The airbag system is monitored electronically
to make certain that it is functioning properly
at all times. Each time you turn on the igni-
tion, the airbag system indicator light will
come on for a few seconds (self diagnostics) .
The side airbag system supplements the safe-
ty belts and can help to reduce the risk of in-
jury to the driver's and front passenger's up-
per torso and head injuries on the side of the
ve hicle that is st ruck in a side collision . The
airbag deploys in s ide impacts and on ly when
the vehicle acce le rat ion registered by the con-
trol u nit is high enough. If this rat e is below
t he refe rence val ue programmed into t he con-
trol un it, the s ide a irbags will not be t rig-
gered, even though the car may be bad ly dam -
aged as a result of the collision . It is not pos-
sib le to define an airbag tr igger ing range that
will cover every poss ible angle of impact,
since the circumstances will vary considerably
between one collision and another . Important
factors include, for example, the nature (hard
or soft) of the impacting object, the angle of
impac t , veh icle speed, et c. .
Aside from the ir norma l safety function, safe -
ty belts work to help keep the d river or front
passenger in posit ion in the event of a side
coll ision so that the side airbags can provide
protection.
The a irbag system is
not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rathe r, it is pa rt of the overall oc-
cupant res t raint system in your veh icle. Al-
ways remember t ha t the side airbag system
can only help to protec t you if you a re wear ing
your safety belt and wearing it prope rly. This
is another reason why you sho uld a lways wear
your safety belts, not just beca use the law re-
qu ires you to do so c::>
page 93, General notes.
It is important to remember that while the
supp lemental side airbag system is designed
to reduce the likelihood of serious injur ies,
other injuries , for example, swell ing , bruising,
and minor abrasions can also be associated
with deployed side a irbags . Remember too,
side airbags will deploy on ly once and only in
certain kinds of accidents -yo ur safety belts
are always t here to offer protect io n.
A irba g sy stem 119
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack
of vehicle damage are not necessarily an indi-
cation of over -sensitive or failed airbag activa -
tion. In some collis ions, both front and side
airbags may inflate. Remember too, that air-
bags will deploy only once and on ly in certain
kinds of coll isions - your safety belts a re al-
ways there to offe r protection in thos e acc i-
dents in which a irbags a re not supposed to
deploy or when t hey have a lready deployed .
The side airbag system will not deploy:
- when the ignit ion is turned off
- in side collisions when the acceleration
measured by t he sensor is too low
- in rear-end collisions
- in rollovers .
In some types of accidents the fro nt airbags
and s ide airbags may be triggered together.
A WARNING
- Safety belts and the airbag system will
only provide protection when occupants
are in the proper seating position .
- If the ai rbag indicator light comes on
when the vehicle is being used, have the
system inspected immediately by your
auth orized Audi dealer. The airbag may
not work proper ly when the vehicle ac-
celeration in a side coll is ion is high
e nough to activat e the a irbag.
How supplemental side airbags work
-
Side airbags deploy instantly and can help re-
duce the risk of upper torso injuries for occu-
pants who are properly restrained.
Fig. 99 Inf lated side airbags on left side of vehicle
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