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168
Airbag
system
How knee airbags work
Applies to vehicles: with knee airbags
The risk of injury to the leg area can be re-
duced by fully inflated knee airbags.
Fig. 166
Inflated airbags protecting in a frontal colli·
s ion
The knee airbag system has been designed so
that the a irbags for the driver and front pas-
senger deploy in certain but not all frontal
coll isions.
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags
a lso deploy in frontal collisions when the de-
ployment threshold stored in the control unit
is met .
When the system deploys, the airbags fill
with a propellant gas, and inflate between the
lower part of the instrument panel and the
driver and the lower part of the instrument
panel and the front passenger
Q
page 159,
fig. 163.
Although they a re not a soft pillow, they can
"cush ion" the impact and in this way they can
help to reduce the risk of injury to the lower
extremities.
All of this takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don 't even rea lize that
the airbags have deployed . The airbags also
inflate with a great deal of force and it is im-
portant for occupant safety that noth ing
should be in their way when they deploy.
Fully inflated airbags in combination with
properly worn safety belts slow down and lim-
it the occupant's forward movement and help
to reduce the risk of injury.
Important safety instructions on the
knee airbag system
Applies to vehicles: with knee airbags
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. Al-
ways wear safety belts correctly and ride in a
proper seating position .
There is a lot that you and your passengers
must know and do to help the safety belts and
airbags to provide supplementa l protect ion.
A
WARNING
-
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious
injury. Wearing safety belts incorrectly and
improper seat ing positions increase the
risk of serious personal injury and death
whenever a vehicle is being used.
- The kne e airbag system cannot protect
you properly if you are seated too close
to any of the airbag locations. When ad-
justing their seat pos itions, it is impor-
tant that both the driver and the front
passenger keep the ir upper bodies and
knees at the following m inimum safe
distances :
- at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the
chest and the steering wheel/instru-
ment panel.
- at least 4 inches (10 cm) between the
knees and the lower part of the instru-
ment panel.
- The risk of personal injury increases if
you lean forward or to the side, or if the
seat is improperly positioned and you are
not wearing your safety belt . The risk in-
creases even more should the airbag de-
ploy.
- Always make sure that the knee airbag
can inflate without interference. Objects
between you and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by inter-
fering w it h the way the airbag deploys or
by being pushed into you as the airbag
deploys.
- Never let anybody, espec ially children
or animals ride in the footwell in front
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