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162
Airbag
syst em
every possible angle of impact, since the cir-
cumstances will vary considerably between
one collision and another. Important factors
include, for examp le, the nature (hard or soft)
of the impacting object, the angle of impact,
vehicle speed, etc. c::> page 163, Important
safety instructions on the side airbag system.
Aside from their normal safety function, safe-
ty belts work to help keep the driver or front
passenger in position in the event of a side
coll is io n so that the side a irbags can provide
protection .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall oc-
cupant restraint system in your ve hicle. Al-
ways remember that the side airbag system
can only help to protect you if you a re wearing
your safety be lt and wear ing it prope rly. This
is another reason why you should a lways wear
your safety belts, not just because the law re -
quires you to do so c::> page 138, General
notes.
It is important to remember that while the
supp lemental side airbag system is designed
to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries,
othe r injuries, for example, swell ing, bruising,
and minor abrasions can also be associated
wit h deployed side airbags. Remember too,
side airbags will deploy on ly once and on ly in
certain kinds of acc idents -your safety belts
are a lways there to offer protect ion.
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack
of vehicle damage are not necessari ly an indi-
cation of over-sensit ive or failed airbag activa-
tion . In some collisions, both front and s ide
a irbags may inflate. Remember too , that air-
bags will deploy only once and only in certa in
kinds of collisions -your safety belts are al-
ways there to offer protection in those acci-
dents in which airbags are not supposed to
deploy or when they have already deployed.
The side airbag syst em will not depl oy:
- when the ign ition is turned off
- in side collisions when t he accelerat ion
measured by the sensor is too low
- in front-end collisions
- in rear -end collisions
- in rollovers.
In some types of accidents the front airbags,
s ide curtain airbags and s ide a irbags may be
t rigge red togethe r.
_&.
WARNING
- Safety belts and t he airbag system wil l
only provide protection when occupants
are in the proper seating position
c::> page 163.
- If the airbag indicator light
r:!:>
page 20
comes when the vehicle is being used,
have the system inspected immediately
by your authorized Audi dealer . It is pos-
sible that the airbag will inflate when it
is not supposed to, or will not inflate
when it should.
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. 1 58
Inflated side airbags on left side of vehicle
When t he system is t rigge red, the a irbag is
filled wit h propellan t gas an d breaks t hrough
a seam in the seat surface area marked "AIR-
BAG". It expands between the side trim panel
and the passenger. In order to help provide
t his addit ional protec t ion, the side airbag
must inflate within a fraction of a second at
very high speed and with great force . The sup -
plementa l side airbag could injure you if your
seat ing pos ition is not proper or up right or if
items are located in the area where the s up-
pleme nt al side airbag expands. This applies
especially to ch ild ren
c::> page 16 7, Child
..,.
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