GMC Terrain Quiz
Seats and Restraints

What Will You See After an Airbag Deployment?

In this manual: Seats and Restraints
Introduction — 1In Brief — 46Keys, Doors and Windows — 37Seats and Restraints — 60Storage — 6Instruments and Controls — 58Lighting — 16Infotainment System — 1Climate Control — 8Driving and Operation — 128Vehicle Care — 75Service and Maintenance — 8Technical Data — 5Customer Information — 18OnStar — 6Connected Services — 4
~3min read

After frontal and seat-side impact airbags deploy, they deflate so quickly that some people may not even realize the airbags have inflated. Roof airbags may remain at least partially inflated for some time after deployment. Some components of the airbag module may be hot for several minutes. For airbag locations, see Where Are the Airbags?.

Airbag parts that contact you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may be some smoke and dust from the vents in the deflated airbag. Airbag deployment does not prevent the driver from seeing through the windshield or from controlling the vehicle, and does not prevent occupants from exiting the vehicle.

The vehicle has a feature that can automatically unlock the doors, turn on the dome lamps and hazard warning flashers, and shut off the fuel system after an airbag deployment. The feature may also activate without an airbag deployment after an event exceeding a preset threshold. After the ignition is turned off and then back on, the fuel system will return to normal operation; the doors can be locked, the interior lamps can be turned off, and the hazard flashers can be turned off using the controls for those features. If any of these systems are damaged in the crash, they may not operate as usual.

In many crashes severe enough to deploy an airbag, the windshield is broken by the deformation of the vehicle. Additional windshield breakage may also be caused by the passenger-side airbag.

  • Airbags are designed to inflate only once. After an airbag inflates, you will need new airbag system parts. If you do not get them, the airbag system will not be able to help protect you in another crash. The new system will include airbag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
  • The vehicle has a crash sensor and diagnostic module that records information after a crash.

    See Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy and Event Data Recorders.

  • Have only qualified technicians work on airbag systems. Improper service may mean the airbag system will not work properly. Contact your dealer for service.

Test yourself

A quick GMC Terrain quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.