Subaru 2001 Outback Automobile User Manual


 
1-50 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
The SRS airbag can function only when
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
The SUBARU advanced frontal airbag
system is designed to determine the
activation or deactivation condition of the
front passenger s SRS frontal airbag
depending on the total load on the front
passengers seat monitored by the front
passengers occupant detection system
weight sensor. For this reason, only the
drivers SRS frontal airbag may deploy in
the event of a collision, but this does not
mean failure of the system.
If the front sub sensors inside both front
fenders and the impact sensors in the
airbag control module detect a predeter-
mined amount of force during a frontal
collision, the control module sends signals
to the airbag module(s) (only driver s
module or both drivers and front passen-
gers modules) instructing the module(s)
to inflate the SRS frontal airbag(s). The
drivers and front passengers SRS frontal
airbags use dual stage inflators. The two
inflators of each airbag are triggered either
sequentially or simultaneously, depending
on the severity of impact in the case of the
drivers SRS frontal airbag and depending
on the severity of impact and the total load
on the seat in the case of the front
passengers SRS frontal airbag.
After deployment, the SRS airbag imme-
diately starts to deflate so that the drivers
vision is not obstructed. The time required
from detecting impact to the deflation of
the SRS airbag after deployment is short-
er than the blink of an eye.
Both when only the drivers SRS frontal
airbag deploys and the drivers and front
passengers SRS frontal airbags deploy,
the drivers and front passengers seatbelt
pretensioners operate at the same time.
Although it is highly unlikely that the SRS
airbag would activate in a non-accident
situation, should it occur, the SRS airbag
will deflate quickly, not obscuring vision
and will not interfere with the drivers
ability to maintain control of the vehicle.
When the SRS airbag deploys, a sudden,
fairly loud inflation noise will be heard and
some smoke will be released. These
occurrences are a normal result of the
deployment. This smoke does not indicate
a fire in the vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not touch the SRS airbag system
components around the steering
wheel and dashboard with bare
hands right after deployment. Doing
so can cause burns because the
components can be very hot as a
result of deployment.
The drivers SRS frontal airbag and front
passengers SRS frontal airbag are de-
signed to depl oy in the event of an
accident involving a moderate to severe
frontal collision. It is basically not designed
to deploy in lesser frontal impacts be-
cause the necessary protection can be
achieved by the seatbelt alone. Also, they
are basically not designed to deploy in
side or rear impacts or in roll-over acci-
dents because deployment of only the
drivers SRS frontal airbag or both drivers
and front passengers SRS frontal airbags
would not help the occupant in those
situations. The drivers and front passen-
gers SRS frontal airbags are designed to
function on a one-time-only basis.
SRS airbag deployment depends on the
level of force experienced in the passen-
ger compartment during a collision. That
level differs from one type of collision to
another, and it may have no bearing on
the visible damage done to the vehicle
itself.