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The belt tensioners are activated by sensors in the event of severe frontal, side and rear collisions.
They tighten the seat belts against the direction in which they are pulled. Any slack in the seat belt is
retracted, which can reduce the forward movement of the vehicle occupants and their movement in
the direction of the impact. The belt tensioner works together with the airbag system. If the vehicle
rolls over, the belt tensioners will not be activated if the side airbags are not triggered.
Fine dust may be produced when belt tensioners are triggered. This is quite normal and does not
mean there is a fire in the vehicle.
Belt tension limiter
The belt tension limiter reduces the pressure exerted by the seat belt on the body in an accident.
All safety regulations must be observed when the vehicle or components of the system are
scrapped. Qualified workshops are familiar with these regulations ⇒ Service and disposal of belt
tensioners .
Service and disposal of belt tensioners
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒Introduction
Seat belts may become damaged during any work on the belt tensioners or while removing or
refitting any vehicle parts in conjunction with any other repair work. This damage will not always be
noticeable. The consequence may be that the belt tensioners could function incorrectly, or not
function at all, in the event of an accident.
Regulations must be observed to ensure that the effectiveness of the belt tensioner is not reduced
and that removed parts do not cause any injuries or environmental pollution. Qualified workshops
are familiar with these regulations.
WARNING
The risk of severe or fatal injuries may be increased if the seat belts, belt retractors and belt
tensioners are not used correctly or if they are repaired by a non-professional. As a result, the belt
tensioners may not be triggered when they should be, or they may be triggered unexpectedly.
Any repairs, adjustments or removal and refitting of parts in the belt tensioners or seat belts should
always be carried out by a qualified workshop and never by yourself ⇒ Accessories, modifications,
repairs and renewal of parts .
Belt tensioners and belt retractors cannot be repaired. They must be replaced.
The airbag modules and belt tensioners may contain perchlorate. Observe the applicable legislation
regarding disposal.
Proactive occupant protection system
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First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒Introduction
The proactive occupant protection system is an assistance system that initiates measures to protect
vehicle occupants in dangerous situations. However, the system cannot prevent a collision.
The full range of functions of the proactive occupant protection system will be available only if the
function has been activated in the Infotainment system, no special driving profile has been selected
and there are no malfunctions ⇒ Driving profile selection and 4MOTION Active Control , ⇒ Function
limitations .
Basic functions
Depending on country-specific legal requirements and also on the vehicle equipment, the following
functions may be initiated, either individually or jointly, in critical situations (e.g. emergency braking
or in the case of oversteering or understeering) as of a speed of approximately 30 km/h (19 mph):
Reversible tensioning of the fastened front seat belts.
Depending on the critical driving situation, the seat belts can be tensioned separately or together.
Additional information for vehicles with an area monitoring system (Front Assist)
In vehicles fitted with the area monitoring system (Front Assist) ⇒ Area monitoring system (Front
Assist) , the probability of a collision with the vehicle ahead is also calculated within the system
limits. The system can trigger the proactive occupant protection system if it detects a probable
collision or initiates strong braking.
Function limitations
The proactive occupant protection system will not be available, or will be available only to a limited
extent, in the following situations:
If there is a fault in the ESC, belt tensioner ⇒ Seat belts or airbag control unit ⇒ Airbag system .
WARNING
The intelligent technology of the proactive occupant protection system cannot overcome the laws of
physics, and functions only within the limits of the system. Never let the extra convenience afforded
by the proactive occupant protection system tempt you into taking any risks when driving. The
system cannot prevent a collision. The system is not a substitute for the full concentration of the
driver.
Adapt your speed and distance from the vehicles ahead to suit visibility, weather, road and traffic
conditions.
The system cannot detect objects in all situations.
The proactive occupant protection system does not react to people, animals, objects crossing in
front of the vehicle, or objects which are hard to detect.
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Reflective objects such as safety barriers, tunnel entrances, heavy rain and ice can impair the
performance of the proactive occupant protection system and thus prevent it from detecting a
collision risk.
Incorrect system activation can occur.
WARNING
Accidents and injuries can occur if the driver is distracted.
Never change settings in the Infotainment system when the vehicle is in motion.
WARNING
Failure to observe illuminated warning lamps and text messages can lead to your vehicle breaking
down in traffic, and can cause accidents and serious injury.
Never ignore any illuminated warning lamps or text messages.
Stop the vehicle as soon as possible and when safe to do so.
NOTICE
Failure to observe illuminated indicator lamps and text messages can lead to your vehicle being
damaged.
Airbag system
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the followingsubjects:
⇒ Types of front passenger front airbag system
⇒ Indicator lamp
⇒ Description and function of the airbags
⇒ Front airbags
⇒ Switching the front passenger front airbag on and off
The vehicle is equipped with a front airbag for the driver and front passenger. The front airbags can
provide front seat occupants with additional chest and head protection if the seat, seat belts, head
restraints and, in the case of the driver, steering wheel are adjusted and used correctly. Airbags are
designed only for additional protection. The airbag system is not a substitute for the seat belts. Seats
belts must always be worn, even when the front seats are equipped with airbags.
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WARNING
Never rely on the airbag system exclusively for your protection.
The airbag has merely a supportive function for your protection, even if it is triggered.
The airbag system offers the best level of protection and reduces the risk of injury when seat belts
are properly worn ⇒ Seat belts .
Before every trip, each vehicle occupant must adopt the correct sitting position, correctly fasten the
seat belt belonging to their seat and keep it fastened properly throughout the trip. This applies to all
vehicle occupants and also in urban traffic.
WARNING
The risk of injury increases if there are any objects located between the vehicle occupants and the
deployment area of the airbag when it is triggered. This will impinge on the deployment zone of the
airbag or the items will be flung against the body.
Never hold any objects in your hands or on your lap while the vehicle is in motion.
Never transport any objects on the front passenger seat. The objects could enter into the
deployment zone of the airbag during sudden braking or driving manoeuvres and then be flung
dangerously through the vehicle interior if the airbag is activated.
Vehicle occupants sitting on the front seats and rear outer seats must never carry any people, pets
or objects in the deployment zone between themselves and the airbags. Make sure that children and
passengers also keep to this rule.
WARNING
The airbag system can be triggered only once. The system will have to be replaced if the airbags have
been triggered.
Airbags that have been triggered, and any affected system parts, must immediately be replaced with
new parts that are approved by Volkswagen for the vehicle.
Repairs and modifications to your vehicle should be carried out only by a qualified workshop.
Qualified workshops have the necessary tools, diagnostic equipment, repair information and
qualified personnel.
Never use recycled airbag components or components that have been taken from end-of-life
vehicles in your vehicle.
Never alter any components of the airbag system.
WARNING
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Fine dust particles or steam may be released when the airbags trigger. This is normal and does not
mean there is a fire in the vehicle.
The fine dust can cause irritation to the skin and eye membranes as well as cause breathing
difficulties, particularly for those people suffering from asthma or other respiratory health problems.
In order to reduce breathing difficulties, get out of the vehicle or open the windows or doors in
order to breathe fresh air.
If you should come into contact with the dust, you should wash your hands and face with a mild
soap and water before eating.
Do not rub the dust into your eyes or into open wounds.
If dust has entered your eyes, rinse them with water.
WARNING
Cleaning agents that contain solvents cause the surface of the airbag modules to become porous. In
an accident that triggers the airbag, loose plastic parts can cause serious injury.
Never clean the dash panel or the airbag covers with cleaning agents that contain solvents.
Types of front passenger front airbag system
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒Introduction
Volkswagen offers two different front passenger front airbag systems:
A B
Features of the front passenger
front airbag that can be switched
off only by a qualified workshop.
Features of the front passenger front airbag that can be
switched off manually using the key-operated switch
⇒ Switching the front passenger front airbag on and off .
Designation: airbag system. Designation: airbag system with front passenger front airbag
deactivation.
– Indicator lamp lights up on
the instrument cluster display.
– Indicator lamp lights up on the instrument cluster
display.
– Front passenger front airbag in
the dash panel.
– Indicator lamp PASSENGER AIR BAG in the upper
section of the centre console.
– Indicator lamp PASSENGER AIR BAG in the upper
section of the centre console.
– Key-operated switch in the side of the dash panel on the
passenger side (visible only when the door is open).
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Volkswagen offers two different front passenger front airbag systems:
A B
Features of the front passenger
front airbag that can be switched
off only by a qualified workshop.
Features of the front passenger front airbag that can be
switched off manually using the key-operated switch
⇒ Switching the front passenger front airbag on and off .
– Front passenger front airbag in the dash panel.
Indicator lamp
Fig. 39 In the roof console: indicator lamp for deactivated front passenger front airbag or indicator
lamp for activated front passenger front airbag .
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒Introduction
Several warning and indicator lamps will light up briefly as a functional check when the ignition is
switched on. They will go out after a few seconds.
WARNING
If there is a fault in the airbag system, the airbag may not trigger correctly, may not trigger at all or
may trigger unexpectedly. This could cause severe or fatal injuries.
The airbag system should be checked by a qualified workshop as soon as possible.
Never fit a child seat to the front passenger seat or remove a child seat that is already fitted! The
front passenger front airbag may deploy during an accident in spite of the fault.
NOTICE
Failure to observe the illuminated indicator lamps could lead to the vehicle being damaged.
Description and function of the airbags
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒Introduction
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The airbags can protect vehicle occupants during frontal and side collisions by reducing their
movement in the direction of the collision.
Each triggered airbag is filled by a gas generator. This causes the airbag covers to break open and the
airbags inflate forcefully to cover their deployment zones within milliseconds. Once a vehicle
occupant wearing a seat belt starts to sink into the inflated airbag, the gas inside the airbag starts to
escape to cushion the occupant and slow down their movement. This reduces the risk of severe and
fatal injuries. A triggered airbag will not always prevent other injuries from occurring, such as
swelling, bruising, burning and grazing. Deployment of an airbag can also result in frictional heat.
The most important factors for triggering the airbag are the type of accident, the angle of impact,
the vehicle speed and the type of object with which the vehicle collides. Therefore, visible damage
to the vehicle does not always mean that the airbag should have been triggered.
The triggering of the airbag system depends on the vehicle deceleration rate caused by the collision
and registered by the electronic control unit. If this rate is below the reference value programmed
into the control unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even though the vehicle may be badly
damaged as a result of the collision. Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage
in an accident is not necessarily an indication of whether an airbag should inflate or not. It is not
possible to define a range of vehicle speeds and reference values, since the circumstances will vary
considerably between one collision and another. It is therefore impossible to cover every possible
kind and angle of impact that would trigger the airbags. Important factors in the triggering of the
airbag include, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of the object that the vehicle hits, the angle of
impact as well as vehicle speed.
Airbags serve only as a supplement to the three-point seat belt in some accident situations when the
vehicle's deceleration is sufficient to trigger the airbags. Airbags can be triggered only once and only
in certain situations. The seat belts are always there to provide protection in situations when the
airbags are not triggered or have already been triggered. For example, if the vehicle collides with a
further vehicle following the initial collision, or is hit by another vehicle.
The airbag system is part of the vehicle's overall passive safety concept. The airbag system can work
effectively only when the occupants are wearing their seat belts correctly and have assumed a
proper sitting position ⇒ Sitting position .
Components of the vehicle safety concept
The following vehicle safety equipment makes up the vehicle's safety concept to reduce the risk of
severe and fatal injuries. Depending on the vehicle equipment level, some of the equipment may not
be fitted in your vehicle or may not be available in some countries.
Optimised seat belts for all seats.
Front airbags for driver and front passenger.
Airbag indicator lamp .
Control units and sensors.
Adjustable steering column.
If applicable, mounting points for the top tether for child seats.
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Front airbags
Fig. 40 Location and deployment zone of the driver front airbag.
Fig. 41 Location and deployment zone of the front passenger front airbag.
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒Introduction
In conjunction with the seat belts, the front airbag system gives the front occupants additional
protection for the head and chest in the event of a severe frontal collision. Always keep as far away
from the front airbag as possible ⇒ Sitting position . This allows the front airbags to deploy fully
when they are triggered, thus providing maximum protection.
The front airbag for the driver is located in the steering wheel ⇒ Fig. 40 and the front airbag for the
front passenger is located in the dash panel ⇒ Fig. 41 . The airbag locations are identified by the text
AIRBAG.
The areas inside the red lines are covered by the front airbags when deployed (deployment zone).
You must never leave or attach any objects in these areas ⇒ . Any factory-fitted add-on parts will
not be struck if the driver and front passenger front airbags are deployed.
DANGER
Once triggered, the airbag inflates in fractions of a second and at very high speed.
Always leave the deployment zones of the front airbags clear.