How the Airbag System Works

• The airbags are activated (may inflate if necessary) only when the ignition switch is turned to the ON or START position.
• The airbags deploy instantly in the event of a severe frontal or side collision (if equipped with side airbags or curtain airbags) to help protect occupants from serious physical injury.
• There is no single speed at which the airbags will deploy. In general, airbags are designed to deploy depending on the severity and direction of the collision. These two factors determine whether the sensors send an electronic deployment/inflation signal.
• Airbag deployment depends on a number of factors, including vehicle speed, angle of impact, and the density and stiffness of the vehicles or objects your vehicle collides with. The determining factors are not limited to those listed above.
• The front airbags do not fully inflate and deflate in an instant. It is practically impossible for you to see the airbags deploy in a crash. Most likely, you will only see the deflated airbags hanging from the storage compartments after a collision.
• To help provide protection in a severe collision, the airbags must inflate rapidly. The airbag deployment speed is required because of the extremely short time in which a collision occurs, and the need to position the airbag between the occupant and the vehicle structure before the occupant contacts these structures. This inflation speed reduces the risk of serious or life-threatening injury in a severe collision and is therefore a necessary part of airbag design. However, airbag deployment can also cause injuries, which may include facial abrasions, bruises and bone fractures, because the inflation speed also causes the airbags to expand with great force.
• There are even circumstances in which contact with the steering wheel airbag may cause fatal injuries, especially if the occupant is positioned too close to the steering wheel.

WARNING

• To avoid serious injury or death from the deployment of the airbag in a collision, the driver should sit as far from the steering wheel airbag as possible (at least 250 mm (10 in.) away). The front passenger should always move the seat as far back as possible and sit upright in the seat.
• The airbag deploys instantly in a collision. Occupants can be injured by the expansion force of the airbag if they are not in the proper position.
• Airbag deployment may cause injuries, including facial or body abrasions, injuries from broken glasses, or burns.