Your vehicle has seat-mounted side impact airbags.Your vehicle may have roof-rail airbags. See AirbagSystem on page 1-54. Seat-mounted side impact androof-rail airbags are intended to inflate in moderateto severe side crashes. Seat-mounted side impact androof-rail airbags will inflate if the crash severity isabove the system’s designed threshold level. Thethreshold level can vary with specific vehicle design.Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags arenot intended to inflate in frontal impacts, near-frontalimpacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mountedside impact airbag is intended to deploy on the sideof the vehicle that is struck. Both roof-rail airbagswill deploy when either side of the vehicle is struck.In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbagshould have inflated simply because of the damageto a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by what thevehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quicklythe vehicle slows down. For seat-mounted side impactand roof-rail airbags, deployment is determined by thelocation and severity of the side impact.What Makes an Airbag Inflate?In a deployment event, the sensing system sends anelectrical signal triggering a release of gas from theinflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing thebag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator,the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the airbagmodule.Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steeringwheel and instrument panel. For vehicles withseat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbagmodules in the side of the front seatbacks closest tothe door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there areairbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near theside windows that have occupant seating positions.How Does an Airbag Restrain?In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,even belted occupants can contact the steering wheelor the instrument panel. In moderate to severe sidecollisions, even belted occupants can contact theinside of the vehicle.Airbags supplement the protection provided by safetybelts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impactmore evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stoppingthe occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impactand roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impactmore evenly over the occupant’s upper body.1-60
