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When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
Frontal airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes to help
reduce the potential for severe
injuries mainly to the driver’s or right
front passenger’s head and chest.
However, they are only designed
to inflate if the impact exceeds
a predetermined deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds
are used to predict how severe a
crash is likely to be in time for the
airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants.
Whether the frontal airbags will
or should deploy is not based on
how fast your vehicle is traveling.
It depends largely on what you hit,
the direction of the impact, and how
quickly your vehicle slows down.
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.
Thresholds can also vary with
specific vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
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 seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags.
See Airbag System on page 1-23.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags are intended to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes. Seat-mounted 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.
Seats and Restraints 1-27