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- The side curtain airbags above the front and
rear side windows
- The airbag ind icator light in the instrument
pane l
The a irbag system is monitored elect ro nica lly
to make certain it is funct io ning proper ly at a ll
times. Each time you switch on t he ignition,
the airbag system indicator light will come on
for a few seconds (se lf diagnost ics) .
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
- if the ign itio n is swit ched off,
- in s ide coll isions when the accelerat ion
measured by the sensor is too low,
- in rear-end collisions .
_&
WARNING
- Safety belts and t he a irbag system w ill
only provide protection whe n occu pan t s
are in the proper sea t ing posit ion
¢
page 53, General recommendations.
- If the airbag indicator light ¢
page 19
comes when t he vehicle is be ing used,
have the system inspected immediate ly
by you r aut ho rized Audi dea ler. It is pos -
sible that the airbag will inflate when it
is not s upposed to, or will not inflate
when it sho uld.
How side curtain airbags work
Side curtain airbags can work together with
side airbags to help reduce the risk of head
and upper torso injuries for occupants who
are properly restrained .
Fig. 170
Illust rat ion of principle: Inflated side curtain
airbags on t he left side
.
A irba g sy stem
173
The side curtain airbags infla t e between the
occupant and the windows on the side of the
vehicle that is struck in a side coll is ion
¢ fig . 170.
When the system is trigge red, t he side curta in
airbag is filled with propellant gas and breaks
th rough a seam above the front and rear side
windows identified by the AIRBAG labe l. In or-
der to he lp provide this additional protection,
the side curta in a irbag must inflate withi n the
blink of an eye at ve ry hig h speed and with
great fo rce . The side curta in a irbag could in-
jure yo u if your sea t ing posit io n is not proper
or upright or if items are loca t ed in t he a rea
where the supplemental
side curta in a irbag
inflates . This applies especially to chi ld ren
~ page 175 .
Although t hey are not a soft pillow, side cur-
ta in a irbags can "cushion" the impact and in
this way they can help to reduce the risk of in-
jury to the head and the uppe r part of the
body .
A fine dust may deve lop when the airbag de-
ploys . This is qui t e no rma l and does not mean
there is a fire in the vehicle .
Important safety instructions on the
side curtain airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints . Al-
ways properly wear safe ty belts 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 do t heir job to provide supplemental
protection .
_&
WARNING
...__
Imp roperly wea ring safety belts and im-
proper seating posit ions increase the risk
of ser ious perso nal injury and death when-
ever a vehicle is being used.
- Never let occupa nts pla ce any pa rts of
thei r bodie s in t he area fro m whi ch the
side curt ain air bag inf late.
-
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