In a frontal collision, the airbags help protect the driver's and passenger's head, neck, face and chest and the driver's knees and legs.
A collision of a sufficiently violent force will trigger the sensors and one or more airbags will inflate. The airbag helps cushion the initial impact of the collision for the passenger. The airbag deflates when compressed by the collision. A small amount of powder will also be released from the airbag. This may appear to be smoke and is normal. The entire process, from inflation to deflation of the airbag, occurs within tenths of a second.
Note
The sensors react differently depending on the circumstances of the accident and whether or not the seat belt is used. This applies to all belt positions.
There may therefore be accident situations in which only one (or none) of the airbags are deployed. The sensors monitor the impact of the collision and react accordingly to deploy one, several or no airbags.
Warning
The seat belt and the airbag work together. If the seat belt is not used or is used incorrectly, the airbag may not provide the intended protection in a collision.
To help prevent injury in the event the airbag is deployed, passengers should sit as upright as possible, with their feet on the floor and their backs against the seat backrest.
Warning
The front airbag system
The front airbag system includes gas generators surrounded by the airbags, and deceleration sensors that activate the gas generators, causing the airbags to be inflated with nitrogen gas.
As the movement of the seats' occupants compresses the airbags, some of the gas is expelled at a controlled rate to provide better cushioning. The belt tensioners minimize slack in the seat belts and are activated for occupants wearing their seat belts. The entire process, from inflation to deflation of the airbag, occurs within tenths of a second.
The location of the front airbags is indicated by the AIRBAG marking on the steering wheel pad and above the glove compartment, and by decals on both sun visors and on the front and far right side of the dashboard.
The driver's side front airbag is folded and located in the steering wheel hub.
The knee airbag is folded on the underside of the dashboard on the driver's side. AIRBAG is embossed on the panel.
The passenger's side front airbag is folded behind a panel located above the glove compartment.
Warning
- The airbags in the vehicle are designed to be a SUPPLEMENT to-not a replacement 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 with your hands on the steering wheel pad/airbag housing.
- The front airbags are designed to help prevent serious injury. Deployment occurs very quickly and with considerable force. During normal deployment and depending on variables such as seating position, one may experience abrasions, bruises, swellings, or other injuries as a result of deployment of one or both of the airbags.
- When installing any accessory equipment, make sure that the front airbag system is not damaged. Any interference in the system could cause malfunction.
Front airbag deployment
- The front airbags are designed to deploy during certain frontal or front-angular collisions, impacts, or decelerations, depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and object impacted. The airbags may also deploy in certain non-frontal collisions where rapid deceleration occurs.
- The airbag system's sensors, which trigger the front airbags, are designed to determine if the collision is powerful enough to activate the belt tensioners and/or the airbags.
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
- The front airbags and seat belt tensioners may be activated in a collision. The airbags are only activated one time during an accident. 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 sensors that are integrated with the front seat buckles. The point at which the airbag 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 triggered at partial capacity. If the impact is more severe, the airbags are triggered at full capacity.
Warning
- Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the front passenger's seat. Volvo follows NHTSA's recommendations and recommends that ALL children up to and including 12 years of age sit in the rear seat. This is very strongly recommended for children in rear-facing child seats. See also the Occupant Weight Sensor information.
- Never drive with the airbags deployed. The fact that they hang out can impair the steering of your vehicle. Other safety systems can also be damaged.
- The smoke and dust formed when the airbags are deployed can cause skin and eye irritation in the event of prolonged exposure.
Should you have questions about any component in the SRS system, please contact a trained and qualified Volvo service technician or Volvo customer support:
In the United States
Volvo Car USA, LLC
Customer Care Center
1800 Volvo Place
Mahwah, New Jersey 07430
1-800-458-1552
In Canada
Volvo Car Canada Ltd.
Customer Care Centre
9130 Leslie Street, Suite 101
Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 0B9
1-800-663-8255
Airbag decals
Warning
- Children must never be allowed in the front passenger's seat.
- Occupants in the front passenger's seat must never sit on the edge of the seat, sit leaning toward the instrument panel or otherwise sit out of position.
- The occupant's back must be as upright as comfort allows and be against the seat back with the seat belt properly fastened.
- Feet must be on the floor, e.g., not on the dash, seat or out of the window.
Warning
- No objects or accessory equipment, e.g. dashboard covers, may be placed on, attached to, or installed near the air bag cover (the area above the glove compartment) or the area affected by airbag deployment.
- There should be no loose articles, such as coffee cups on the floor, seat, or dashboard area.
- Never try to open the airbag cover on the steering wheel or the passenger's side dashboard. This should only be done by a trained and qualified Volvo service technician.
- Failure to follow these instructions can result in injury to the vehicle's occupants.