Volvo Inflatable Curtain (VIC)
This system consists of inflatable curtains
located along the sides of the roof liners,
stretching from the center of both front side
windows to the rear edge of the rear side door
windows. It is designed to help protect the
heads of the occupants of the front seats and the
occupant of the outboard rear seating positions
in certain side impact collisions.
NOTE: IC system deployment occurs only on the side of the vehicle affected by the impact. In certain side impacts, BOTH the Inflatable Curtain (IC) and the Side Impact Airbag System (SIPS-bag) will deploy, whereas, in some cases, ONLY the Inflatable Curtain (IC) will deploy. In cases where BOTH the IC and the SIPS-bag deploy, deployment will occur simultaneously. If the inflatable curtain deploys, it remains inflated for approximately 3 seconds.
Impact Protection System. It is not designed to deploy during collisions from the front or rear of the car or in most rollover situations. Never try to open or repair any components of the IC system. This should be done only by an authorized Volvo service technician. The inflatable curtains are designed to deploy only during certain side-impact collisions, depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and impact. The inflatable curtains are not designed to deploy in all side impact situations. In order for the IC to provide its best protection, both front seat occupants and both outboard rear seat occupants should sit in an upright position with the seat belt properly fastened; adults using the seat belt and children using the proper child restraint system. Only adults should sit in the front seats. Children must never be allowed in the front passenger seat. See page 27 for guidelines. Failure to follow these instructions can result in injury to the vehicle occupants in an accident |
pg. 21 Inspection of airbags, inflatable curtains and seat belt tensioners |
Whiplash Protection System
(WHIPS) -front seats only
The WHIPS system consists of specially
designed hinges and brackets on the front seat
backrests and head restraints designed to help
absorb some of the energy generated in a
collision from the rear (" rear-ended").
In the event of a collision of this type, the hinges and brackets of the front seat backrests are designed to change position slightly to allow the backrest/head restraint to help support the occupant's head before moving slightly rearward. This movement helps absorb some of the forces that could result in the whiplash effect.
The WHIPS system is designed to supplement the other safety systems in your car. For this system to function properly, the three-point seat belt must be worn. Please be aware that no system can prevent all possible injuries that may occur in an accident. If your car has been involved in a collision, the front seat backrests must be inspected by an authorized Volvo retailer even if the seats appear to be undamaged. Certain components in the WHIPS system may need to be replaced. Do not attempt to service any component in the WHIPS system yourself. |
If the rear seat backrests are folded down, cargo must be secured to prevent it from sliding forward against the front seat backrests in the event of a collision from the rear. This could interfere with the action of the WHIPS system. The WHIPS system is designed to function in certain collisions from the rear, depending on the crash severity, angle and speed. Occupants in the front seats must never sit out of position. The occupant's back must be as upright as comfort allows and be against the seat back with the seat belt properly fastened. |
and the folded rear seat could impede the function of the WHIPS system. If the rear seat is folded down, the occupied front seats must be adjusted forward so that they do not touch the folded rear seat. Boxes, suitcases, etc. wedged behind the front seats (see illustration in center column) could impede the function of the WHIPS system. |
Child safety
Volvo recommends the proper use of restraint
systems for all occupants including children.
Remember that, regardless of age and size, a
child should always be properly restrained in a
car.
Restraint systems for children are designed to be secured in the vehicle by lap belts or the lap portion of a lap-shoulder belt. Such child restraint systems can help protect children in cars in the event of an accident only if they are used properly. However, children could be endangered in a crash if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle. Failure to follow the installation instructions for your child restraint can result in your child striking the vehicle's interior in a sudden stop.
Holding a child in your arms is NOT a suitable substitute for a child restraint system. In an accident, a child held in a person's arms can be crushed between the vehicle's interior and an unrestrained person. The child could also be injured by striking the interior, or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or impact. The same can also happen if the infant or child rides unrestrained on the seat. Other occupants should also be properly restrained to help reduce the chance of injuring or increasing the injury of a child.
All states and provinces have legislation governing how and where children should be carried in a car. Find out the regulations existing in your state or province. Recent accident statistics have shown that children are safer in rear seating positions than front seating positions when properly restrained. A child restraint system can help protect a child in a vehicle. Here's what to look for when selecting a child restraint system:
When a child has outgrown the child safety seat, you should use the rear seat with the standard seat belt fastened. The best way to help protect the child here is to place the child on a cushion so that the seat belt is properly located on the hips (see page 10). A specially designed and tested booster cushion (not available in Canada) for children between the age of 3 and approximately 10 years, weighing 33 - 80 lbs (15 - 36 kg) and 46 - 54" (117 - 137 cm) in height, can be obtained from your Volvo retailer.
Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the front passenger's seat. We also recommend that children under 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) in height who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear seat with the seat belt fastened. Keep vehicle doors and trunk locked and keep keys out of a child's reach. Unsupervised children could lock themselves in an open trunk and risk injury. Children should be taught not to play in vehicles. On hot days, the temperature in the trunk or vehicle interior can rise very quickly. Exposure to these high temperatures for even a short period of time can cause heat-related injury or death. Small children are particularly at risk. |
ISOFIX fasteners and Seat guide
(option)
The ISOFIX fasteners are available as a retailer-installed option in the rear seat on the outboard
positions.
Consult your Volvo retailer for more information on child safety accessories.
The child should be properly seated on the booster cushion (see illustration above). It is essential that the head restraint be adjusted properly to help support the child's head (see page 114).
The hip section of the three-point seat belt must fit snugly across the child's hips, not across the stomach. The shoulder section of the three-point seat belt should be positioned across the chest and shoulder (see illustration). The shoulder belt must never be placed behind the child's back or under the arm.
Failure to follow the manufacturer's instructions on the use of this child restraint system can result in your child striking the vehicle's interior during a sudden stop or crash. In the event of a collision while the integrated booster cushion was occupied, the entire booster cushion and seat belt must be replaced. The booster cushion should also be replaced if it is badly worn or damaged in any way. This work should be performed by an authorized Volvo retailer only. The booster cushion should be cleaned while in place in the vehicle if possible. If this is not possible, please consult your Volvo retailer. |
Folding out the booster cushion:
Raising the booster cushion:
NOTE: Please also refer to the instructions on the integrated booster cushion.
Child restraint anchorages
Volvo cars are equipped with child restraint top
tether anchorages in the rear seat.
Refer to the child seat manufacturer's instructions for information on securing the child seat.
Child Restraint Anchorages are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by correctly fitted Child Restraints. Under no circumstances are they to be used for adult seat belts or harnesses. The anchorages are not able to withstand excessive forces on them in the event of collision if full harness seat belts or adult seat belts are installed to them. An adult who uses a belt anchored in a Child Restraint Anchorage runs a great risk of suffering severe injuries should a collision occur. Do not install rear speakers which would require the removal of the top tether anchors or interfere with the proper use of the top tether strap. |
Keeping child seats in place (ALR/ELR*)
To make child seat installation easier, each seat
belt (except for the driver's belt) is equipped
with a locking mechanism to help keep the seat
belt taut.
When attaching the seat belt to a child seat:
Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the front passenger's seat. We also recommend that children who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear seat with the seat belt properly fastened. |
Important!
Why Volvo believes no child should sit in the
front seat of a car.
It's quite simple really. A front airbag is a very powerful device designed, by law, to help protect an adult. Because of the size of the airbag and its speed of inflation, a child should never be placed in the front seat, even if he or she is properly belted or strapped into a child safety seat. Volvo has been an innovator in safety for over fifty years, and we'll continue to do our part. But we need your help. Please remember to put your children in the back seat, and buckle them up.
Volvo has some very specific recommendations:
Drive safely!
* Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor
Seat belt maintenance
Check periodically that the seat belts are in
good condition. Use water and a mild detergent
for cleaning. Check seat belt mechanism
function as follows: attach the seat belt and pull
rapidly on the strap.
Volvo Concern for Safety
Safety is the cornerstone for Volvo. Our
concern dates back to 1927 when the first Volvo
rolled off the production line. Three-point seat
belts (a Volvo invention), safety cages, and
energy-absorbing impact zones were designed
into Volvo cars long before it was fashionable
or required by government regulation. We will
not compromise our commitment to safety. We
continue to seek out new safety features and to
refine those already in our cars. You can help.
We would appreciate hearing your suggestions
about improving automobile safety. We also
want to know if you ever have a safety concern
with your car. Call us in the U. S. at: 800-458-1552 or in Canada at: 800-663-8255.
Occupant safety
How safely you drive doesn't depend on how
old you are but rather on:
Reporting Safety Defects in the U. S.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
injury or death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
addition to notifying Volvo Cars of North
America. If NHTSA receives similar
complaints, it may open an investigation,
and if it finds that a safety defect exists in
a group of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA
cannot become involved in individual
problems between you, your retailer, or
Volvo Cars of North America. To contact
NHTSA, you may either call the Auto
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393
(or 202-366-0123 in Washington, D. C.
area) or write to: NHTSA, U. S.
Department of Transportation,
Washington D. C. 20590. You can also
obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from the Hotline.
Volvo strongly recommends that if your
vehicle is covered under a service
campaign, safety or emission recall or
similar action, it should be completed as
soon as possible. Please check with your
local retailer or Volvo Cars of North
America, Inc. if your vehicle is covered
under these conditions.
NHTSA can be reached at:
Internet : http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Telephone:
1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236) (toll free)
1-800-424-9393 (toll free)
1-202-366-0123 (in Washington DC area)
WARNING!