Pontiac 2006 Vibe Owner's Manual page 62

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.
The frontal airbags for the driver and right front
passenger may also deploy if a serious impact occurs to
the underside of your vehicle such as hitting a curb,
falling into a deep hole, or landing hard.
The frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger)
are not intended to inflate during vehicle rollovers,
rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
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The side impact airbags are intended to inflate in
moderate to severe side crashes. A 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. Side impact airbags are
not intended to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts. Your vehicle has sensors
which detect side impacts. These sensors signal
the appropriate side airbag to inflate. A side impact
airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle
that is struck.
It is possible that, in a crash involving the front of your
vehicle, only one of the two frontal airbags in your vehicle
will deploy. This is rare, but it can happen in a crash just
severe enough to make a frontal airbag inflate.
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 in frontal and
near-frontal impacts. For side impact airbags, inflation is
determined by the location and severity of the impact.