What Makes An Airbag Inflate; What Will You See After An Airbag Inflates; How Does An Airbag Restrain - Buick 2005 Park Avenue Owner's Manual

What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the airbag. The inflator, the airbag and related
hardware are all part of the airbag modules inside
the steering wheel, the instrument panel, and the side of
the front seatbacks closest to the door.

How Does an Airbag Restrain?

In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But
a frontal airbag would not help you in many types of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and
many side impacts, primarily because an occupant's
motion is not toward a frontal airbag. A side impact
airbag would not help you in many types of collisions,
including frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and
rear impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion
is not toward a side airbag. airbags should never
be regarded as anything more than a supplement to
safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal collisions for frontal airbags,
and only in moderate to severe side collisions for side
impact airbags.
What Will You See After an
Airbag Inflates?
After the airbag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the airbag
inflated. Some components of the airbag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver's frontal airbag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger's frontal
airbag. For vehicles with side impact airbags, the side of
the seatback closest to the driver's and/or right front
passenger's door will be hot. The parts of the bag that
come into contact with you may be warm, but not
too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from the vents in the deflated airbags.
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