How does the airbag system work?

The SRS consists of the following components:

1. Driver's front airbag module
2. Passenger's front airbag module
3. Side airbag modules
4. Curtain airbag modules
5. Seat belt pretensioner units
6. Airbag warning light
7. SRS control module (SRSCM)/rollover sensor
8. Frontal impact sensors
9. Side impact sensors
10. Side pressure sensors
11. Driver's knee airbag module
12. Front passenger seat belt sensors
13. Anchor pretensioner
14. Occupant classification system

The SRSCM continuously monitors all SRS components while the engine is started/stopped and the ignition switch is in the ON position, to determine whether the impact is severe enough to require airbag deployment or seat belt pretensioner activation.

SRS warning light

The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning lamp on the instrument panel displays the airbag symbol shown in the illustration. The system checks the airbag electrical system for malfunctions. The lamp indicates a potential malfunction in your airbag system, which may include your front and side airbags and curtain airbags used for rollover protection.

WARNING

If the SRS is malfunctioning, the airbags may not deploy properly in a collision, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

If any of the following conditions occur, your SRS is malfunctioning:

• The lamp does not come on for approximately six seconds when the ignition switch is turned to the ON position.
• The lamp remains on after illuminating for approximately six seconds.
• The lamp comes on while the vehicle is being driven.
• The lamp flashes while the engine is running.

If any of these conditions occur, have the SRS inspected by an authorized HYUNDAI dealer as soon as possible.

In a frontal collision, the sensors detect vehicle deceleration. If the deceleration rate is high enough, the control module will deploy the front airbags.

The front airbags help protect the driver and front passenger by deploying in frontal impacts where the seat belts alone cannot provide sufficient restraint. When necessary, the side airbags help provide protection in the event of a side impact or rollover.

• The airbags are enabled (ready to inflate if necessary) only when the ignition switch is in the ON position.
• The airbags deploy in certain frontal or side collisions to help 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, impact angles, and the density and stiffness of the vehicles or objects your vehicle strikes during a collision. The determining factors are not limited to those mentioned above.
• 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 simply see deflated airbags hanging from their storage compartments after a collision.
• In addition to deploying in certain side collisions, vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor, side airbags and side curtain airbags will deploy if the sensor system detects a rollover. When a rollover is detected, the side airbags and side curtain airbags remain inflated longer to provide ejection protection, especially when used together with the seat belts.
• To provide protection, airbags must deploy very quickly. The deployment speed is a result of the extremely short time in which the airbag must inflate between the occupant and the vehicle structures before the occupant contacts those structures. This inflation speed reduces the risk of serious or life-threatening injuries and is therefore a necessary part of airbag design. However, rapid airbag deployment can also cause injuries, including: facial abrasions, bruises and broken bones, because the inflation speed also causes the airbags to expand with great force.
• There are even circumstances in which contact with an airbag can result in fatal injuries, especially if the occupant is positioned too close to the airbag.

You can take steps to reduce the risk of injury from an airbag deployment. The greatest risk is sitting too close to the airbag. About 10 inches (25 cm) of space is needed for the airbag to inflate. NHTSA recommends that drivers allow at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the center of the steering wheel and the chest.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury or death from airbag deployment, observe the following precautions:

• NEVER install a child restraint on the front passenger seat. Always properly restrain children under 13 years of age in the rear seats of the vehicle.
• Adjust the driver and front passenger seats as far back as possible while still maintaining full control of the vehicle.
• Hold the steering wheel with your hands at the "9 o'clock" and "3 o'clock" positions.
• Never place anything or anyone between the airbag and the seated occupant.
• Do not allow the front passenger to place their feet on the instrument panel.

When the SRSCM detects a sufficiently severe impact to the front of the vehicle, it will automatically deploy the front airbags.

During deployment, the tear seams molded directly into the trim covers will separate under the pressure of the expanding airbags. Further opening of the covers allows the airbags to fully deploy.

A fully deployed airbag, in combination with a properly worn seat belt, slows the forward movement of the driver or front passenger, which reduces the risk of head and chest injury.

After full deployment, the airbag begins to deflate immediately, allowing the driver to maintain forward visibility and the ability to steer or operate other controls.

WARNING

To prevent objects from becoming dangerous projectiles when the passenger airbag deploys:

• Do not install or place any objects (cup holder, CD holder, stickers, etc.) on the front passenger instrument panel above the glove box, where the airbag is located.
• Do not install a liquid air freshener container near the instrument cluster or on the surface of the instrument panel.