35
Airbag system
Safety notes on the front airbag system
If you use airbags correctly, they can considerably reduce
the risk of injury in many kinds of accident.
WARNING
● It is important for the driver and front passenger to keep a distance of
at least 25 cm from the steering wheel and dash panel. If the minimum
distance is not observed then the airbags do not correctly protect the ve-
hicle occupants; risk of fatal injuries! In addition, the front seats and
head restraints must always be positioned correctly for the height of the
occupant.
● If you are not wearing a seat belt, if you lean forward or to the side
while travelling or assume an incorrect sitting position, there is a sub-
stantially increased risk of injury. This increased risk of injury will be fur-
ther increased if you are struck by an inflating airbag.
● Never let a child travel on the front seat without an appropriate re-
straint system. If the airbag is triggered in an accident, children can sus-
tain serious or fatal injuries from the airbag as it inflates ⇒ page 46,
Child safety.
● The deployment space between the front passengers and the airbags
must not in any case be occupied by other passenger, pets and objects.
● The airbags provide protection for just one accident; replace them
once they have deployed.
● It is also important not to attach any objects such as cup holders or
telephone mountings to the surfaces covering the airbag units.
● Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any
way.
Knee airbag*
Description of the knee airbag
The airbag system provides additional protection to front
seat passengers if they are properly secured.
Fig. 21 Driver knee air-
bag
The knee airbag for the driver is located in the dash panel underneath the
steering wheel ⇒ fig. 21.
The knee airbag offers additional protection to the driver's knees and upper
and lower thigh areas as a supplement to the seat belts.
If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbag also deploys in severe frontal
collisions ⇒ page 33.
Besides their normal safety function, seat belts help keep the driver in posi-
tion in case of a frontal collision so that the airbags can provide protection.
The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts. It is, on the other hand,
part of the overall occupant safety system of your vehicle. Always remember
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
37
Airbag system
When the system is deployed, the airbag starts to fill with a propellant gas,
and inflates between the lower part of the dash panel and the driver
⇒ fig. 22.
Although they are not a soft pillow, they can cushion the impact and in this
way help to reduce the risk of injury to lower limbs.
All this takes place instantaneously, so fast that many people do not even
realise that the airbags have deployed. The airbags also inflate with a great
deal of force and it is important for occupant safety that nothing should be
in their way when they deploy.
Fully inflated airbags in combination with properly worn seat belts slow
down and limit the occupant's forward movement and help to reduce the
risk of injury.
Important safety notes on the knee airbag system
Airbags are only additional safety
Always wear seat belts correctly and drive in a proper seated position. There
is a lot of information that you and your passengers should know and do so
that the seat belts and airbags can provide additional protection.
WARNING
An inflating knee airbag can cause serious injuries. Wearing seat belts
incorrectly and improper seating positions increase the risk of serious
personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.
● The airbag system cannot protect you properly if you are seated too
close to any of the airbag locations. When adjusting the seat positions, it
is important for the driver to keep the upper body and knees at the fol-
lowing minimum safety distances:
–25 cm between the chest and the steering wheel/dash panel.
– 10 cm between the knees and the lower part of the dash panel.
● The risk of personal injury increases if you lean forward or to the side,
or if the seat is improperly positioned and you are not wearing your seat
belt. The risk increases even more should the airbag deploy.
● Always make sure that the knee airbag can inflate without interfer-
ence. Objects between yourself and the airbag can increase the risk of in-
jury in an accident by interfering with the way the airbag deploys or by
being thrust into you as the airbag deploys.
–No objects of any kind should be carried in the footwell area in
front of the driver's seat. Bulky objects (shopping bags, for example)
can hinder or prevent proper deployment of the airbag. Small objects
can be thrown through the vehicle if the airbag deploys and injure
you or your passengers.
● Make sure there are no cracks, deep scratches or other damage in the
area of the dash panel where the knee airbag is located.
● If children are incorrectly seated, their risk of injury increases in the
case of an accident ⇒ page 46.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
39
Airbag system
WARNING (Continued)
● Never drive the vehicle if the loudspeakers in the door panels have
been removed, unless the holes left by the loudspeakers have been cor-
rectly closed.
● Always check that the openings are closed or covered if loudspeakers
or other equipment are fitted in the interior door panels.
● Any work carried out to the doors should be made in a specialised
workshop.
● The seat belts and airbags can only provide maximum protection if
the occupants are seated correctly ⇒ page 10, Proper sitting position for
occupants.
● If a fault has occurred in the airbag system, have the system checked
immediately by a specialised workshop. Otherwise, during a side colli-
sion, the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly.
Operation of side airbags
Inflated airbags can reduce the risk of head or chest injury
in many side impact collisions.
Fig. 24 Inflated side air-
bag on left side of vehicle
In some side collisions, the side airbag is triggered on the impact side of
the vehicle ⇒ fig. 24.
In certain types of accident the front, curtain and side airbags may be trig-
gered together.
When the system is triggered, the airbag is filled with propellant gas.
The airbags deploy extremely rapidly, within thousandths of a second, to
provide additional protection in the event of an accident. A fine dust may
develop when the airbag deploys. This is normal and it is not an indication
of fire in the vehicle.
The fully deployed airbags cushion the movement of the occupants of the
front seats and the outer rear seats and help to reduce the risk of injury to
the upper body.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
41
Airbag system
Curtain airbags
Description of curtain airbags
The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts.
Fig. 25 Location of head
airbags on the left side of
the vehicle
The curtain airbags are located on both sides in the interior above the doors
⇒ fig. 25 and are identified with the text “AIRBAG”. In conjunction with the seat belts, the curtain airbag system gives the occu-
pants additional protection for the head and upper body in the event of a
severe side collision ⇒ page 42, Safety notes on the operation of the cur-tain airbag system.
The airbag system is not a substitute for seat belts, but it is an integral part
of the vehicle's overall passive safety system. Please bear in mind that the
airbag system can only work effectively when the occupants are wearing
their seat belts correctly and have adjusted the head restraints properly.
Therefore, it is most important to wear the seat belts at all times, not only
because this is required by law in most countries, but also for your safety
⇒ page 18, Brief introduction. The main parts of the curtain airbag system are:
●
an electronic control and monitoring system (control unit)
● the curtain airbags (airbags with gas generator) for the driver, front pas-
senger and passengers on the rear seats,
● a warning lamp on the instrument panel ⇒ page 30
The airbag system operation is monitored electronically.
The curtain airbag system will not be triggered if:
● the ignition is switched off
● there is a frontal collision
● there is a rear-end collision
● the vehicle turns over
● there is a minor side collision
WARNING
If a fault has occurred in the airbag system, have the system checked im-
mediately by a specialised workshop. Otherwise there is a danger that
during a collision, the system may fail to trigger, or not trigger correctly.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
43
Airbag system
WARNING (Continued)
● Any work on the curtain airbag system or removal and installation of
the airbag components for other repairs (such as removal of the roof lin-
ing) should only be performed by a specialised workshop. Otherwise,
faults may occur during the airbag system operation.
● Do not attempt to modify components of the airbag system in any
way.
● The side and head airbags are managed through sensors located in
the interior of the front doors. To ensure the correct functioning of the
side and head airbags neither the doors nor the door panels should be
modified in any way (e.g. fitting loudspeakers). If the front door is dam-
aged, the airbag system may not work correctly. All work carried out on
the front door must be made in a specialised workshop.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
45
Airbag system
WARNING
● The driver is responsible for the proper position of the key-operated
switch.
● You should only deactivate the front passenger airbag when, in ex-
ceptional cases, you have to use a rear-facing child seat on the front pas-
senger seat ⇒ page 46, Child safety.
● Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger
seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. Otherwise,
there is a risk of death. If under exceptional circumstances it is necessary
to transport a child in a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger
seat, you must always disable the front passenger airbag.
● As soon as the child seat is no longer needed on the front passenger
seat, enable the front passenger airbag again.
● Only deactivate the passenger airbag when the ignition is off, other-
wise a fault may occur in the airbag system, which could cause the airbag
to not deploy properly or not deploy at all.
● When the passenger airbag is deactivated, if the warning lamp AIR-
BAG OFF is not continuously lit up, there may be a fault in the airbag sys-
tem:
–Have the airbag system inspected immediately by a specialised
workshop.
– Do not use a child seat on the front passenger seat! The front pas-
senger airbag could be triggered despite the fact that there is a fault
in the system and, as a result, a child could sustain serious or fatal
injuries.
– It is unpredictable whether the front passenger airbag will deploy
in the event of an accident. Warn all your passengers of this.
● When using the ignition key to activate/deactivate the front passen-
ger airbag, only the front passenger airbag will be activated/deactivated.
The side airbag and head airbag on the passenger side will remain ac-
tive.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
47
Child safety
WARNING
● Never install a child seat facing backwards on the front passenger
seat unless the front passenger airbag has been disabled. This could
lead to a risk of potentially fatal injuries to the child! However, if it is nec-
essary, in exceptional cases, to transport a child in the front passenger
seat, the front passenger airbag must always be disabled ⇒ page 44, De-
activating airbags. If the passenger seat has a height adjustment option,
move it to the highest position.
● For those vehicles that do not include a key lock switch to disconnect
the airbag, the vehicle must be taken to a Technical Service.
● All passengers, especially children, must assume the proper sitting
position and be properly belted in while travelling.
● Never hold children or babies on your lap, this can result in potential-
ly fatal injuries to the child!
● Never allow a child to be transported in a vehicle without being prop-
erly secured, or to stand up or kneel on a seat while travelling. In an acci-
dent, the child could be flung through the vehicle, causing possibly fatal
injuries to themselves and to the other passengers.
● If children assume an improper sitting position when the vehicle is
moving, they expose themselves to greater risk of injury in the event of a
sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident. This is particularly impor-
tant if the child is travelling on the front passenger seat and the airbag
system is triggered in an accident; as this could cause serious injury or
even death.
● A suitable child seat can protect your child!
● Never leave an unsupervised child alone on a child seat or in the vehi-
cle.
● Depending on weather conditions, it may become extremely hot or
cold inside the vehicle. This can be fatal.WARNING (Continued)
● Children who are less than 1.5 metres tall must not wear a normal
seat belt without a child seat, as this could cause injuries to the abdomi-
nal and neck areas during a sudden braking manoeuvre or in an accident.
● Do not allow the seat belt to become twisted or jammed, or to rub on
any sharp edges.
● Incorrectly worn seat belts can cause injuries even in a minor colli-
sion or in sudden braking manoeuvres.
● The seat belt provides maximum protection only when the seat belt is
properly positioned ⇒ page 23, Seat belts.
● Only one child may occupy a child seat ⇒ page 48, Child seats.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications
49
Child safety
Group 1 child seats
A suitable child seat and a correctly adjusted seat belt can
help you to protect your child.
Fig. 30 A category 1 for-
ward-facing child seat fit-
ted on the rear seat.
Child seats using the ISOFIX system or seats in which the child faces the
rear of the vehicle are most appropriate for babies and small children
weighing between 9 and 18 kg.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats.
We recommend you to include the manufacturer's Child Seat instruction
manual together with the on-board documentation.
WARNING
Read and always observe information and warnings concerning the use
of child seats ⇒
in Safety notes on using child seats on page 47.Group 2 and 3 child seats
A suitable child seat and a correctly adjusted seat belt can
help you to protect your child.
Fig. 31 Forward-facing
child seat installed on
rear seat.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and observe any statutory require-
ments when installing and using child seats.
We recommend you to include the manufacturer's Child Seat instruction
manual together with the on-board documentation.
Group 2 child seats
Children under 7 years of age weighing between 15 and 25 kg are best pro-
tected by group 2 child seats together with properly adjusted seat belts.
Group 3 child seats
Children over 7 years of age weighing between 22 and 36 kg but less than
1.5 metres tall are best protected by seat cushions with head restraints to-
gether with properly worn seat belts ⇒ fig. 31.
Safety FirstOperating InstructionsPractical TipsTechnical Specifications