Audi A6 Typ 4G: Knee airbags

Description of knee airbags

Applies to: vehicles with knee airbags

The knee airbag system can provide supplemental protection to properly restrained front seat occupants.

Fig. 157 Driver's knee airbag

The driver knee airbag is in the instrument panel underneath the steering wheel fig. 157, the airbag for the passenger is at about the same height in the instrument panel underneath the glove compartment.

The knee airbag offers additional protection to the driver's and passenger's knees and upper and Lower thigh areas and supplements the protection provided by the safety belts.

If the front airbags deploy, the knee airbags also deploy in frontal collisions when the deployment threshold stored in the control unit is met.

In addition to their normal safety function, safety belts help keep the driver or front passenger in position in a frontal collision so that the airbags can provide supplemental protection.

The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle. Always remember that the airbag system can only help to protect you if you are wearing your safety belt and wearing it properly. This is why you should always wear your safety belt, not just because the law requires you to do so.

Remember too, airbags will deploy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents - your safety belts are always there to offer protection in those accidents in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have already deployed, for example when your vehicle strikes or is struck by another after the first collision.

This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is not a substitute for the safety belt. The airbag system works most effectively when used with the safety belts. Therefore, always wear your safety belts correctly.

It is important to remember that while the supplemental knee airbag system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other injuries, for example, swelling, bruising and minor abrasions and friction burns can also occur when an airbag inflates.

The knee airbag system basically consists of:

• The electronic control module
• Two inflatable airbags (airbag and gas generator), one for the driver and one for the front passenger
• The airbag indicator light in the instrument panel

The knee airbag system will not deploy:

• when the ignition is switched off
• in frontal collisions when the deceleration measured by the control unit is too low
• in side collisions
• in rear-end collisions
• in rollovers
• in the event of a system malfunction (warning/ indicator light is on)

WARNING

• Safety belts and the airbag system can only provide protection when occupants are in the proper seating position.
• If the airbag indicator light comes when the vehicle is being used, have the system inspected immediately by your authorized Audi dealer. It is possible that the airbag will inflate when it is not supposed to, or will not inflate when it should.

READ NEXT: