Honda 2004 Civic Sedan Owner's Manual page 27

Main Menu Table of Contents
Additional Information About Your Airbags
Dual-Stage Airbags
Your front airbags are dual-stage
airbags. This means they have two
inflation stages that can be ignited
sequentially or simultaneously,
depending on crash severity.
In a crash, both stages
more severe
will ignite simultaneously to provide
the quickest and greatest protection.
In a crash, one stage will
less severe
ignite first, then the second stage
will ignite a split second later. This
provides longer airbag inflation time
with a little less force.
24
Driver and Passenger Safety
Dual-Threshold Airbags
Your front airbags are also dual-
threshold airbags. Airbags with this
feature have two deployment
thresholds that depend on whether
or not the occupant is wearing a seat
belt.
It the occupant belt is not latched
the airbag will deploy at the same
threshold as a conventional airbag,
because the occupant would need
extra protection.
It the occupant's belt is
latched
airbag will deploy at a slightly higher
threshold, when the airbag would be
needed to supplement the protection
provided by the seat belt.
,
, the