Airbag Non-Deployment Conditions

In some low-speed collisions, the airbags may not deploy. Airbags are not designed to deploy in such cases because they cannot provide benefits beyond the protection of the seat belts.

Front airbags are not designed to deploy in a rear collision because occupants move rearward under the force of the impact. In this case, the airbags would provide no additional benefit.

Front airbags may not deploy in side impact collisions because occupants move toward the point of impact; therefore, front airbag deployment would not provide additional occupant protection in a side impact.

However, the side airbags, curtain airbags, and front center airbag may deploy depending on the severity of the impact.

In an angled impact, the force of the collision may direct occupants in a direction where the airbags would not provide any additional benefit, and therefore the sensors may not activate the airbags.

Immediately before a collision, drivers often brake hard. This hard braking lowers the front of the vehicle, causing it to "underride" beneath a vehicle with a higher ground clearance. The airbags may not inflate in this situation to "support" the occupants because the braking forces detected by the sensors may be significantly reduced by such "underride" collisions.

The front airbags may not deploy in a rollover crash because front airbag deployment would not provide additional occupant protection.

However, the side airbags, curtain airbags, and front center airbag may deploy in a rollover situation when the rollover sensor detects it.

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