Volkswagen Tiguan Owners Manual: Advanced Airbag System components

Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first⇒Introduction to the subject 

The front passenger seat in your vehicle has a lot of very important parts of the Advanced Airbag System in it ⇒ How the Advanced Airbag System components work together... . These parts include the weight-sensing mat, wiring, brackets, and more. The control unit monitors the system in the front passenger seat when the ignition is switched on and turns the airbag indicator light on when a malfunction in the one of the system components is detected ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG light . 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.

The front Advanced Airbag System also includes:

• Crash sensors in the front of the vehicle that measure vehicle acceleration/deceleration to provide information to the Advanced Airbag System about the severity of the crash.

• An electronic control unit, with integrated crash sensors for front and side impacts. The control unit decides whether to fire just front airbags based on the information received from the crash sensors. The control unit also decides whether the safety belt pretensioners should be activated.

• An Advanced Airbag with gas generator for the driver inside the steering wheel hub.

• An Advanced Airbag and gas generator inside the instrument panel for the front passenger.

• A weight-sensing mat under the upholstery padding of the front passenger seat cushion that measures the total weight on the seat. The information registered is sent continuously to the electronic control unit to regulate deployment of the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side.

• An airbag system monitoring indicator light in the instrument cluster ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG light .

• The PASSENGER AIR BAG light in the center of the instrument panel that tells you when the front Advanced Airbag System on the passenger side has been turned off.

• A sensor inside the safety belt buckle for the front passenger seat to measure the tension on the safety belt. This tension on the safety belt and the weight registered by the weight-sensing mat help the control unit “decide” whether the passenger front airbag should be turned off or not.

• 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 control unit.

Warning

An airbag system and safety belt pretensioner that are not working properly cannot provide supplemental 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 inflate when it should.

• Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

• 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 replace any airbag in your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in a crash.

• 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.

• Improper repair or disassembly of the front passenger and driver seat can prevent the Advanced Airbag System from working properly.

• 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.

• Never disassemble or take parts off the seat or disconnect wires from it.

• Never carry sharp objects in your pockets or put them on the seat. The weight-sensing mat in the front passenger seat will not function properly if it is punctured.

• Never carry things on your lap or carry objects on the front passenger seat. Things on the passenger seat can increase the weight registered by the weight-sensing mat so that incorrect information is provided to the airbag control unit. These things can also cause serious personal injury if the airbag inflates.

• 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.

• Never put seat covers or replacement upholstery on the front seats that have not been approved by Volkswagen for your specific vehicle.

• Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Airbag System from recognizing child restraints or occupants on the passenger seat and prevent the side airbag in the seat backrest from deploying properly.

• Never use cushions, pillows, blankets, or similar items on the front passenger seat. The additional layers will prevent the weight-sensing mat in the seat from accurately registering a child restraint or the person on the seat and prevent the Advanced Airbag System from working properly.

• If you must use a child restraint on the front passenger seat and the child restraint manufacturer'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 light comes on and stays on whenever the child restraint is installed 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 by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Note

• 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 weight-sensing mat for the Advanced Airbag system will not work properly if different upholstery is installed on the passenger seat than the upholstery originally installed on the vehicle when it was originally manufactured.