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 other than the seat belt protection in such collisions.

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

• Front airbags may not deploy in a side collision, since occupants move in the direction of the collision, and therefore front airbag deployment will not provide additional occupant protection in a side impact.

• In an angled or offset collision, the force of impact may direct occupants in a direction where airbags would provide no additional benefit, and therefore the sensors may not activate the airbags.

• Immediately before a collision, drivers often brake heavily. Such hard braking lowers the front of the vehicle, causing it to "underride" beneath a higher-ground-clearance vehicle. Airbags may not deploy in this "underride" situation, because the deceleration forces detected by the sensors may be significantly reduced in such underride collisions.

• Front airbags may not deploy in a rollover, since front airbag deployment will not provide additional occupant protection. However, side and curtain airbags may deploy during a vehicle rollover.

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