Volkswagen Golf Owners Manual: Description and function of the airbags

First read and observe the introductory information and safety warnings 

The airbags can protect vehicle occupants during frontal and side collisions by reducing their movement in the direction of the collision.

When an airbag is triggered, it is inflated by a gas generator. This causes the airbag covers to break, and the airbags inflate forcefully to cover their deployment zones within milliseconds. Once a vehicle occupant wearing a seat belt starts to sink into the inflated airbag, the gas inside the airbag starts to escape to cushion the occupant and slow down their movement. This can reduce the risk of severe and fatal injuries. A triggered airbag will not always prevent other injuries such as swelling, bruising and grazing. Deployment of a triggered airbag can also result in frictional heat.

Airbags provide no protection for the arms or lower parts of the body. Exception: in vehicles with a knee airbag, the knee area of the driver will be protected.

The most important factors for triggering the airbag are the type of accident, the angle of impact, the vehicle speed and the type of object with which the vehicle collides. Therefore, visible damage to the vehicle does not always mean that the airbag should have been triggered.

The triggering of the airbag system depends on the vehicle deceleration rate caused by the collision and registered by the electronic control unit. If this rate is below the reference value programmed into the control unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even though the vehicle may be badly damaged as a result of the collision. Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage in an accident do not necessarily give an indication of whether an airbag should inflate or not. It is not possible to define a range of vehicle speeds and reference values, since the circumstances will vary considerably between one collision and another. It is therefore impossible to cover every possible kind and angle of impact that would trigger the airbags. Important factors in the triggering of the airbag include the nature (hard or soft) of the object that the vehicle hits, the angle of impact, and the vehicle speed.

Airbags only serve as a supplement to the three-point seat belt in some accident situations when the vehicle braking is sufficient to trigger the airbags. Airbags can only be triggered once and only in certain situations. The seat belts are always there to provide protection in situations in which the airbags are not triggered or have already been triggered. For example, if the vehicle collides with a further vehicle following the initial collision, or is hit by another vehicle.

The airbag system is part of the vehicle's overall passive safety concept. The airbag system can only work effectively when the occupants are wearing their seat belts correctly and have assumed a proper sitting position   .

Components of the vehicle safety concept

The following vehicle safety equipment makes up the vehicle's safety concept to reduce the risk of severe and fatal injuries. Depending on the vehicle equipment level, some of the equipment may not be fitted in your vehicle. It may not be available at all in some countries.

• Optimised seat belts for all seats.

• Belt tensioners for the driver and front passenger and also on the rear outer seats if in conjunction with side airbags.

• Belt tension limiter for the driver, front passenger and, if applicable, for the rear outer seats.

• Belt height adjuster for the front seats.

• Warning lamp and belt status display.

• Front airbags for driver and front passenger.

• Side airbags for the driver, front passenger and, if applicable, for the rear outer seats.

• Curtain airbags on the right and left.

• If applicable, knee airbag for the driver.

• Airbag indicator lamp .

• PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp.

• PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp.

• Control units and sensors.

• Height-adjustable head restraints optimised for rear impact.

• Adjustable steering column.

• If applicable, anchor points for child seats on the rear outer seats and on the front passenger seat.

• If applicable, securing points for the top tether for child seats.

Situations when the front, knee, side and curtain airbags will not be triggered:

• If the ignition is switched off during a collision.

• If the level of deceleration measured by the control unit is too low during a collision at the front of the vehicle.

• During a minor side collision.

• During rear collisions.

• If the vehicle rolls over.

• If the speed in a collision is lower than the reference value specified in the control unit.