The front airbags, together with the seat belts, provide head and upper body protection for the driver and front passenger in frontal collisions.
In addition to their primary protective function, seat belts ensure that the position of the driver and front passenger in a frontal impact, in which the effectiveness of the protective action of the airbag is maximum.
Airbags do not replace seat belts and are an integral part of the overall passive safety system.
The front airbag system includes:
- electronic control unit;
- two frontal inflatable pillows (air bag and gas generator);
- warning light in the instrument panel.
The performance of the airbag system is constantly monitored. After the ignition is switched on, the signal lamp lights up for a few seconds (self-diagnosis).
The system is malfunctioning when the warning light:
- when the ignition is turned on, it does not start to burn;
- four seconds after the ignition is turned on, it does not go out;
- after turning on the ignition, it goes out and lights up again;
- lights up or flickers while driving.
The front airbags do not deploy when:
- off ignition;
- light frontal impacts;
- light side impacts;
- blows to the rear of the car;
- car overturn.
The action of the front airbags
The airbag system is activated in severe frontal impacts with a risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
In certain types of accidents, the front and side airbags, as well as the side airbags, deploy.
When the system is triggered, the air bags of the pillows are filled with a special gas and open. By resting against the fully deployed airbags, the forward energy of the driver and front passenger is extinguished and the risk of injury is reduced.
Under the influence of the load from the mass of the bodies, a controlled release of gas from the pillow occurs to soften the blow to the head and upper body. After a collision, the air bag becomes so empty that it does not interfere with forward vision.
The filling of the air bag occurs at a high speed in a matter of fractions of a second, which provides reliable protection. When the air bag is emptied, some dust is released. This is quite normal and should not be cause for concern.
The covers of the airbag modules open when the airbags are deployed (pic. 1.101). In this case, the covers remain fixed to the steering wheel and to the front panel.
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