Airbag system 165
Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical Data
Head airbags*
Description of the head airbags
The head airbag together with the side airbag offers enhanced occu-
pant protection in the event of a side collision.
The head airbags are positioned above the doors on both sides in the interior of the
car ⇒ fig. 177. The installation positions are each marked with the “AIRBAG” logo.
The head airbag together with the three-point seat belts and the side airbags, offers
additional protection for the head and neck area of the occupants in the event of a
side collision of major severity ⇒ page 166.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts is to
also hold the driver and the occupants in a correct seated position in the event of a
side collision so as to enable the head airbags to offer the maximum protection. You
should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is required by
law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection ⇒ page 152, “Why seat
belts?”.
Together with other elements (such as cross bars in the seats, stable vehicle struc-
ture) the head airbags are the consequent further development of occupant
protection in the case of side collisions.
Function of the head airbags
The risk of injury to the head and neck area is reduced in the event of
a side collision by fully inflated head airbags.
In the case of a side collision the head airbag is deployed together with the rele-
vant side airbag ⇒ fig. 178 and the belt tensioner on the side of the car on which
the accident occurs.
If the system is deployed, the airbags are filled with propellant gas and extend over
the entire area of the side window including the door pillar ⇒ fig. 178.
The protection offered by the head airbags is thus available simultaneously both to
the front occupants of the car seated on the side on which the accident occurs, as
well as to the rear occupants. Any impact of the head against parts of the interior or
objects outside of the car, is cushioned by the inflated head airbag. The reduction
in any impact to the head and the resultant minimizing of any movements of the
head additionally reduce the risk of injuries to the neck area. The head airbag also
offers additional protection in the case of an offset impact by covering the front
door pillar.
In certain accident situations, the front, side and head airbag are simultaneously
deployed.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to be able
to offer that additional protection in the event of an accident. A grey white, non
harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not
an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
Fig. 177 Installation position
of the head airbags
Fig. 178 Inflated head airbag
s2ak.b.book Page 165 Monday, April 6, 2009 2:13 PM
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