- the e lectron ic control modu le and externa l side
impact sensors
- the two airbags located in the sides of the front
backrests and the two airbags * located in the
rear backrest
- the airbag warning light in the inst rument clus-
ter.
The a irbag system is monitored electronically to
make certa in that it is functioning properly at all
times . Each time you switch on the ignition, the
airbag system indicator light will come on for a
few seconds (self diagnostics) .
The s ide airbag system supp lements the safe ty
be lts and can help to reduce the risk of injury to
the driver's, front and rear passenger's upper tor-
so on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a
side coll is ion. The a irbag dep loys only in side im-
pacts and only when the vehicle acceleration reg-
istered by the control un it is high enough . If this
rate is below the reference value programmed in-
to the cont rol un it, the side a irbags will not be
tr iggered, even thoug h the car may be bad ly
damaged as a resul t of the collision.
It is not pos-
sib le to define an airbag tr igger ing range that
will cover every possib le ang le of impact, since
the circumstances will vary considerably between
one collision and another. Important factors in-
clude, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of
the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc .
q page 162, Important safety in-
structions on the side airbag system.
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
be lts work to help keep the driver or front pas-
senger in posit ion in the event of a side collision
so that the s ide a irbags can prov ide protection.
The airbag system is
not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occu-
pant restraint system in your veh icle . Always re-
member that the side airbag system can only
he lp to protect you if you are wea ring your safety
be lt and wea ring it properly. This is ano t her rea-
son why you shou ld always wear your safety
be lts, not just because the law requ ires you to do
so
q page 134, General information.
It is important t o remember that wh ile the sup-
plemental side a irbag syst em is designed t o re-
Airb a g sys tem
duce the likelihood of serious injuries, other inju-
ries, for example, swelling, bruising, friction
burns and minor abras ions can also be assoc iated
with deployed side airbags. Remember too, side
airbags will deploy only once and only in certa in
kinds of accidents - your safety belts are a lways
there to offer protect ion.
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of
vehicle damage are not necessar ily an ind ication
of over-sens it ive or fa iled a irbag activation. In
some collisions, both front and side airbags may
inflate . Remember too, that a irbags will dep loy
only once and only in certa in kinds of collisions -
yo ur safe ty belts are always t here to offer protec-
t ion in those accidents in which airbags are not
supposed to deploy or when t hey have already
deployed.
The side airbag system will not deploy:
- when the ignit ion is switched off
- in side collisions when the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low
- in fro nt-end coll isions
- in rear-end collisions
- in rollovers.
In some types of accidents t he front airbags, side
curtain airbags and side airbags may be triggered
together.
A WARNING
-
- Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protect ion when occupants are in
the proper seat ing pos ition ¢
page 162.
- If the airbag ind icator light¢ page 18
comes when the veh icle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
author ized Audi dealer. It is possible that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup-
posed to, or will not inflate w hen it should.
161
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