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_ A _ ir _b _a-= g:..- s.:o.
y_ s _ t_ e _m _______________________________________________
_
W hen the system is dep loyed , the a irbags sta rt to fill with a propel-
lan t gas, and infla te be twee n t he lower part of th e ins t ru m en t pan el
and t he driver and the lowe r pa rt of the instrumen t panel a nd the
front passenge r => page 135, fig . 11 0.
Alt ho ugh t hey are not a sof t pi llow, th ey can "cushi o n" th e impact
and in t his way they can he lp to reduce the risk of injur y to the lower
ext rem ities.
All this takes place instantaneously,
so fast that many people don't
even rea lize that t he a irbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate
w ith a great dea l of force a nd it is importa nt fo r occupant safe ty tha t
nothing should be in their way when they d eploy .
Fully inf lat ed airbags in combin ation w ith prope rly wo rn sa fe ty bel t s
slow down and limit the occupant's forward movement and help to
re duc e t he risk. •
Important
safety
instructions
on the
knee
airbag
system
Airbags are only supp lem en tal res traints. Always wea r
s af ety belts correctly and ride in a proper s eating pos i-
tion.
The re is a lot that you and your passengers must know and do t o help
t he safet y be lts and a irbag s t o prov ide suppl e m ent a l prot ectio n .
&
WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious injury. Wearing safety
belts incorrectly and improper seating positions increase the risk
of seriou s personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being
used.
• The airbag system cannot protect you properly if you are seated
too close to any of the airbag locations . When adjusting their seat
positions, it is important that both the driver and the front
&
WARNING (continued )
passenger keep their upper bodies and knees at the following
minimum safe distances:
- 10 inches (25 cm) between the chest and the steering
wheel/instrument
panel.
- 4 inches (10 cm) between the knees and the lower part of
the instrument 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 increases even more should the
airbag deploy.
• Always make sure that the knee airbag can inflate without
interference. Objects between yourself and the airbag can increase
the risk of injury in an accident by interfering with the way the
airbag deploys or by being pushed into you as the airbag deploys .
- No persons (children ) or animals should ride in the footwell
in front of the passenger seat . If the airbag deploys, this can
result in serious or fatal injuries.
- No objects of any kind should be carried in the footwell area
in front of the driver's or passenger 's seat. Bulky objects (shop-
ping bags, for example ) can hamper or prevent proper deploy-
ment of the airbag. Small objects can be thrown through the
vehicle if the airbag deploy s and injure you or your passengers.
• Make sure there are no cracks , deep scratches or other damage
in the area of the instrument panel where the knee airbags are
located.
• If children are incorrectly seated, their risk of injury increases
in the case of an accident =>
page 148 ,
"Child Safety". •
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