2-57
Saf
ety system of y
our v
ehicle
2
During a moderate to severe frontal
collision, sensors will detect the vehi-
cle’s rapid deceleration. If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the con-
trol unit will inflate the front air bags, at
the time and with the force needed.
The front air bags help protect the
driver and front passenger by
responding to frontal impacts in
which seat belts alone cannot provide
adequate restraint. When needed,
the side air bags help provide protec-
tion in the event of a side impact or
rollover by supporting the side upper
body area.
• Air bags are activated (able to
inflate if necessary) only when the
Engine Start/Stop button is in the
ON position.
• Air bags inflate in the event of a
severe frontal or side collision 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
based upon the severity of a colli-
sion and its direction. These two
factors determine whether the sen-
sors produce an electronic deploy-
ment/inflation signal.
• Air bag deployment depends on a
number of factors including vehicle
speed, angles of impact and the
density and stiffness of the vehicles
or objects which your vehicle
impacts during a collision. The
determining 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 acci-
dent. 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 addition to inflating in serious
side collisions, vehicles equipped
with a rollover sensor, side and/or
curtain air bags will inflate if the
sensing system detects a rollover.
When a rollover is detected, curtain
air bags will remain inflated longer
to help provide protection from
ejection, especially when used in
conjunction with the seat belts. (if
equipped with a rollover sensor)
• To help provide protection, the air
bags must inflate rapidly. The
speed of air bag inflation is a con-
sequence of extremely short time
in which to inflate the air bag
between the occupant and the
vehicle structures before the occu-
pant impacts those structures. This
speed of inflation reduces the risk
of serious or life-threatening
injuries and is thus a necessary
part of air bag design.
However, the rapid air bag inflation
can also cause injuries which 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.
