Fiat Panda Owner's Handbook Manual page 95

Front air bag may not be activated in the
following situations:
❒ in collisions against highly deformable
objects not affecting the car front sur-
face (e.g. bumper collision against guard
rail);
❒ car wedging under other vehicles or
protective barriers (for example under
a truck or guard rail);
as it offers no additional protection com-
pared with the seat belts, consequently,
it would be pointless. Therefore, failure to
come into action in the above circum-
stances does not mean that the system is
not working properly.
WARNING
Do not apply stickers or oth-
er objects to the steering
wheel or to the air bag cover on the
passenger's side or on the side roof
lining. Never put objects (e.g. mobile
phones) on the dashboard on pas-
senger side since they could interfere
with proper passenger air bag infla-
tion and also cause serious injury.
94
The driver's and passenger's front Air bags
have been designed and calibrated to im-
prove the protection of a person wear-
ing seat belts.
At their maximum inflation, their volume
fills most of the space between the dash-
board and the passenger.
In minor side crashes (for which the re-
straining action of the seat belts is suffi-
cient), the air bags are not deployed. Al-
so in this case it is of vital importance to
wear the seat belts since in case of side
crash they guarantee proper positioning
of the occupant.
H
F
C
E
fig. 16
DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG fig. 16
It consists of an instant-inflating cushion
contained in a special recess in the cen-
tre of the steering wheel.
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