GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-
15170043) - 2022 - CRC - 5/25/21
56
Seats and Restraints
Knee airbags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe frontal or near frontal
impacts. Knee airbags are not designed to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, in rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
The front center airbag is designed to inflate
in moderate to severe side crashes
depending upon the location of the impact,
when either side of the vehicle is struck. In
addition, the front center airbag is designed
to inflate when the sensing system predicts
that the vehicle is about to roll over on its
side or in some moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal impacts. The front center
airbag is not designed to inflate in rear
impacts.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags are
designed to inflate in moderate to severe
side crashes, depending on the location of
the impact. These airbags are also designed
to inflate in some moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal impacts that could
result in the occupant moving toward the
side of the vehicle. Seat-mounted side
impact airbags are not designed to inflate in
rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mounted
side impact airbag is designed to inflate on
the side of the vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe side crashes depending
on the location of the impact. In addition,
these roof-rail airbags are designed to inflate
during a rollover or in a severe frontal
impact. Roof-rail airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbags
will inflate when either side of the vehicle is
struck, 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 locations, see
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 seat belts by distributing the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help contain the head and chest
of occupants in the outboard seating
positions in the first, second, and third rows.
The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of full or
partial ejection in rollover events, although
no system can prevent all such ejections.
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?
Airbags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to seat
belts.