How Airbags Work
Airbags inflate when sensors detect an
impact that exceeds deployment thresholds.
These thresholds are designed to predict the
severity of a crash in time for the airbags to
help protect the vehicle's occupants. Airbags
inflate instantly with considerable force
accompanied by a loud noise. The inflated
bag, together with the seat belts, limits
movement of occupants to reduce the risk of
injury.
Front airbags are not ordinarily designed to
inflate in rear collisions, rollovers, side
collisions and when braking heavily or driving
over bumps and potholes. Likewise, front
airbags may not inflate in all frontal collisions,
such as minor front collisions, underride
collisions, or minor impacts with narrow
objects (such as posts or poles). Significant
superficial damage can occur to the vehicle
without the airbags inflating and, conversely,
a relatively small amount of structural
damage can cause airbags to inflate.
Therefore, the external appearance of the
vehicle after a collision does not represent
whether or not the front airbags should have
inflated.
WARNING:
Before modifying your
vehicle to accommodate a person with
disabilities in a way that may affect
the airbag system, contact Tesla.
Types of Airbags
Model S has the following types of airbags:
• Front airbags: The front airbags are
designed to reduce injuries if larger
children or adults are riding in the front
seats. Follow all warnings and instructions
related to seating a child on the front
passenger seat (if permitted in your
market region).
• Side airbags: Side airbags protect the
thorax region of the torso and the pelvis.
They inflate only if a severe side impact
occurs. Side airbags on the non-impacted
side of the vehicle do not inflate.
• Curtain airbags: Curtain airbags help
protect the head. Curtain airbags on both
the impacted and non-impacted side of
the vehicle will inflate only if a severe side
impact occurs, or if the vehicle rolls over.
Passenger Front Airbag Status
The status of the passenger front airbag
displays in the top corner of the touchscreen:
Before driving with a
child seated on the
front passenger seat (if
permitted in your
market region), always
double-check the
status of the passenger
front airbag to confirm
that it is OFF. When
the passenger airbag is
OFF, it will not inflate
when a collision
occurs. This indicator
also displays when the
seat is unoccupied.
To protect an adult
occupying the front
passenger seat, ensure
the passenger front
airbag is ON. When the
passenger airbag is
ON, it may inflate when
a collision occurs
WARNING:
If seating a child in the
front passenger seat is legally
permissible in your market region, it is
the driver's responsibility to ensure
that the passenger front airbag is OFF.
Never seat a child in the front
passenger seat with an active airbag,
even if using a child safety seat or
booster seat. DEATH or SERIOUS
INJURY to the child can occur.
Disabling the Passenger Front
Airbag
When a child is seated in the front passenger
seat (even when the child is seated in a child
safety seat or booster seat), you must disable
the passenger front airbag to prevent it from
injuring the child if a collision occurs. Touch
Controls
>
Safety & Security
>
Passenger
Front Airbag
.
NOTE:
You can also touch the airbag status
indicator to access to the control used to turn
the passenger front airbag on or off.
Airbags
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Seating and Safety Restraints