airbag AUDI A4 2018 User Guide

Emergency call
Emergency call
Introduction
The following functions may be available depend ­
ing on the vehicle and the market.
- Emergency call
¢page 202.
- Online roadside assistance Q page 203 .
(D Tips
-The services are provided through a SIM
card installed in the vehicle. The cost of the
call and data connections is included in the
price for the services. Services are provided
assuming that the cell phone network re­
quired for the installed SIM card is function­
ing and ready to operate. The available serv­
ices set by Audi AG are only available within
the cell phone network coverage area for
the cell phone service provider selected by
Audi AG.
- You can find what data will be transferred
at www.aud iusa.com.
- These services cannot be deactivated using
the settings in the Infotainment system .
Emergency call
Description
Applies to: vehicles with emergency call function
You can request help when in an emergency or
dangerous situation using the emergency call
function
l) _ An emergency call is a combination
of data transmission and a phone call. The data
transmission from your vehicle forwards impor­
tant information, such as the vehicle and position
data, to the emergency call center.
1l The avai lability of the serv ices o ffere d de pen ds on t he
c oun try a nd may chang e ove r tim e.
202
Making an emergency call
Applies to: vehicles with emergency call function
The emergency call can be made two different
ways .
Fig. 187 Front headli ner: cover for the e mergency cal l but­
ton
Requirement: the LED @must be green when
the service is available. The service is not ava ila ­
ble when the LED is red .
Manual emergency call
Requirement: the ignition must be switched on.
.. Tap the cover@¢ fig. 187 to open it .
.. Press the emergency call button. The LED@
blinks green and the emergency call is started.
.. If you press the emergency call button by mis­
take, then press it again immediate ly. The
emergency call is canceled .
Automatic emergency call
The vehicle electrical system initiates an auto­
matic emergency call under certain circumstan­
ces, for example if an airbag deploys. The LED in
the emergency call button @blinks green . The
emergency call is made . Th is cannot be canceled.
(D Tips
If the emergency call is canceled due to a
poor connection, then the system automati­
cally tries to connect again .

@ Tips
-Check for any connection requests on your
Bluetooth device.
- Multiple Bluetooth audio players can be
connected to the MMI, but only one mobile
device can be active.
- Bluetooth protocols AVRCP (1.0/1.3/1.4)
and A2DP are supported.
- Note the volume setting on your Bluetooth device. Audi recommends setting your
mo­
bile device to the maximum volume when
using it as a Bluetooth audio player.
- The supported media functions (such as
shuffle) depend on the Bluetooth device
be­
ing used.
- For more information on the supported
de­
vices, visit www.audiusa.com/bluetooth or
contact an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility.
Wi-Fi audio player
Applies to: vehicl es with Wi ·F i audio player
Using the Wi-Fi audio player media source on the
MMI, you can connect and operate your Wi-Fi-ca­
pable media player (such as a smartphone) to
wirelessly play music from your media player
li­
brary. The media player is connected through the
vehicle's Wi-Fi hotspot. A UPnP Server app or an
integrated UPnPIDLNA server on your media
player is required to access your media player
li­
brary.
Requirement: the Wi-Fi function on your media
player must be switched on. The
Audi MMI con·
nect
app or a UPnP server app must be installed
on your media player .
Or: you must be using a
media player with an integrated UPnP/DLNA
server.
- Connecting a media player: press the I MEDIA !
button. Press the left control button until the
sources
overview¢ page 236 is displayed . Se­
lect and confirm Wi-Fi audio player (J)
¢page 236, fig . 216 .
~ -If necessary, select and confirm Wi-Fi off>
;::; Turn on Wi-Fi to activate Wi-Fi in the MMI. Se-,....
:::l Leet Wi·Fi settings, if necessary. Select the 0 0
3 Media
same settings on the wireless media player
that are used for the Wi-Fi hotspot.
-Starting the Wi-Fi audio player: start the Audi
MMI connect
app or a UPnP server app, or set
media permissions on your media player.
Operating the media player: the media player is
operated through the MMI.
- Press the left control button repeatedly until
the
Folders menu item appears. Select and con­
firm
Folders.
-Playing music from the media player: select
and confirm
Media center .
Web radio:
see ¢ page 232.
A WARNING
= -
-As the driver, do not allow usage of the Wi­
Fi hotspot to distract you from driving, as
this could increase the risk of an accident.
- It is only safe to use tablets, laptops, mo·
bile devices and other similar devices when
the vehicle is stationary because, like all
loose objects, they could be thrown around
the inside of the vehicle in a crash and cause
serious injuries . Store these types of devices
securely while driving.
- Do not use any wireless devices on the front
seats within range of the airbags while driv­
ing. Also read and follow the warnings in
¢ page 2 75, Front airbags.
(D Note
Always follow the information found in ¢Q) in
Wi-Fi hotspot on page 194.
(D Tips
-Always read the chapter¢ page 195, Audi
connect (Infotainment) general informa­
tion.
- Please note that a Wi-Fi connection does
not automatically make it possible to use
the Internet. For additional information,
see
¢ page 188.
- To avoid interruptions during playback, de­
activate the power saving function on the
media player or connect it to a charger.
231

-Do not use any wireless devices on the front
seats within range of the airbags while driv­
ing. Also read and follow the warnings in
c::> page 275, Front airbags.
CJ) Note
- Always follow the information found in c::>0
in Wi-Fi hotspot on page 194.
- Please note that there genera lly are addi­
tional costs when using an online media
service account, especially when it is used internationally .
@ Tips
-Depending on the Internet connection and
network traffic, a connection loss can occur
during playback of on line media services.
-Online media and Internet radio usage de­
pends on the service availability of the third
party provider.
- Audi AG simply makes the access to on line
media services possible through the MMI
and does not take any responsibility for the
contents of the on line media services.
- Always read the chapter
c::> page 195, Audi
connect (Infotainment) general informa­
tion.
- Depending on the mobile device used, there
may be interruptions during media playback
and when using the
Audi MMI connect app.
To avoid interruptions when using a mobile
device, do not lock the screen on your mo­
bile device and keep the
Audi MMI connect
app in the foreground .
- Contact an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for additional
information about online media.
Media
Multimedia connections
USB adapter for Audi music interface
You can connect your mobile devices (such as a
smartphone or
MP3 player) to the Audi music in ­
terface and charge them using a special
USB
adapter .
Fig. 213 Audi USB adap ters
You can purchase the USB adapter c::> fig. 213
from an author ized Audi dealer or at specialty
stores:
(D USB adapter for devices with a micro USB con­
nection
@ USB adapter for devices with an Apple Light­
ning connect ion
@ USB adapter for devices with an Apple Dock
connector
You can connect your mobile dev ices through the
Audi music interface to the MMI using the USB
adapter and charge the battery at the same time.
Applies to : veh icles w it h Aud i music interface
- Audi music interface: see c::> page 234.
(D Note
Handle the USB adapter carefully. Do not al­
low it to be pinched.
233

.,. Observe all traffic laws, rules of the road and
speed limits and plain common sense .
.. ALWAYS adjust your speed to road, traffic and
weather conditions.
.. Take frequent breaks on long trips. Do not drive
for more than two hours at a stretch.
.. Do NOT drive when you are tired, under pres­
sure or when you are st ressed.
& WARNING
Impai red dr iv ing safe ty inc reases the risk of
ser ious personal inju ry and death whenever a
vehicle is being used.
Correct passenger
seating positions
Proper seating position for the driver
The proper driver seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
F ig . 2 24 Correct seating posit ion
F or your own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the driver's seat to the following position:
.. Adjust the dr iver's seat so that you can easily
push the pedals all the way to the floor while
keeping your knee(s) slight ly
bent ¢&_ .
.. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position so that your back comes in
full contact w ith it when you drive .
.,. Adjust the steering wheel so that there is a dis­
tance of at least 10 in ches (25 cm) between the
steering wheel and you r breast
bone ¢ fig. 224.
If not possib le, see your aut horized Aud i dea le r
about adaptive eq uipment .
Driving safety
.. Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering
wheel and airbag cover points at your chest and
not at yo ur face .
.. Grasp the top of the steering wheel with your
elbow(s) slightly bent .
.,. Applies to: adjustable head restraints: Adjust
the head restraint so the upper edge is as even as poss ible with the top of your head. If that is
not possib le, try to adjust the head rest raint so
t ha t it is as close to this pos ition as poss ible .
.. Fasten and wear safety belts correctly
¢page 266.
.. Always keep both feet in the footwell so that
you are in contro l of the veh icle at a ll times.
F or detailed information on how to adj ust the
drive r's seat, see
¢page 65 .
A WARNING
-
Drivers who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in­
jured by an airbag as it unfolds. To help re­ d uce the risk of serious personal injury:
- Always ad just the driver's seat and the
steer ing whee l so that there are at least
10 inc hes (25 cm) between you r breastbone
and the steering wheel.
- Always ad just the driver's seat and the
steer ing wheel so that there are at least
4 inches (10 cm) between the knees a nd the
lowe r part of the instrument panel.
- Always hold the steering w heel on the out­
s ide of the steering wheel r im with yo ur
hands at the 9 o 'clock and 3 o'clo ck posi ­
tions to help reduce the risk of personal in­
jury if the driver's airbag inflates.
- Never hold the stee ring wheel at the
12 o' clock position o r wi th yo ur hands at
other positions i nside the steer ing whee l
rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding
the steering wheel the wrong way can cause
serio us injuries to the hands, arms and head
if the dr iver's airbag dep loys.
- Pointing the steering wheel toward your
face decreases the ability of the supplemen­
tal driver's airbag to protect you in a coll i·
.,
sion. ..,
255

Driving safety
-Always sit in an upright position and never
lean against or place any part of your body
too close to the area where the airbags are located .
- Before driving, always adjust the front seats
and head restraints properly and make sure
that all passengers are properly restrained .
- Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is
moving . Your seat may move unexpectedly
and you could lose control of the vehicle.
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the risk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper seating position .
- Children must always ride in child safety
seats
c::> page 295 . Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat
c::> page 2 71 .
Proper seating position for the f ront
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is
important for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of in­
jury in the event of an accident, we recommend
that you adjust the seat for the front passenger
to the following position:
.. Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in
an upright position and your back comes in full
contact with it whenever the vehicle is moving.
.. Applies to: adjustable head restraints: Adjust
the head restraint so the upper edge is as even
a s possible with the top of your head . If that is
not possible, try to adjust the head restraint so
that it is as close to this position as possible
c::> page 66 .
.. Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the
front passenger seat.
.. Fasten and wear safety belts correct­
ly <=:> page 266.
For detailed information on how to adjust the
front passenger's seat, see
c::> page 65.
256
A WARNING , _
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out
of position or too close to the airbag can be
seriously injured or killed by the airbag as it
unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious
personal injury:
- Passengers must always sit in an upright po­
sition and never lean aga inst or place any
part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
- Passengers who are unbelted, out of posi­
tion or too close to the airbag can be seri­
ously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye.
- Always make sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front pas­
senger's breastbone and the instrument
panel.
- Always make sure that there are at least 4 inches (10 cm) between the front passen­
ger's knees and the lower part of the instru­
ment panel.
- Each passenger must always sit on a seat of
their own and properly fasten and wear the
safety belt belonging to that seat.
- Before driving, always adjust the front pas­
senger seat and head restraint properly.
- Always keep your feet on the floor in front
of the seat. Never rest them on the seat, in­
strument panel, out of the window, etc . The
airbag system and safety belt will not be
able to protect you properly and can even in ­
crease the risk of injury in a crash .
- Never drive with the backrest reclined or
tilted far back! The farther the backrests are
tilted back, the greater the r isk of injury due
to incorrect positioning of the safety be lt
and improper seat ing position.
- Ch ildren must always ride in child safety
seats
c::> page 295. Special precautions ap­
ply when installing a child safety seat on the
front passenger seat
c::> page 2 71.

Driving sa fe ty
-Never attempt to adjust head restraint
wh ile driving. If you have dr iven
off and
must adjust the driver headrest for any rea­
son, first stop the vehicle safely before at­
tempting to adjust the head restra int.
- Children must always be properly restrained
in a child restraint that is appropriate for
their age and size
¢ page 295.
Examples of improper seating positions
The occupant restraint system can only reduce
the risk of injury if vehicle occupants are properly
seated .
Improper seating positions can cause serious in­
jury or deat h. Safety belts can only work when
they are properly positioned on the body . Im­
proper seating positions reduce the effect iveness
of safety belts and w ill even increase the r isk of
i njur y and dea th by moving the safety be lt to crit­
ical areas of the body. Impro per sea ting posit ions
a lso increase the risk of ser ious injury and dea th
when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant
who is not in the proper seat ing position. A driver
is responsib le for the safety of all vehicle occu­
pants and especially for children. Therefore :
~ Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect
seat ing pos ition when the vehicle is being used
c> .&, .
The fo llowing bulletins list only some sample po ­
sitions that will increase the risk of serio us inj ury
and death. Our hope is that these examp les will
make you more aware of seating posit ions that
are dangerous.
The ref ore, when ever th e vehicle i s moving:
- never stand up in the ve hicle
- never s tand on the seats
- never knee l on the seats
- never r ide with the seatback reclined
- never lie down on t he seats
- never lean up against the instrument pane l
- never sit on the edge of the seat
- never sit s ideways
- never le an out the w indow
- never put yo ur feet out the window
258
- never put your feet on the instrument panel
- neve r rest your feet on the seat c ushion or back
o f the seat
- neve r ride in the footwell
- neve r ride in the ca rgo area
A WARNING
I mp roper seating positions inc re ase the risk
of ser iou s personal inju ry and de ath whenever
a veh icle is being used.
- Always make sure that all veh icle occupants
s tay in a proper sea ting posit ion and are
pro perly restrained whenever the vehicle is
be ing used .
Driver's and front
passenger's footwell
Important safety instructions
A WARNING
A lways make sure that the knee airbag can in­
flate w ithout interference. Objects between
yourself and the airbag can inc rease the risk
of injury in an accident by interfering with the
way the ai rbag dep loys o r by being pushed in­
to you as the airbag dep loys.
- No persons (ch ild ren) or animals should ride
in the footwell in front of the passenger
seat . If the airbag deploys, this can res ult in
serio us or fat al injuries.
- No objects of any kind should be carried i n
the footwell area in front of the dr iver's or
passenger's seat. Bu lky objects (shopping
bags, for examp le) can hamper or prevent
proper dep loyment of the airbag . Sma ll ob­
jects can be thrown thro ugh the vehicle if
the airbag deploys and injure you or your passengers.

Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even
when they deploy, airbags provide on ly additional
protection. Airbags are not supposed to dep loy in
all kinds of accidents. A lthough your Audi is
equipped with airbags, all vehicle occupants, in­
cluding the dr iver, must wear safety belts cor ­
rectly in order to minimize the risk of severe in­
jury or death in a crash .
Remember too, that airbags will deploy only
once and that your safety belts are always there
to offer protect ion in those accidents in w hich
a ir bags are not supposed to deploy or when they
have already deployed. Unbelted occupants can
also be thrown o ut of the vehicle where even
more severe or fatal injur ies can occur.
It is also important for the rear passengers to
wear safety belts correctly . Unbelted passengers
in the rear seats endanger not only themse lves
but also the driver and other passengers
¢ fig. 231. In a frontal collision they will be
thrown forward violently, where they can hit and
injure the driver and/or front seat passenger .
Safety belts protect
People think it's possible to use the hands to
brace the body in a minor collision . It 's simply
not true!
Fig. 232 Driver is correct ly restra ined in a sudden b rak ing
maneuver
Safety belts used properly can make a big differ­
ence. Safety belts he lp to keep passengers in
thei r seats, gradually reduce energy leve ls ap­
plied to the body in an acciden t, and help prevent
the uncontrolled movement that can cause seri ­
ous injuries. In addition, safety belts reduce the
danger of being thrown out of the vehicle.
Safety belts
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and give
them the benefit of being slowed down more
gently or "softly" through the
"give" i n the safety
belts, crush zones and other safety features engi ­
neered into today's vehicles. By "absorbing" the
kinetic ene rgy over a longer period of time, the
safety belts make the forces on the body more
"tolerab le" and less likely to ca use injury .
Although these examples are based on a frontal collision, safety be lts can also substantially re ­
duce the r isk of injury in other k inds of crashes.
So, whether you're on a long trip or just go ing to
the corner store, always buckle up and make sure
others do, too. Acciden t statist ics show that vehi­
cle occupants properly wearing safety belts have
a lower risk of being injured and a much better
chance of surviving an accident . Properly using
safety belts also greatly increases the ability of
the supp lemental airbags to do their job in a col­
lision. For this reason, wearing a safety belt is le­
gally required in most count ries including much
of the United States and Canada .
Although your Aud i is equipped with airbags, you
still have to wear the safety belts provided. Front
airbags, for example, are activated only in some
frontal collisions. The front airbags are not act i­
vated in all frontal collisions, in side and rear col­
lisions , in rollovers or in cases where there is not
enough deceleration through impact to the front
of the vehicle. The same goes for the other air bag
systems in your Audi . So, always wear your safety
belt and make sure everybody in your vehicle is
properly restrained!
Important safety instructions about safety
belts
Safety belts must always be correctly positioned
across the strongest bones of your body.
.,. Always wear safety belts as illustrated and de­
scribed in this chapter.
.,. Make sure that your safety belts are always
ready for use and are not damaged.
265

a co .... N ..... N .... 0 0
3 co
The shoulder belt should lie as close to the center
of the collar bone as possib le and should fit w ell
on the bod y ¢
A in Saf ety belt position on
page 267 .
.. Push the loop- around fittings up ¢ fig . 237 @,
or
.. sque ez e to gether the @ button, and push the
loop-around fit tings
do wn@ .
.. Pull the belt to make sure that the upper at­
tachment is p roperly engaged .
A WARNING
Always read and heed all WARNINGS and oth­
er important
i nformat ion ¢ page 265.
With the front seats, the height adjustment
of the seat can also be used to adjust the po ­
sition of the safety belts .
Improperly worn safety belts
Incorrectly positioned safety belts can cause se ­
vere injuries .
Wearing safety belts improperly can cause seri­
ous injury or death . Safety belts can only work
when they are correctly pos itioned on the body .
Improper seating positions reduce the effect ive­
n ess of safety be lts and will even inc rease the
ris k of injury and death by mov ing the safety bel t
to cr it ica l areas of the body. Imp roper seating
positions also increase the risk of serious inj ury
and death when an airbag deploys and strikes an
occ upant who is not in the co rrect s eat ing posi­
tion . A driver is respons ible for the safety of all
vehicle occupants and espec ia lly for children .
T herefore:
.. Nev er permit anyone to ass ume an incorr ect
s itting position in the veh icle wh ile traveling
¢ &, .
A WARNING
Improperly worn safety belts i ncrease the risk
of serious personal injury and death wheneve r
a vehicle is be ing used.
S afet y be lts
- Always make sure that all veh icle occupants
are correctly restrained and stay in a correct
seating position whenever the vehicle is be­ ing used .
- Always read and heed all WARNINGS and
other important
i nformat ion¢ page 265.
Belt tensioners
How safety belt pretensioners work
Reversible safety belt pr etensioners
T he following fu nctions a re availab le w hen safety
bel ts w it h reversib le safety bel t tensione rs a re
f astened:
- In ce rtain driving situations , the safety belts
may tighten w it h a reversib le tensioning func ­
tion ¢ page 120.
-The safety be lts may also tighten with this re-
versible tens ion ing f un ct ion in m ino r colli sions.
Pyrotechnic safety belt pretens ioners
Seat belts with pyrotechnic safety belt preten ­
sioners are tensioned automatically i n severe col·
lisions , depending on the circumstances . This
helps to reduce the fo rwa rd motion of the o ccu­
pants.
A WARNING
r-----
- I t is poss ible for the pretensioners to dep loy
incorrectly .
- Any wo rk on the tens ioner system o r remov­
al and installation of system components
for other repairs m ust be performed by a
qualified wor kshop.
- The pyrote chnic system can only provide
protection for one collision. If the py rotech­
n ic pretens ioners deploy, the pretensioning
system must be replaced .
(D Tips
- A fine dust is re leased when the pyrotechnic
safety belt pretensioners dep loy. This is no r­
ma l and is not caused by a f ire in the veh i-
cle.
..,
269

Safety belt s
- The relevant safety requirements must be
observed when the vehicle or components
of the system are scrapped. A qualif ied
dealership is familiar with these regulations
and will be p leased to pass on the informa­
tion to you .
Service and disposal of safety belt preten­
sioner
The safety be lt pretens ioners are pa rts of the
safety belts on your Audi. Installing, removing,
servicing or repair ing of belt pretensioners can
damage the safety belt system and prevent it
from wo rking co rrectly in a collision .
There are some important things yo u have to
know to make sure that the effectiveness of the
syst em will not be impaired and that discarded
components do not cause injury or pollute the
env ironment.
A WARNING
Improper care, serv icing and repair proce­
dures can increase the r isk of personal injury
and death by preventing a safety belt preten­
sioner from activating when needed or acti­
vating it unexpectedly :
- The pyrotechnic safety belt pretensioners
can on ly be act ivated once.
If pyrotechnic
safety belt pretensioners have been activat­ ed, the system must be rep laced .
- Never repair, adjust , or change any parts of
the safety be lt system.
- Safety belt systems in cl ud ing safety be lt
pretens ioners cannot be repaired. Special
procedures are req uired for removal, insta l­
lation and disposal of this system.
- For any wor k on the safety belt system, we
strongly recommend that you see your au­
tho rized Audi dea ler or q ualified technician
who has an Audi approved repair manual ,
training and spec ial equ ipment necessary.
@ For the sake of the environment
Undep loyed airbag modu les and pretension ­
ers might be classified as Perch lorate Materi­
al -specia l handling may apply, see
www.dtsc .ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlo-
270
r ate. When the vehicle or parts of the re­
straint system including airbag modu les safe­
ty belts with pretensioners are scrapped, all
applicable laws and regulations must be ob ­
served. Your authorized Audi dealer is familiar
with these requirements and we recommend
that you have your dealer perform this service
for you .

a co .... N ,....
N .... 0 0
3 co
Airbag system
Important information
Importance of wearing safety belts and
sitting properly
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. For
airbags to do their job, occupants must always
properly wear their safety belts and be in a prop­ er seating position.
For your safety and the safety of your passen­
gers, before driving off, always :
.,. Adjust the driver's seat and steering wheel
properly
9 page 255,
.,. Adjust the front passenger's seat properly
¢page 256,
.,. Wear safety belts properly¢ page 265,
.,. Always properly use the proper child restraint
to protect children ¢
page 295.
In a collision, airbags must inflate within the
blink of an eye and with considerable force. The
supplemental airbags can cause injuries if the
driver or the front seat passenger is not seated
properly. Therefore in order to help the airbag to
do its job, it is important, both as a driver and as
a passenger to sit properly at all times.
By keeping room between your body and the
steering wheel and the front of the passenger
compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and
completely and provide supplemental protection in certain frontal
collisions ¢ page 255, Correct
passenger seating positions .
For details on the
operation of the seat adjustment controls
¢page 65.
It's especially important that children are proper­
ly restrained
¢page 295.
There is a lot that the driver and the passengers
can and must do to help the individual safety fea­
tures installed in your Audi work together as a
system.
Proper seating position is important so that the
front airbag on the driver side can do its job. If
you have a physical impairment or condition that prevents you from sitting properly on the driver
seat with the safety belt properly fastened and
Airbag system
reaching the pedals, or if you have concerns with
regard to the function or operation of the Ad­
vanced Airbag System, please contact your au­
thori zed Audi dealer or qualified workshop, or
call Audi Customer Relations at 1-800-822-2834
for possible modifications to your vehicle.
When the airbag system deploys, a gas generator
will fill the airbags, break open the padded cov­ ers, and inflate between the steering wheel and
the driver and between the instrument panel and
the front passenger. The airbags will deflate im­
mediately after deployment so that the front oc­
cupants can see through the windshield again
without interruption.
All of this takes place in the blink of an eye, so
fast that many people don't even realize that the airbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate
with a great deal of force and nothing should be
in their way when they deploy. Front airbags in
combination with properly worn safety belts slow
down and limit the occupant's forward move­
ment . Together they help to prevent the driver
and front seat passenger from hitting parts of
the inside of the vehicle while reducing the forces
acting on the occupant during the crash . In this
way they help to reduce the risk of injury to the
head and upper body in the crash. Airbags do not
protect the arms or the lower parts of the body.
Both front airbags will not inflate in all frontal
collisions . The triggering of the airbag system de­
pends on the vehicle deceleration rate caused by
the collision and registered by the electronic con­
trol unit . If this rate is below the reference value
programmed into the control unit, the airbags
will not be triggered, even though the car may be badly damaged as a result of the collision. Vehi­
cle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehi­
cle damage is not necessarily an indication of
whether an airbag should inflate or not.
Since the circumstances will vary considerably between one collision and another, it is not possi­
ble to define a range of vehicle speeds that will
cover every possible kind and angle of impact
that will always trigger the airbags . Important
factors include, for example, the nature (hard or
soft) of the object which the car hits, the angle of
impact, vehicle speed , etc. The front airbags will
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