Airbag Deployment Conditions

Front Airbags

Front airbags are designed to deploy in a frontal collision depending on the severity, speed, or angle of the frontal impact.

Side Airbags and Side Curtain Airbags

The side airbags and/or curtain airbags deploy when the side impact sensors detect an impact, depending on the force, speed, or angle of the side impact.

Although the front airbags (driver and front passenger) are designed to deploy only in frontal collisions, they may also deploy in other types of collisions if the front impact sensors detect a severe impact. The side airbags (side and/or curtain airbags) are designed to deploy only in side collisions, but they may deploy in other collisions if the side impact sensors detect a sufficiently severe impact.

If the vehicle chassis strikes bumps or objects on unimproved roads or curbs, the airbags may deploy. Drive carefully on unimproved roads or surfaces. Airbags are not designed to deploy in such situations.

Airbag Non-Deployment Conditions

• In certain low-speed collisions, the airbags may not deploy. Airbags are not designed to deploy in such cases, because they may not provide any benefit beyond the seat belts in such collisions.

• Airbags are not designed to deploy in rear impacts, because occupants are thrown backward by the force of the impact. In this case, the airbags cannot provide any additional benefit.

• The front airbags may not deploy in a side collision, because occupants move in the direction of the collision. Therefore, in a side impact the frontal airbags will not provide additional occupant protection.
• However, if the vehicle is equipped with side airbags and curtain airbags, they may deploy depending on the severity, speed of the vehicle, and angle of impact.

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

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

• The airbags may not deploy in a rollover, because the vehicle cannot detect a rollover accident. However, the side airbags and/or curtain airbags may deploy when the vehicle rolls over after (or following) a side impact.

• The airbags may not deploy when the vehicle strikes objects such as poles or trees where the impact is concentrated in one area and the full force of the impact is not transmitted to the sensors.