjustment

Using the height adjusters for the front seats and the outer seats of the second row, the position of the seat belts can be adjusted in the shoulder area according to the height of the occupant:

• Keep the guide device pressed down in the direction of the arrow ››› Fig. 15.
• Move the guide device up or down until the seat belt lies over the centre of your shoulder.
• Release the guide device.
• Pull the belt sharply to check that the device is engaged securely.

WARNING: Never adjust the belt height while the vehicle is in motion.

Seat belt tensioners

How the seat belt tensioner works

• The seat belts for the front seats and the side rear seats on the second row1) are equipped with belt tensioners.
• The belt tensioners are activated by sensors, although only in severe head-on, lateral and rear-end collisions. This retracts and tightens the seat belts, reducing the forward motion of the occupants.
• The belt pre-tensioners work in combination with the airbag system. In case of overturn, the pre-tensioners do not activate unless the head airbags are deployed.

Note

• If the seat belt tensioners are triggered, a fine dust is produced. This is normal and it is not an indication of fire in the vehicle.
• The relevant safety requirements must be observed when the vehicle or components of the system are scrapped. Specialised workshops are familiar with these regulations, which are also available to you.

Maintenance and disposal of seat belt tensioners

The belt tensioners are components of the seat belts that are installed in the seats of your vehicle. If you work on the belt tensioners or remove and install parts of the system when performing other repair work, the seat belt may be damaged. The consequence may be that, in the event of an accident, the belt tensioners function incorrectly or may not function at all.

So that the effectiveness of the seat belt tensioner is not reduced and that removed parts do not cause any injuries or environmental pollution, regulations, which are known to the specialised workshops, must be observed.

WARNING

• Improper use or repairs not carried out by qualified mechanics increase the risk of severe or fatal injuries. The belt tensioners may fail to trigger or may trigger in the wrong circumstances.
• The seat belt tensioner, seat belt and automatic retractor cannot be repaired.
• Any work on the belt tensioners and seat belts, including the removal and refitting of system parts in conjunction with other repair work, must be performed by a specialised workshop only.
• The belt tensioners will only provide protection for one accident and must be changed if they have been activated.

For the sake of the environment

• Airbag modules and belt tensioners may contain perchlorate. Observe the legal requirements for their disposal.

FAQ