tection in an accident. There is an increased
risk of injury.
Have the vehicle towed to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop in order to have a deployed
air bag replaced.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags continue to perform their protective func-
tion for the vehicle occupants in the event of a
crash.
G
WARNING
Emergency Tensioning Devices that have
deployed pyrotechnically are no longer
operational and are unable to perform their
intended protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have pyrotechnically triggered Emergency
Tensioning Devices replaced immediately at
a qualified specialist workshop.
If Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered
or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and some powder may also be released. The
6
restraint system warning lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your
hearing. The powder that is released generally
does not constitute a health hazard, but it may
cause short-term breathing difficulties in peo-
ple with asthma or other respiratory problems.
Provided it is safe to do so, you should leave
the vehicle immediately or open the window in
order to prevent breathing difficulties.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tension-
ing Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate mate-
rial, which may require special handling and
regard for the environment. National guide-
lines must be observed during disposal. In Cal-
ifornia, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm.
Method of operation
During the first stage of a collision, the
restraint system control unit evaluates impor-
tant physical data relating to vehicle decelera-
tion or acceleration, such as:
R
duration
R
direction
R
intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices during a head-on or
rear-end collision.
An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
R
the ignition is switched on
R
the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under "Restraint system warning lamp"
(
Y
page 40)
R
the seat belt buckle tongue has engaged in
the belt buckle of the respective front seat
The Emergency Tensioning Devices in the rear
passenger compartment are triggered inde-
pendently of the lock status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
more severe accident, further components of
the restraint system are activated independ-
ently of each other in certain frontal collision
situations:
R
Front air bags as well as driver's and front-
passenger knee bags
R
Window curtain air bag, if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
Depending on the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front air
bag is either enabled or disabled. The front-
passenger front air bag can be deployed in an
accident only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is off. Observe the information
on the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps
(
Y
page 40).
Your vehicle has two-stage front air bags.
The activation threshold of the Emergency
Tensioning Devices and the air bags is deter-
mined by evaluating the rate of vehicle decel-
eration or acceleration which occurs at various
points in the vehicle. This process is pre-emp-
tive in nature. Deployment should take place
in good time at the start of the collision.
52
Occupant safety
Safe
ty
