Knowing your vehicle
643
How does the air bag system
operate
• Air bag only operates when the ignition
switch is turned to ON or START posi-
tion.
• Air bags inflate instantly in the event of
serious frontal or side collision in order
to help protect the occupants from seri-
ous physical injury.
• There is no single speed at which the
air bags will inflate.
Generally, air bags are designed to
inflate by the severity of a collision and
its direction. These two factors deter-
mine whether the sensors send out an
electronic deployment/inflation signal.
• Air bag deployment depends on a
number of factors including vehicle
speed, angles of impact and the densi-
ty and stiffness of the vehicles or
objects which your vehicle hits in the
collision. Though, factors are not limit-
ed to those mentioned above.
• The front air bags will completely
inflate and deflate in an instant.
It is virtually impossible for you to see
the air bags inflate during an accident.
It is much more likely that you will sim-
ply see the deflated air bags hanging
out of their storage compartments after
the collision.
• In order to help provide protection in a
severe collision, the air bags must
inflate rapidly. The speed of air bag
inflation has been determined by the
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (CMVSS) to reduce the like-
lihood of serious or life-threatening
injuries and is thus a mandatory part of
the air bag design.
However, air bag inflation can also
cause injuries which normally can
include facial abrasions, bruises and
broken bones, and sometimes more
serious injuries because the inflation
speed also causes the air bags to
expand with a great deal of force.
• There are even circumstances
under which contact with the steer-
ing wheel air bag can cause fatal
injuries,especially if the occupant
is positioned excessively close to
the steering wheel.
WARNING
• To avoid severe personal injury or
death caused by deploying air
bags in a collision, the driver
should sit as far back from the
steering wheel air bag as possi-
ble (at least 250 mm (10 inches)
away). The front passenger
should always move their seat as
far back as possible and sit back
in their seat.
• Air bag inflates instantly in an
event of collision, passengers
may be injured by the air bag
expansion force if they are not in
proper position.
• Air bag inflation may cause
injuries which normally include
facial or bodily abrasions, injuries
by broken glass or burns by the
explosives.
