Volvo S40 Owner's Manual page 18

SRS system
SRS system, left-hand drive
The system consists of airbags and sensors.
A sufficiently violent collision trips the sen-
sors and the airbag(s) are inflated with hot
gas. To cushion the impact, the airbag
deflates when compressed. When this
occurs, smoke escapes into the car. This is
completely normal. The entire process,
including inflation and deflation of the airbag,
takes place within tenths of a second.
SRS system, right-hand drive
NOTE
The sensors react differently depending on
the course of the collision and whether the
seatbelts on the driver and passenger side
are used. It is therefore possible that only
one (or none) of the airbags may inflate in a
collision. The SRS system senses the force
of the collision on the car and adapts
accordingly so that one or more airbags is
deployed.
The airbags have a function whereby their
capacities are adapted to the collision force
to which the car is subjected.
01 Safety
Airbags (SRS)
Location of the passenger airbag in left-hand
drive and right-hand drive cars
WARNING
Do not put objects in front of or above the
instrument panel where the passenger air-
bag is located.
01
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