Get Safety -> Airbag system Guide for Volkswagen Golf 4 Door 2023

Never repair, adjust, or change pretensioners or

any other part of the safety belt system your-

self. We strongly recommend that you have any

work on the safety belt system performed by an

authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility. They have the nec-

essary technical information, training, and spe-

cial equipment → page 316, Parts, accessories,

repairs, and modifications.

Even when they deploy, airbags provide only

supplemental protection.

·

Airbags work most effectively when used with

properly worn safety belts → page 36, Safety

belts.

The driver must always make sure that every

person in the vehicle is properly seated on

a seat of his or her own, properly fastens the

safety belts belonging to that seat before the

vehicle starts to move, and keeps the belts

properly fastened while riding in the vehicle.

This applies even when just driving around

town. Therefore, always wear your safety belts

and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is

properly restrained.

·

WARNING

Undeployed safety belt pretensioners and airbag

modules contain explosive materials that can

cause serious personal injuries if they are not

properly handled when they or the vehicles they

are installed in are scrapped.

WARNING

Never abandon vehicles or vehicle parts.

·

Sitting too close to the steering wheel or instru-

ment panel will decrease the effectiveness of the

airbags and will increase the risk of personal injury

in a collision.

Always scrap vehicles and vehicle parts, espe-

cially those containing undeployed airbag mod-

ules and undeployed safety belt pretensioners,

at a licensed facility that has the knowledge and

experience to properly dispose of the vehicle

and its safety belt and airbag systems.

Never sit closer than 10 inches (25 cm) to the

steering wheel or instrument panel.

·

If you cannot sit upright more than 10 inches

Undeployed airbag modules and safety belt

pretensioners are classified as Perchlorate

·

(25 cm) from the steering wheel and with your

back against the backrest, investigate whether

adaptive equipment may be available to help

you reach the pedals and increase your seating

distance from the steering wheel.

Material. Special handling may apply – see http://

www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. Obey

all applicable legal requirements regarding handling

and disposal of the vehicle or parts of its restraint

system, including airbag modules and safety belts

with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers

and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities are fa-

miliar with the requirements, and we recommend

that you have them perform this service for you.

If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting

sideways or out of position in any way, your risk

of injury is much higher.

·

You will also receive serious injuries and could

even be killed if you are up against the airbag or

too close to it when it inflates.

·

To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag in-

flates, always wear safety belts properly. See

→ page 36, Safety belts.

·

Airbag system

An infant in a rearward-facing child restraint in-

Introduction

·

stalled on the front passenger seat will be seri-

ously injured and can be killed if the front airbag

inflates.

Your vehicle is equipped with a front airbag for the

driver and front seat passenger. The front airbags

can provide additional protection for the chest and

head of the driver and the front seat passenger

when seats, safety belts, head restraints and, for the

driver, the steering wheel, are properly used and

have been properly adjusted. Airbags are only sup-

plemental restraints. They are not a substitute for

safety belts that must be worn even though the

front seating positions are equipped with front air-

bags.

Always make certain that children age 12 or

·

younger always ride in the rear seat. If children

are not properly restrained, they may be severe-

ly injured or killed when an airbag inflates.

Never let children ride unrestrained or improp-

erly restrained in the vehicle.

·

Never put your feet on the instrument panel or

·

on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor

in front of the seat to help prevent serious inju-

ries to the head, legs and hips if the airbag in-

flates.

WARNING

Never rely on airbags alone for protection.

44

Safety

Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes or

into any cuts, scratches, or open wounds.

·

WARNING

Objects between you and the airbag will increase

the risk of injury in a crash by interfering with the

way the airbag unfolds or by being pushed into

you as the airbag inflates.

If the residue should get into your eyes, flush

them with water.

WARNING

Never hold things in your hands or on your lap

when the vehicle is moving.

·

Using solvents or other improper cleaning prod-

ucts on surfaces where airbags are located can

change the way airbags deploy in a crash.

Never transport items on or in the area of the

·

front passenger seat. Objects could move into

the area of the front airbags during braking or

other sudden maneuvers and fly dangerously

through the passenger compartment when an

airbag inflates.

Products containing solvents will change the

·

properties of the plastics and may cause plastic

parts to break and fly around when the airbag

deploys in a crash, causing injury.

Never use solvents or cleaners on the steering

·

Always make sure that the airbag deployment

·

wheel horn pad or on the instrument panel be-

cause they can damage the airbag cover or

change the stiffness or strength of the material

so that the airbag cannot deploy and protect

properly.

zones are clear at all times. Never let any thing

or object, a pet, or a person, including an infant

or small child, be in the space between any ve-

hicle occupant and any airbag at any time.

WARNING

When cleaning the horn pad and instrument

panel, use only a soft, dry cloth or a cloth mois-

tened with plain water.

·

An airbag works only once. Airbags that have de-

ployed in a crash must be replaced.

Deployed airbags and the related system parts

·

must be replaced immediately with new parts

approved by Volkswagen for the vehicle model

and model year.

Advanced Airbag System, infants,

child restraints, and children on the

front seat

Have repairs and vehicle modifications per-

·

formed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or

authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Author-

ized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volks-

wagen Service Facilities have the required tools,

diagnostic equipment, repair information, and

trained personnel to properly replace any airbag

in your vehicle and assure system effectiveness

in a crash.

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

Be sure to read the important information and the

WARNINGS for important details about children and

Advanced Airbags → page 64, Child safety and

child restraints.

Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be

installed in your vehicle.

·

The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has

been certified to comply with the requirements of

the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety

Standard (FMVSS) 208, as well as Canada Motor Ve-

hicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 as applicable at

the time your vehicle was manufactured. According

to requirements, the front Advanced Airbag System

on the passenger side has been certified for “sup-

pression” for infants of about 12 months old and

younger and for “low risk deployment” for children

aged 3 to 6 years old (as defined in the standard).

Never modify any components of the airbag

system.

·

WARNING

Fine dust released when airbags deploy can irritate

the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes as well as

cause breathing problems for people who suffer

from asthma or other respiratory conditions.

To reduce the risk of breathing problems, those

·

Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Ad-

vanced Airbag System, make certain that all children,

especially 12 years and younger, always ride on the

back seat properly restrained for their age and size.

The airbag on the front passenger side makes the

front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child

to ride. The front seat is not the safest place for

a child in a forward-facing child restraint. It is a very

with asthma or other respiratory conditions

should get fresh air right away by getting out of

the vehicle or opening windows or doors.

If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy,

wash your hands and face with mild soap and

water before eating.

·

Airbag system

45

dangerous place for an infant or a child in a rear-

ward-facing seat.

functioning properly whenever the ignition is on. Ev-

ery time you turn on the ignition, the airbag system

indicator light will come on for a few seconds

(function check).

DANGER

The front seat of any vehicle can be a dangerous

place for a child - even with an Advanced Airbag

System.

The airbag system must be inspected if the airbag

indicator light

— does not light up when the ignition is switched

on,

If the front airbag inflates, a child or infant who

·

— is unrestrained on the front seat,

— does not go out a few seconds after you have

switched on the ignition,

— is in an improperly installed forward-facing

child restraint on the front seat, or

— goes out and then lights up again or blinks after

the ignition is switched on,

— is in any rearward-facing child restraint on

the front seat will be seriously injured and

can be killed.

— or if it lights up or blinks while driving.

If an airbag system malfunction is detected, the air-

bag indicator light comes on and stays on to alert

the driver to the problem. It also reminds you to

have the airbag system checked immediately by an

authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility. If a malfunction occurs

that turns the front airbag on the passenger side off,

Even though your vehicle is equipped with an

·

Advanced Airbag System, make certain that all

children, especially 12 years and younger, al-

ways ride on the back seat properly restrained

for their age and size.

Always properly install rearward-facing child re-

·

straints or infant carriers and forward-facing

child restraints on the rear seat - even with an

Advanced Airbag System.

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light → page 47,

PASSENGER AIR BAG

light will come on and

stay on whenever the ignition is on.

WARNING

An airbag system and safety belt pretensioner that

are not working properly cannot provide supple-

mental protection in a frontal crash.

Monitoring the Advanced Airbag

System

If the airbag indicator light comes on, it means

·

Please read the introductory information and

that there may be something wrong with the

Advanced Airbag System. It is possible that the

airbag will inflate when it is not supposed to, or

will not inflate when it should.

heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

The Advanced Airbag System as well as the side air-

bags and Side Curtain Protection^®airbags with ejec-

tion mitigation features (including the electronic

control unit, sensors and system wiring) are all

monitored continuously to make sure that they are

Have the airbag system inspected immediately

by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or au-

thorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

·

46

Safety

PASSENGER AIR BAG

light

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

Fig. 33 In the instrument panel: PASSENGER AIR BAG

light.

On

Location

Possible cause

Solution

See your authorized Volkswagen deal-

Airbag and safety belt preten- er or authorized Volkswagen Service

Instrument cluster

sioner system malfunction.

Facility immediately to have the sys-

tem checked.

See your authorized Volkswagen deal-

er or authorized Volkswagen Service

Facility immediately to have the sys-

tem checked.

Airbag system malfunction.

Instrument panel

→ fig. 33

Front passenger airbag turned Check if the airbag must stay turned

off by Advanced Airbag System. off.

The PASSENGER AIR BAG

light → fig. 33 will

— the ignition is switched on and

come on and stay on to tell you when the front Ad-

vanced Airbag System on the passenger side has

been turned off by the electronic control unit.

— the capacitive passenger detection system, which

switches the front seat passenger's front Ad-

vanced Airbag on and off, detects a change in the

status of the front passenger seat.

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light burns out, the

airbag indicator light → page 46, Monitoring the

Advanced Airbag System will come on and signal

a malfunction in the Advanced Airbag System. Al-

though the burned-out light will not change the way

the front airbag on the passenger side works, it will

no longer be possible to use the PASSEN-

After the PASSENGER AIR BAG

blinking, always make sure that the airbag status (on

or off) as shown by the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light is proper for the size, age, and weight (electri-

cal capacitance) of the occupant on the front pas-

senger seat. Always make sure that the safety belt

for the front passenger seat is properly fastened.

light stops

GER AIR BAG

light to make sure that the air-

bag on/off status is correct for the occupant on the

front passenger seat. Have the airbag system in-

spected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen

dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

The PASSENGER AIR BAG

light will show the

status of the front seat passenger's front Advanced

Airbag System a few seconds after the ignition has

been switched on and the airbag monitoring light

The PASSENGER AIR BAG

about 5 seconds when:

light will blink for

goes off. The PASSENGER AIR BAG

light:

Airbag system

47

— will stay on if the front passenger seat is not oc-

cupied;

— remove and reinstall the child restraint. Make sure

that the child restraint is properly installed and

that the safety belt for the front passenger seat

has been correctly routed around or through the

child restraint as described in the child restraint

manufacturer's instructions;

— will stay on if the electrical capacitance measured

by the capacitive passenger detection system for

the front passenger seat equals the combined ca-

pacitance of an infant up to about 1 year of age

and one of the rearward-facing or forward-facing

child restraints listed in Federal Motor Vehicle

Safety Standard 208 with which the Advanced

Airbag System in your vehicle was certified. For

a listing of the child restraints that were used to

certify your vehicle's compliance with the U.S.

Safety Standard → page 64, Child safety and

child restraints;

— make sure that the switchable locking feature on

the safety belt for the front passenger seat has

been activated and that the safety belt has been

pulled tight;

— make sure that no electrical device (such as a lap-

top, CD player, or electronic games device) is

placed or used on the front passenger seat;

— make sure that no seat heater has been retrofit-

ted or otherwise added to the front passenger

seat;

— will go out if the front passenger seat is occupied

by an adult as registered by the capacitive pas-

senger detection system.

— make sure that nothing can interfere with the

safety belt buckles and that they are not ob-

structed;

The PASSENGER AIR BAG

light must come on

and stay on if the ignition is on and…

— make sure that there are no wet objects (such as

a wet towel) and no water or other liquids on the

front passenger seat cushion.

— a car bed has been installed on the front passen-

ger seat, or

— a rearward-facing child restraint has been instal-

led on the front passenger seat, or

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

come on…

light still does not

— a forward-facing child restraint has been installed

on the front passenger seat,

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light still does not

come on and does not stay on continuously (when

the ignition is switched on), take the child restraint

off the front passenger seat and install it properly at

one of the rear seat positions. Have the airbag sys-

tem inspected immediately by your authorized

Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Serv-

ice Facility.

— and if the electrical capacitance registered on the

front passenger seat is equal to or less than the

combined capacitance of a typical 1 year-old in-

fant and one of the rearward-facing or forward-

facing child restraints listed in Federal Motor Ve-

hicle Safety Standard 208 with which the Ad-

vanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certi-

fied.

The PASSENGER AIR BAG

come on…

light should NOT

If the front passenger seat is not occupied, the front

passenger airbag will not deploy, and the PASSEN-

The PASSENGER AIR BAG

light should NOT

GER AIR BAG

light will stay on.

come on when the ignition is on and an adult is sit-

ting in a proper seating position on the front passen-

Never install a rearward-facing child restraint on the

front passenger seat. The safest place for a child in

any kind of child restraint is on the rear seat

→ page 44, Airbag system, and → page 64, Child

safety and child restraints.

ger seat. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light

comes on and stays on under these circumstances,

make sure that:

— the adult on the front passenger seat is properly

seated on the center of the seat cushion with his

or her back up against the backrest and the back-

rest is not reclined;

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light comes on…

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light comes on

when one of the conditions listed above is met, be

sure to check the light regularly to make certain that

— the safety belt is being properly worn and that

there is not a lot of slack in the safety belt web-

bing;

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

uously whenever the ignition is on. If the PASSEN-

GER AIR BAG light does not come on and stay

light stays on contin-

— there are no aftermarket seat covers or cushions

or other things (such as blankets) on the front

passenger seat that might cause the capacitive

passenger detection system to miscalculate elec-

trical capacitance.

on all the time, stop as soon as it is safe to do so

AND

— reactivate the airbag system by turning the igni-

tion off for more than 4 seconds and then turning

it on again;

48

Safety

Have the airbag system inspected by your au-

thorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volks-

wagen Service Facility before transporting any-

one on the front passenger seat.

·

WARNING

If the status of the Advanced Airbag System has

changed while the vehicle is moving, the PASSEN-

GER AIR BAG

light blinks for about 5 seconds

If the capacitive passenger detection system

determines that the front passenger seat is

empty, the front airbag on the passenger side will be

to catch the driver's attention. If this happens, al-

ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check

the steps described above.

turned off, and the PASSENGER AIR BAG

will stay on.

light

WARNING

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not go

If the front passenger safety belt itself is

off when an adult who is not very small is sitting

on the front passenger seat after taking the steps

described above, make sure the adult is properly

seated and restrained at one of the rear seating

positions.

buckled and the front passenger seat is not

occupied, the PASSENGER AIR BAG

come on and stay on.

light will

Airbags inflate in the blink of an eye, so fast that

many people don't even realize that the airbags have

deployed. The airbags will deflate immediately after

deployment so that the front occupants can see

through the windshield again without interruption.

Airbags and how they work

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

Airbags inflate with a great deal of force. Airbags

can cause serious injuries when they inflate and hit

those who are sitting too close, are out of position,

or are not properly restrained. By keeping room be-

tween your body and the steering wheel and the

front of the passenger compartment, the airbag can

inflate fully and completely and provide supplemen-

tal protection during certain frontal collisions

→ page 36, Safety belts.

Front airbags and how they work

Airbags are only supplemental restraints. They are

not a substitute for safety belts that must be worn

even though the front seating positions are equip-

ped with front airbags. The front airbags can provide

additional protection for the chest and head of the

driver and the front seat passenger when seats,

safety belts, head restraints and, for the driver, the

steering wheel, are properly used and have been

properly adjusted.

Make sure that nothing is in the way of the airbags

when they deploy. For example, things on your lap

or on the seat could be pushed into your body or fly

dangerously through the passenger compartment

when the airbag inflates and cause serious personal

injury.

When the airbag system deploys in a collision, a gas

generator fills the airbags that break open the pad-

ded covers on the steering wheel and the instru-

ment panel. The front airbags inflate between the

steering wheel and the driver and between the in-

strument panel and the front passenger.

The areas outlined in red (dotted lines) → fig. 34 and

→ fig. 35 indicate the airbag deployment zone. Nev-

er place or attach accessories or other objects (such

as cup holders, telephone brackets, note pads, large,

heavy or bulky objects) on the doors, on the wind-

shield, over or near the area marked in red (dotted

lines).

Front airbags in combination with properly worn

safety belts slow down and limit the occupant's for-

ward movement. Together they help to prevent the

driver and front seat passenger from hitting parts of

the vehicle interior, thereby reducing the forces act-

ing on the occupants during a crash. In this way,

they help to reduce the risk of injury to the head and

upper body during a crash. Airbags do not provide

protection for the arms and lower body parts. It is

important to remember that the supplemental air-

bag system is designed to reduce the likelihood of

serious injuries. However, it is possible that a de-

ployed airbag may cause other injuries such as swel-

ling, bruising, friction burns, and abrasions.

Physical impairments and airbags

If you have a physical impairment or condition that

prevents you from sitting properly on the driver seat

with the safety belt properly fastened and reaching

the pedals, special modifications to your vehicle may

be necessary. The safety belt and airbag can only

provide optimum protection if you are seated cor-

rectly and can reach the pedals.

Airbag system

49

Contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or au-

thorized Volkswagen Service Facility or call the

Volkswagen Customer CARE Center at

The airbags are part of the overall passive vehicle

safety system. The airbag system works most effi-

ciently when used with properly worn safety belts

1-800-822-8987 for information about possible

modifications to your vehicle.

and a proper seating position →

on page 33.

in Introduction

When airbags deploy

Safety equipment

Deployment of the front airbags and the activation

of the safety belt pretensioners depend on the de-

celeration measured by the crash sensors and regis-

tered by the electronic control unit. Crash severity

depends on speed and deceleration as well as the

mass and stiffness of the vehicle or object involved

in the crash.

Your safety and the safety of your passengers

shouldn't be left to chance. Advances in technology

have made a number of features available to help

reduce the risk of injury in a collision. The following

are just a few of the safety features for your Volks-

wagen:

— Sophisticated safety belts for all seating positions.

The front airbags will not inflate in side or rear colli-

sions, in rollovers or if the ignition is switched off.

The front airbags will not inflate in all frontal colli-

sions. The triggering of the airbag system depends

on the vehicle deceleration rate caused by the colli-

sion 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 trig-

gered, even though the vehicle may be badly dam-

aged as a result of the collision. Vehicle damage, re-

pair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage is not

necessarily an indication of whether an airbag

should inflate or not. It is not possible to define

a range of vehicle speeds that will cover every possi-

ble kind and angle of impact that will always trigger

the airbags, since the circumstances will vary con-

siderably between one collision and another. Impor-

tant factors include, for example, the nature (hard or

soft) of the object that the vehicle hits, the angle of

impact, vehicle speed, etc.

— Safety belt pretensioners for the driver and front

passenger.

— Safety belt load limiters for the front and rear

outboard seating positions.

— Safety belt height adjusters for the front seats.

— Safety belt warning light.

— Advanced front airbag system for the driver and

front passenger.

— Sensors for the capacitive front seat passenger

detection system.

— Side airbags for the driver and front passenger.

Side Curtain Protection^®airbags with ejection

mitigation features.

—

— Airbag indicator light

— PASSENGER AIR BAG

.

light.

— Electronic control unit and associated sensors.

— Head restraints with height adjustment optimized

for rear-end collisions.

When an airbag deploys, fine dust is released. This is

normal and is not caused by a fire in the vehicle. This

dust is made up mostly of a powder used to lubri-

cate the airbags as they deploy. This dust could irri-

tate skin and eyes and cause breathing problems for

people with asthma or other respiratory conditions.

— Adjustable steering column.

— LATCH/UAS lower universal anchorages for child

restraints at the rear outboard seating positions.

— Top tether anchorages for child restraints at all

rear seating positions.

Always remember: Front airbags only supplement

the 3 point safety belts in some frontal collisions on-

ly when the vehicle deceleration is high enough to

deploy the airbags. Airbags only deploy once, and

only in certain kinds of collisions. The safety belts

are always there to offer protection in situations in

which airbags should not deploy or when they have

already deployed, for example, when your vehicle

strikes or is struck by another vehicle after an initial

collision.

These individual safety features can work together

as a system to help protect you and your passengers

in a wide range of collisions. These features can't

work as a system if they are not always correctly ad-

justed and properly used!

How the Advanced Airbag System components work

together…

On the passenger side, regardless of safety belt use,

the front passenger front airbag will be turned off if

the electrical capacitance measured by the capaci-

tive passenger detection system on the front pas-

senger seat is less than the amount programmed in

the electronic control unit. The front airbag on the

passenger side will also be turned off if the capaci-

This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is

a supplementary restraint and is not a substitute for

a safety belt. The airbag system works most effec-

tively when used with the safety belts. Therefore, al-

ways buckle up properly and wear your safety belts.

50

Safety

tance measured by the system for the front passen-

ger seat equals that of an infant of about 1 year of

age in one of the child restraints that was used to

certify the Advanced Airbag System under Federal

Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. The PASSEN-

Always make certain that children age 12 or

younger always ride in the rear seat. If children

are not properly restrained, they may be severe-

ly injured or killed when the airbag inflates.

·

Never let children ride unrestrained or improp-

erly restrained in the vehicle.

GER AIR BAG

light comes on and stays on to

tell you when the front Advanced Airbag System on

the passenger side has been turned off → page 47,

Adjust the front seats properly.

·

PASSENGER AIR BAG

light.

Never ride with the backrest reclined.

Always sit as far as possible from the steering

wheel or the instrument panel.

WARNING

Never rely on airbags alone for protection.

Always sit upright with your back against the

backrest of your seat.

·

Even when they deploy, airbags provide only

supplemental protection.

·

Never put your feet on the instrument panel or

on the seat.

Airbags work most effectively when used with

properly worn safety belts → page 36, Safety

belts.

·

Always keep both feet on the floor in front of

the seat to help prevent serious injuries to the

head, legs and hips if the airbag inflates.

The driver must always make sure that every

·

person in the vehicle is properly seated on

a seat of his or her own, properly fastens the

safety belts belonging to that seat before the

vehicle starts to move, and keeps the belts

properly fastened while riding in the vehicle.

This applies even when just driving around

town. Therefore, always wear your safety belts

and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is

properly restrained.

WARNING

Objects between you and the airbag will increase

the risk of injury in a crash by interfering with the

way the airbag unfolds and/or by being pushed in-

to you as the airbag inflates.

Never hold things in your hands or on your lap

when the vehicle is moving.

·

Never place accessories or other objects (such

·

WARNING

as cup holders, telephone brackets, or things

that are large, heavy, or bulky) on the doors or

attach them to the doors; never place them

over or near the area marked AIRBAG on the

steering wheel, instrument panel, or seat backr-

ests or between those areas and someone in

the vehicle. These objects could cause injury in

a crash, especially if an airbag inflates.

Sitting too close to the steering wheel or instru-

ment panel will decrease the effectiveness of the

airbags and will increase the risk of personal injury

in a collision.

Never sit less than 10 inches (25 cm) from the

steering wheel or instrument panel.

·

If you cannot sit upright more than 10 inches

·

Never recline the front passenger seat to trans-

·

(25 cm) from the steering wheel, investigate

whether adaptive equipment may be available

to help you reach the pedals and increase your

seating distance from the steering wheel.

port objects. Items can also move into the de-

ployment area of the side airbags or the front

airbag during braking or in a sudden maneuver.

Objects near the airbags can fly dangerously

through the passenger compartment and cause

injury, particularly when the seat is reclined and

the airbags inflate.

If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting

sideways, or out of position in any way, your

risk of injury is much higher.

·

Never place or transport objects on the front

You can also be seriously injured and even be

killed if you are sitting too close to the airbag

when it inflates.

·

passenger seat. Always make sure that there is

nothing on the front passenger seat that will

cause the capacitive sensor in the seat to signal

to the airbag system that the seat is occupied

by a person when it in fact is not, or that the

person on the seat is heavier than he or she ac-

tually is. The change in electric capacitance be-

cause of such objects can cause the passenger

front airbag to be turned on when it should be

off, or can cause the airbag to work in a way

To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag in-

flates, always wear safety belts properly.

·

An infant in a rearward-facing child restraint in-

·

stalled on the front passenger seat will be seri-

ously injured and can be killed if the front airbag

inflates – even with an Advanced Airbag Sys-

tem.

Airbag system

51

that is different from the way it would have

worked without objects on the seat.

Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be

installed in your vehicle.

·

Always make sure that the status signaled by

·

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light is correct

for the way that the front passenger seat is be-

ing used.

The dangers of using child re-

straints on the front seat

WARNING

Please read the introductory information and

The fine dust created when airbags deploy can

cause breathing problems for people with asthma

or other breathing conditions.

heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

The airbag on the front passenger side makes the

front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child

to ride, even if the vehicle is equipped with an Ad-

vanced Airbag System. The front seat is a very dan-

gerous place for an infant or small child in a rear-

ward facing child restraint. The front seat is also not

the safest place for a child in a forward-facing child

restraint. All children, especially 12 years and young-

er, must always ride on the back seat and be proper-

ly restrained for their age and size.

To reduce the risk of breathing problems, those

·

with asthma or other respiratory conditions

should get fresh air right away by getting out of

the vehicle or opening windows or doors.

If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy,

wash your hands and face with mild soap and

water before eating.

·

Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes, or

into any cuts, scratches, or open wounds.

·

During a frontal collision, a child restraint or infant

carrier on the front seat could be hit and knocked

out of position by the inflating front passenger air-

bag. The airbag could significantly reduce the effec-

tiveness of the child restraint and even seriously in-

jure a child while deploying.

If the residue should get into your eyes, flush

them with water.

·

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light is on and

Because of this danger, and because children are

generally better protected on the rear seat when

properly restrained for their age and size, we strong-

ly urge you to always make sure that children ride on

the rear seat → page 64, Child safety and child re-

straints, and → page 44, Airbag system.

stays on whenever a child restraint is installed on

the front passenger seat and the ignition is

switched on.

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not

·

stay on, take the child restraint off the front

passenger seat and install it properly at one of

the rear seating positions.

DANGER

Always make sure that the child restraint is cor-

rectly registered by the capacitive passenger

detection system.

·

A front seat passenger, especially an infant or

small child, will be seriously injured and can even

be killed if too close to the airbag when it deploys

– even an Advanced Airbag.

Have the airbag system inspected immediately

by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or au-

thorized Volkswagen Service Facility if the PAS-

All vehicle occupants and especially children

·

must be restrained properly whenever riding in

a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly re-

strained child could be injured by striking the in-

terior or by being ejected from the vehicle dur-

ing a sudden maneuver or impact. An unre-

strained or improperly restrained child is also at

greater risk of injury or death through contact

with an inflating airbag.

SENGER AIR BAG

light does not come on

and stay on whenever a child restraint is instal-

led on the front passenger seat and the ignition

is switched on.

WARNING

Airbags that have deployed in a crash must be re-

placed.

Accident statistics show that children are safer

on the rear seat than on the front seat.

·

Use only original equipment airbags approved

·

by Volkswagen and installed by a trained tech-

nician who has the necessary tools and diagnos-

tic equipment to properly replace any airbag on

your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in

a crash.

A suitable child restraint properly installed and

·

used at one of the rear seating positions pro-

vides the highest degree of protection for in-

fants and small children in most accident situa-

tions.

52

Safety

Although the Advanced Airbag System has been

designed to switch off when an infant or small

child is on the front passenger seat in a child re-

straint that was used during the certification

process for the Advanced Airbag System, no one

can guarantee with absolute certainty that the

airbag will never deploy under these particular

conditions in all conceivable situations for the

duration of your vehicle's use.

Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen

Service Facility.

·

WARNING

Forward-facing child restraints installed on the

front passenger seat may interfere with the de-

ployment of the airbag and cause serious personal

injury to the child.

If exceptional circumstances require the use of

·

The Advanced Airbag System can deploy in ac-

cordance with the “low risk” option for 3 to

6 year-old children under the U.S. Federal

Standard if a child with electrical capacitance

greater than the combined capacitance of a typ-

ical 1 year-old infant restrained in one of the

forward facing or rearward-facing child re-

straints with which your vehicle was certified is

on the front passenger seat and the other con-

ditions for airbag deployment are met.

a forward-facing child restraint on the front

passenger seat, the following special precau-

tions must be taken for the safety and well-be-

ing of the child:

— Always make sure that the forward-facing

child restraint has been designed and certi-

fied for use on a front passenger seat with

a front airbag and a side airbag.

— Always carefully follow the manufacturer's

instructions provided for the child restraint or

infant carrier.

For their own safety, all children, especially

12 years and younger, must always ride on the

back seat properly restrained for their age and

size.

·

— Never install a child restraint without a prop-

erly attached top tether strap if the child re-

straint manufacturer's instructions require

the top tether strap for proper installation, or

if required by law. For example, the use of

a top tether strap for forward-facing child re-

straints is required by law in Canada.

When installing a child restraint, always careful-

ly follow the manufacturer's instructions.

DANGER

Children on the front seat of any vehicle, even one

with Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or

even killed when an airbag inflates.

— Never put the forward-facing child restraint

up against or very near the instrument panel.

— Always set the safety belt upper anchorage

to the adjustment position that permits

proper installation in accordance with the

child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

A child in a rearward-facing child restraint in-

·

stalled on the front passenger seat will be seri-

ously injured and can be killed if the front airbag

inflates.

— Always move the front passenger seat to the

highest position in the up and down adjust-

ment range and move it back to the rearmost

position in the seat's fore and aft adjustment

range, as far away from the airbag as possi-

ble, before installing the forward-facing child

restraint.

The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or

·

infant carrier with great force and will smash

the child restraint and the child against the seat

backrest, center armrest, door, or roof.

Always install rearward-facing child restraints

on the rear seat.

·

Although the Advanced Airbag System in your

·

— Always make sure that the safety belt upper

anchorage is behind the child restraint and

not next to or in front of the child restraint so

that the safety belt will be properly posi-

tioned.

vehicle is designed to turn off the front airbag

when a rearward-facing child restraint has been

installed on the front passenger seat, nobody

can absolutely guarantee that deployment is

impossible in all conceivable situations that may

happen during the useful life of your vehicle.

— Always make sure that nothing is in the way

that prevents the front passenger seat from

being moved all the way back to the rear-

most position in its fore and aft adjustment

range.

If you have, in exceptional circumstances, nev-

ertheless decided to install a rearward-facing

child restraint on the front passenger seat and

·

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not

— Always make sure that the backrest is in the

upright position.

come on and stay on whenever the ignition is

on, immediately install the rearward-facing seat

in a rear seating position and have the airbag

system inspected immediately by an authorized

— Never place additional items on the seat that

can influence the electrical capacitance

Airbag system

53

measured by the capacitive passenger detec-

tion system.

gen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen

Service Facility.

— Always make sure that the PASSEN-

Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place

even when no child is sitting in it. A loose child

restraint can fly around the vehicle during

a sudden stop or in a collision.

·

GER AIR BAG

light comes on and stays

on all the time whenever the ignition is

switched on.

— If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does

Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever

using a child restraint in the vehicle: → page 36,

Safety belts, → page 44, Airbag system, and

→ page 64, Child safety and child restraints.

not come on and stay on, immediately install

the forward-facing child restraint in a seating

position on the rear seat and have the airbag

system inspected by an authorized Volkswa-

Front airbags

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

Fig. 34 Location and deployment zone of the driver front airbag.

Fig. 35 Location and deployment zone of the front passenger front airbag.

The vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag

System in compliance with the United States Federal

Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 or the

Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208

applicable at the time your vehicle was manufac-

tured. The airbag for the driver is in the steering

wheel hub → fig. 34 and the airbag for the front

passenger is in the instrument panel → fig. 35

The general location of the airbags is marked “AIR-

BAG.”

.

54

Safety

The safety belts for the front seating positions have

safety belt pretensioners which help take up slack in

the belts. The airbag control unit also activates the

belt pretensioners → page 43, Safety belt retractor,

pretensioner, load limiter.

when a rearward-facing child restraint has been

installed on the front passenger seat, nobody

can absolutely guarantee that deployment is

impossible in all conceivable situations that may

happen during the useful life of your vehicle.

If you have, in exceptional circumstances, nev-

ertheless decided to install a rearward-facing

child restraint on the front passenger seat and

The safety belts for the front and rear outboard

seating positions also have belt load limiters to re-

duce the forces acting on a body during an accident.

·

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not

The areas marked in red (dotted lines) → fig. 34

and → fig. 35 indicate the airbag deployment

zone. Never place or attach accessories or other ob-

jects (such as cup holders, telephone brackets, note

pads, na vigation systems, large, heavy or bulky ob-

jects) on the doors, on the windshield, over or near

the area marked in red (dotted lines).

come on and stay on whenever the ignition is

on, immediately install the rearward-facing seat

in a rear seating position and have the airbag

system inspected immediately by an authorized

Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen

Service Facility.

DANGER

Front airbags will not deploy:

— if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs,

— in side collisions,

A front seat passenger, especially an infant or

small child, will be seriously injured and can even

be killed if too close to the airbag when it deploys

– even an Advanced Airbag.

— in rear-end collisions,

— in rollovers,

All vehicle occupants and especially children

·

must be restrained properly whenever riding in

a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly re-

strained child could be injured by striking the in-

terior or by being ejected from the vehicle dur-

ing a sudden maneuver or impact. An unre-

strained or improperly restrained child is also at

greater risk of injury or death through contact

with an inflating airbag.

— when the crash deceleration measured by the air-

bag system is less than the minimum threshold

needed for airbag deployment as registered by

the electronic control unit.

The front passenger front airbag will also not de-

ploy:

— when the front passenger seat is not occupied,

Accident statistics show that children are safer

on the rear seat than on the front seat.

·

— when the electrical capacitance measured by the

capacitive passenger detection system for the

front passenger seat indicates that the passenger

side front airbag must be switched off by the

electronic control unit (the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light comes on and stays on → page 47, PAS-

A suitable child restraint properly installed and

·

used at one of the rear seating positions pro-

vides the highest degree of protection for in-

fants and small children in most accident situa-

tions.

SENGER AIR BAG

light).

An Advanced Airbag System can deploy with the

·

DANGER

“low risk” option for 3 to 6 year-old children

when a child who is heavier than the combined

capacitance of a typical 1 year-old child plus

child restraint is secured on the passenger seat

in a forward-facing or rear-facing child restraint

that was used to certify your vehicle, and when

the other conditions for airbag deployment are

met.

Children on the front seat of any vehicle, even one

with Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or

even killed when an airbag inflates.

A child in a rearward-facing child restraint in-

·

stalled on the front passenger seat will be seri-

ously injured and can be killed if the front airbag

inflates.

For their own safety, all children, especially

·

The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or

·

those 12 years and younger, must always sit on

the back seat, properly restrained for their age

and size.

infant carrier with great force and will smash

the child restraint and the child against the seat

backrest, center armrest, door, or roof.

When installing a child restraint, always careful-

ly follow the manufacturer's instructions.

·

Always install rearward-facing child restraints

on the rear seat.

·

If the airbag indicator light goes on while driv-

ing, have the system inspected immediately by

your authorized Volkswagen dealer or author-

·

Although the Advanced Airbag System in your

vehicle is designed to turn off the front airbag

·

Airbag system

55

ized Volkswagen Service Facility. A lit indicator

light means the airbags may not work properly

if activated in a crash.

Always make sure that the status signaled by

·

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light is correct

for the way that the front passenger seat is be-

ing used.

Always make sure that the status signaled by

·

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light is correct

WARNING

for the way that the front passenger seat is be-

ing used.

Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can

cause serious injuries to the hands, arms, and head

if the driver's airbag inflates.

WARNING

Objects between you and the airbag will increase

the risk of injury in a crash by interfering with the

way the airbag unfolds and/or by being pushed in-

to you as the airbag inflates.

Always hold the steering wheel with both hands

·

on the outside of the steering wheel rim at the

9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce

the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag

inflates.

Never hold things in your hands or on your lap

when the vehicle is moving.

·

Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock

·

position or with your hands anywhere inside the

steering wheel or on the steering wheel hub.

Holding the steering wheel the wrong way in-

creases the risk of severe injury to the arms,

hands, and head if the driver airbag deploys.

Never place accessories or other objects (such

·

as cup holders, telephone brackets, notepads,

navigation systems, or things that are large,

heavy, or bulky) on the doors or attach them to

the doors; never place them over or near the

area marked “AIRBAG” on the steering wheel,

instrument panel, or seat backrests, or between

those areas and someone in the vehicle

→ fig. 34 and → fig. 35. Such objects could

cause serious injury in a collision, especially if an

airbag inflates.

WARNING

The fine dust created when airbags deploy can

cause breathing problems for people with asthma

or other breathing conditions.

To reduce the risk of breathing problems, those

·

Never attach accessories to the windshield

·

with asthma or other respiratory conditions

should get fresh air right away by getting out of

the vehicle or opening windows or doors.

above the passenger front airbag, such as GPS

navigation units or music players. Such objects

could cause serious injury in a collision, espe-

cially if an airbag inflates.

If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy,

wash your hands and face with mild soap and

water before eating.

·

Never recline the front passenger seat to trans-

·

port objects. Items can also move into the de-

ployment area of the side airbags or the front

airbag during braking or in a sudden maneuver.

Objects near the airbags can fly dangerously

through the passenger compartment and cause

injury, particularly when the seat is reclined and

the airbags inflate.

Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes, or

into any cuts, scratches, or open wounds.

·

If the residue should get into your eyes, flush

them with water.

·

WARNING

Always make sure that there is nothing on the

Airbags that have deployed in a crash must be re-

placed.

·

front passenger seat that will cause the capaci-

tive passenger detection system in the seat to

signal to the Airbag System that the seat is oc-

cupied by a person when it is not, or to signal

that it is occupied by someone who is heavier

than the person actually sitting on the seat. The

presence of an object could cause the passen-

ger front airbag to be turned on when it should

be off, or could cause the airbag to work in

a way that is different from the way it would

have worked without the object on the seat.

Use only original equipment airbags approved

·

by Volkswagen and installed by a trained tech-

nician who has the necessary tools and diagnos-

tic equipment to properly replace any airbag on

your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in

a crash.

Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be

installed in your vehicle.

·

Undeployed airbag modules and safety belt

pretensioners are classified as Perchlorate

Material. Special handling may apply – see http://

www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. Obey

all applicable legal requirements regarding handling

Always make sure that nothing is on the front

passenger seat when the backrest is folded for-

ward.

·

56

Safety

and disposal of the vehicle or parts of its restraint

system, including airbag modules and safety belts

with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers

and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities are fa-

miliar with the requirements, and we recommend

that you have them perform this service for you.

— The PASSENGER AIR BAG

light in the center

Advanced Airbag System compo-

nents

of the instrument panel that tells you when the

front Advanced Airbag System on the passenger

side has been turned off → page 47, PASSEN-

Please read the introductory information and

GER AIR BAG

light.

heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

— A switch in the safety belt buckle for the driver

and for the front seat passenger that senses

whether that safety belt is latched or not and

transmits this information to the electronic con-

trol unit.

The front passenger seat in your vehicle has a lot of

very important parts of the Advanced Airbag System

in it → page 49, Airbags and how they work. These

parts include the capacitive passenger detection

system, wiring, brackets, and more. The control unit

monitors the system in the front passenger seat

when the ignition is switched on and turns the air-

bag indicator light on when a malfunction in the one

of the system components is detected → page 46,

Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System. Because

the front passenger seat contains important parts of

the Advanced Airbag System, you must take care to

prevent it from being damaged. Damage to the seat

may prevent the Advanced Airbag System for the

front passenger seat from doing its job in a crash.

WARNING

An airbag system and safety belt pretensioner that

are not working properly cannot provide supple-

mental protection in a frontal crash.

If the airbag indicator light comes on, it means

·

that there may be something wrong with the

airbag system. It is possible that the airbag will

inflate when it is not supposed to, or will not in-

flate when it should.

Have the airbag system inspected immediately

by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or au-

thorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

·

The front Advanced Airbag System also includes:

— Crash sensors in the front of the vehicle that

measure vehicle acceleration/deceleration to pro-

vide information to the Advanced Airbag System

about the severity of the crash.

Use only original equipment airbags approved

·

by Volkswagen. Have them installed by

a trained technician who has the necessary

tools and diagnostic equipment to properly re-

place any airbag in your vehicle and assure sys-

tem effectiveness in a crash.

— An electronic control unit, with integrated crash

sensors for front and side impacts. The control

unit “decides” whether to fire just the front air-

bags based on the information received from the

crash sensors. The control unit also “decides”

whether the safety belt pretensioners should be

activated.

Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be

installed in your vehicle.

·

WARNING

Damage to the front passenger seat can prevent

the front airbag from working properly.

— An Advanced Airbag with gas generator for the

driver inside the steering wheel hub.

Improper repair or disassembly of the front pas-

senger and driver seat can prevent the Ad-

vanced Airbag System from working properly.

·

— An Advanced Airbag with gas generator inside the

instrument panel for the front passenger.

— A capacitive passenger detection system under-

neath the front passenger seat cover. This system

measures the electrical capacitance of the person

in the seat. The information registered is sent

continuously to the electronic control unit to reg-

ulate deployment of the front Advanced Airbag on

the passenger side.

Repairs to the front passenger seat should be

performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer

or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

·

Never remove the front passenger seat or driver

seat from the vehicle.

·

Never remove the upholstery from the front

passenger seat.

·

— An airbag system indicator light in the instrument

cluster → page 46, Monitoring the Advanced Air-

bag System.

Airbag system

57

Never disassemble or take parts off the seat or

disconnect wires from it.

by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or au-

thorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

·

Never carry sharp objects in your pockets or put

them on the seat. If the capacitive passenger

detection system in the front passenger seat is

punctured it cannot work properly.

WARNING

If the front passenger seat gets wet, dry it imme-

diately.

Never carry things on your lap or carry objects

on the front passenger seat. Such objects can

influence the capacitance registered by the ca-

pacitive passenger detection system, so that in-

correct information is provided to the airbag

control unit. These things can also cause serious

personal injury if the airbag inflates.

·

If liquid soaks into the front passenger seat, this

·

can keep the airbag system from working prop-

erly and may, for instance, deactivate the pas-

senger front airbag. If this happens, the PAS-

SENGER AIR BAG

light will come on and

stay on together with the airbag indicator light

in the instrument cluster.

Never store items under the front seats. Parts of

the Advanced Airbag System under the front

seats could be damaged, preventing them and

the airbag system from working properly.

·

If liquid is pooled on the seat, but has not

soaked in, this may also keep the airbag system

from working properly and cause the front pas-

senger front airbag to be enabled (turned on),

even though there is a properly installed child

restraint system on the seat. Wet towels or oth-

er wet things on the seat cushion can have the

same effect. The PASSENGER AIR BAG

·

Never put seat covers or replacement uphols-

tery on the front seats that have not been ap-

proved by Volkswagen for your specific vehicle.

·

Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Airbag

System from recognizing child restraints or oc-

cupants on the passenger seat and prevent the

side airbag in the seat backrest from deploying

properly.

light goes out when the front passenger's front

airbag is active.

NOTICE

Never use cushions, pillows, blankets, or similar

items on the front passenger seat. The addition-

al layers prevent the capacitive passenger de-

tection system from accurately measuring the

capacitance of the child safety seat and/or the

person on the seat and thus keep the Advanced

Airbag System from working properly.

To help prevent damage to electrical and other

parts in the seat, do not kneel on the front seats

or apply concentrated pressure to a small area of

the seat or backrest.

·

Never install leather upholstery on a vehicle that

originally had cloth upholstery. Never install cloth

upholstery on a vehicle that originally had leather

upholstery. The capacitive passenger detection

system for the Advanced Airbag system will not

work properly if different upholstery is installed

on the passenger seat than the upholstery origi-

nally installed on the vehicle when it was original-

ly manufactured.

·

Never place or use any electrical device (such as

a laptop, CD player, or electronic games device)

on the front passenger seat. Such devices can

influence the capacitance registered by the ca-

pacitive passenger detection system, so that in-

correct information is provided to the airbag

control unit.

If a seat heater has been retrofitted or other-

wise added to the front passenger seat, never

install any child restraint system on this seat.

·

How to tell if the front passenger

front airbag is on or off

If you must use a child restraint on the front

passenger seat and the child restraint manufac-

turer's instructions require the use of a towel,

foam cushion or something similar to properly

position the child restraint, make certain that

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

Passenger front airbag

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light comes on

Regardless of safety belt use, the airbag in front of

the front passenger seat will be switched off if the

electrical capacitance measured on this seat is less

than the value programmed in the electronic control

unit.

and stays on whenever the child restraint is in-

stalled on the front passenger seat.

If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not

·

come on and stay on, immediately install the

child the restraint at a seating position on the

rear seat and have the airbag system inspected

The front airbag on the passenger side of the front

seat will also be turned off if the electrical capaci-

58

Safety

tance measured on the seat (by the capacitive pas-

senger detection system) is less than or equal to the

combined capacitance of:

For safety reasons, you must never use a child re-

straint system on the front passenger seat unless

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light comes on and

stays on, perhaps in combination with the indica-

tor light in the instrument cluster. If the passenger

front airbag deployed in an accident, it would se-

verely injure and possibly kill the child in the re-

straint system. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG

— a typical 1 year-old infant and

— any of the child restraints listed in Federal Motor

Vehicle Safety Standard 208 for which the Ad-

vanced Airbag System in your vehicle is certified.

light burns out, the airbag indicator light will come

on and signal a malfunction of the Advanced Airbag

System. Although the burned-out light will not

change the way the front airbag on the passenger

side works, it will no longer be possible to use the

For a listing of the child restraints that were used to

certify your vehicle's compliance with U.S. Safety

Standard 208, see → page 67, Child restraints and

the Advanced Airbag System. The PASSEN-

GER AIR BAG

light comes on and stays on to

PASSENGER AIR BAG

light to make sure that

tell you when the front Advanced Airbag on the pas-

senger side has been turned off.

the airbag on/off status is correct for the occupant

on the front passenger seat. Have the airbag system

inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswa-

gen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facili-

ty.

Passenger front airbag active

— Switch on the ignition.

— The capacitive passenger detection system meas-

ures the electrical capacitance of the front pas-

senger seat. If that capacitance is above the refer-

ence value, the passenger front airbag will be

switched on by the Advanced Airbag control unit.

DANGER

A front seat passenger, especially an infant or

small child, will be seriously injured and can even

be killed if sitting too close to the airbag when it

deploys.

— If the ignition is on, and the PASSEN-

GER AIR BAG

does not come on, the passenger front airbag is

generally active. If the light has burned out

light in the instrument panel

All vehicle occupants and especially children

·

must be restrained properly whenever riding in

a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly re-

strained child could be injured by striking the in-

terior or by being ejected from the vehicle dur-

ing a sudden maneuver or impact. An unre-

strained or improperly restrained child is also at

greater risk of injury or death through contact

with an inflating airbag.

(see below), you will be unable to tell whether the

passenger front airbag is active or not.

Using child restraints on the front passenger seat

The airbag on the front passenger side makes the

front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child

to ride. Because of this danger, and because children

are generally better protected on the rear seat when

properly restrained for their age and size, we strong-

ly advise that you always place children on the rear

seat → page 52, The dangers of using child restraints

on the front seat. For a list of the child restraints

used to certify compliance of the Advanced Airbag

System in your vehicle with the suppression require-

ments of FMVSS 208, see → page 67, Child re-

straints and the Advanced Airbag System.

A child in a rearward-facing child restraint in-

·

stalled on the front passenger seat will be seri-

ously injured and can be killed if the front airbag

inflates.

The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or

·

infant carrier with great force and will smash

the child restraint and the child against the seat

backrest, center armrest, door, or roof.

Accident statistics show that children are safer

on the rear seat than on the front seat.

·

For more information, see → page 64, Child safety

and child restraints; note →

below!

A suitable child restraint properly installed and

·

used at one of the rear seating positions pro-

vides the highest degree of protection for in-

fants and small children in most accident situa-

tions.

How do I know when the passenger front airbag has

been turned off by the control unit?

The PASSENGER AIR BAG

light in the instru-

ment panel will come on and stay on to tell you

when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger

side has been turned off by the electronic control

For their own safety, all children, especially

·

12 years and younger, must always ride on the

back seat properly restrained for their age and

size.

unit. Unless the yellow

stays on, the passenger front airbag is still active

→ page 47, PASSENGER AIR BAG light.

light comes on and

When installing a child restraint, always careful-

ly follow the manufacturer's instructions.

·

Airbag system

59

front airbag on or off so that it does not deploy

when it should or deploys when it should not, re-

sulting in an increased risk of serious personal in-

jury.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light comes on and

stays on whenever a child restraint is installed on

the front passenger seat and the ignition is

switched on. Take the child restraint off the front

passenger seat and install it properly at one of the

seating positions on the rear seat if the PASSEN-

Do not carry anything on your lap or transport

·

things on the passenger seat. Things on the

passenger seat can influence the capacitance

registered by the capacitive passenger detec-

tion system, sending the wrong information to

the airbag control unit. These objects can also

cause serious personal injury if the airbag in-

flates.

GER AIR BAG

light does not stay on. Have

the airbag system inspected immediately by an

authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility.

Always make sure that a child restraint has been

·

If you must use a child restraint on the front

·

correctly registered by the capacitive passenger

detection system. If the status of the Advanced

Airbag System changes while the vehicle is

passenger seat and the child restraint manufac-

turer's instructions require the use of a towel,

foam cushion or something similar to properly

position the child restraint, make certain that

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

and stays on whenever the child restraint is in-

stalled on the front passenger seat.

moving, the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light

blinks for about 5 seconds to catch the driver's

attention. If this happens, always stop as soon

as it is safe to do so and check to make sure

that the airbag on/off status is correct for the

passenger riding on the front passenger seat.

light comes on

Otherwise, install the child restraint system on

the rear seat!

·

WARNING

Changes in the electrical capacitance of the pas-

senger seat while driving can switch the passenger

Side airbags

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

Fig. 36 On the driver side. : Location and deployment zone of the side airbags. : Location and deployment zone

of the side airbags in the padding on the outboard side of the front seat backrests.

The side airbags are in the backrest padding of the

driver and front passenger seats → fig. 36. The gen-

eral location is shown by the word “AIRBAG.” The

area marked in red (dotted lines) indicates the de-

ployment zone of the side airbags.

In a side collision, the side airbag in the seat back-

rest can deploy on the side of the vehicle that is

struck and help reduce the risk of injury to the driver

or the front seat passenger.

60

Safety

The side airbags installed for the front seating posi-

tions have been designed and certified to help re-

duce the risk of injury that can be caused by airbags

when they inflate, particularly when the occupant

sitting next to it is not seated properly.

are not supposed to deploy or when they have al-

ready deployed.

The side airbag system will not inflate:

— if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs,

The side airbag for the front passenger seat can be

used with properly installed child restraints. Always

read and heed all important information and WARN-

INGS whenever using a child restraint in the vehicle:

→ page 36, Safety belts, → page 44, Airbag system,

→ page 64, Child safety and child restraints, and

— in side collisions when the acceleration measured

by the sensor is too low,

— in front-end collisions,

— in rear-end collisions,

— in rollovers, unless the deployment threshold for

deployment stored in the control unit is met.

→

in The dangers of using child restraints on the

front seat on page 52.

In some types of accidents, the front airbags, Side

Curtain Protection^®airbags and side airbags may be

triggered together.

The side airbag system includes:

— An electronic control module and side impact

sensors.

WARNING

— Side airbags in the front seat backrests.

An inflating side airbag can cause serious or even

fatal injury. Improperly wearing safety belts and

improper seating positions increase the risk of se-

rious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle

is being used.

— An airbag system indicator light in the instrument

cluster → page 46, Monitoring the Advanced Air-

bag System.

When a side airbag deploys in a collision, a gas gen-

erator fills the side airbag between the vehicle occu-

pant and the door. The side airbag system supple-

ments the safety belts and can help to reduce the

risk of injury to the occupant's upper torso.

To help reduce the risk of injury when the sup-

plemental side airbag inflates,

·

— Always sit in an upright position and do not

lean against the area where the side airbag is

located.

In order to help provide this additional protection,

the side airbag must inflate within the blink of an

eye at very high speed and with great force. The

supplemental side airbag could injure you if your

seating position is not proper or upright or if items

are in the area where the supplemental side airbag

inflates. This applies especially to children

— Never let a child or anyone else rest their

head against the side trim panel in the area

where the side airbag inflates.

— Always make sure that safety belts are worn

correctly.

→ page 64, Child safety and child restraints.

— Never let anyone sitting in the front seat put

their hand out of the window.

The airbag system is monitored electronically to

make sure it is working properly at all times. Every

time you turn on the ignition, the airbag system in-

dicator light will come on for a few seconds

(function check).

Objects between you and the airbag can in-

·

crease the risk of injury in a collision by interfer-

ing with the way the airbag unfolds or by being

pushed into you as the airbag inflates.

Never place or attach accessories or other ob-

The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety

belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occupant re-

straint system in your vehicle → page 33, Sitting

properly and safely, → page 36, Safety belts.

·

jects (such as cup holders, telephone brackets,

or even large, bulky objects) on the doors or

over or near the area marked “AIRBAG” on the

seat backrests → fig. 36.

It is important to remember that the side airbag sys-

tem is designed to help reduce the likelihood of seri-

ous injury. However, it is also important to remem-

ber that a deploying airbag may also cause other in-

juries, such as swelling, bruising, friction burns, and

abrasions. Also remember that side airbags will de-

ploy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents.

After the side airbag inflates, the system must be re-

placed. Your safety belts are always there to offer

protection in those accidents in which side airbags

Accessories or other objects can fly dangerously

·

through the passenger compartment and cause

serious injury if the supplemental side airbag in-

flates.

Never position or hold any objects or pets in the

area where an airbag inflates or allow any chil-

dren or other passengers to ride in that space.

·

Never use the built-in coat hooks for anything

but lightweight clothing. Never leave any heavy

or sharp-edged objects in the pockets. Such ob-

·

Airbag system

61

jects may interfere with side airbag deployment

and cause serious personal injury in a collision.

Always prevent the side airbags from being

damaged by heavy objects hitting the sides of

the seat backrests or force being put on the

seat backs, especially in the area where the side

airbag module is located.

·

WARNING

Improper use, repair, or disassembly of the driver

and front passenger seats can prevent side airbags

from working properly and result in severe injuries.

The airbag system can only be triggered once. If

the airbag has been triggered, the system must

be replaced.

·

Always make sure that the side airbag can in-

flate without interference:

·

Always have work involving the side airbag sys-

tem, including removal, replacement, and in-

stallation of airbag components, or other repairs

performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer

or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Oth-

erwise, the airbag system may not work cor-

rectly.

— Never install seat covers or replacement up-

holstery over the front seat backrests that

have not been specifically approved by Volks-

wagen. Otherwise, the side airbag may not

be able to deploy properly.

— Never put seat cushions, blankets, or other

coverings over the areas where the side air-

bags inflate.

Never remove the front seats from the vehicle

or modify parts of the front seats.

·

Never attempt to modify any components of

the airbag system in any way.

— Damage to the original seat covers or to the

seam in the area of the side airbag module

must always be repaired immediately by an

authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility.

If too much force is exerted on the seat back-

rest bolsters, the side airbags may deploy im-

properly, not at all, or when they should not.

Side Curtain Protection^®airbags

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice

on page 44.

Fig. 37 On the left vehicle side: Installation location and deployment zone of the Side Curtain Protection airbag.

The Side Curtain Protection^®airbags are in the head-

er area on both sides of the vehicle → fig. 37. The

general location is identified by the word “AIRBAG.”

The red lines show the deployment zone of the Side

Curtain Protection^®airbags. The Side Curtain Protec-

tion^®airbags contain features that provide ejection

mitigation to help prevent vehicle occupants or

parts of their bodies from being completely or parti-

ally ejected from the vehicle interior in certain side

impacts and vehicle rollovers.

The Side Curtain Protection^®airbag system includes:

— An electronic control module and side impact

sensors.

The Side Curtain Protection^®airbags above the

front and rear side windows.

—

— An airbag system indicator light in the instrument

cluster → page 46, Monitoring the Advanced Air-

bag System.

62

Safety

The Side Curtain Protection^®airbags inflate down-

wards between the occupant and the side window

on that side of the vehicle that is struck in certain

side collisions → fig. 37. The Side Curtain Protection^®

airbag system supplements the safety belts and can

help to reduce the risk of injury for the occupant's

head and upper torso on the side of the vehicle that

is struck in a side collision. The Side Curtain Protec-

tion^®airbags also contain features to help prevent

vehicle occupants or parts of their bodies from being

completely or partially ejected from the vehicle inte-

rior in certain vehicle rollovers.

In some types of accidents, the front, Side Curtain

Protection^®and side airbags may be triggered to-

gether.

WARNING

An inflating Side Curtain Protection^®airbag can

cause serious or even fatal injury. Improperly

wearing safety belts and improper seating posi-

tions increase the risk of serious personal injury

and death whenever a vehicle is being used.

A deploying airbag inflates within a fraction of

a second with a lot of force and at very high

speed.

·

In order to help provide this additional protection,

the Side Curtain Protection^®airbag must inflate

within the blink of an eye at very high speed and

with great force. The Side Curtain Protection^®airbag

could injure you if your seating position is not proper

or upright or if items are located in the area where

the supplemental Side Curtain Protection^®airbag in-

flates. This applies especially to children

Always make sure that the Side Curtain Protec-

tion^®airbag can inflate without interference.

·

Always sit in proper seating position and wear

·

safety belts while traveling so that the Side Cur-

tain Protection^®airbags can help provide pro-

tection.

→ page 64, Child safety and child restraints.

Never let occupants place any parts of their

bodies in the area where the Side Curtain Pro-

tection^®airbag inflates.

·

The airbag system is monitored electronically to

make sure it is working properly at all times. Every

time you turn on the ignition, the airbag system in-

dicator light will come on for a few seconds

(function check).

Always keep the area where the Side Curtain

·

Protection^®airbag inflates clear. Never carry any

objects or pets in the area between them and

where the airbags inflate and never let children

or other passengers ride in this area.

The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety

belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occupant re-

straint system in your vehicle → page 33, Sitting

properly and safely, → page 36, Safety belts.

Never use hangers to hang clothes on the

hooks.

·

It is important to remember that the Side Curtain

Protection^®airbag system is designed to help reduce

the likelihood of serious injury. However, it is possi-

ble that a deployed Side Curtain Protection^®airbag

may cause other injuries such as swelling, bruising,

friction burns, and abrasions. Remember too, Side

Curtain Protection^®airbags will deploy only once

and only in certain kinds of accidents. Side Curtain

Protection^®airbags that have deployed in a crash

must be replaced. Your safety belts are always there

to offer protection in those accidents in which Side

Curtain Protection^®airbags are not supposed to de-

ploy or when they have already deployed.

Never use the built-in coat hooks for anything

·

but lightweight clothing. Never leave any heavy

or sharp-edged objects in the pockets that may

interfere with airbag deployment and can cause

personal injury in a collision.

Only use factory-installed sunshades or, if

shades installed after the vehicle leaves the fac-

tory, use only genuine Volkswagen sunshades.

·

Never swing the sun visors over to the side win-

·

dows if things such as pens, garage door open-

ers, hands-free speakers, etc. are attached to

the sun visors. They could come loose and cause

serious injury if the Side Curtain Protection^®air-

bag inflates.

The Side Curtain Protection^®airbag will not inflate:

— if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs,

WARNING

— in side collisions when the acceleration measured

by the sensor is too low,

The airbag system can only be triggered once.

If the airbag has been triggered, the system

must be replaced by an authorized Volkswagen

·

— in front-end collisions,

— in rear-end collisions,

dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facili-

ty.

— in rollovers, unless the deployment threshold for

deployment stored in the control unit is met.

Always have work involving the curtain airbag

system, removal and installation of the airbag

components, or other repairs performed by your

·

Airbag system

63

authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized

Volkswagen Service Facility. Otherwise the air-

bag system may not work correctly.

Always make sure that the airbag deployment

zones are clear at all times. Never let anything

or object, a pet, or a person, including an infant

or small child, be in the space between any ve-

hicle occupant and any airbag.

·

Never attempt to modify any components of

the airbag system in any way.

·

Do not attach any accessories to the doors.

Never attach objects to the cover or in the de-

ployment zone of a Side Curtain Protection^®air-

bag.

— National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

(NHTSA), currently at: http://www.safercar.gov

(for the USA)

Child safety and child re-

straints

— Transport Canada Information Centre, currently

at: http://www.tc.gc.ca (for Canada)

Introduction

Consult the child restraint manufacturer's instruc-

tions to be sure the seat is right for your child's size

→ page 71, Using a child restraint on the rear seat.

Please be sure to read and heed all of the important

information and WARNINGS about child safety, Ad-

vanced Airbags, and the installation of child re-

straints in this Manual.

The physical principles of what happens when your

vehicle is in a collision or other accident also apply

to children → page 36, Safety belts. But unlike adults

and teenagers, their muscles and bones are not fully

developed. In many respects children are at greater

risk of serious injury in accidents than are adults.

Because children's bodies are not fully developed,

they must use restraint systems especially designed

for their size, weight, and body structure. Many

countries and all states of the United States and

provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of

approved child restraint systems for infants and

small children.

There is a lot you need to know about the Advanced

Airbags in your vehicle and how they work when in-

fants and children in child restraints are on the front

passenger seat. Because of the large amount of im-

portant information, we cannot repeat it all here.

We urge you to read the detailed information in this

Manual about airbags and the Advanced Airbag Sys-

tem in your vehicle and the very important informa-

tion about transporting children on the front pas-

senger seat. Please be sure to heed the WARNINGS -

they are extremely important for your safety and

the safety of your passengers, especially infants and

small children.

In a frontal crash at a speed of 20–35 mph (30–

56 km/h), the forces acting on a 13 pound (6 kg) in-

fant will be more than 20 times the weight of the

child. This means the effective weight of the child

would suddenly increase to more than 260 pounds

(120 kg). Under these conditions, only an appropri-

ate child restraint properly used can reduce the risk

of serious injury. Child restraints, like adult safety

belts, must be used properly to be effective. Used

improperly, they can increase the risk of serious in-

jury in an accident.

DANGER

Children on the front seat of any car, even with

Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or even

killed when an airbag inflates.

A child in a rearward-facing child restraint in-

All children, especially those 12 years and younger,

must always ride in the back seat properly restrained

for their age and size. If you must install a child re-

straint on the front passenger seat in exceptional

circumstances, be sure to read and heed the impor-

tant information and warnings in the section of this

Manual that begins on → page 71, Using a child re-

straint on the rear seat. Infants and other children

who are properly restrained in an appropriate child

restraint that is for their size and age can benefit

from the protection that supplemental side airbags

provide in some kinds of crashes.

·

stalled on the front passenger seat will be seri-

ously injured and can be killed if the front airbag

inflates.

The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or

·

infant carrier with great force and will smash

the child restraint and child against the back-

rest, center armrest, door or roof.

Always install rearward-facing child restraints

on the rear seat.

·

If you have, in exceptional circumstances, nev-

ertheless decided to install a rearward-facing

child restraint on the front passenger seat and

·

For more information, please see information pro-

vided by the:

the PASSENGER AIR BAG

light does not

64

Safety

Safety -> Airbag system for Your Volkswagen Golf 4 Door 2023

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