Chevrolet 2007 Cobalt Owner's Manual page 72

If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that does not move or deform, the threshold
level for the reduced deployment is about
12 to 16 mph (19 to 26 km/h), and the threshold
level for a full deployment is about 18 to 24 mph
(29 to 38.5 km/h). The threshold level can
vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range.
Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash
speeds. For example:
•
If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a moving object.
•
If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the
airbags could inflate at a different crash
speed than if the vehicle hits an object that
does not deform.
•
If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole)
the airbags could inflate at a different crash
speed than if the vehicle hits a wide object
(like a wall).
•
If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle
the airbags could inflate at a different crash
speed than if the vehicle goes straight into
the object.
72
Frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger)
are not intended to inflate during vehicle
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
Your vehicle may or may not have roof-mounted
side impact airbags. See Airbag System on
page 66. Roof-mounted side impact airbags are
intended to inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes. A roof-mounted side impact airbag will
inflate if the crash severity is above the system's
designed threshold level. The threshold level
can vary with specific vehicle design.
Roof-mounted side impact airbags are not
intended to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts. A roof-mounted side
impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
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 roof-mounted side impact airbags,
inflation is determined by the location and severity
of the impact.