seat and keep it fastened properly through- out the trip. This applies to all passengers in any traffic condition. ● Never attempt to repair, modify or remove the seat belts yourself. All repairs to seat belts, belt retractors and buckles must be carried out by a Volkswagen Dealership. ● While the vehicle is in motion, secure all chil- dren travelling in the vehicle in a restraint system suitable for their age, as well as properly secured seat belts → page 49, Transporting children in the vehicle . Warning lamp ● Only start driving when all passengers have correctly fastened their seat belts. Please refer to at the start of the chapter on page 34.
● Only ever insert the latch plate into the buckle of the associated seat, and always en- sure that it engages properly. Using a buckle that does not belong to the seat that you are occupying reduces the level of protection and can lead to severe injuries. ● Never let any foreign bodies or liquids enter the seat belt buckle slot. This could prevent belt buckles from working properly. ● Never unfasten the seat belt while the vehi- cle is in motion. ● Never allow more than one person to share the same seat belt. Fig. 24 Instrument cluster display warning lamp. ● Never allow children or babies to be trans- ported on someone's lap, or while being held.
● Never drive wearing loose, bulky clothing (such as an overcoat over a jacket). This could prevent the seat belts from fitting and functioning properly. Fig. 25 Seat belt status indicator for rear seats in the instrument cluster display. Damaged seat belts are extremely dangerous and can cause severe or fatal injuries. WARNING An acoustic warning sounds for a few seconds if the seat belts are not fastened prior to reaching a speed of approximately 25 km/h or whenever the seat belts are unfastened while driving. In addi- tion, the warning lamp flashes → Fig. 24 . ● Never damage the belt by trapping it in the door or in the seat mechanism.
● If the belt bands fabric or any other part of the seat belt becomes damaged, the seat belt may tear during an accident or sudden braking manoeuvre. The warning light only turns off, with the igni- tion switched on, after the driver and front pas- senger have fastened their respective seat belts. ● Damaged seat belts must be replaced imme- diately with new seat belts at a Volkswagen Dealership. Seat belts used during an acci- dent and subjected to stress or belt tension- er activation must be replaced by a Volkswagen Dealership. Replacement may be necessary even if there is no apparent dam- age. The belt anchorage should also be checked.
Rear seat belt status indicator After switching the ignition on, the seat belt sta- tus indicator → Fig. 25 shows in the instrument cluster display whether rear seat passengers have fastened their seat belts. The symbol indicates that the passenger in this seat has fastened the seat belt. The symbol indicates that the passenger in this seat has not fastened the seat belt. 25A.5L1.POL.20 Safety 35