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Table of Contents > Security > Airbag system

VW Passat B8 Owner's Manual ➜ Airbag system

— Depending on the equipment, automatic closing of the  
system cannot avoid a collision. The system cannot replace  
the driver's attention.  
glass roof and the windows until there is only one crack.  
· Always adapt the speed and the safety distance with respect  
to the preceding vehicle depending on the visibility,  
weather, road and traffic conditions.  
Settings in the infotainment system  
Depending on the equipment, settings can be made in the  
infotainment system for proactive occupant protection.  
· The system cannot always recognize objects.  
The proactive occupant protection does not reac  
Select the Vehicle Settings menu and make the settings in  
It does not work in front of people or animals, nor in  
front of objects that are crossed transversally or that  
are difficult to detect.  
the Proactive Occupant Protection submenu .  
Proactive occupant protection is activated again each time  
the ignition is switched on.  
· Reflective objects, e.g. For example, guardrails, tunnel  
entrances, heavy rain and ice can impair the performance  
of proactive occupant protection and thus the ability to  
detect the risk of a collision.  
The setting cannot be carried out if the proactive occupant  
protection has already been adapted to the special configuration  
of the vehicle.  
Adjustment in driving profile selection In vehicles  
with driving profile selection, proactive occupant protection  
adapts to the special vehicle configuration of the corresponding  
profile.  
· It may happen that the system activates falsely.  
WARNING  
If the driver is distracted it can lead to an accident and injury.  
limited operation  
In the following situations proactive occupant protection is  
not available or only to a limited extent:  
· Never make adjustments to the infotainment system while  
driving.  
— If the ESC, the seat belt tensioners ÿ p. 44 or the  
airbag control unit ÿ p. 53 do not work correctly.  
airbag system  
— If ASR or ESC is off and when driving in reverse ÿ p. 201.  
— If there is a fault in the emergency braking assistant  
Introduction to the topic  
The vehicle is equipped with frontal airbags for the driver and  
(Front Assist) ÿ p. 171.  
front passenger. Frontal air bags can provide additional protection  
— If there is a fault in the change assistant  
for the thorax and head of the driver and front passenger when  
rril (Side Assist) ÿ p. 181.  
the seat, seat belts, head restraints, and steering wheel (for the  
driver) are properly adjusted and used properly. . Airbags are  
Problems and solutions If  
only designed to offer additional protection. Airbags are not a  
proactive occupant protection is not working properly, the  
substitute for seat belts, which must always be worn, even when  
message Proactive occupant protection not available or  
the front seats are equipped with front airbags.  
Proactive occupant protection: Limited function is  
permanently displayed on the instrument panel display.  
Go to a specialized workshop and have the system checked.  
WARNING  
WARNING  
Never rely solely on the air bag system to protect you.  
The intelligent technology of proactive occupant protection  
cannot overcome the limits imposed by the laws of physics  
and only works within the limits of the system. Never let the  
increased comfort provided by Proactive Occupant Protection  
induce you to take any risk that compromises safety. He  
When triggered , airbags only offer one function  
additional protective action.  
The airbag system offers the best protection  
tion, reducing the risk of injury, in combination with  
properly fitted seat belts ÿ p. 44.  
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airbag system  
· Before starting the walk, always sit down  
Prepare in the correct position, always wear the  
seat belt corresponding to your seat correctly  
and always wear it correctly throughout the  
journey. This applies to all occupants of the  
vehicle and also for urban journeys.  
WARNING  
When the airbags are deployed, fine dust and  
vapor may be released. This is normal and does  
not mean that a fire has occurred in the vehicle.  
· Fine dust can irritate the skin and mucous  
membranes of the eyes, as well as cause  
breathing difficulties, especially in people who  
have or have had asthma or other respiratory  
deficiencies. To reduce breathing difficulties,  
get out of the vehicle or open the windows or  
doors to get fresh air.  
WARNING  
The risk of injury from deploying air bags is  
increased if there is an object between the vehicle  
occupants and the air bag deployment area. In this  
case, the airbag deployment zone is modified or  
objects are thrown against the body.  
· If you have been in contact with dust, wash your  
hands and face with mild soap and water before  
eat.  
· Never carry objects in your hands or in your  
I gaze during the march.  
· Avoid getting dust in eyes or open wounds.  
· Never carry objects on the front passenger seat.  
In the event of sudden braking or a sudden  
manoeuvre, objects could enter the airbag  
deployment area and, if they were to go off, be  
thrown dangerously out of the passenger  
compartment.  
· If the powder comes into contact with the eyes,  
rinse them with water.  
WARNING  
Do not allow the occupants of the  
front and side rear seats and the airbag  
deployment area from other people, animals or  
objects.  
Make sure this is true for all occupants of the  
vehicle, including children.  
If cleaning agents with solvents are used, the  
surfaces of the airbag modules become porous.  
In the event of an accident with an airbag triggering,  
plastic parts could detach and cause serious  
injuries.  
· Never use products containing solvents to  
clean the instrument panel and the surfaces  
of the airbag modules.  
WARNING  
The airbags only activate once and if they do,  
the system must be replaced.  
Types of front passenger airbag  
systems  
· Have any inflated airbags and affected system  
parts replaced immediately with new parts  
authorized by Volkswagen for this vehicle.  
Please note on  
page 53.  
,at the beginning of this chapter,  
· Only have repairs and modifications to be carried  
out on the vehicle carried out by specialized  
workshops. Specialized workshops have the  
diagnostic equipment, repair information and  
tools that are required, as well as qualified  
personnel.  
Volkswagen vehicles are equipped with one of the  
following front passenger airbag systems.  
Depending on the equipment, an airbag system or  
an airbag system with deactivation of the front  
passenger airbag may be installed .  
· Never fit air-cooled parts to the vehicle.  
bags disassembled from vehicles at the end of  
their useful life or from recycling plants.  
Airbag system  
The front passenger airbag can only be deactivated  
in a specialist workshop.  
· Never modify any component of the airbag  
system.  
Airbag system features:  
— Front passenger airbag in the instrument panel  
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— Control indicator on the instrument panel display  
in the center console switches off  
automatically after approx. 60 seconds after  
switching on the ignition or after activating the  
front passenger airbag with the key switch ÿ  
Airbag system with front passenger airbag  
deactivation  
.
fig. 41  
The front passenger airbag can be deactivated  
manually with a key switch ÿ p. 58.  
If, with the front passenger airbag deactivated , the  
PASSEN GER AIR BAG control indicator in the  
upper part of the center console does not stay on  
or comes on together with the  
control indicator in the instrument panel display, it  
may be that there is a fault in the airbag system ÿ .  
Front passenger airbag deactivation airbag system  
features:  
— Front passenger airbag in the instrument panel  
— Control indicator on the instrument panel display  
WARNING  
If there is a malfunction in the air bag system, the  
air bag may not deploy correctly, may not deploy at  
all, or may deploy unexpectedly, which could result  
in death or serious injury.  
in  
— PASSENGER AIR BAG control test  
center console  
in the  
— Control indicator PASSENGER AIR BAG  
center console  
— Key switch on the passenger side, on the side of  
the instrument panel (can only be seen with the  
door open).  
· Have the airbag system checked immediately by  
a specialist workshop.  
· Never use a child seat in the  
passenger seat. If one is mounted, remove it!  
The front passenger airbag could be triggered in  
the event of an accident, even if it is faulty.  
Control witness  
Please note on  
page 53.  
,at the beginning of this chapter,  
Problems and solutions  
Please note on  
page 53.  
,at the beginning of this chapter,  
Fault in the airbag system or in the seat  
belt pretensioners  
The yellow control indicator comes on and stays  
on. Additionally, a message may be displayed on  
the instrument cluster display.  
An anomaly has been detected in the operation of at  
Fig. 41 On the roof console: front passenger airbag  
least one airbag or one belt pretensioner.  
deactivation or activation control light.  
— Visit a specialized workshop.  
— Have the air bag system and seat belt tensioners  
checked.  
When the ignition is switched on, it lights up briefly  
Keep the yellow control indicator on the  
Airbag system or seat belt pretensioners  
deactivated with a diagnostic unit  
instrument panel display in mind as a function  
check and it goes off after a few seconds.  
After switching on the ignition, the yellow control  
lamp lights up for approx. 4 seconds, then flashes for  
approx. 12 seconds.  
Additionally, a message may be displayed on the  
instrument panel display.  
The front passenger airbag is  
deactivated. The yellow control light in  
the center console comes on and stays on ÿ  
.
fig. 41 The front passenger airbag is activated.  
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The yellow control lamp  
At least one airbag or seat belt pretensioner has been  
deactivated with diagnostic equipment.  
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airbag system  
— Visit a specialized workshop.  
Two with knee airbags protect the driver's knee area.  
— Have it checked whether the airbag system or  
seat belt pretensioners should remain deactivated.  
The most important factors for airbag deployment  
are the type of accident, the angle of collision, the  
speed of the vehicle, and the nature of the object  
the vehicle collides with. Therefore, the airbags do  
not deploy in any collision that causes noticeable  
damage to the vehicle.  
Front passenger airbag deactivated  
The yellow control light that indicates that the  
front passenger air bag is deactivated comes on  
and stays on.  
The airbag system is triggered based on the degree  
of deceleration experienced by the vehicle as a result  
of an impact and recorded by an electronic control  
unit. If the deceleration degree value is below the  
reference value programmed in the control unit, the  
airbags will not deploy even though the vehicle may  
suffer significant damage due to an accident.  
The front passenger airbag has been deactivated.  
— Check whether the front passenger airbag  
should remain deactivated, e.g. eg when using a  
child seat on the front passenger seat.  
Damage sustained to the vehicle in an accident,  
its absence or the cost of repairing it, are not  
necessarily any indication of whether or not an  
airbag should have been deployed. Since collisions  
can occur in many different situations, it is impossible  
to define a palette of speeds and reference values.  
For this reason it is not possible to cover all types of  
collisions and angles of collision imaginable that  
would cause the deployment of airbags. Some  
important factors for the airbags to be triggered are  
the nature of the object (hard or soft) against which  
the impact occurs, the angle of collision and the  
speed of the vehicle.  
Active front passenger airbag  
The yellow control lamp indicating that the front  
passenger air bag is activated comes on for  
approx. 60 seconds after switching on the ignition  
or after activating the front passenger airbag with  
the key switch.  
The front passenger airbag has been activated.  
— Check if the front passenger airbag  
it should stay on.  
The airbags only supplement the function of the  
three-point seatbelts in certain accidents where the  
deceleration of the vehicle is high enough for the  
airbags to deploy. The airbags only trigger once and  
only under certain circumstances. The seat belts are  
Description and operation of  
the airbags  
Please note on  
page 53.  
,at the beginning of this chapter,  
always there to offer your protection in those  
situations where the airbags should not be deployed  
or have already done so. For example, when a  
vehicle, after a first collision, collides with another or  
is hit by another.  
The airbag can protect the occupants of the vehicle  
in the event of frontal and side collisions by  
cushioning their displacement in the direction of the  
impact.  
When an airbag is deployed, a gas generator inflates  
it. In this way, the covers of the corresponding air  
bag are broken and it is deployed, exerting great  
force and in a matter of thousandths of a second, in  
its respective deployment area. When the occupant,  
with the seatbelt on, dives into the deployed airbag,  
gas is released from the airbag to brake it and  
cushion the blow. This can reduce the risk of serious  
or fatal injury. Other types of injuries cannot be ruled  
out, such as swellings, bruises, bruises or bruises,  
due to the effect of the airbag when it is fired. When  
the airbag deploys when triggered, frictional heat  
may also be produced.  
The airbag system is part of the vehicle's general  
passive safety system. The airbag system can only  
provide optimum protection in combination with  
correctly worn seat belts and correct posture of the  
occupants ÿ p. 42.  
Vehicle Security System Components  
Together, the following vehicle equipment constitutes  
the vehicle safety system to reduce the risk of  
serious injury and death. Some equipment may not  
already be mounted on the vehicle because it is  
optional or not available in some countries.  
Airbags do not protect the arms or the lower part  
of the body. Exception: In vehicles equipped  
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— Optimized seat belts in all  
plazas  
Airbags frontales  
— Pretensioners on the seat belts of the  
driver and front passenger and, if applicable,  
those of the side rear seats  
Please note on  
page 53.  
,at the beginning of this chapter,  
— Force limiters on the driver's and front passenger's  
seat belts and, if necessary, those of the rear  
outboard seats  
— Front seat belt height adjusters  
— Warning lamp and, if necessary, indication of the  
status of the seat belts  
— Driver and front passenger airbags  
only the road  
— Side airbags for the driver, for the front passenger  
and, if necessary, for the side rear seats  
— Head airbags on both sides of the vehicle  
Fig. 42 Location and deployment area of the driver's  
front airbag.  
— If necessary, driver's knee airbag  
tor  
— Airbag control indicator  
in  
— PASSENGER AIR BAG control indicator  
in the upper part of the center console  
in  
— PASSENGER AIR BAG control indicator  
in the upper part of the center console  
— Control units and sensors  
— Height-adjustable, optimized antiwhiplash headrests  
— Adjustable steering column  
— If necessary, anchorage points for child seats on  
the rear outboard seats and on the front passenger  
seat  
— If applicable, attachment points for the top  
attachment belt (Top Tether) of the child seats  
Fig. 43 Location and deployment area of the front  
passenger airbag.  
In combination with the seat belts, the front airbag  
system offers additional protection for the head and  
chest area of the driver and front passenger in the  
event of serious frontal collisions. Always keep as  
much distance as possible from the front airbag ÿ p.  
42. In the event of a deployment, the front airbags can  
then fully deploy and offer maximum protection.  
Situations in which the front, side, head, and  
knee air bags will not deploy:  
— The ignition is currently switched off  
of a collision.  
— The measured deceleration is too low for the control  
unit in the event of a collision at the front of the  
vehicle.  
— In the event of a minor side collision.  
— In the event of a rear-end collision.  
— In the event of a vehicle overturning.  
The driver's front airbag is housed in the steering  
wheel ÿ fig. 42, and that of the passenger, on the  
instrument panel ÿ fig. 43. Its location is indicated by  
the inscription “AIRBAG”.  
— The impact speed is lower than the reference  
value programmed in the control unit.  
When deployed, the frontal airbags occupy the areas  
outlined in red (deployment area). For this reason,  
never place or fix objects on these  
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airbag system  
zones ÿ . Factory-fitted accessories are never within the  
range of the driver and front passenger frontal air bags.  
Activating and deactivating  
the front passenger airbag  
Please note on  
page 53.  
,at the beginning of this chapter,  
DANGER  
When triggered, the airbag inflates in milliseconds at  
high speed.  
· Always leave the deployment area of the front airbags  
free.  
· Never attach any object, such as a drink holder or  
phone holder, to the covers or in the deployment  
area of the airbag modules.  
· Do not allow other people, animals or objects to come  
between the occupants of the front seats and the  
airbag deployment areas. Make sure this is true for  
all occupants of the vehicle, including children.  
Fig. 44 In the instrument panel on the passenger  
side: key switch for deactivating and activating the front  
passenger airbag.  
· Do not attach any objects, e.g. For example, a device  
portable navigation, in the area of the windscreen  
located above the front passenger airbag.  
If you attach a rear-facing child seat to the front  
passenger seat, be sure to deactivate the front  
passenger airbag!  
· Do not glue or dress or modify in any way the steering  
wheel padding plate or the foam surface of the front  
air bag module located in the instrument panel on  
the passenger side.  
Activate front passenger airbag  
— Switch off the ignition.  
— Open the passenger door.  
WARNING  
— Remove the emergency key from the vehicle key.  
hiculus  
The front airbags deploy in front of the steering wheel  
ÿ fig. 42 and the instrument panel ÿ fig. 43.  
— Insert the blade of the emergency key up to the  
second socket of the key switch located on the  
instrument panel ÿ fig. 44. Approximately half of the  
· While driving, always hold the steering wheel by the  
bit is then inside the switch dor ÿ .  
sides, on the outside, with your hands in the position  
equivalent to 9 and 3 o'clock.  
— Without exerting much force, turn the bit to the posi  
· Adjust the driver's seat so that there is a minimum  
distance of 25 cm between the chest and the  
center of the steering wheel. If you cannot maintain  
this distance due to physical conditions, contact a  
specialized workshop without fail.  
tion  
.
— Remove the commutator blade and save the  
emergency key back into the vehicle key ÿ .  
— Close the passenger door.  
· Adjust the front passenger seat so that it is as far away  
from the instrument panel as possible.  
— Check that, with the ignition on, the PASSENGER  
AIR BAG control indicator in the upper part of the  
center console is not on ÿ p. 55.  
Disable front passenger airbag  
— Switch off the ignition.  
— Open the passenger door.  
— Remove the emergency key from the vehicle key ÿ  
p. 75.  
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