Chrysler Patriot Owner's Manual page 41

Driver and Passenger Airbag Inflator Units
The Driver and Passenger Airbag/Inflator Units
are located in the center of the steering wheel
and the right side of the instrument panel.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the
airbags, it signals the inflator units. A large
quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate
the Advanced Front Airbags. Different airbag
inflation rates are possible, based on the colli-
sion type and severity. The steering wheel hub
trim cover and the upper right side of the
instrument panel separate and fold out of the
way as the bags inflate to their full size. The
bags fully inflate in about 50 to 70 milliseconds.
This is about half of the time it takes to blink
your eyes. The bags then quickly deflate while
helping to restrain the driver and front passen-
ger.
The driver front airbag gas is vented through
the vent holes in the sides of the airbag. The
passenger front airbag gas is vented through
the vent holes in the sides of the airbag. In this
way, the airbags do not interfere with your
control of the vehicle.
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Supplemental Side Seat Airbag Inflator
Units — If Equipped
The Side Impact (SRS) Seat-Mounted Side
Airbags are designed to activate only in certain
side collisions.
The ORC determines if a side collision requires
the side airbags to inflate based on the severity
and type of collision.
The ORC monitors the readiness of the elec-
tronic parts of the system whenever the ignition
switch is in the START or ON positions. These
include all of the items previously mentioned.
Based on the severity and type of collision, the
side airbag inflator on the crash side of the
vehicle may be triggered, releasing a quantity
of non-toxic gas. The inflating side airbag exits
through the seat seam into the space between
the occupant and the door. The side airbags
fully inflate in about 10 milliseconds. The side
airbag moves at a very high speed and with
such a high force, that it could injure you if you
are not seated properly, or if items are posi-
tioned in the area where the side airbag in-
flates. This especially applies to children.
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Supplemental Side Airbag Inflatable
Curtain (SABIC) Inflator Units — If
Equipped
During collisions where the impact is confined
to a particular area of the side of the vehicle,
the ORC may deploy the SABIC airbags, de-
pending on severity and type of collision. In
these events, the ORC will deploy the SABIC
only on the impact side of the vehicle.
A quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to
inflate the side curtain airbag. The inflating side
curtain airbag pushes the outside edge of the
headliner out of the way and covers the win-
dow. The airbag inflates in about 30 ms (about
one-quarter of the time that it takes to blink your
eyes) with enough force to injure you if you are
not belted and seated properly, or if items are
positioned in the area where the side curtain
airbag inflates. This especially applies to chil-
dren. The side curtain airbag is only about
3-1/2 in (9 cm) thick when it is inflated.
Because airbag sensors estimate deceleration
over time, vehicle speed and damage are not
good indicators of whether or not an airbag
should have deployed.
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