Airbag Non-Deployment Conditions

In certain low-speed collisions, the airbags may not deploy. Airbags are not designed to deploy in such cases, as they may provide no benefit beyond the seat belts.

Front airbags are not designed to deploy in a rear impact, because occupants are thrown backward by the force of the impact. In this case, deployed airbags provide no additional benefit.

Front airbags may not deploy in a side collision, because occupants move toward the point of impact. Therefore, in a side impact, front airbag deployment does not provide additional occupant protection.

However, the side airbags and curtain airbags may not deploy depending on the severity, speed, and angle of the impact.

In an angled collision, the force of the impact may move occupants in a direction where the airbags could not provide any additional benefit, so the sensors may not deploy the airbags.

Immediately before an impact, drivers often brake hard. This sudden braking lowers the front of the vehicle, causing it to "submarine" under a vehicle with a higher ground clearance. The airbags may not deploy in this "override" situation, because the deceleration forces detected by the sensors may be significantly reduced by such "underride" collisions.

The front airbags may not deploy in a rollover. The front airbags are not designed to provide additional passenger protection in a rollover.

Information

• Vehicles with a rollover sensor: The side airbags and curtain airbags may deploy in a rollover when determined by the rollover sensor.
• Vehicles without a rollover sensor

The side airbags and/or curtain airbags may deploy when the vehicle rolls over in a side collision, if the vehicle is equipped with side and/or curtain airbags.

Airbags may not deploy when the vehicle strikes objects such as poles or trees, where the impact point is concentrated and the collision energy is absorbed by the vehicle structure.