Page 33 of 396

SAFETY
}}
* Option/accessory.31
Seat belts – pregnancy
The seat belt should always be worn during pregnancy. However, it is crucial that it be worncorrectly.
G020998
The diagonal section should wrap over the shoul- der then be routed between the breasts and tothe side of the belly. The lap section should layflat over the thighs and as low as possible underthe belly. It must never be allowed to ride upward.Remove all slack from the belt and ensure that itfits close to the body without any twists. As a pregnancy progresses, pregnant drivers should adjust their seats and steering wheel suchthat they can easily maintain control of the vehi-cle as they drive (which means they must be ableto easily operate the foot pedals and steeringwheel). Within this context, they should strive toposition the seat with as large a distance as pos-sible between their belly and the steering wheel.
Related information
• Seat belts – buckling/unbuckling (p. 29)
• Seat belt reminder (p. 30)
• Child restraints (p. 47)
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
As an enhancement to the three-point seat
belts (p. 28), your Volvo is equipped with aSupplemental Restraint System (SRS).
Models with an analog instrument panel
Models with an digital instrument panel *
Page 34 of 396

||
SAFETY
32Volvo's SRS consists of seat belt pretensioners, front airbags (p. 33), side impact air-bags (p. 39), a front passenger occupantweight sensor (p. 36), and inflatable cur-tains (p. 41). All of these systems are moni-tored by the SRS control module. An SRS warn-ing light in the instrument panel (see the illustra- tion) illuminates when the ignition is in modes
I
or II, and will normally go out after approximately
6 seconds if no faults are detected in the system. Where applicable, a text message will also be displayed when the SRS warning light illuminates.If this warning symbol is not functioning properly,the general warning symbol illuminates and a textmessage will be displayed. See also Information displays – indicator symbols (p. 67) and Information displays – warning sym-bols (p. 69) for more information about indica-tor and warning lights.
WARNING
• If the SRS warning light stays on after the engine has started or if it illuminateswhile you are driving, have the vehicleinspected by a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician as soon as possible.
• Never try to repair any component or partof the SRS yourself. Any interference inthe system could cause malfunction andserious injury. All work on these systemsshould be performed by a trained andqualified Volvo service technician.
WARNING
If your vehicle has become flood-damaged in any way (e.g., soaked carpeting/standingwater on the floor of the vehicle), do notattempt to start the vehicle or insert theremote key into the ignition slot before dis-connecting the battery (see below). This maycause airbag deployment which could result inserious injury. Have the vehicle towed to atrained and qualified Volvo service technicianfor repairs. Before attempting to tow the vehicle:
1. Switch off the ignition for at least
10 minutes and disconnect the battery.
2. Follow the instructions for manually over- riding the shiftlock system Transmission – shiftlock override (p. 259).
Related information
•Crash mode – general information (p. 44)
Page 35 of 396

SAFETY
}}
33
Front airbags
The front airbags supplement the three-point seat belts (p. 28). For these airbags to providethe protection intended, seat belts must be wornat all times.
G018665
The front airbag systemThe front airbag system includes gas generators surrounded by the airbags, and deceleration sen-sors that activate the gas generators, causing theairbags to be inflated with nitrogen gas.
Location of the passenger's side front airbag
As the movement of the seats' occupants com- presses the airbags, some of the gas is expelledat a controlled rate to provide better cushioning.Both seat belt pretensioners also deploy, mini-mizing seat belt slack. The entire process, includ-ing inflation and deflation of the airbags, takesapproximately one fifth of a second. The location of the front airbags is indicated by SRS AIRBAG embossed on the steering wheel
pad and above the glove compartment, and by decals on both sun visors and on the front andfar right side of the dash. The driver's side front airbag is folded and located in the steering wheel hub. The passenger's side front airbag is folded behind a panel located above the glove compart-ment.
WARNING
• The airbags in the vehicle are designed to be a SUPPLEMENT to–not a replace-ment for–the three-point seat belts. Formaximum protection, wear seat belts at alltimes. Be aware that no system can pre-vent all possible injuries that may occur inan accident.
• Never drive with your hands on the steer-ing wheel pad/airbag housing.
• The front airbags are designed to helpprevent serious injury. Deployment occursvery quickly and with considerable force.During normal deployment and depend-ing on variables such as seating position,one may experience abrasions, bruises,swellings, or other injuries as a resultfrom deployment of one or both of theairbags.
• When installing any accessory equipment,make sure that the front airbag system isnot damaged. Any interference in the sys-tem could cause malfunction.
Front airbag deployment
•The front airbags are designed to deploy dur-ing certain frontal or front-angular collisions,impacts, or decelerations, depending on thecrash severity, angle, speed and objectimpacted. The airbags may also deploy in
Page 36 of 396

||
SAFETY
34certain non-frontal collisions where rapid deceleration occurs.
• The SRS (p. 31) sensors, which trigger thefront airbags, are designed to react to boththe impact of the collision and the inertialforces generated by it, and to determine ifthe intensity of the collision is sufficient forthe seat belt pretensioners and/or airbags tobe deployed.
However, not all frontal collisions activate thefront airbags.
• If the collision involves a nonrigid object (e.g.,a snow drift or bush), or a rigid, fixed objectat a low speed, the front airbags will not nec-essarily deploy.
• Front airbags do not normally deploy in aside impact collision, in a collision from therear or in a rollover situation.
• The amount of damage to the bodyworkdoes not reliably indicate if the airbagsshould have deployed or not.
WARNING
If any of the airbags have deployed:
• Do not attempt to drive the vehicle. Have it towed to a qualified repair facility.
• If necessary seek medical attentIon.
WARNING
•Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the frontpassenger's seat. We also recommendthat occupants under 4 feet 7 inches(140 cm) in height who have outgrownthese devices sit in the rear seat with the seat belt fastened 1
.
• Never drive with the airbags deployed. The fact that they hang out can impair thesteering of your vehicle. Other safety sys-tems can also be damaged.
• The smoke and dust formed when theairbags are deployed can cause skin andeye irritation in the event of prolongedexposure.
Should you have questions about any componentin the SRS system, please contact a trained andqualified Volvo service technician or Volvo cus-tomer support: In the USA Volvo Car USA, LLC Customer Care Center1 Volvo DriveP.O. Box 914Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647 1-800-458-1552www.volvocars.com/us In Canada Volvo Car Canada Ltd. Customer Care Centre9130 Leslie Street, Suite 101Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 0B91-800-663-8255www.volvocars.com/ca
1
See also the Occupant Weight Sensor information, (p. 36).
Page 37 of 396

SAFETY
}}
35
NOTE
•Deployment of front airbags occurs only one time during an accident. In a collisionwhere deployment occurs, the airbagsand seat belt pretensioners activate.Some noise occurs and a small amountof powder is released. The release of thepowder may appear as smoke-like matter.This is a normal characteristic and doesnot indicate fire.
• Volvo's front airbags use special sensorsthat are integrated with the front seatbuckles. The point at which the airbagdeploys is determined by whether or notthe seat belt is being used, as well as theseverity of the collision.
• Collisions can occur where only one ofthe airbags deploys. If the impact is lesssevere, but severe enough to present aclear injury risk, the airbags are triggeredat partial capacity. If the impact is moresevere, the airbags are triggered at fullcapacity.
Airbag decals
Airbag decal on the outside of both sun visors
Passenger's side airbag decal
WARNING
• Children must never be allowed in the front passenger's seat.
• Occupants in the front passenger's seatmust never sit on the edge of the seat, sitleaning toward the instrument panel orotherwise sit out of position.
• The occupant's back must be as uprightas comfort allows and be against the seatback with the seat belt properly fastened.
• Feet must be on the floor, e.g., not on thedash, seat or out of the window.
Page 38 of 396

||
SAFETY
36
WARNING
•No objects or accessory equipment, e.g. dashboard covers, may be placed on,attached to, or installed near the air baghatch (the area above the glove compart-ment) or the area affected by airbagdeployment.
• There should be no loose articles, suchas coffee cups on the floor, seat, or dash-board area.
• Never try to open the airbag cover on thesteering wheel or the passenger's sidedashboard. This should only be done by atrained and qualified Volvo service techni-cian.
• Failure to follow these instructions canresult in injury to the vehicle occupants.
Related information
• Occupant Weight Sensor (p. 36)
• Side impact protection (SIPS) airbags(p. 39)
• Inflatable Curtain (IC) (p. 41)
• Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)(p. 31)
Occupant Weight Sensor
The Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) is designed to meet the regulatory requirements ofFederal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)208 and is designed to disable (will not inflate)the passenger's side front airbag under certainconditions.
2
2
G017724
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) indicator light
Disabling the passenger's side frontairbag
Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults and children) shorter than 4 feet 7 inches(140 cm) be seated in the back seat of any vehi-cle with a front passenger side airbag (p. 33), andbe properly restrained for their size and weight.For child safety recommendations, see Childsafety (p. 46). The OWS works with sensors that are part of thefront passenger's seat and seat belt (p. 28). Thesensors are designed to detect the presence of aproperly seated occupant and determine if thepassenger's side front airbag should be enabled(may inflate) or disabled (will not inflate). The OWS will disable (will not inflate) the pas- senger's side front airbag when:
• the front passenger's seat is unoccupied, orhas small/medium objects in the front seat,
• the system determines that an infant is pres-ent in a rear-facing infant seat that is instal-led according to the manufacturer's instruc-tions,
• the system determines that a small child ispresent in a forward-facing child restraintthat is installed according to the manufactur-er's instructions,
• the system determines that a small child ispresent in a booster seat,
• a front passenger takes his/her weight off ofthe seat for a period of time,
• a child or a small person occupies the frontpassenger's seat.
The OWS uses a PASSENGER AIRBAG OFFindicator lamp which will illuminate and stay on toremind you that the passenger's side front airbagis disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indi-cator lamp is located in the overhead console,near the base of the rearview mirror.
Page 39 of 396

SAFETY
}}
37
NOTE
When the ignition is switched on, the OWS indicator light will illuminate for several sec-onds while the system performs a self-diag-nostic test.
However, if a fault is detected in the system:
• The OWS indicator light will stay on
• The SRS warning light (p. 31) will come on and stay on
• The message
Pass. Airbag OFF Service
urgent will be displayed in the information
display.
WARNING
If a fault in the system is detected and indi- cated as described, be aware that the pas-senger's side front airbag will not deploy inthe event of a collision. In this case, the SRSsystem and Occupant Weight Sensor shouldbe inspected by a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician as soon as possible.
WARNING
• Never try to open, remove, or repair any components in the OWS system. Thiscould result in system malfunction. Main-tenance or repairs should only be carriedout by an a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician.
• The front passenger's seat should not bemodified in any way. This could reducepressure on the seat cushion, whichmight interfere with the OWS system'sfunction.
Passenger's seat occu-pancy status OWS indi-cator lightstatusPassenger'sside front air-bag status
Seat unoccu- pied OWS indi-cator lightlights up.Passenger'sside front air-bag disabled
Seat occu-pied by lowweight occu- pant/object AOWS indi-
cator light lights up Passenger'sside front air-
bag disabled
Seat occu-pied by heavyoccupant/object OWS indi-cator light is
not lit Passenger'sside front air-bag enabled
A
Volvo recommends that children always be properly restrained in appropriate child restraints in the rear seats. Do not assumethat the passenger's side front airbag is disabled unless thePASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit. Make sure thechild restraint is properly installed. If there is any doubt as to thestatus of the passenger's side front airbag, move the childrestraint to the rear seat.
The OWS is designed to enable (may inflate) the passenger's side front airbag in the event of acollision anytime the system senses that a per-son of adult size is sitting properly in the frontpassenger's seat. The PASSENGER AIRBAGOFF indicator lamp will be off and remain off. If a person of adult size is sitting in the front pas- senger's seat, but the PASSENGER AIRBAGOFF indicator lamp is on, it is possible that the
Page 40 of 396

||
SAFETY
38person isn't sitting properly in the seat. If this happens:
• Turn the vehicle off and ask the person toplace the seatback in an upright position.
• Have the person sit upright in the seat, cen-tered on the seat cushion, with the person'slegs comfortably extended.
• Restart the vehicle and have the personremain in this position for about two minutes.This will allow the system to detect that per-son and enable the passenger's frontal air-bag.
• If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicatorlamp remains on even after this, the personshould be advised to ride in the rear seat.
This condition reflects limitations of the OWSclassification capability. It does not indicate OWSmalfunction.
ModificationsIf you are considering modifying your vehicle inany way to accommodate a disability, for exampleby altering or adapting the driver's or front pas-senger's seat(s) and/or airbag systems, pleasecontact Volvo at: In the USA Volvo Car USA, LLC Customer Care Center1 Volvo Drive P.O. Box 914Rockleigh, New Jersey 076471-800-458-1552 In Canada Volvo Car Canada Ltd. Customer Care Centre9130 Leslie Street, Suite 101Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 0B91-800-663-8255
WARNING
•
No objects that add to the total weight on the seat should be placed on the frontpassenger's seat. If a child is seated inthe front passenger's seat with any addi-tional weight, this extra weight couldcause the OWS system to enable the air-bag, which might cause it to deploy in theevent of a collision, thereby injuring thechild.
• The seat belt should never be wrappedaround an object on the front passeng-er's seat. This could interfere with theOWS system's function.
• The front passenger's seat belt shouldnever be used in a way that exerts morepressure on the passenger than normal.This could increase the pressure exertedon the weight sensor by a child, andcould result in the airbag being enabled,which might cause it to deploy in theevent of a collision, thereby injuring thechild.