Filter
Top Products
Airbags distribute the force of the impact more
evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. But the frontal
airbags would not help you in many types of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and
many side impacts, primarily because an
occupant’s motion is not toward the airbag. Side
impact airbags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including many frontal or near
frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything
more than a supplement to safety belts, and then
only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal airbags, and only in moderate
to severe side collisions for vehicles with side
impact airbags.
What Will You See After an Airbag
Inflates?
After the frontal and seat-mounted side impact
airbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so quickly that
some people may not even realize an airbag
inflated. Roof-mounted side impact airbags may still
be at least partially inflated minutes after the vehicle
comes to rest. Some components of the airbag
module — the steering wheel hub for the driver’s
airbag, the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s bag, the side of the seatback closest to
the door for the seat-mounted side impact airbags
(if equipped), and the garnish trim and the area
along the ceiling of your vehicle near the side
windows for the roof–mounted side impact airbags
(if equipped) — may be hot for a short time. The
parts of the airbag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in
the deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of the windshield
or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it
prevent people from leaving the vehicle.
82