Side Airbags - Skoda Octavia Tour Owner's Manual

92 Airbag system
WARNING (continued)
attached to the covers of the airbag modules or be located within the immediate
area.
•
No modifications of any kind may be made to parts of the airbag system. Any
work on the airbag system including installing and removing system compo-
nents because of other repair work (e.g. removing the steering wheel) must only
be carried out by a specialist garage.
•
Never carry out changes on the front bumper or on the body.
•
Never place any objects on the surface of the front passenger airbag module
in the dash panel.

side airbags*

Description of the side airbags
The side airbag together with the head airbag offers enhanced
occupant protection in the event of a side collision.
The front side airbags are housed in the upholstery of the seat backrests of the
front seats  fig. 98.
The side airbag system in combination with the three-point seat belts, offers addi-
tional protection for the upper area of the body (chest, stomach and pelvis) of the
occupants of the vehicle in the event of severe side collisions page 93.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts is to also
hold the occupants of the front or rear exterior seats in position so as to enable the
side airbag to offer the maximum protection in the event of a side collision.
Fig. 98 Installation position of side
airbag in driver seat
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.
Each time the side airbags are deployed, the head airbag* and the front belt
tensioner on the side of the car on which the collision occurs, are automatically
deployed at the same time in order to provide the occupant with enhanced
protection.
Function of the side airbags
Risk of injury to the upper part of the body is reduced by fully inflated
side airbags.
When the side airbags are deployed, the head airbag* and the belt tensioner are
also automatically deployed on the relevant side
If an airbag is deployed, the airbag is filled with gas. 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.
The load of the occupants is cushioned when plunging into the fully inflated airbag
and the risk of injury to the entire upper body (chest, stomach and pelvis) is reduced
on the side facing the door.
Fig. 99 Inflated side airbag
 fig.
99.