Chevrolet 2010 Avalanche Automobile User Manual


 
In addition, the vehicle has dual-stage frontal airbags.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint according to
crash severity. The vehicle has electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more severe
frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, dual-stage
airbags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For
more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
The vehicle has a seat position sensor. Vehicles with
dual stage airbags also have seat position sensors
which enable the sensing system to monitor the position
of the driver seat.
The seat position sensor provides information that is
used to determine if the airbags should deploy at a
reduced level or at full deployment
The vehicle has seatmounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags. See Airbag System
on page 261
.
Seatmounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are
intended to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes.
In addition, these roof-rail airbags are intended to
inflate during a rollover or in a severe frontal impact.
Seatmounted side impact and roof-rail airbags will
inflate if the crash severity is above the system's
designed threshold level. The threshold level can vary
with specific vehicle design.
Roof-rail airbags are not intended to inflate in rear
impacts. A seatmounted side impact airbag is
intended to deploy on the side of the veicle that is
struck. Both roof-rail airbags will deploy when either
side of the vehicle is struck or if the sensing system
predicts that the vehicle is about to roll over, or in a
severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by what
the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For seatmounted side
impact and roof-rail airbags, deployment is determined
by the location and severity of the side impact. In a
rollover event, roof-rail airbag deployment is determined
by the direction of the roll.
2-67