Maserati Quattroporte Automatic, Owner'S Manual

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Front and side airbags
Front and rear lateral airbags
The lateral airbags enhance the
protection offered to passengers
travelling in the front seats in case of
moderate to severe lateral collision.
They consist of two types of
instantaneous inflation bags:
– Side Bags housed in the front seats'
backrests; this solution allows the
airbag to be always in the best
position with respect to the
occupant, regardless of the seat
position.
– Window bags housed behind the
roof lateral panels and covered by
special trim panels that do not
interfere with the bags' unfolding
downwards during inflation. This
solution, designed for protecting the
head region, offers passengers
sitting in the front and in the rear
the best protection in the case of a
side impact, thanks to the large area
covered by the bags.
In the event of a side impact, an
electronic control unit processes the
signals coming from a deceleration
sensor and it trips the bag inflation if
necessary.
The bags inflate instantaneously,
acting as a protection between the
occupants' body and the side of the
vehicle. The bags deflate immediately
afterwards.
WARNING: The electronic control unit
provides for the activation of the
pretensioners, front airbags or side
airbags (front and rear) based on
different criteria, according to the type
of impact.
Failure of one or more systems to
activate is not indicative of a system
malfunction.
In the case of low impact lateral
collisions (for which the retaining
action of the seat belts affords
adequate protection), the airbags do
not inflate.
It follows that the front airbags (on
driver and passenger side) do not
replace or substitute the seat belts but
complement them, and hence the seat
belts must always be worn as provided
by established legislation in European
and in most non-European countries.
The lateral airbags are not deactivated
when the front passenger airbag is cut-
out by means of the key-operated
switch, as described in the preceding
charter. Thus, even children carried in
the front passenger seat are protected
from lateral collisions.
WARNING: The front and/or lateral
airbags may inflate if the vehicle
suffers a violent impact beneath the
car body, for example when mounting
the pavement, colliding with steps or
speed bumps, potholes etc.
WARNING: Airbag inflation releases a
small amount of powder. This powder
is not harmful and does not indicate
the presence of fire; furthermore the
surface of the deployed bag and the
interior of the vehicle may be covered
with a powdery residue: this powder
may irritate skin and eyes. If contact
occurs, wash with a pH neutral soap
and water.
M139_UM_ing.book Page 40 Friday, September 5, 2008 8:19 AM