SRS Airbag 6.2, General

General Information About The SRS




Supplementary Protection
The designation SRS is an abbreviation of Supplemental Restraint System; "Supplementary protection".

The SRS is intended to supplement seat belts. The SRS is designed to reduce the risk of injury to the upper body and face of the driver and front-seat passenger. Air-bags, together with seat belts, help prevent the driver and front-seat passenger being thrown against the steering wheel, windscreen and other hard surfaces.

SRS System Components
The SRS system being introduced with the 1996 model has the designation SRS Airbag 6.2.

The SRS system consists of airbag modules mounted in the center of the steering wheel and the passenger side dashboard. Each airbag is inflated by a gas generator mounted behind it.

The sensor module, which detects deceleration, is mounted beneath the center console. This sensor module has a back-up power unit which can supply power to the system for a short time if the power supply is cut.

The SRS system also has pyrotechnical seat belt tensioners, which tension seat belts (take up the slack in the belt) and restrict the forward movement of the driver and passenger in a collision. North American models also have reinforced knee bolsters.

WARNING: Unless otherwise specified, the battery negative lead must be disconnected when carrying out work. Follow the instructions carefully when working on airbag modules/seat belt tensioners, the sensor module, steering wheel or contact reel.




Function In General
Airbags and pyrotechnical seat belt tensioners are activated simultaneously on receiving a signal from the sensor module.

If the sensor module detects a sufficiently violent collision, the entire system (airbags and pyrotechnical seat belt tensioners) is activated simultaneously, the gas generators fill the airbags with gas and set off the seat belt tensioners.

When the gas generators are activated a harmless gas is produced, inflating the airbag in a few tenths of a second. During the collision, gas flows out though venting holes as the airbag is filled. These holes are large enough to let the airbag collapse slowly, gently "catching" the driver and the front-seat passenger.

Types Of Collision
The Volvo SRS system provides a certain degree of increased protection in frontal collisions (collisions from the front to an angle of up to 3O°) when the car hits an object with enough force to activate the sensor module. The SRS system reacts to the force of deceleration the braking force which activates the sensor. This is not always proportional to the amount of damage to the car.

The SRS system is not activated by frontal collisions at low speed or with soft objects such as bushes, snow drifts, etc.

The SRS system is not designed to be activated in the event of other collisions such as; collisions from the side, rear or the car rolling. (Although the SRS system will be activated if frontal retardation forces are sufficiently great during such a collision.)

This means that seat belts should be worn at all times. The SRS provides supplementary protection.