Airbag syste m
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
belts work to help keep the driver or front pas-
senger in posit ion in the event of a collision so
that the side curtain airbags can provide protec-
tion .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather , it is part of the overall occu-
pant restraint system in your vehicle. Always re-
member that the airbag system can only help to
protect you if you are wearing your safety belt
and wear ing it properly . This is another reason
why you should always wear your safety belts,
not just because the law requires you to do so
¢ page 182, General notes .
It is important to remember that while the s ide
curtain airbag system is des igned to help reduce
the likel ihood of serious injuries , other injuries,
for example, swel ling , bruising, fr iction burns
and minor abrasions can also be associated with
these airbags upon deployment . Remember too,
these airbags will deploy only once and only in
certain kinds of accidents - your safety belts are
always there to offer protection.
The side curtain airbag system basically
consists of:
- The electronic control module and external side
impact sensors
- The side curtain airbags above the front and
rear side windows with ejection mitigation fea-
tures
- The airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
The airbag system is monitored electronically to
make certain 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 side curtain airbag is not activated:
- if the ignition is switched off,
- in s ide collisions when the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low,
- in rear-end collisions.
212
A WARNING
- Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protect ion when occupants are in
the proper seating position ¢ page 47,
Seats and storage.
- If the airbag ind icator light ¢ page 15
comes when the veh icle is being used, have
the system inspected imm edia t ely by your
authorized Audi dealer. It is possible t hat
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup-
posed to, or will not inf late when it should.
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain airbags can work together with side
airbags to help reduce the risk of head and upper
torso injuries for occupants who are properly re-
strained.
Fig. 168 Illustratio n of principle: Inflated s ide curta in air-
bags on t he left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the oc-
cupant and the windows on the side of the veh i-
cle that is struck in a side collision ¢ fig. 168 .
When the system is tr iggered, the side curta in
airbag is filled with propellant gas and breaks
through a seam above the front and rear side
windows identified by the AIRBAG label. In order
to help provide this additional protection, the
side curtain airbag must inflate within the blink
of an eye at very high speed and with great force .
The side curtain airbag could injure you if your
seat ing position is not proper or upright or if
items a re located in the area where the supple-
mental side cu rt ain airbag inflates. This applies
especially to chi ldren¢
page 214 .
Although they are not a soft pillow, side curtain
airbags can "cush ion" the impact and in this way .,.
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