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Brief description

Brief description

The airbag system is a supplement to the car's seatbelt and reinforces impact protection considerably in the event of a more serious collision.

The Saab 9-5 is equipped with driver's airbag as well as side airbags and belt tensioners on both driver's and passenger side.

The airbag on the driver's side is mounted in the centre of the steering wheel while the passenger airbag is located in the dashboard above the glove box. The side airbags are positioned inside the backrest upholstery fabric on the outside of the front seats.

The seatbelts for the front seats are equipped with pyrotechnical tensioners which tighten the belts in the event of a collision. The seatbelt tensioners are located in the B-pillars.

The entire system is managed by a control module which is linked to the I-bus. The control module senses when a collision occurs and sends a current pulse to the electric detonators in the airbags and seatbelt tensioners. The detonators activate the gas generators and the airbags are inflated.

To register impact intensity accurately and as early as possible, the system has two front impact sensors and two side impact sensors. The front impact sensors are located on the bumper member and the side impact sensors are located in the front doors.

The control module uses a sensor in the seat-belt buckle and a sensor indicating the seat position to determine how the airbags and seat-belt tensioners should be activated.

A knee shield is fitted under the dashboard on the driver's side to prevent the driver from submarining in the event of a collision. A similar knee shield is fitted on the passenger side on US and CA specification cars having a passenger airbag.

Knee shield


The knee shield is screwed to the steering column member and made of foam plastic, sheet metal and aluminium. Together with the lower section of the dashboard, it absorbs the impact force and reduces injury to the knees as well as preventing the driver from submarining in the event of a head-on collision.

The glove box lid is reinforced with sheet metal and provides extra protection for the passenger's knees.

In certain markets (e.g. US/CA), cars with a passenger airbag also have a reinforced knee shield on the passenger side.

Steering column assembly


The steering column assembly is fastened to the steering column member by means of three bolts at front and rear. It can be adjusted by vertically and telescopically. The steering column is connected to the power steering gear by a telescopic intermediate shaft fitted with a universal joint.

For reasons of safety the steering column assembly is designed to collapse in the event of a head-on collision. The intermediate shaft will then telescope without stressing the steering column assembly.

Belt system

This system works with the seatbelt system. See Brief description for the seatbelt systems.