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BEFORE DRIVING
• Crash with a fixed wall or guardrail at left
and right angles of greater than about 30
degrees (1) from the front of your vehi-
cle.
EXAMPLE
• Frontal crash with a fixed wall that does
not move or deform at less than about
25 km/h.
Front air bags do not inflate
Front air bags do not inflate in rear
impacts, side impacts or rollovers, etc.
However, these might inflate in a strong
impact.
EXAMPLE
• Impact from the rear.
2-43
• Impact from the side.
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• Vehicle rollover.
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How the System Works
EXAMPLE
In a frontal collision, the crash sensors will
detect rapid deceleration, and if the control-
ler judges that the deceleration represents
a severe frontal crash, the controller will
trigger the inflators. The inflators inflate the
appropriate air bags with nitrogen or argon
gas. The inflated air bags provide a cushion
for your head and upper body. The air bag
inflates and deflates so quickly that you
may not even realize that it has activated.
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The air bag will neither hinder your view nor
make it harder to exit the vehicle.
EXAMPLE
Air bags must inflate quickly and forcefully
in order to reduce the chance of serious or
fatal injuries. However, an unavoidable con-
sequence of the quick inflation is that the air
bag may irritate bare skin, such as the facial
area against a front air bag. Also, upon
inflation, a loud noise will occur and some
powder and smoke will be released. These
conditions are not harmful and do not indi-
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cate a fire in the vehicle. Be aware, how-
ever, that some air bag components may be
hot for a while after inflation.
A seat belt helps keep you in the proper
position for maximum protection when an
air bag inflates. Adjust your seat as far back
as possible while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. Sit fully back in your seat; sit up
straight; do not lean over the steering wheel
or dashboard. Front occupants should not
lean on or sleep against the door. Please
refer to the "Front Seat" section and the
"Seat Belts and Child Restraint Systems"
section in this section for details on proper
seat and seat belt adjustments.
64MS0-74E
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