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If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that does not 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 18 to 25 mph (29 to
40.2 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however,
with specific vehicle design, so that it can be
somewhat above or below this range.
Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash
speeds. For example:
• If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a moving object.
• If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the
airbags could inflate at a different crash
speed than if the vehicle hits an object that
does not deform.
• If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole),
the airbags could inflate at a different crash
speed than if the vehicle hits a wide object
(like a wall).
• If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle,
the airbags could inflate at a different crash
speed than if the vehicle goes straight into the
object.
Frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger)
are not intended to inflate during vehicle
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
The side impact airbags are intended to inflate
in moderate to severe side crashes. A side impact
airbag 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 airbags are not intended to
inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers,
or rear impacts. A side impact airbag is intended
to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is
struck, unless the passenger sensing system has
turned off the passenger’s seat-mounted side
impact airbag. See Passenger Sensing System on
page 77 for more information.
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 in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For
side impact airbags, inflation is determined by the
location and severity of the impact.
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