Chevrolet Sail U-VA Owner's Manual page 47

Ÿ 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
Ÿ
(like a pole), the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a wide object
(like a wall).
Ÿ 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.
Thresholds can also vary with specific
vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
Always wear your safety belt, even
with frontal airbags.
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.
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out of
the cover and deploy. The inflator, the
airbag, and related hardware are all part
of the airbag module. Frontal airbag
modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel.
Seats and Restraints
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near
frontal collisions, even belted occu-
pants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to
severe side collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the inside of the
vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant's
upper body, stopping the occupant
more gradually.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily because
the occupant's motion is not toward
those airbags. See When Should an
Airbag Inflate? on page 42 for more
information.
Airbags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to
safety belts.
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