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{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering. Don’t let seat covers block the
inflation path of a side impact air bag.
When Should an Air Bag Inflate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s
designed “threshold level.”
In addition, your vehicle has “dual stage” frontal air bags,
which adjust the amount of restraint according to
crash severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these
air bags inflate at a level less than full deployment.
For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level for
the reduced deployment is about 12 to 16 mph
(19 to 26 km/h), and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 16 to 25 mph (26 to 40 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 driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal air bags
are not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear impacts,
or in many side impacts because inflation would not help
the occupant.
Your vehicle may or may not have a side impact air bag.
See Air Bag Systems in the Index. Side impact air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes. A side impact air bag will inflate if the crash
severity is above the system’s designed “threshold level.”
The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design.
Side impact air bags are not designed to inflate in frontal
or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts,
because inflation would not help the occupant. A side
impact air bag will only deploy on the side of the vehicle
that is struck.
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