Front airbag deployment, 01 safety – Volvo 2009 C70 User Manual

Page 23

Advertising
background image

01 Safety

Supplemental Restraint System

01

}}

23

WARNING

The airbags in the vehicle are designed

to be a SUPPLEMENT to-not a replace-

ment for-the three-point seat belts. For

maximum protection, wear seat belts at

all times. Be aware that no system can

prevent all possible injuries that may

occur in an accident.

Never drive a vehicle with a steering

wheel-mounted airbag with your hands

on the steering wheel pad/airbag hous-

ing.

The front airbags are designed to help

prevent serious injury. Deployment

occurs very quickly and with consider-

able force. During normal deployment

and depending on variables such as

seating position, one may experience

abrasions, bruises, swellings, or other

injuries as a result from deployment of

one or both of the airbags.

When installing any accessory equip-

ment, make sure that the front airbag

system is not damaged. Any interfer-

ence in the system could cause mal-

function.

Front airbag deployment

The front airbags are designed to deploy

during certain frontal or front-angular col-

lisions, impacts, or decelerations, depend-

ing on the crash severity, angle, speed and

object impacted. The airbags may also

deploy in certain non-frontal collisions

where rapid deceleration occurs.

The SRS sensors, which trigger the front

airbags, are designed to react to both the

impact of the collision and the inertial

forces generated by it, and to determine if

the intensity of the collision is sufficient for

the seat belt pretensioners and/or airbags

to be deployed.

However, not all frontal collisions activate the
front airbags.

If the collision involves a nonrigid object

(e.g., a snow drift or bush), or a rigid, fixed

object at a low speed, the front airbags will

not necessarily deploy.

Front airbags do not normally deploy in a

side impact collision, in a collision from the

rear or in a rollover situation.

The amount of damage to the bodywork

does not reliably indicate if the airbags

should have deployed or not.

NOTE

Deployment of front airbags occurs only

one time during an accident. In a colli-

sion where deployment occurs, the air-

bags and seat belt pretensioners acti-

vate. Some noise occurs and a small

amount of powder is released. The

release of the powder may appear as

smoke-like matter. This is a normal

characteristic and does not indicate fire.

Volvo's front airbags use special sen-

sors that are integrated with the front

seat buckles. The point at which the air-

bag deploys is determined by whether

or not the seat belt is being used, as well

as the severity of the collision.

Collisions can occur where only one of

the airbags deploys. If the impact is less

severe, but severe enough to present a

clear injury risk, the airbags are trig-

gered at partial capacity. If the impact is

more severe, the airbags are triggered

at full capacity.

Should you have questions about any compo-
nent in the SRS system, please contact a
trained and qualified Volvo service technician
or Volvo Customer Support:
In the USA
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC

Advertising