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176
Airbag
system
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. 185
Illustration of principle: Inflated side curtain
airbags on the left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the
occupant and the windows on the side of the
vehicle that is struck in a side collision
c::>
fig. 185 .
When the system is triggered , the side curtain
airbag is filled with propellant gas and breaks
through a seam above the front and rear side
windows identified by the AIRBAG label. In or-
der to help provide this additional protection ,
the side curtain airbag must inflate within the
blink of an eye at very high speed and with
great force. The side curtain airbag could in-
jure you if your seating position is not proper
or upright or if items are located in the area
where the supplemental
side curtain airbag
inflates . This applies especially to children
c::> page 178 .
Although they are not a soft pillow, side cur-
tain airbags can "cushion" the impact and in
this way they can help to reduce the risk of in-
jury to the head and the upper part of the
body.
A fine dust may develop when the airbag de-
ploys . This is quite normal and does not mean
there is a fire in the veh icle.
Important safety instructions on the
side curtain airbag system
Airbags are only supplemental restraints . Al-
ways properly wear safety 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 their job to provide supplemental
protection.
A
WARNING
Improperly wearing safety belts and im-
proper seating positions increase the risk
of serious personal injury and death when-
ever a vehicle is being used.
- Never let occupants place any parts of
their bodies in the area from which the
side curtain airbags inflate.
- Always make sure that the side curtain
airbags can inflate without interference.
Unsuitable accessories fitted inside the
expansion range of a head airbag can
dangerously interfere with its function. A
deploying head airbag develops enough
force to catapult any piece of add-on
component out of its path of inflation
and into the passenger compartment.
An
occupant hit by such a projectile can suf-
fer serious injury or death
c::>
page 294,
Technical Modifications.
- Do not swivel the sun visors to the side if
you have any objects clipped onto them
(for example pens). If the airbag should
deploy, you could be injured by these ob-
jects.
- Use the built-in coat hooks only for light-
weight clothing. Never leave any heavy or
sharp-edged objects in the pockets that
may interfere with airbag deployment
and can cause personal injury in an acci-
dent.
- Never use hangers to hang clothing from
the hooks .
- Only use factory-installed
sun shades or,
in the case of shades installed after the
vehicle leaves the factory, only Audi roll-
up sunscreens may be used
c::>
page 293,
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