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is met
c::>
page 146, More important things to
know about front airbags .
In addition to their normal safety function,
safety belts help keep the driver or front pas-
senger in position in a frontal collision so that
the airbags can provide supplemental
protec-
tion.
The airbag system is not a subst itute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall oc-
cupant restraint system in your vehicle. Al-
ways remember that the airbag system can
only help to protect you if you are wearing
your safety belt and wearing it properly. This
is why you shou ld always wear your safety
belt, not just because the law requires you to
do soc::>
page 129, General notes .
The safety belt buckle for the driver and front
seat passenger have switches that tell the a ir-
bag control module if the safety belt is being
used or not . If the safety belt is being used,
the knee airbag will deploy at a slightly higher
rate of deceleration than if the belt is not be-
ing used . Therefore, in a particu lar collision, it
is possible that an airbag will not deploy at a
seating position where the safety belt is being
used but will inflate at the position where the
safety belt is not be ing used.
Remember too, airbags will deploy only once
and only in certain kinds of accidents - your
safety belts are always there to offer protec-
tion in those accidents in which airbags are
not supposed to deploy or when they have al-
ready deployed, for example when your vehi -
cle strikes or is struck by another after the
f irst coll is ion.
This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is
not a substitute for the safety belt . The airbag
system works most effectively when used with
the safety belts. Therefore, always wear your
safety belts correctly .
It is important to remember that while the
supplemental
knee a irbag system is des igned
to reduce the like lihood of serious injuries,
other injuries, for example, swelling, bruising,
and minor abras ion s and frict ion burns can al-
so occur when an airbag inflates.
Airbag
system
153
The knee airbag system basically consists
of:
- The electronic control module
- Two inflatable airbags (airbag and gas gen-
erator), one for the driver and one for the
front passenger
- The airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
The knee airbag system will not deploy:
- when the ignition is turned off
- in frontal collisions when the deceleration
measured by the control unit is too low
- in side collisions
- in rear-end collisions
- in rollovers
- in the event of a system malfunction (warn-
ing/indicator light is on) c::>
page
20.
A
WARNING
- Safety belts and the airbag system can
only provide protection when occupants
are in the proper seating position
c::>
page 146.
- If the airbag indicator light c::>
page 20
comes when the veh icle 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 knee airbags work
Applies to vehicles: wit h knee airbags
The risk of injury to the leg area can be re-
duced by fully deployed knee airbags.
Fig. 157 Inflated airbags protecting in a frontal colli-
sion
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