What Makes An Airbag; Inflate - Cadillac CTS 2014 Owner's Manual

Cadillac CTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-6882317) - 2014 -
CRC - 9/19/13
3-32 Seats and Restraints
Knee airbags are designed to inflate
in moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal impacts. Knee airbags
are not designed to inflate during
vehicle rollovers, in rear impacts,
or in many side impacts.
The vehicle also has a seat position
sensor that enables the sensing
system to monitor the position of the
front outboard passenger seat. The
passenger seat position sensor and
the passenger safety belt buckle
provide information that is used to
determine if the passenger knee
airbag should inflate.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are designed to inflate in moderate
to severe side crashes depending
on the location of the impact.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are not designed to inflate in frontal
impacts, near frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is designed to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location
of the impact. In addition, these
roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate during a rollover or in a
severe frontal impact. Roof-rail
airbags are not designed to inflate in
rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbags
will inflate when either side of the
vehicle is struck, if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is
about to roll over on its side, or in a
severe frontal impact.
Black plate (32,1)
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or repair costs.

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. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, see Where Are
the Airbags? on page 3-29.