User's Manual

2
Front and side airbags
35
Front and rear lateral airbags The lateral airbags are designed to 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 on approximate 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 to help protect the head region, offers passengers sitting in the front and in the rear appropiate 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 deploys the side airbags 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. The fact that one or more systems do not 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 are not designed to inflate. It follows that the front airbags (on driver and passenger side) do not replace or substitute the seat belts but supplement them, and hence the seat belts must always be worn as provided by established legislation in most countries.
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.