Tehama Trading Company - PEUGEOT 406 Safetys

PEUGEOT 406 Safety

Safety

Overall the 406's structure remains largely unchanged and the characteristics of rigidity to torsion and flex enable the capabilities of the running gear to be fully expressed.

The main modifications concern the wing linings with the steel thickness increased. For example in the front compartment and on the right cradle, the support yoke for the engines is now a single pressed part, 2mm thick compared with the previous 1.4 mm.

The front crossmembers have been redesigned to accommodate the rearranged cooling system layout. At the end of each cradle there is a towing hook mounting tube whereas there was only one fitted previously.

The bonnet and its lining have undergone a styling change and their sheet metal now undergoes a thermal bonding process, giving more rigidity despite a weight loss through the use of thinner sheet metal (0.7 mm instead of the previous 0.8 mm).

At the rear of the passenger compartment, raising the metal plate of the divider shelf by 40 mm has resulted in a significant increase in the useful height in this area of the boot. The boot lid has been restyled and its lining has some small modifications.

At the front, the bumper is in thermo-formed, long fibre polyethylene and its remodelled curve increases the overhang by 15 mm.

At the rear, the bumper features a boxed style impact absorber in injected polypropylene.

Carefully designed soundproofing pads are fitted in the doors, boot and under the car. And major body cavities including the door and window pillars are filled with a polyurethane foam to reduce vibration and noise levels.

Computer-generated and real world vibration calculations were carried out to reduce noise and vibration generated by the body structure and mechanical linkages.

Bending and twisting vibrations were minimised and various designs for major steel panels were examined with the aim of avoiding parasitic frequencies which produce booming in the cabin.

The floor panels are dished to reduce resonance, the bulkhead is covered by a sound-deadening septum, the pedal assembly is soundproofed and foam backed carpet closely hugs the contours of the entire floor section.

Extensive anti-corrosion protection includes seventy five per cent of all sheetmetal being either electro-zinc plated on one or two surfaces or fully galvanised.

The entire body is also dipped in a cataphoresis bath and major joins are sealed with a PVC compound. The 406 is covered by a six-year anti-corrosion (perforation) warranty.

The underside of the car is covered with an anti-chip material and the external skin of the protective apron panels is made of tough polypropylene.

Like its predecessor the 406 boasts a long list of active and passive safety features and the 406 D9 introduces a better ABS system, a engine positioning and improved airbags.

For Peugeot the first aspect of safety is avoiding crashes altogether and the 406's outstanding dynamics have been improved through revised suspension geometry, as well as the car's structural characteristics.

The suspension layout is pseudo-McPherson at the front with wishbones and a floating anti-roll bar, and a multi-link system at the rear.

The steering, with power assistance varying with engine speed on ST and engine and vehicle speed on SV, allows precise directional control to be maintained in all circumstances.

All models are fitted with disc brakes (ventilated front) including Bosch 5.3 ABS anti-lock on all models working in concert with Peugeot's Electronic Brake Force Distributor (EBFD) system.

This anti-lock system incorporates a torque split feature regulating the braking force applied to each rear wheel for greater car stability, especially when braking in a bend.

The Bosch 5.3 system features 48-tooth phonic discs on each wheel (up from 29 on the 5.0 system), an all-aluminium hydraulic regulator unit and a hybrid-technology computer complete with two Intel microprocessors.

For safe night driving, the 406 features double parabola complex-surface headlamps with H7 high-pressure halogen bulbs.

Finally the rearrangement of the electrical equipment and the search for greater user friendliness have lead to the design of a "push to operate" hazard warning light control, which is set apart from the other controls, more visible and easier to identify.

The same is true for the electric window controls on the doors and the multi-function display which, for example can indicate a door is open.

Already well armed with its structural and high level active safety qualities, the 406 presents features aimed at improving its sturdiness and the protection of its occupants.

Programmed "controlled-collapse" and specifically strengthened zones protect the occupants during front, side and rear impacts as well as roll-overs.

All 406 models provide twin programmed retention airbags (45-litre high-capacity for the driver and 90-litre conical for the front passenger) offering significantly increased protection.

Once deployed the programmed retention system causes the airbags to deflate more progressively to lengthen the period of contact between the bag and the occupant. And the passenger bag's conical profile makes a larger surface area for better facial protection.

A gas in the driver's bag is more stable and longer lasting.

These work in concert with a pyrotechnic seat belt pre-tensioning system and torsion bar pressure limiters tuned for a broader age and size range of occupants.

The pre-tensioner system is controlled by a specific Electronic Control Unit (ECU). On detonation two generators, producing a tractive force of 350 kg, push pistons connected by cable to the seat belt buckle stalk. They tighten the front lap and chest straps very quickly, well before the occupants move.

Side airbags (16-litre) to protect thorax and head are standard on the 406 SV and Coupé.

The 406 has heightened headrests with a third headrest fitted in the rear of the sedan. And all rear seat positions are fitted with full, lap-sash inertia reel seat belts.

The rear seat back consists of two sections each reinforced with ribbed pressed steel and further stiffened by a tubular steel frame and it is hooked to the middle of the redesigned divider shelf, without hindering the longtitudinal reinforcement, in order to better withstand possible impacts from luggage.

Each of the 406's body elements are designed to function as protective structures, independently and in conjunction with each other.

A cross tube runs behind the seat frames for better impact resistance and a dashboard cross-member connected to the floor by a vertical strut serves as a support for the steering column and restricts backward movement.

A range of other safety design innovations are built into the 406 including two universal joints on the steering column designed to ease the backward movement of the rack on impact, a steering column cover designed to crumple and absorb impact force and a lined roof cross member which ensures the upper structure resists stress.

There are structural modifications aimed specifically at improving crash performance in the area of the front footwell by a rethink of the wing linings and the padding, which is fitted between the dashboard and the cross-member.

This very bulky padding is designed to absorb energy and to protect the knees in the event of shock, thus moving away the very rigid parts from the lower limbs.

As well the generation petrol and diesel engines are further removed from the passenger compartment due to their more upright position, increasing the available crumple zone in the event of an impact.

The fuel tank is made of high density polyethylene for maximum impact resistance, a composite thermal screen insulates the tank from exhaust heat and a fuel cut-off system and non-return valve minimise the chance of fuel spillage in a crash or roll-over.

Standard in all Peugeots is a passively armed theft security system built around engine immobilisation.

The system's transponder (brain) is housed in the ignition key head and the engine's primary ECU is automatically disabled when the key is removed from the ignition lock. No other driver action is required.

On start-up if the key signal is memorised in the system control module an unlocking request is communicated to the engine control unit allowing engine starting.

The system components are totally interdependent making an attack on the ignition lock or any other individual part of the ignition system a futile exercise.

As well, the 406 ignition lock features a hard front face to resist attack from tools. Its mounting bracket is reinforced and consists of two parts assembled using two bolts with self-shearing heads.

The door locks are carefully designed to shear and ratchet around rather than open the door locks when forced.

The main key with ultra-sonic remote central locking function operates the door locks, boot and glovebox. It also unlocks the steering and starts the car. A secondary non-remote version of the main key is provided.

Each car's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is permanently displayed on the top of the dashboard behind the windscreen as an added theft deterrent. And the stereo radio/cassette is a PIN-coded anti-theft unit.