1998 JAGUAR X308 airbags

located behind the trunk lid badge.
Occupant Restraints
Inertia reel seat belts with electronically controlled pre-tensioners are installed at the front seats. Supplementary occupant
restraint is provided for driver and front seat passenger by front airbags, and side air bags installed in the outer wing of
each front seat. Standard inertia reel type belts are fitted to all three rear seat positions. The front seat belts are provide d
with height adjuster units which are attached one to each of the 'B' posts. Where emergency locking retractor/automatic
locking retractor seat belts are provided, the belts have two operating modes.The inertia reel mode with emergency locking
retractor is for adult passenge r use only and operates to allow the occupant some freedom of tors o movement under normal
travel conditions.. The static reel mode which prevents belt payout and must be used when a ch ild seat is installed, is
activated by fully extending the belt to engage the ratchet me chanism,.then releasing the belt. Operation of the ratchet will
then be felt and the belt w ill become locked in that position. To revert to in ertia reel (adult passenger) mode, pay the belt
back into the reel to th e fully retracted position.
Body Structure
The XJ8 sedan body is produced in monocoque standard and lo ng wheelbase form. 70% of the body panels are zinc coated
to achieve optimum corrosion protection and a further 8% are constructed in high st rength steels to provide high torsional
strength and passenger impact protection.
Doors
Each front and rear door consists of a we lded, mild steel inner frame and an outer panel. The outer panel is welded to the
waist rail and cheater of the inner frame, then bonded and clinched to fo rm the door assembly. Cosmetic PVC bead is
applied to all clinch joints
Hood
The hood consists of one piece inner an d outer panels clinched and bonded toge ther, with cosmetic bead PVC sealant
applied to all clinch joints. The hood pivo ts at the front on two hinges each secured by bolts to the hood front underside and
the BIW front upper crossmember. Two gas struts secured to the hood by pi vot pins and snap-on couplings, support the
hood in the open position.
Trunk
The trunk lid is of similar construction to the hood, consisting of inner and outer panels clinched and bonded together and
PVC bead sealed. The trunk accommodates the spare wheel, the battery, an electrical carrier containing electrical fuses,
relays and modules and where premium ICE is fitted, a compac t disc auto-changer mounted on body bracketry. Carpet
covered trims line the trunk sides and front inner panel and a po lyurethane rear finisher is secured to the rear panel by
spring clips and fir tree fasteners.
B and C Post Reinforcement

Supplemental Restraint System - Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS)
Description and Operation
Supplementary Restraint Air Bag System

Airbag/SRS units provided for driver and fro nt seat passemger protection, are installed in the center of the steering wheel,
the passenger side fascia and the oute r wing of each front seat. A single point sensing unit (SPS) mounted on the
transmission tunnel, below the ra dio, provides fully electronic impact sensing, control and diagnostics for the front airbags
Deployment of each side airbag is initia ted by a side impact sensing module (SISM) installed in the adjacent 'B' post. Each
SISM senses and electronically processes a crash pulse and if this exceeds the 'must fire' threshold, transmits a fire signal
to the SPS unit. The SPS unit monitors wh ole vehicle motion and on confirmation of a crash condition, transmits a firing
current pulse to the appropriate airbags. In the event of a side only impact, the SPS will send a current pulse to the airbag
on the struck only. Neither th e non-struck side airbag nor the frontal restraint system will be deployed under these
conditions. The airbag system can only be activated wh en the ignition switch is in position II or III.
Side Air Bags

Side airbags provide front seat occupants with additional protection under side impa ct conditions. In a side impact above a
pre-determined severity, the ai rbag on the impacted side inflates between the occupant an d the door at approximately
chest height. Each side air bag is installe d in a cavity formed by the foam padding in the outboard wing of its respective
seat, and is secured to the seat back frame . A slit incorporated in the foam on the forward side of the cavity, directs the
expanding air bag to the required exit point in the seat trim.