Buick 2013 Buick Regal, Owner'S Manual

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Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 5/29/12
Seats and Restraints 3-21
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location
of the impact. In addition, these
roof
‐ rail airbags are intended to
inflate during a rollover or in a
severe frontal impact. 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.
Seat ‐ mounted side impact airbags
are not intended to inflate in frontal
impacts, near frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts. Roof
‐ rail
airbags are not intended to inflate in
rear impacts. A seat-mounted side
impact airbag is intended to inflate
on the side of the vehicle that is
struck. Both roof
‐ rail airbags will
inflate when either side of the
vehicle is struck or if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is
about to roll over on its side, or in a
severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or repair costs.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag location, see Where Are
the Airbags? on page 3 ‑ 19 .
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts by
distributing the force of the impact
more evenly over the
occupant's body.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. See
When
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3
‑ 20 .
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.