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Airbag
syste m
the circumstances will vary considerably between
one collision and another. Important factors in-
clude, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of
the impacting object, the angle of impact, vehicle
speed, etc.
c:;,
page 166, How side curtain air-
bags work .
Aside from their normal safety function, safety
belts work to help keep the driver or front pas-
senger in position in the event of a collision so
that the side curtain airbags can provide protec -
tion .
The airbag system is not a substitute for your
safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occu-
pant restraint system in your vehicle . Always re-
member that the airbag system can only help to
protect you if you a re wearing your safety belt
and wearing it properly . This is another reason
why you should always wear your safety belts ,
not just because the law requires you to do so
c:;,
page 138, General information.
It is important to remember that whi le the s ide
curtain airbag system is designed to help reduce
the likelihood of serious injuries, other injuries,
for example, swelling, bruising, and minor abra -
sions can a lso be associated with these airbags
upon deployment. Remember too, these a irbags
will deploy only once and only in certa in kinds of
accidents - your safety belts are always there to
offer protect ion .
The side curtain airbag system basically
consists of:
- The electronic control module and external side
impact sensors
- The side curtain airbags above the front and
rear side windows
- The airbag indicator light in the instrument
panel
The airbag system is monitored electronically to
make certain it is functioning properly at all
times. Each time you switch on the ignition, the
airbag system indicator light will come on for a
few seconds (self diagnostics) .
The side curtain airbag is not activated:
- if the ignition is switched off,
166
- in side collisions when the acceleration meas-
ured by the sensor is too low,
- in rear-end collisions .
A
WARNING
- Safety belts and the airbag system will only
provide protection when occupants are in
the proper seating position
c:;,
page 58, Gen-
eral information .
- If the airbag ind icator light
c:;,
page 18
comes when the vehicle is being used, have
the system inspected immediately by your
author ized Audi dealer. It is possible that
the airbag will inflate when it is not sup-
posed to, or will not inflate when it should.
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 re-
strained.
Fig. 172
Illus tr at ion of principle: Inflated side curtain air-
bags on t he left side
The side curtain airbags inflate between the oc-
cupant and the windows in a side coll ision
¢ fig. 172.
When the system is triggered, the s ide curta in
airbag is filled with propellant gas and breaks
through a seam above t he front and rear side
windows identified by the AIRBAG lab el. In order
to help provide this additional protection, the
s ide curtain airbag must inflate within the blink
of an eye at very high speed and with g reat fo rce.
The side curtain airbag could injure you if your
seat ing position is not proper or upright or if
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