How Your Side Airbags Work - Honda 2005 Civic Owner's Manual

Additional Information About Your Airbags

How Your Side Airbags Work

On models equipped
If you ever have a moderate to
severe side impact, sensors will
detect rapid deceleration and signal
the control unit to instantly inflate
either the driver's or the passenger's
side airbag.
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Only one airbag will deploy during a
side impact. If the impact is on the
passenger's side, the passenger's
side airbag will deploy even if there
is no passenger.
To get the best protection from the
side airbags, front seat occupants
should wear their seat belts and sit
upright and well back in their seats.
Side Airbag Cutoff System
To reduce the risk of injury from an
inflating side airbag, your vehicle has
an automatic cutoff system for the
passenger's side airbag.
Although Honda does not encourage
children to ride in front, this system
is designed to shut off the side
airbag if a child leans into the side
airbag's path.
The side airbag may also shut off if a
short adult leans sideways, or a
larger adult slouches and leans
sideways into the airbag's
deployment path.
Objects placed on the front
passenger seat can also cause the
side airbag to be shut off.