Front Airbag Operation

The front air bags are designed to provide additional protection by supplementing the seat belts. The front air bags are not expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions. The front air bags do not deploy in all frontal collisions, including those that may cause significant vehicle damage, for example, some pole collisions, truck underride, and offset angle collisions.

On the other hand, depending on the type and location of impact, the front air bags may deploy in a collision with minor front-end damage that produces a sudden initial deceleration.

Since the air bag sensors measure the vehicle deceleration over time, vehicle speed and damage alone are not good indicators of whether an air bag should deploy.

Seat belts are essential for your protection in all collisions, and are also necessary to help keep you in position, away from the inflating air bag.

When the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) detects a collision requiring the front air bags, it signals the inflators. A large volume of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the front air bags.

The steering wheel hub cover and the upper passenger-side instrument panel separate and fold away as the air bags inflate to full size. The front air bags fully inflate in less time than it takes to blink an eye. The front air bags then quickly deflate, helping to restrain the driver and front passenger.