Hyundai Elantra GT 2013, Owner'S Manual

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3 39
Safety features of your vehicle
How does the air bag system
operate
• Air bags are activated (able to
inflate if necessary) only when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
or START position.
• Air bags inflate instantly in the
event of serious frontal or side col-
lision in order to help protect the
occupants from serious physical
injury.
• There is no single speed at which
the air bags will inflate.
Generally, air bags are designed to
inflate by the severity of a collision
and its direction. These two factors
determine whether the sensors
send out an electronic deployment/
inflation signal.
• Air bag deployment depends on a
number of factors including vehicle
speed, angles of impact and the
density and stiffness of the vehi-
cles or objects which your vehicle
hits in the collision. Though, factors
are not limited to those mentioned
above.
• The front air bags will completely
inflate and deflate in an instant.
It is virtually impossible for you to
see the air bags inflate during an
accident.
It is much more likely that you will
simply see the deflated air bags
hanging out of their storage com-
partments after the collision.
• In order to help provide protection
in a severe collision, the air bags
must inflate rapidly. The speed of
air bag inflation is a consequence
of the extremely short time in
which a collision occurs and the
need to get the air bag between
the occupant and the vehicle struc-
tures before the occupant impacts
those structures. This speed of
inflation reduces the risk of serious
or life-threatening injuries in a
severe collision and is thus a nec-
essary part of air bag design.
However, air bag inflation can also
cause injuries which normally can
include facial abrasions, bruises and
broken bones because the inflation
speed also causes the air bags to
expand with a great deal of force.
• There are even circumstances
under which contact with the air
bag can cause fatal injuries, espe-
cially if the occupant is positioned
excessively close to the air bag.
WARNING
• To avoid severe personal injury
or death caused by deploying
air bags in a collision, the driv-
er should sit as far back from
the steering wheel air bag as
possible (at least 10 inches
(250 mm) away). The front pas-
sengers should always move
their seats as far back as pos-
sible and sit back in their seat.
• Air bags inflate instantly in the
event of collision, and passen-
gers may be injured by the air
bag expansion force if they are
not in proper position.
• Air bag inflation may cause
injuries which may include
facial or bodily abrasions,
injuries from broken glasses
or burns by the air bag infla-
tion gasses.