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authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility. Otherwise the air-

bag system may not work correctly.

Always make sure that the airbag deployment

zones are clear at all times. Never let anything

or object, a pet, or a person, including an infant

or small child, be in the space between any ve-

hicle occupant and any airbag.

·

Never attempt to modify any components of

the airbag system in any way.

·

Do not attach any accessories to the doors.

Never attach objects to the cover or in the de-

ployment zone of a Side Curtain Protection^®air-

bag.

— National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

(NHTSA), currently at: http://www.safercar.gov

(for the USA)

Child safety and child re-

straints

— Transport Canada Information Centre, currently

at: http://www.tc.gc.ca (for Canada)

Introduction

Consult the child restraint manufacturer's instruc-

tions to be sure the seat is right for your child's size

→ page 71, Using a child restraint on the rear seat.

Please be sure to read and heed all of the important

information and WARNINGS about child safety, Ad-

vanced Airbags, and the installation of child re-

straints in this Manual.

The physical principles of what happens when your

vehicle is in a collision or other accident also apply

to children → page 36, Safety belts. But unlike adults

and teenagers, their muscles and bones are not fully

developed. In many respects children are at greater

risk of serious injury in accidents than are adults.

Because children's bodies are not fully developed,

they must use restraint systems especially designed

for their size, weight, and body structure. Many

countries and all states of the United States and

provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of

approved child restraint systems for infants and

small children.

There is a lot you need to know about the Advanced

Airbags in your vehicle and how they work when in-

fants and children in child restraints are on the front

passenger seat. Because of the large amount of im-

portant information, we cannot repeat it all here.

We urge you to read the detailed information in this

Manual about airbags and the Advanced Airbag Sys-

tem in your vehicle and the very important informa-

tion about transporting children on the front pas-

senger seat. Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS -

they are extremely important for your safety and

the safety of your passengers, especially infants and

small children.

In a frontal crash at a speed of 20–35 mph (30–

56 km/h), the forces acting on a 13 pound (6 kg) in-

fant will be more than 20 times the weight of the

child. This means the effective weight of the child

would suddenly increase to more than 260 pounds

(120 kg). Under these conditions, only an appropri-

ate child restraint properly used can reduce the risk

of serious injury. Child restraints, like adult safety

belts, must be used properly to be effective. Used

improperly, they can increase the risk of serious in-

jury in an accident.

DANGER

Children on the front seat of any car, even with

Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or even

killed when an airbag inflates.

A child in a rearward-facing child restraint in-

All children, especially those 12 years and younger,

must always ride in the back seat properly restrained

for their age and size. If you must install a child re-

straint on the front passenger seat in exceptional

circumstances, be sure to read and heed the impor-

tant information and warnings in the section of this

Manual that begins on → page 71, Using a child re-

straint on the rear seat. Infants and other children

who are properly restrained in an appropriate child

restraint that is for their size and age can benefit

from the protection that supplemental side airbags

provide in some kinds of crashes.

·

stalled on the front passenger seat will be seri-

ously injured and can be killed if the front airbag

inflates.

The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or

·

infant carrier with great force and will smash

the child restraint and child against the back-

rest, center armrest, door or roof.

Always install rearward-facing child restraints

on the rear seat.

·

If you have, in exceptional circumstances, nev-

ertheless decided to install a rearward-facing

child restraint on the front passenger seat and

·

For more information, please see information pro-

vided by the:

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not

64

Safety

come on and stay on whenever the ignition is

on, immediately install the rearward-facing

child restraint on the rear seat and have the air-

bag system inspected right away by your au-

thorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volks-

wagen Service Facility.

— Always set the safety belt upper anchorage

to the adjustment position that permits

proper installation in accordance with the

child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

— Always move the front passenger seat to the

highest position in the up and down adjust-

ment range and move it back to the rearmost

position in the seat's fore and aft adjustment

range, as far away from the airbag as possi-

ble before installing the forward-facing child

restraint.

WARNING

Accident statistics have shown that children are

generally safer in the rear seat area than in the

front seating position. Always restrain any child

age 12 and under in the rear.

— Always make sure that the safety belt upper

anchorage is behind the child restraint and

not next to or in front of the child restraint so

that the safety belt will be properly posi-

tioned.

All vehicle occupants and especially children

·

must be restrained properly whenever riding in

a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly re-

strained child could be injured by striking the in-

terior or by being ejected from the vehicle dur-

ing a sudden maneuver or impact. An unre-

strained or improperly restrained child is also at

greater risk of injury or death through contact

with an inflating airbag.

— Always make sure that nothing is in the way

that prevents the front passenger's seat from

being moved to the rearmost position in its

fore and aft adjustment range.

— Always make sure that the backrest is in the

upright position.

A suitable child restraint properly installed and

·

used at one of the rear seating positions pro-

vides the highest degree of protection for in-

fants and small children in most accident situa-

tions.

— Never place objects on the seat (such as

a laptop, CD player, or electronic games de-

vice). These may influence the electrical ca-

pacitance measured by the capacitive pas-

senger detection system and can also fly

around in an accident and cause serious per-

sonal injury.

WARNING

Forward-facing child restraints installed on the

front passenger seat may interfere with the de-

ployment of the airbag and cause serious personal

injury to the child.

— If a seat heater has been retrofitted or other-

wise added to the front passenger seat, never

install any child restraint system on this seat.

If exceptional circumstances require the use of

·

— Make sure that there are no wet objects (such

as a wet towel) and no water or other liquids

on the front passenger seat cushion.

a forward-facing child restraint on the front

passenger's seat, the child's safety and well-be-

ing require the following special precautions to

be taken:

— Always make sure that the PASSEN-

GER AIR BAG

light comes on and stays

— Always make sure that the forward-facing

seat has been designed and certified by its

manufacturer for use on a front passenger

seat with a front and side airbag.

on all the time whenever the ignition is

switched on.

— If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does

not come on and stay on, immediately install

the forward-facing child restraint in a rear

seating position and have the airbag system

inspected by your authorized Volkswagen

dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Fa-

cility.

— Always carefully follow the manufacturer's

instructions provided with the child restraint

or infant carrier.

— Never install a child restraint without a prop-

erly attached top tether strap if the child re-

straint manufacturer's instructions require

the top tether strap for proper installation, or

if required by law. For example, the use of

a top tether strap for forward-facing child re-

straints is required by law in Canada.

Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place

even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose child

restraint can fly around during a sudden stop or

in a collision.

·

Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever

using a child restraint in a vehicle. See

→ page 36, Safety belts, → page 44, Airbag sys-

— Never put the forward-facing child restraint

up against or very near the instrument panel.

Child safety and child restraints

65

tem, and → page 64, Child safety and child re-

straints.

a child restraint that is not visible could cause it to

fail in another collision situation.

Always replace child restraints that were in-

stalled in a vehicle during a crash. Damage to

Child restraints – Overview

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice

and

on page 64.

All children and especially infants must be properly

restrained in a child restraint appropriate for their

size and age whenever riding in a vehicle. Their safe-

ty also requires that the child restraint be properly

installed. There are many car seat choices on the

market. You can use the information below to help

you choose a car seat that best meets your child’s

needs.

Type of child restraint

Applies to

Birth to 12 months: Your child under age 1 should always ride in

a rear-facing car seat. There are different types of rear-facing car

seats:

Rear-facing child restraint

– Infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing.

– Convertible and all-in-one car seats typically have higher height and

weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your

child rear-facing for a longer period of time.

1–3 years: Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It’s the best

way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing

car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed

by the car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-

facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car

seat with a harness and tether.

Rear-facing child restraint before

moving to a forward-facing child re-

straint

4–7 years: Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness

and tether until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit al-

lowed by the car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the

forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster

seat, but still in the back seat.

7–12 years: Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big

enough to fit in a safety belt properly. For a safety belt to fit properly,

the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach.

The shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and

not cross the neck or face. Remember: your child should still ride in

the back seat because it’s safer there.

Forward-facing child restraint

Booster seat

Today's child restraints are designed to be secured

to the vehicle either with the standard 3 point lap

and shoulder belt or with the LATCH/UAS lower uni-

versal anchorages. Many child restraints also require

the use of a top tether strap. Depending on your

state or country, top tether straps may also be re-

quired by law. The top tether strap reduces the for-

ward movement of the child restraint in a crash, to

help reduce the risk of head injury if the child hits

the vehicle interior.

Child restraint installa-

tion

Rear seats

Anchorages available

for the 2 outboard seat-

ing positions.

LATCH/UAS lower univer-

sal anchorages

Top tether anchorages

Safety belts with the

switchable locking fea-

ture

Your vehicle has the following installation options

in the rear seats:

The LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorage attach-

ment points are on the lower part of the rear seat

backrest for the 2 outboard seating positions. The

circular markings on the lower anchorage points

66

Safety

help you to locate the lower anchorages

→ page 80 , → fig. 44.

— The child restraints do not interfere with each

other and each remains fully functional and ac-

cessible to properly restrain and protect each

child.

How to tell if the child restraint is properly installed

— The child restraint is flush with both the seat

cushion and the seat backrest, unless a small gap

between the child restraint and the seat backrest

is allowed by the child restraint manufacturer.

— The child restraint is installed with LATCH/UAS or

the vehicle safety belt according to the weight

limits stated on the child restraint and the child

restraint’s top tether is used as instructed by the

child restraint manufacturer.

— The child restraint does not hang over the edge of

the vehicle seat by more than the generally ac-

cepted 20% of the child restraint. Always follow

the overhang limits allowed by the child restraint

manufacturer.

More information:

— Important safety instructions for using child re-

straints → page 69

— The child restraint is centered in the seating posi-

tion and is not installed at an angle.

— Using a child restraint on the rear seat

→ page 71

— The child restraint does not move forward or side-

ways by more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm).

— Infant seats → page 72

— Convertible child restraints → page 74

— Booster seats and safety belts → page 76

— The child restraint does not contact or push

against any of the safety belt buckles, because

this can cause damage to the buckles and make

the buckles unusable or unsafe.

— Installing child restraints with a safety belt

→ page 78

for infants up to 12 months who are restrained on

the front passenger seat in child restraints that are

listed in the Standard.

Child restraints and the Advanced

Airbag System

Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Ad-

vanced Airbag System, all children, especially those

12 years and younger, must always ride in the back

seat properly restrained for their age and size. The

airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat

a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride. The

front seat is not the safest place for a child in a for-

ward-facing child restraint. It is a very dangerous

place for an infant or a larger child in a rearward-

facing seat.

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

64.

and

on page

Advanced front airbag system and children

Your vehicle is equipped with a front “Advanced Air-

bag System” that complies with United States Fed-

eral Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 and

with Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard

(CMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle

was manufactured.

The vehicle's Advanced Airbag System has a capaci-

tive passenger detection system in the front passen-

ger seat cushion that can detect the presence of

a baby or a child in a child restraint system on this

seat.

The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has

been certified to meet the “low risk” requirements

for 3 to 6 year-old children (as defined in the stand-

ard) on the passenger side and small adults on the

driver side. “Low risk” deployment occurs in those

crashes that take place at lower decelerations as de-

fined in the electronic control unit. The low risk de-

ployment criteria are intended to reduce the risk of

injury through interaction with the airbag that can

occur in these collisions, for example, by being too

close to the steering wheel or instrument panel

when the airbag inflates.

The capacitive passenger detection system meas-

ures the capacitance of the child and the child re-

straint and a child blanket on the front passenger

seat. The capacitance due to the presence of a child,

a child restraint, and a baby blanket on the front

passenger seat is related to the child restraint sys-

tem resting on the seat. The capacitance of a child

restraint system varies depending on the type of

system and specific make and model.

In addition, the system has been certified to comply

with the “suppression” requirements of the Safety

Standard, to turn off the front airbag automatically

The electrical capacitance of the various types,

makes, and models of child restraints specified by

Child safety and child restraints

67

the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-

tion (NHTSA) in the relevant safety standard are

stored in the Advanced Airbag System control unit

together with the capacitances typical of infants and

a 1 year-old child. When a child restraint is used on

the front passenger seat with a typical 1 year-old in-

fant, the Advanced Airbag System compares the ca-

pacitance measured by the capacitive passenger de-

tection system with the data stored in the electronic

control unit.

Subpart B. Rear-facing child restraints

Manufactured on or af-

ter

Model

Century Smart Fit 4543

Cosco Arriva 22-013 PAW

and base 22-999 WHO

Evenflo Discovery Adjust

Right 212

December 1, 1999

September 25, 2007

December 1, 1999

Graco Infant 8457

December 1, 1999

Graco Snugride

September 25, 2007

Child restraints and Advanced Airbags

Peg Perego Primo Viaggio

SIP IMUN00US

September 25, 2007

No matter what child restraint you use, make sure

that it has been certified to meet U.S. Federal Motor

Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213) or, if you

live in Canada, Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Stand-

ard 213 (CMVSS 213). Also make sure that the child

restraint you are using has been certified by its man-

ufacturer for use with an airbag. Always be sure that

the child restraint is properly installed at one of the

rear seating positions. If in exceptional circumstan-

ces you must use it on the front passenger seat,

carefully read all of the information on child safety

and Advanced Airbags and heed all of the applicable

WARNINGS. Make certain that the child restraint is

correctly recognized by the capacitive passenger de-

tection system inside the front passenger seat, that

the passenger front airbag is switched off, and that

the airbag status is always correctly signaled by the

Subpart C. Forward-facing and convertible child re-

straints

Manufactured on or af-

ter

Model

Britax Roundabout

September 25, 2007

E9L02xx

Cosco Touriva 02519

Cosco Summit Deluxe

High Back Booster 22-262

Cosco High Back Booster

22-209

December 1, 1999

September 25, 2007

Evenflo Tribute V 379xxxx September 25, 2007

Evenflo Medallion 254

Evenflo Generations

352xxxx

Graco ComfortSport

Graco Toddler SafeSeat

Step 2

December 1, 1999

September 25, 2007

PASSENGER AIR BAG

light.

Many types and models of child restraints have been

available over the years, new models are introduced

regularly incorporating new and improved designs

and older models are taken out of production. Child

restraints are not standardized. Child restraints of

the same type typically have different weights and

sizes and different “footprints,” the size and shape

of the bottom of the child restraint that sits on the

seat, when they are installed on a vehicle seat. These

differences make it virtually impossible to certify

compliance with the requirements for Advanced Air-

bags with each and every child restraint that has ev-

er been sold in the past or will be sold over the

course of the useful life of your vehicle.

Graco Platinum Cargo

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury, always make

sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG light

comes on and stays on whenever a child restraint

is installed on the front passenger seat and the ig-

nition is switched on.

Take the child restraint off the front passenger

·

seat and install it properly at one of the rear

seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not come on and stay on.

For this reason, the United States National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration has published a list of

specific types, makes and models of child restraints

that must be used to certify compliance of the Ad-

vanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the sup-

pression requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle

Safety Standard 208. These child restraints are:

Have the airbag system inspected immediately

by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or au-

thorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

·

Subpart A. Car bed child restraints

Manufactured on or af-

ter

Model

Angel Guard Angel Ride

AA2403FOF

September 25, 2007

68

Safety

cannot move forward or sideways more than about

1 inch (2.5 cm).

Important safety instructions for

using child restraints

Important additional information about installing

a child restraint system on the front passenger seat:

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

64.

and

on page

If you must install a child restraint on the front pas-

senger seat in exceptional circumstances, be sure to

read and heed the important information and warn-

ings in the section of this Manual that begins on

→ page 71, Using a child restraint on the rear seat.

There are also additional adjustments that must be

made in order to be able to properly install a child

restraint on the front passenger seat:

Set the safety belt upper anchorage for the front

passenger seat so that the available safety belt is

long enough to properly install the child restraint.

Always follow the child restraint manufacturer's in-

stallation instructions →

.

Move the front passenger seat to the highest posi-

tion in the seat's up and down adjustment range and

to the rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft

adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as

possible before installing the forward-facing child

restraint and make sure the backrest is in the up-

Fig. 38 Never let babies or older children ride in a vehi-

cle while sitting on the lap of another passenger.

right position →

.

Proper use of child restraints greatly reduces the

risk of injury in a collision or other kind of accident!

Always make sure that the safety belt upper anchor-

age is behind the child restraint and not next to or in

front of the child restraint so that the safety belt will

be properly positioned.

All children, especially those 12 years and younger,

must always ride in the back seat properly restrained

for their age and size.

Always remember: Even though your vehicle is

equipped with an Advanced Airbag System, all chil-

dren, especially those 12 years and younger, must

always ride in the back seat properly restrained for

their age and size.

Always use the right child restraint for each child

and always use it properly.

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages secure the

child restraint system in the seat without using the

vehicle's safety belts. Anchorages provide a secure

and easy-to-use attachment and minimize the pos-

sibility of improper child restraint installation. If you

decide to install a child restraint system using the

standard safety belt instead of the LATCH/UAS an-

chorages for the respective seating position, be sure

to always carefully follow the child restraint manu-

facturer's instructions on how to route the safety

belt properly through the child restraint and how to

restrain the child in the child restraint.

DANGER

Never install rearward-facing child restraints or in-

fant carriers on the front passenger seat.

A child will be seriously injured and can be killed

when the passenger airbag inflates – even with

an Advanced Airbag System.

·

The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or

·

infant carrier with great force and will smash

the child restraint and child against the back-

rest, center armrest, door or roof.

When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child

restraint, you must activate the switchable locking

feature on the safety belt to help prevent the child

restraint from moving → page 71, Using a child re-

straint on the rear seat.

Always install rearward-facing child restraints

and infant carriers on the rear seat.

·

Do not use the switchable locking feature when us-

ing the vehicle's safety belt to restrain a child on

a booster seat.

WARNING

Not using a child restraint, using the wrong child

restraint, or improperly installing a child restraint

increases the risk of serious personal injury and

death in a collision or other emergency situation.

Push the child restraint down with your full weight

to get the safety belt really tight so that the seat

Child safety and child restraints

69

All vehicle occupants and especially children

must always be restrained properly whenever

riding in a vehicle.

men and neck areas during sudden braking ma-

neuvers or accidents.

·

Never let more than one child occupy a child re-

straint.

·

— An unrestrained or improperly restrained

child can be injured or killed by being thrown

against the inside of the vehicle or by being

ejected from it during a sudden maneuver or

impact.

Never let babies or older children ride in a vehi-

cle while sitting on the lap of another passen-

ger.

— Holding a child in your arms is never a substi-

tute for a child restraint system.

— An unrestrained or improperly restrained

child is at much greater risk of injury or death

by being struck by an inflating airbag.

— The strongest person could not hold the child

with the forces that exist in an accident. The

child will strike the interior of the vehicle and

can also be struck by another passenger.

Commercially available child restraints are re-

quired to comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehi-

cle Safety Standard FMVSS 213 (in Canada

CMVSS 213).

·

— The child and the passenger can also injure

each other in an accident.

— When buying a child restraint, select one that

fits your child and the vehicle.

WARNING

— Volkswagen does not recommend using child

restraints that rest on legs or tube-like

frames. They do not provide adequate con-

tact with the seat.

Forward-facing child restraints installed on the

front passenger's seat can interfere with the air-

bag when it inflates and cause serious injury to the

child.

Always check that the child restraint has been

properly installed.

Always install child restraints on the rear seat.

·

If exceptional circumstances require the use of

— Only use child restraint systems that fully

contact the flat portion of the seat cushion.

The child restraint must not tip or lean to ei-

ther side.

a forward-facing child restraint on the front

passenger's seat, the child's safety and well-be-

ing require the following special precautions to

be taken:

— Always make sure the child restraint does not

hang over the edge of the vehicle seat by

more than the generally accepted 20% of the

child restraint. Always follow the overhang

limits allowed by the child restraint manufac-

turer.

— Always make sure that the forward-facing

seat has been designed and certified by its

manufacturer for use on a front passenger

seat with a front and side airbag.

— Always carefully follow the manufacturer's

instructions provided with the child restraint

or carrier.

— Always make sure that the child restraint is

securely installed and cannot move forward

or sideways more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm).

— Never install a child restraint without a prop-

erly attached top tether strap if the child re-

straint manufacturer's instructions require

the top tether strap for proper installation, or

if required by law. For example, the use of

a top tether strap for forward-facing child re-

straints is required by law in Canada.

— Always make sure that the child restraint is

not installed at an angle.

— Always make sure that the child restraint

does not contact or push against any safety

belt buckles, because this can cause damage

to the buckles and make the buckles unusa-

ble or unsafe.

— Never put the forward-facing child restraint

up against or very near the instrument panel.

— Always heed all legal requirements pertaining

to the installation and use of child restraints

and carefully follow the instructions provided

by the manufacturer of the seat you are us-

ing.

— Always set the safety belt upper anchorage

to the adjustment position that permits

proper installation in accordance with the

child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

— Always move the front passenger seat to the

highest position in the up and down adjust-

ment range and move it back to the rearmost

position in the seat's fore and aft adjustment

range, as far away from the airbag as possi-

For safety reasons, children under 4 ft. 9 in.

(57 inches / 1.45 meters) may not wear stand-

ard safety belts. Children must always be re-

strained by a proper child restraint system. Oth-

erwise, they could sustain injuries to the abdo-

·

70

Safety

ble before installing the forward-facing child

restraint.

Using a child restraint on the rear

seat

— Always make sure that the safety belt upper

anchorage is behind the child restraint and

not next to or in front of the child restraint so

that the safety belt will be properly posi-

tioned.

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

64.

and

on page

— Always make sure that nothing is in the way

that prevents the front passenger's seat from

being moved to the rearmost position in its

fore and aft adjustment range.

— Always make sure that the backrest is in the

upright position.

— Never place additional items (such as laptop,

CD player, or electronic games device) on the

seat that can influence the capacitance regis-

tered by the capacitive passenger detection

system and can cause injury in a crash.

— If a seat heater has been retrofitted or other-

wise added to the front passenger seat, never

install any child restraint system on this seat.

Fig. 39 Keep unused safety belts away from children in

child restraints.

— Make sure that there are no wet objects (such

as a wet towel) and no water or other liquids

on the front passenger seat cushion.

Important special steps when installing a child re-

straint with LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages

or with the vehicle safety belt.

Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place

even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose child

restraint can fly around during a sudden stop or

in a collision.

·

You must take special precautions when installing

a LATCH/UAS child restraint behind the front pas-

senger or driver seats. Always route the center safe-

ty belt and the unused safety belt for the seating

position where the child restraint is being installed

securely out of the child’s reach. Securing the safety

belts will help prevent a child from playing with an

unused safety belt and becoming entangled with it

→ fig. 39.

Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever

using a child restraint in a vehicle. See

→ page 36, Safety belts, → page 44, Airbag sys-

tem, and → page 64, Child safety and child re-

straints.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury, always make

sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG light

comes on and stays on whenever a child restraint

is installed on the front passenger seat and the ig-

nition is switched on.

Securing the unused safety belts out of the child's

reach

Secure an unused safety belt to help prevent a child

from playing with and becoming entangled in the

safety belt. The method for securing an unused safe-

ty belt depends on the seating position.

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

stay on, perform the checks described

light does not

·

Securing an unused safety belt for an outboard seat-

ing position:

→ page 47, PASSENGER AIR BAG

light.

Take the child restraint off the front passenger

seat and install it properly at one of the rear

seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not stay on.

·

— Route the safety belt around the head restraint

for the center seating position → fig. 39.

— Make sure the safety belt is out of the child’s

reach, so that the child cannot grab and play with

it.

Have the airbag system inspected immediately

by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or author-

ized Volkswagen Service Facility.

·

— Make sure that the safety belt does not block the

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages. This

could prevent you from correctly installing a child

restraint with the LATCH/UAS lower universal an-

chorages.

Child safety and child restraints

71

— Do not activate the switchable locking feature.

Otherwise it will be very difficult to wind the

safety belt back into its normal position. You

should not hear a “clicking” sound when the safe-

ty belt retracts.

WARNING

A child in a child restraint installed with the

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages or with

the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play

with unused rear seat safety belts and become en-

tangled, resulting in serious personal injury and

even death.

Securing an unused safety belt for the center seat:

— Buckle the safety belt → fig. 39.

— Pull the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt all

the way out of the retractor to activate the

switchable locking feature. You should hear

a “clicking” noise as the belt winds back into the

retractor.

Always secure unused rear seat safety belts out

·

of the reach of children in child restraints such

as by properly routing them around the head re-

straint adjacent to the seating position where

the child restraint is installed.

— Let the safety belt fully retract and then pull on it

to make sure the switchable locking feature is ac-

tive and the safety belt is properly fastened and

tight so that the child cannot grab and play with

the safety belt.

NOTICE

The outboard safety belts may become damaged if

they are secured improperly.

Be careful not to activate the switchable locking

·

When a child safety seat is secured on the rear

bench, adjust the position of the front seat to pro-

vide the child with sufficient space. Therefore, adjust

the front seat to the size of the child safety seat and

the child. Consider the proper seating position of the

retractor when routing the unused safety belt

around the head restraint adjacent to the seat

where a child restraint has been installed. Other-

wise it will be very difficult to wind the safety belt

back into its normal position.

passenger →

.

Only pull the unused safety belt out far enough to

·

When child restraints are not needed, be sure to re-

move the safety belt(s) from around the head re-

straint(s), unbuckle the center safety belt, and return

all safety belts to their normal stored positions so

that they will be available for regular use.

allow you to route the belt around the head re-

straint. If the safety belt is pulled out too far, the

switchable locking feature will be activated.

When installing a child restraint, be careful not to

·

get the belt caught in the structure of the child

restraint and become damaged, especially when

the switchable locking feature has been activated.

How to tell if the child restraint is properly installed

— The child restraint is flush with both the seat

cushion and the seat backrest, unless a small gap

between the child restraint and the seat backrest

is allowed by the child restraint manufacturer.

Infant seats

— The child restraint does not hang over the edge of

the vehicle seat by more than the generally ac-

cepted 20% of the child restraint. Always follow

the overhang limits allowed by the child restraint

manufacturer.

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

64.

and

on page

— The child restraint is centered in the seating posi-

tion and is not installed at an angle.

— The child restraint does not move forward or side-

ways by more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm).

— The child restraint does not contact or push

against any of the safety belt buckles, because

this can cause damage to the buckles and make

the buckles unusable or unsafe.

— The child restraint is installed with LATCH/UAS or

the vehicle safety belt according to the weight

limits stated on the child restraint and the child

restraint’s top tether is used as instructed by the

child restraint manufacturer.

Fig. 40 Example of a rearward-facing infant seat prop-

erly installed on the rear seat.

72

Safety

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recom-

mends that all infants should ride in rear-facing car

safety seats (in which the child faces the back of the

vehicle) starting with their first ride home from the

hospital. All infants and toddlers (generally up to

age 3) should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as

long as possible – or until they reach the highest

weight or height allowed by their child restraint’s

manufacturer. These infant seats support the baby's

back, neck and head in a collision. Rear-facing child

restraints can be used safely only on the rear seat of

the vehicle → fig. 40.

DANGER

Not using a child restraint, using the wrong child

restraint or improperly installing a child restraint

increases the risk of serious personal injury and

death in a collision or other emergency situation.

Never install rearward-facing child restraints or

·

infant carriers on the front passenger seat, even

with an Advanced Airbag System. A child will be

seriously injured and can be killed when the in-

flating airbag hits the child restraint or infant

carrier with great force and smashes the child

restraint and child against the backrest, center

armrest, door or roof.

Before installing a child restraint on the front pas-

senger seat, be sure to follow the special instruc-

tions and heed the warnings → page 67, Child re-

straints and the Advanced Airbag System and

→ page 52, The dangers of using child restraints on

the front seat.

Always install rearward-facing child restraints

and infant carriers on the rear seat.

·

Never install a rearward-facing child restraint in

·

the forward-facing direction. These restraints

are designed for the special needs of infants

and very small children and cannot protect

them properly if the seat is forward-facing.

— When using the vehicle safety belt to install

a child restraint (except a booster seat), you must

activate the switchable locking feature on the

safety belt to help prevent the child restraint from

moving → page 71, Using a child restraint on the

rear seat. Always follow the child restraint manu-

facturer’s instructions when installing a child re-

straint.

If you must install a rearward facing child re-

straint on the front passenger seat because of

exceptional circumstances, but the PASSEN-

·

GER AIR BAG

light does not come on and

stay on, immediately install the rearward-facing

child restraint at a seating position on the rear

seat and have the airbag system inspected right

away by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or

authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

— Attach the Top Tether strap or straps to the teth-

er anchorage for the seating position where the

child restraint is being installed with either the

LATCH/UAS system or with a safety belt

→ page 83, Securing a child restraint with the

Top Tether strap.

Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever

using a child restraint in a vehicle. See

→ page 36, Safety belts, → page 44, Airbag sys-

tem, and → page 64, Child safety and child re-

straints.

·

— Follow the manufacturer's instructions for posi-

tioning the handle of the car seat when it is in-

stalled in the vehicle.

The airbag on the passenger side makes the front

seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride.

The front seat is not the safest place for a child in

a forward-facing child restraint. It is a very danger-

ous place for an infant or a larger child in a rear-

ward-facing seat.

WARNING

A child in a child restraint installed with the

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages or with

the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play

with unused rear seat safety belts and become en-

tangled, resulting in serious personal injury and

even death.

You must take special precautions when installing

a child restraint with the vehicle safety belt or with

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages behind the

front passenger seat or behind the driver seat. Al-

ways route the center safety belt and the unused

safety belt for the seating position where the child

restraint is being installed securely out of the child’s

reach. Securing the safety belts will help prevent

a child from playing with an unused safety belt and

becoming entangled with it → page 71, Using a child

restraint on the rear seat, → fig. 39.

Always secure unused rear seat safety belts out

·

of the reach of children in child restraints such

as by properly routing them around the head re-

straint adjacent to the seating position where

the child restraint is installed.

NOTICE

Be careful not to activate the switchable locking

·

retractor when routing the unused safety belt

around the head restraint adjacent to the seat

where a child restraint has been installed.

Child safety and child restraints

73

Only pull the unused safety belt out far enough to

allow you to route the belt around the head re-

straint.

structure of the child restraint and become dam-

aged, especially when the switchable locking fea-

ture has been activated.

·

When installing a child restraint with a safety

belt, be careful not to get the belt caught in the

Convertible child restraints

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice

and

on page 64.

Fig. 41 All convertible child restraints have lower anchors and a top tether. Figures

A

and

B

show how to correct-

ly install a LATCH/UAS seat. Figure

C shows the set up of a seat using the vehicle's safety belt system.

Children between 1 and about 7 years old must al-

ways be properly restrained in a child restraint certi-

fied for their size and weight → fig. 41.

— Make sure that the child restraint is centered in

the seating position and is not installed at an an-

gle.

— The child restraint must not contact or push

against any of the safety belt buckles, because

this can cause damage to the buckles and make

the buckles unusable or unsafe.

Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat

(generally up to age 3), your child is ready to travel

in a forward-facing car seat with a harness. Keep

your child in a forward-facing car seat with a har-

ness until he or she reaches the top height or weight

limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer.

— Fasten the harness webbing that is part of the

child restraint system securely and pull it tight so

that you can only slip one finger underneath the

shoulder belt portion at the child's chest.

Before installing a child restraint on the front pas-

senger seat, be sure to follow the special instruc-

tions and heed the warnings → page 67, Child re-

straints and the Advanced Airbag System and

→ page 52, The dangers of using child restraints on

the front seat.

— Attach the Top Tether strap to the tether anchor-

age for the seating position where the child re-

straint is being installed with either the

LATCH/UAS system or the safety belt → page 83,

Securing a child restraint with the Top Tether

strap.

— When using the vehicle safety belt to install

a child restraint, you must activate the switchable

locking feature on the safety belt to help prevent

the child restraint from moving → page 71, Using

a child restraint on the rear seat.

The airbag on the passenger side makes the front

seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride.

The front seat is not the safest place for a child in

a forward-facing child restraint. It is a very danger-

ous place for an infant or a larger child in a rear-

ward-facing seat.

— Push the child restraint down with your full

weight to get the safety belt really tight so that

the seat cannot move forward or sideways more

than about 1 inch (2.5 cm).

You must take special precautions when installing

a child restraint with the vehicle safety belt or with

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages behind the

74

Safety

front passenger seat or behind the driver seat. Al-

ways route the center safety belt and the unused

safety belt for the seating position where the child

restraint is being installed securely out of the child’s

reach. Securing the safety belts will help prevent

a child from playing with an unused safety belt and

becoming entangled with it → page 71, Using a child

restraint on the rear seat, → fig. 39.

— Forward-facing child restraints installed on

the front passenger seat may interfere with

the deployment of the airbag and cause seri-

ous personal injury to the child.

— Always make sure that the forward-facing

seat has been designed and certified by its

manufacturer for use on a front passenger

seat with a front and side airbag.

— Always carefully follow the manufacturer's

instructions provided with the child restraint

or carrier.

DANGER

Not using a child restraint, using the wrong child

restraint or improperly installing a child restraint

increases the risk of serious personal injury and

death in a collision or other emergency situation.

— Never install a child restraint without a prop-

erly attached top tether strap if the child re-

straint manufacturer's instructions require

the top tether strap for proper installation, or

if required by law. For example, the use of

a top tether strap for forward-facing child re-

straints is required by law in Canada.

Children on the front seat of any car, even with

Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or

even killed when an airbag inflates.

·

A child in a rearward-facing child restraint in-

·

stalled on the front passenger seat will be seri-

ously injured and can be killed if the front airbag

inflates – even with an Advanced Airbag Sys-

tem.

— Never put the forward-facing child restraint

up against or very near the instrument panel.

— Always set the safety belt upper anchorage

to the adjustment position that permits

proper installation in accordance with the

child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or

·

infant carrier with great force and will smash

the child restraint and child against the back-

rest, center armrest, door or roof.

— Always move the front passenger seat to the

highest position in the up and down adjust-

ment range and move it back to the rearmost

position in the seat's fore and aft adjustment

range, as far away from the airbag as possi-

ble before installing the forward-facing child

restraint.

Always install rearward-facing child restraints

on the rear seat.

·

If you must install a rearward facing child re-

straint on the front passenger seat because of

exceptional circumstances, but the PASSEN-

·

GER AIR BAG

light does not come on and

— Always make sure that the safety belt upper

anchorage is behind the child restraint and

not next to or in front of the child restraint so

that the safety belt will be properly posi-

tioned.

stay on, immediately install the rearward-facing

child restraint at a seating position on the rear

seat and have the airbag system inspected right

away by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or

authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

— Always make sure that nothing is in the way

that prevents the front passenger's seat from

being moved to the rearmost position in its

fore and aft adjustment range.

Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever

using a child restraint in a vehicle. See

→ page 36, Safety belts, → page 44, Airbag sys-

tem, and → page 64, Child safety and child re-

straints.

·

— Always make sure that the backrest is in the

upright position.

— Never place objects on the seat (such as

a laptop, CD player, or electronic games de-

vice). These may influence the electrical ca-

pacitance measured by the capacitive pas-

senger detection system and can also fly

around in an accident and cause serious per-

sonal injury.

WARNING

An improperly installed child restraint can interfere

with the airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or

even kill the child – even with an Advanced Airbag

System.

If exceptional circumstances require the use of

·

a forward-facing child restraint on the front

passenger's seat, the child's safety and well-be-

ing require the following special precautions to

be taken:

— If a seat heater has been retrofitted or other-

wise added to the front passenger seat, never

install any child restraint system on this seat.

Child safety and child restraints

75

— Make sure that there are no wet objects (such

as a wet towel) and no water or other liquids

on the front passenger seat cushion.

tangled, resulting in serious personal injury and

even death.

Always secure unused rear seat safety belts out

·

— Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light comes on and stays on all the time

whenever the ignition is switched on.

of the reach of children in child restraints such

as by properly routing them around the head re-

straint adjacent to the seating position where

the child restraint is installed.

— If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does

not come on and stay on, immediately install

the forward-facing child restraint at a seating

position on the rear seat and have the airbag

system inspected by your authorized Volks-

wagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Serv-

ice Facility.

NOTICE

Be careful not to activate the switchable locking

·

retractor when routing the unused safety belt

around the head restraint adjacent to the seat

where a child restraint has been installed.

Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place

even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose child

restraint can fly around during a sudden stop or

in a collision.

·

Only pull the unused safety belt out far enough to

allow you to route the belt around the head re-

straint.

·

When installing a child restraint with a safety

belt, be careful not to get the belt caught in the

structure of the child restraint and become dam-

aged, especially when the switchable locking fea-

ture has been activated.

WARNING

A child in a child restraint installed with the

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages or with

the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play

with unused rear seat safety belts and become en-

developed, and they must not use the vehicle safety

belts without a suitable child restraint.

Booster seats and safety belts

The vehicle's safety belts alone will not fit most chil-

dren until they are at least 4 ft. 9 in. (57 in-

ches / 1.45 meters) tall. Booster seats raise these

children up so that the safety belt will pass properly

over the strong parts of their bodies and the safety

belt can help protect them in a collision.

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

64.

and

on page

— Do not use the switchable locking feature when

using the vehicle's safety belt to restrain a child

on a booster seat.

— Always position the shoulder portion of the safety

belt midway over the child's shoulder. If you must

transport an older child in a booster seat on the

front passenger seat, you can use the safety belt

height adjustment to help adjust the shoulder

portion properly.

— Always make sure that the shoulder portion is

snug across the shoulder and chest and never

rests against or across the child's neck or face.

Fig. 42 Child properly restrained in a booster seat on

the rear seat.

— Always make sure that the child can wear the lap

belt portion across the upper thighs and never

over the stomach or abdomen.

Children between about 8 to 12 years old are best

protected in child safety seats designed for their age

and weight. Experts say that the skeletal structure,

particularly the pelvis, of these children is not fully

Children who are at least 4 ft. 9 in. (57 in-

ches / 1.45 meters) tall can generally use the vehi-

cle's 3 point lap and shoulder belts. Never use the

76

Safety

lap belt portion of the vehicle's safety belt alone to

restrain any child, regardless of how big the child is.

Always remember that children do not have the pro-

nounced pelvic structure required for the proper

function of lap belt portion of the vehicle's 3 point

lap and shoulder belts. The child's safety absolutely

requires that a lap belt portion of the safety belt be

fastened snugly across the upper thighs. Never let

the lap belt portion of the safety belt pass over the

child's stomach or abdomen.

In a collision, airbags must inflate within a blink of

an eye and with considerable force. In order to do its

job, the airbag needs room to inflate so that it will

be there to protect the occupant as the occupant

moves forward into the airbag.

Even Advanced Airbags can injure children when

they inflate. A vehicle occupant who is out of posi-

tion and too close to the airbag gets in the way of an

inflating airbag. When an occupant is too close, he

or she will be struck violently and will receive seri-

ous or possibly even fatal injuries.

It is usually best to put these children in appropriate

booster seats and keep them in a booster seat until

they are big enough to fit in a safety belt properly.

Be sure the booster seat meets all applicable safety

standards.

In order for the airbag to offer protection, it is im-

portant that all vehicle occupants, especially chil-

dren, who must be in the front seat under excep-

tional circumstances, be properly restrained and as

far away from the airbag as possible. By keeping

room between the child's body and the front of the

passenger compartment, the airbag can inflate com-

pletely and provide supplemental protection in cer-

tain frontal collisions.

Booster seats raise the seating position of the child

and reposition both the lap and shoulder parts of the

safety belt so that they pass across the child's body

in the right places. The routing of the belt over the

child's body is very important for the child's protec-

tion, whether or not a booster seat is used. Children

age 12 and under must always ride in the rear seat.

You must take special precautions when installing

a booster seat with the vehicle safety belt behind

the front passenger seat or behind the driver seat.

Always route and secure the unused center safety

belt to help prevent a child from playing with the

unused safety belt and becoming entangled in it

→ page 71, Using a child restraint on the rear seat,

→ fig. 39.

Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is at

least 4 ft. 9 in. (57 inches / 1.45 meters) tall AND

your child is:

— tall enough to sit without slouching; and

— able to keep his or her back against the vehicle

seat; and

WARNING

— able to keep his or her knees naturally bent over

the edge of the vehicle seat; and

Not using a booster seat, using the booster seat

improperly, incorrectly installing a booster seat or

using the vehicle safety belt improperly increases

the risk of serious personal injury and death in

a collision or other emergency situation. To help

reduce the risk of serious personal injury and/or

death:

— able to keep his or her feet flat on the floor; and

— able to sit in that position during the entire trip.

The way the safety belt passes over the child’s body

is important for their safety and protection in

a crash. Always make sure you child can wear the

safety belt properly:

Never use the switchable locking feature when

·

— The lap belt must lie snugly across the upper

thighs, not the stomach.

using the vehicle's safety belt to restrain a child

on a booster seat.

— The shoulder belt must lie snugly across the

shoulder and chest, and never cross the neck or

face.

Always make sure to position the shoulder por-

tion of the 3 point belt over the middle of the

child's shoulder.

·

— Never let a child put the shoulder belt under the

arm or behind the back, because it could cause

severe injuries in a crash.

Never let the shoulder portion of the safety belt

rest against or across the neck, face, chin, or

throat of the child.

·

Always check belt fit on the child in every vehicle.

A booster seat may be needed in some vehicles and

not in others. If the safety belt does not fit properly,

the child must continue to use a booster seat. Re-

gardless of whether the child is using a booster or is

able to properly wear the standard safety belt prop-

erly without a booster seat, keep your child in the

back seat. Accident statistics show that children are

safer on the rear seat than on the front seat.

Always make sure the lap belt portion of the

·

3 point belt is worn snugly across the upper

thighs. Never let the lap belt portion of the

safety belt pass over the child's stomach or ab-

domen.

Never let a child put the shoulder belt under the

arm or behind the back, because it could cause

severe injuries in a crash.

·

Child safety and child restraints

77

Failure to properly route safety belts over

a child's body will cause severe injuries in a col-

lision or other emergency situation.

·

Installing child restraints with

a safety belt

Children on the front seat of any car, even with

Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or

even killed when an airbag inflates.

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

64.

and

on page

Never let a child stand or kneel on any seat, for

example, the front seat.

·

Safety belts for the rear seats and the front passen-

ger seat must be locked with the switchable locking

feature to properly secure child restraints.

Never let a child ride in the cargo area of your

vehicle.

Always remember that a child leaning forward,

sitting sideways or out of position in any way

during a collision can be struck by a deploying

airbag. This will result in serious personal injury

or death.

Child restraints are designed to be secured to the

vehicle either with the 3 point lap and shoulder belt

or with LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages. The

child restraint may also have a Top Tether strap,

which must be used if required by the child restraint

manufacturer or by law → page 83, Securing a child

restraint with the Top Tether strap.

If you must install a booster seat on the front

passenger seat because of exceptional circum-

·

stances, the PASSENGER AIR BAG

must come on and stay on, whenever the igni-

tion is switched on.

light

Regardless of the kind of child restraint that you

use, always make sure that the child restraint is

properly secured in the vehicle; otherwise the child

could be seriously injured in a crash. Always follow

legal requirements regarding the installation of child

restraints.

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not

·

come on and stay on, perform the checks de-

scribed → page 47, PASSENGER AIR BAG

light.

Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on

a rear seat →

.

Take the child restraint off the front passenger

seat and install it properly at one of the seating

positions on the rear seat if the PASSEN-

Switchable locking feature

Whenever a child restraint (except a booster seat) is

installed with a safety belt, the safety belt must be

locked so that the safety belt webbing cannot unreel

→ page 79, Activating the switchable locking fea-

ture. The switchable locking feature lets you lock the

belt so that a child restraint can be properly installed

and, for example, so that it cannot tip to the side

when the vehicle goes around a corner.

GER AIR BAG

ever the ignition is switched on.

light does not stay on when-

Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever

using a child restraint in a vehicle. See

→ page 36, Safety belts, → page 44, Airbag sys-

tem, and → page 64, Child safety and child re-

straints.

·

WARNING

Installing the child restraint on a rear seat

A child in a child restraint installed with the

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages or with

the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play

with unused rear seat safety belts and become en-

tangled, resulting in serious personal injury and

even death.

Always carefully follow the child restraint manufac-

turer's instructions when installing a child restraint

in your vehicle →

.

— Make sure that the child restraint is centered in

the seating position and is not installed at an an-

gle.

Always secure unused rear seat safety belts out

·

— Make sure that the child restraint does not con-

tact or push against any of the safety belt buck-

les, because this can cause damage to the buckles

and make the buckles unusable or unsafe.

of the reach of children in child restraints such

as by properly routing them around the head re-

straint adjacent to the seating position where

the child restraint is installed.

— Always make sure the child restraint does not

hang over the edge of the vehicle seat by more

than the generally accepted 20% of the child re-

straint. Always follow the overhang limits allowed

by the child restraint manufacturer.

78

Safety

— Route the safety belt around or through the child

restraint using the proper path for the safety belt

as specified by the child restraint manufacturer.

— Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that

seating position.

— Make sure that the red release button faces away

from the child restraint so that it can be unbuck-

led quickly.

— Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that

seating position.

— Make sure that the red release button faces away

from the child restraint so that it can be unbuck-

led quickly.

— Remove all slack from the lap belt portion of the

safety belt and hold it tightly against the child re-

straint.

— Remove all slack from the lap belt portion of the

safety belt and hold it tightly against the child re-

straint.

— Push the child restraint down with your full

weight to make sure that the child restraint will

be properly installed with the safety belt really

tight.

— Push the child restraint down with your full

weight to make sure that the child restraint will

be properly installed with the safety belt really

tight.

— Activate the belt's switchable locking feature

→ page 79, Activating the switchable locking

feature.

— Activate the belt's switchable locking feature

→ page 79, Activating the switchable locking

feature.

— Pull on the safety belt to make sure the safety

belt is properly fastened and tight.

— Check the child restraint for proper installation by

pulling on the child restraint at the place where

the vehicle's safety belt goes into the child re-

straint. The child restraint should not move for-

ward or sideways by more than about 1 inch

(2.5 cm).

— Pull on the safety belt to make sure the safety

belt is properly fastened and tight.

— Check the child restraint for proper installation by

pulling on the child restraint at the place where

the vehicle's safety belt goes into the child re-

straint. The child restraint should not move for-

ward or sideways by more than about 1 inch

(2.5 cm).

— Make sure that the child restraint is centered on

the seat and is not installed at an angle.

— After checking to make sure that the child re-

straint is properly installed, make certain that the

child restraint is correctly recognized by the ca-

pacitive passenger detection system in the front

passenger seat and that the PASSEN-

Special instructions for installing child restraints if

the child restraint must be installed on the front

seat

Always carefully follow the child restraint manufac-

turer's instructions when installing a child restraint

GER AIR BAG

light signals the correct front

passenger front airbag status. Please be sure to

read the additional important information and

heed the WARNINGS about the Advanced Airbag

System and the function of the PASSEN-

in your vehicle →

.

Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on

a rear seat → . If in exceptional circumstances

you must install the child restraint on the front seat,

be sure to follow the special instructions and heed

the WARNINGS below.

GER AIR BAG

light in this Manual.

Always remember: Even though your vehicle is

equipped with an Advanced Airbag System, all chil-

dren, especially those 12 years and younger, must

always ride in the back seat properly restrained for

their age and size.

— Make sure the front seat backrest is in the upright

position.

— Move the front passenger seat to the rearmost

position in the seat's fore and aft adjustment

range, as far away from the airbag as possible.

Activating the switchable locking feature

— Slowly pull the shoulder belt portion of the safety

belt all the way out of the retractor.

— Set the front passenger's safety belt height ad-

juster so that available safety belt length is suffi-

cient to properly install the child restraint.

— While keeping your weight on the child restraint,

guide the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt

back into the retractor until the belt lies flat and

is tightened against the child restraint.

— Always make sure that the safety belt upper an-

chorage is behind the child restraint and not next

to or in front of the child restraint so that the

safety belt will be properly positioned.

— You should hear a “clicking” noise as the belt

winds back into the inertia reel of the safety belt

retractor. Test the switchable locking feature by

pulling on the belt. You should no longer be able

— Route the safety belt around or through the child

restraint using the proper path for the safety belt

as specified by the child restraint manufacturer.

Child safety and child restraints

79

to pull the belt out of the retractor. The switcha-

ble locking feature is now active.

WARNING

Improperly installed child restraints increase the

risk of serious personal injury and death in a colli-

sion.

Deactivating the switchable locking feature

The switchable locking feature for child restraints

will be deactivated automatically when the belt is

wound all the way back into the retractor.

Never unfasten the safety belt to deactivate the

·

switchable locking feature for child restraints

while the vehicle is moving. You would not be

restrained and could be seriously injured in an

accident.

— Press the red button on the safety belt buckle.

The belt tongue will pop out of the buckle.

— Guide the safety belt back by hand so that it rolls

easily onto the retractor and the trim around the

retractor will not be damaged.

NOTICE

When installing a child restraint, be careful not to

get the belt caught in the structure of the child re-

straint and become damaged, especially when the

switchable locking feature has been activated.

Always let the safety belt retract completely into its

stowed position. The safety belt can now be used as

an ordinary safety belt without the switchable lock-

ing feature for child restraints.

If the switchable locking feature should be activated

inadvertently, the safety belt must be unfastened

and guided completely back into its stowed position

to deactivate this feature. If the switchable locking

feature is not deactivated, the safety belt will gradu-

ally become tighter and uncomfortable to wear.

Securing the child restraint with

LATCH/UAS lower universal ancho-

rages

Please read the introductory information and

WARNING

heed the Warnings and Notice

64.

and

on page

Using the wrong child restraint or an improperly

installed child restraint can cause serious personal

injury or death in an accident.

Always make sure that the safety belt retractor

·

is locked when installing a child restraint, ex-

cept a booster seat. An unlocked safety belt re-

tractor cannot hold the child restraint in place

during normal driving or in a crash.

Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place

·

even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose child

restraint can fly around during a sudden stop or

in a collision.

Always make sure the seat backrest to which

·

the child restraint is installed is in an upright

position and securely latched into place and

cannot fold forward. Otherwise, the seat back-

rest with the child restraint attached to it could

fly forward in a collision or other emergency sit-

uation.

Fig. 43 On the rear outboard seat backrests: Removing

the covers (if equipped) on the LATCH/UAS lower uni-

versal anchorages.

Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever

·

using a child restraint in a vehicle → page 64,

Child safety and child restraints. Special precau-

tions apply when installing a child restraint on

the front passenger seat → page 52, The dan-

gers of using child restraints on the front seat,

and → page 67, Child restraints and the Ad-

vanced Airbag System, and → page 69, Impor-

tant safety instructions for using child re-

straints.

80

Safety

that itself is not equipped with LATCH/UAS lower

universal anchorage points.

The child restraint must not contact or push against

any of the safety belt buckles to help prevent dam-

age to the buckles, which can make the buckles un-

usable or unsafe.

There are 2 ways to attach an appropriate child re-

straint to the LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorag-

es:

Rigid connectors on bars at the back of the child re-

straint:

— Make sure the seat backrest of the rear seat

bench is in the upright position and securely

latched in place.

Fig. 44 On the rear outboard seat backrests: Markings

on the LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages.

— Release or deploy the top tether strap (if one is

required by the child restraint manufacturer or by

law) to secure the seat → page 83, Securing

a child restraint with the Top Tether strap.

LATCH is used in the United States and stands for

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. In Canada,

UAS (Universal Anchorage System) is used to de-

scribe the combination of top tether straps and low-

er anchorages.

— Guide the upper tether strap under the rear head

restraint (raise the head restraint if necessary).

— Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the

opening of the tether anchorage.

All child restraints manufactured after Septem-

ber 1, 1999 must have LATCH/UAS lower universal

anchorages.

— Attach the connectors onto the LATCH/UAS lower

universal anchorages.

The LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorage attach-

ment points are on the lower part of the rear seat

backrest for the 2 outboard seating positions. Each

lower universal anchorage point may have a cover.

The circular markings on the anchorage points help

you to locate the lower anchorages → fig. 44 (ar-

rows). If necessary, remove the covers → fig. 43 to

access the lower anchorage points and stow the

covers in a clean, secure location for future use.

— Make sure you hear the child restraint click se-

curely into place.

— Tighten the top tether strap (if there is one) to se-

cure the seat → page 83, Securing a child re-

straint with the Top Tether strap.

— Pull on both sides of the child restraint once

you've installed it to make certain it is secure and

properly attached.

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages secure the

child restraint system in the seat without using the

vehicle's safety belts. Anchorages provide a secure

and easy-to-use attachment and minimize the pos-

sibility of improper child restraint installation.

Releasing

— Release the top tether strap (if one is required by

the child restraint manufacturer or by law).

— Release the lower latch from the LATCH/UAS low-

er universal anchorages following the child re-

straint manufacturer's instructions.

Remember that the LATCH/UAS lower universal an-

chorage points are only intended for installation and

attachment of child restraints specifically certified

for use with these lower universal anchorages. Child

restraints that are not equipped with the

Hooks attached to adjustable straps (hook-on con-

nectors)

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorage attachments

can still be installed with vehicle safety belts accord-

ing to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

You must never mount two child restraint systems

to one LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorage point

at the same time. For instance, you must not install

a child restraint with LATCH/UAS lower universal an-

chorage points on one of the outboard seating posi-

tions and then use the inboard anchorage to also in-

stall a child restraint in the center of the rear seat

— Make sure the seat backrest of the rear seat

bench is in the upright position and securely

latched in place.

— Attach the hook-on connectors with the spring

catch release onto the LATCH/UAS lower universal

anchorage so that the connectors lock into place.

— Pull on the connector attachments to make sure

that it is properly attached to the LATCH/UAS

lower universal anchorage.

Child safety and child restraints

81

— Pull straps tight following the child restraint man-

ufacturer's instructions.

WARNING

Improper use of the LATCH/UAS system can in-

crease the risk of serious personal injury and death

in an accident.

— Release or deploy the top tether strap (if one is

required by the child restraint manufacturer or by

law) to secure the seat → page 83, Securing

a child restraint with the Top Tether strap.

Always carefully follow the child restraint man-

·

ufacturer's instructions for proper installation of

the child restraints and proper use of tether

straps as well as the LATCH/UAS lower universal

anchorages or safety belts in your vehicle.

— Guide the upper tether strap under the rear head

restraint (raise the head restraint if necessary).

— Guide the tether strap between the rear seat back

and the luggage compartment cover.

Never mount two child restraint systems on one

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorage point.

·

— Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the

opening of the tether anchorage and pull the top

tether strap tight.

These anchors were developed only for child re-

straints using the LATCH/UAS system.

·

— After you have installed the child restraint, pull on

both of the adjustable straps on the child restraint

and pull also on the tether strap to make certain

the seat is secure and properly attached.

Never attach other child restraints, belts, lug-

gage or other things to the LATCH/UAS ancho-

rages.

·

Always make sure that you hear a click when

·

latching the seat in place. If you do not hear

a click, the seat is not secure and could fly for-

ward and hit the interior of the vehicle or be

ejected from the vehicle.

Releasing

— Loosen the tension on the hook-on connector

straps following the child restraint manufacturer's

instructions.

— Release the top tether strap (if one is required by

the child restraint manufacturer or by law).

NOTICE

A child restraint may damage the seat upholstery or

the safety belt buckles if installed improperly or left

on the seat when not in use.

— Depress the spring catch on the hook.

— Hold the spring catch in the depressed position.

— Move the hook in the direction of the vehicle floor

so that there is enough space to release the con-

nector from the lower anchorage.

When installing, make sure that the child restraint

·

does not contact or push against any of the safety

belt buckles, because this can cause damage to

the buckles and make the buckles unusable or un-

safe.

You must take special precautions when installing

a child restraint with the vehicle safety belt or with

LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages behind the

front passenger seat or behind the driver seat. Al-

ways route the unused center seat safety belt and

the unused safety belt for the seating position

where the LATCH/UAS child restraint is being instal-

led around the rear head restraint behind the child

restraint to help prevent a child from playing with

the unused belt and becoming entangled in it.

Be careful not to activate the switchable lock-

ing retractor when routing the safety belts

around the head restraints. Only pull the safety belt

out far enough to allow you to route the belt around

the head restraint.

82

Safety

Securing a child restraint with the Top Tether strap

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice

and

on page 64.

Fig. 45 Example of a mounted upper tether strap: The version on the left shows an outer seating position. The ver-

sion on the right shows the center seating position.

head restraint guide rods do not interfere with

any part of the top tether strap.

— Center seating position: Guide the upper tether

strap under the center rear head restraint only

when it is pushed all the way up. If the tether

strap hook is too big to pass under the center

head restraint, push the head restraint all the way

down and guide the strap over the center head

restraint.

— Guide the tether strap between the rear seat

backrest and the luggage compartment cover.

— Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the

opening of the tether anchorage → fig. 46.

— Pull on the tether strap hook so that the spring

Fig. 46 Anchorages for the top tether strap on the

catch of the hook is engaged.

back of the rear seat.

— Tighten the tether strap firmly following the child

restraint manufacturer's instructions.

The Top Tether strap reduces the forward move-

ment of the child restraint in a crash; this helps to

reduce the risk of head injury.

— Move the head restraint back into the original po-

sition, if necessary → page 104, Seats and head

restraints.

Installing the Top Tether strap

Releasing the tether strap

— Release or deploy the Top Tether strap on the

child restraint according to the child restraint

— Loosen the tension on the tether strap following

the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

manufacturer's instructions →

.

— Remove the luggage compartment cover, if nec-

essary.

— Depress the spring catch on the hook and release

it from the anchorage.

— Locate the tether anchor behind the rear seat

backrest → fig. 46.

WARNING

Improper installation of child restraints will in-

crease the risk of injury and death in a crash.

— Outer seating position: Guide the upper tether

strap under the outer rear head restraint (raise the

head restraint if necessary). For child restraints

with V-tether straps: Always make sure that the

Child safety and child restraints

83

Always follow the instructions provided by the

manufacturer of the child restraint when instal-

ling it in your vehicle.

Never attach a child restraint tether strap to

a tie-down hook in the luggage compartment.

·

Never use child restraint top tether anchorages

to secure safety belts or other kinds of occupant

restraints.

Never install a child restraint without a properly

attached top tether strap if the child restraint

manufacturer's instructions require the top

tether strap for proper installation, or if required

by law. For example, the use of a top tether

strap for forward-facing child restraints is re-

quired by law in Canada.

Never secure or attach any luggage or other

items to the Top Tether anchorages.

·

NOTICE

If you leave the child restraint with the tether strap

firmly installed for several days, this could leave

a mark on the upholstery on the seat cushion and

backrest in the area where the tether strap was in-

stalled. The upholstery would also be permanently

stretched around the tether strap. This applies espe-

cially to leather seats.

Improper use of top tether straps and anchors

can lead to injury in a collision. The anchors are

designed to withstand only those loads imposed

by correctly fitted child restraints.

·

Never attach two child restraint systems to one

top tether strap or top tether anchorage.

http://www.carseat.org

Volkswagen Customer CARE

Sources of information about child

restraints and their use

Tel.: 1-800-822-8987

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

64.

and

on page

In an emergency

Introduction

WARNING

A vehicle breakdown in traffic is dangerous and

creates a great risk for you, your passengers, and

others.

The following are some sources of additional infor-

mation about child restraint selection, installation

and use:

Safety authorities advise that the best child safety

seat is the one that fits your child and fits in your ve-

hicle, and that you will use correctly and consistent-

ly.

Try before you buy!

Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to

·

do so. Move the vehicle a safe distance off the

road where it is safe to park and, if necessary,

lock all doors in an emergency. Turn on the

emergency flashers and set up another warning

device about 25 yards (25 meters) behind the

vehicle to warn approaching traffic.

Transport Canada Information Centre

Tel.: 1-800-333-0371

Tel.: 1-613-998-8616 (Ottawa)

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Never park the vehicle where the hot exhaust

·

Tel.: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153)

system or catalytic converter could ignite flam-

mable materials, such as brush, leaves, dry

grass, spilled fuel, etc.

http://www.nhtsa.gov

http://www.safercar.gov

National SAFE KIDS Campaign

Never leave children, disabled persons, or any-

·

one who cannot help themselves alone in the

vehicle when locking the doors. This could re-

sult in people being trapped in the vehicle in an

emergency. Depending on the time of year,

people trapped in the vehicle can be exposed to

very high or very low temperatures.

Tel.: 1-202-662-0600

http://www.safekids.org

SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.

Tel.: 1-800-745-SAFE or 1-800-745-7233 (English)

Tel.: 1-800-747-SANO or 1-800-747-7266 (Spanish)

84

Safety

Safety -> Child and child restraints for Your Volkswagen Golf 4 Door 2023

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