Deployment Of Belt Tensioners And Airbags - Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2013 Owner's Manual

Deployment of belt tensioners and airbags

58
passenger front airbag can only be deployed
in an accident if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is off. Observe the information
on the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp ( page 48).
Y
Your vehicle has two-stage front airbags. In
the first deployment stage, the front airbag is
filled with propellant gas to reduce the risk of
injuries. The front airbag is filled with the
maximum amount of propellant gas if the sec-
ond deployment threshold is then reached
within a few milliseconds.
The activation thresholds for the belt ten-
sioner and airbag are determined by evaluat-
ing the vehicle deceleration or vehicle accel-
eration that occurs at different points in the
vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in nature.
The triggering process must take place
promptly at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are essen-
tially determined by:
the distribution of forces during the colli-
R
sion
the collision angle
R
the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
R
cle
the characteristics of the object with which
R
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of airbag
deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly
without an airbag being deployed. This is the
case if only parts which are relatively easily
deformed are affected and the rate of decel-
eration is not high. Conversely, an airbag may
be deployed even though the vehicle suffers
only minor deformation. This is the case if, for
example, very rigid vehicle parts such as lon-
gitudinal body members are hit, and sufficient
deceleration occurs as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
side impact or an overturn situation, the rel-
evant restraint system components are acti-
vated independently of one another depend-
ing on the apparent type of accident. The belt
tensioners are also triggered if the system
determines that they can offer additional pro-
tection for the vehicle occupants in this sit-
uation.
Sidebags on the side on which the impact
R
occurs, independently of the belt tensioner
and of the use of the seat belt
Vehicles with automatic child seat recog-
nition on the front-passenger seat: the
sidebag on the front-passenger side
deploys under the following conditions:
an occupant is detected on the front-
-
passenger seat or
the belt tongue is engaged in the belt
-
buckle of the front-passenger seat
Windowbag on the side on which the
R
impact occurs, independently of the use of
the seat belt and independently of whether
the front-passenger seat is occupied
Windowbags on the driver's and front-
R
passenger sides in certain overturn situa-
tions if the system determines that they
can offer additional protection to that pro-
vided by the seat belt
i
Not all airbags are deployed in an acci-
dent. The different airbag systems work
independently of each other.
How the airbag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the accident detec-
ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, and the apparent type of acci-
dent:
frontal collision
R
side impact
R
overturn
R