What Makes An Airbag; Inflate - Chevrolet 2011 Volt Owner's Manual

3-30 Seats and Restraints
The vehicle has seat-mounted side
impact airbags and roof-rail airbags.
See Airbag System on page 3 25.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags are intended to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes. In addition, these roof rail
airbags are intended to inflate
during a rollover or in a severe
frontal impact. Seat-mounted side
impact and roof-rail airbags will
inflate if the crash severity is above
the system's designed threshold
level. The threshold level can vary
with specific vehicle design.
Roof-rail airbags are not intended
to inflate in rear impacts. A
seat mounted side impact airbag is
intended to deploy on the side of the
vehicle that is struck. Both roof rail
airbags will deploy when either side
of the vehicle is struck or if the
sensing system predicts that the
vehicle is about to roll over, or in a
severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one
can say whether an airbag should
have inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because
of what the repair costs were.
For frontal airbags, inflation is
determined by what the vehicle hits,
the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down.
For seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags, deployment is
determined by the location and
severity of the side impact.
In a rollover event, roof rail airbag
deployment is determined by the
direction of the roll.

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 and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are
all part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located
inside the steering wheel and
instrument panel. For vehicles with
knee airbags, there are airbag
modules below the steering column
and below the glove box. For
vehicles with seat-mounted side
impact airbags, there are airbag
modules in the side of the front
seatbacks closest to the door. For
vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there
are airbag modules in the ceiling of
the vehicle, near the side windows
that have occupant seating
positions.