How the Airbag System Works

• Airbags are armed (ready to deploy if necessary) only when the ignition switch is in the ON or START position.
• Airbags deploy instantly in the event of a severe frontal or side collision (if equipped with side airbags or curtain airbags) to protect occupants from serious 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 mentioned above.
• The front airbags inflate and deflate instantly. It is virtually impossible to see the airbags deploy during an accident. It is much more likely that you will only see deflated airbags hanging from the storage compartments after a collision.
• To provide protection in a severe collision, the airbag must inflate quickly. The inflation speed results from the extremely short time in which the collision occurs and the need to position the airbag between the occupant and the vehicle structure before the occupant strikes those structures. This inflation speed reduces the risk of serious or life-threatening injuries in a severe collision and is therefore a necessary part of airbag design.
• However, airbag deployment can also cause injuries, including facial abrasions, bruises and bone fractures, because the inflation speed and force of the airbag are considerable.
• There are even circumstances in which contact with the steering wheel airbag can cause fatal injuries, especially if the occupant is positioned excessively close to the steering wheel.

WARNING

• To avoid serious injury or death from airbag deployment in a collision, the driver should sit as far from the steering wheel airbag as possible. 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 may be injured by the force of airbag deployment if they are not in the correct position.
• Airbag deployment may cause injuries, including abrasions to the face or body, injuries from broken glasses, or burns.