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How
the
Air
Bag
System
Works
Where is the air bag?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering
wheel.
When should an air bag inflate? When should an air bag inflate?
The air bag
is
designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.”
If
your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about
9
to
15
mph
(14
to
24
km/h).
The threshold level
can
vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so
that
it
can
be
somewhat above or below this range.
If
your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the threshold level will
be
higher. The
air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts, or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
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