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How the air bag system oper-
ates
• Air bags activate (able to inflate if
necessary) only when the Engine
Start/Stop Button is ON or in the
START position.
• Air bags inflate in the event of a
severe frontal or side collision in
order to protect occupants from
serious physical injury.
• There is no single speed, at which
air bags inflate.
Generally, air bags are designed to
inflate based upon a collision
severity and collision direction.
These two factors mainly deter-
mine whether the sensors produce
an electronic deployment/inflation
signal.
• Air bag deployment depends on a
number of factors, including a driv-
ing speed, impact angles, vehicle
density, vehicle stiffness or an
object, which your vehicle collides
with. Beyond those mentioned
above, there are more determining
factors.
• The front air bags completely
inflates and then deflates in an
instant. It is virtually impossible for
you to see the air bags inflating
during an accident.
It is much more likely that you sim-
ply see the deflated air bags hang-
ing out of their storage compart-
ments after the collision.
• To help provide protection in a
severe collision, the air bags must
inflate rapidly. The speed of air bag
inflation is extremely fast, because
a collision instantly requires to
inflate the air bag between an
occupant and the vehicle struc-
tures, before the occupant strikes
with the vehicle interior.
Safety system of your vehicle
This instant inflation reduces the
risk of serious or life-threatening
injury in a severe collision. So, this
fast speed is a necessary part of
air bag design.
However, air bag inflation may also
cause injury, such as facial abra-
sions, bruises and broken bones,
because the inflation speed also
causes the air bags to expand with
a great deal of force.
• There are even some circum-
stances, under which the air bag
may cause fatal injury, especial-
ly when an occupant is posi-
tioned excessively close to the
air bag.
WARNING
• To avoid severe personal
injury or death caused by
deploying air bags in a colli-
sion, the driver should sit as
far back from the steering
wheel air bag as possible (at
least 10 inches (250 mm)
away). The front passenger
should always sit in the rear-
most position.
• Air bags instantly inflate in
the event of a collision, and an
occupant may be injured by
the expanding force, when he
or she sits in an inappropriate
position.
• Air bag inflation may cause
injury,
normally
facial or bodily abrasions,
injuries from broken glasses
or burns by the air bag infla-
tion gas.
02
including
2-43
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