Kia Optima 2017, Owner'S Manual, Page: 67 / 776

• There are even circumstances under
which contact with the steering
wheel air bag can cause fatal injuries,
especially if the occupant is posi‐
tioned excessively close to the steer‐
ing wheel.
WARNING
• To avoid severe personal injury or
death caused by deploying air bags
in a collision, the driver should sit
as far back from the steering
wheel air bag as possible (at least
250 mm (10 inches) away). The
front passengers should always
move their seats as far back as
possible and sit back in their seat.
• Air bags inflate instantly in the
event of a collision, and passen‐
gers may be injured by the air bag
expansion force if they are not in a
proper position.
• Air bag inflation may cause injuries
including facial or bodily abrasions,
injuries from broken glasses or
burns.
Noise and smoke
When the air bags inflate, they make a
loud noise and they leave smoke and
powder in the air inside of the vehicle.
This is normal and is a result of the ig‐
nition of the air bag inflator. After the
air bag inflates, you may feel substan‐
tial discomfort in breathing due to the
contact of your chest with both the
seat belt and the air bag, as well as
from breathing the smoke and powder.
Open your doors and/or windows as
soon as possible after impact in order
to reduce discomfort and prevent pro‐
longed exposure to the smoke and
powder.
Though the smoke and powder are
non-toxic, they may cause irritation to
the skin (eyes, nose and throat, etc). If
this is the case, wash and rinse with
cold water immediately and consult a
doctor if the symptom persists.
WARNING
When the air bags deploy, the air
bag related parts in the steering
wheel and/or instrument panel
and/or in both sides of the roof rails
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(Continued)
above the front and rear doors are
very hot. To prevent injury, do not
touch the air bag storage area’s in‐
ternal components immediately af‐
ter an air bag has inflated.
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Safety featur
es of your v
ehicle