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351
Safety features of your vehicle
How does the air bag system
operate
• Air bags are activated (able to
inflate if necessary) only when the
engine start/stop button is turned
to the ON or START position.
• Air bags inflate instantly in the
event of a serious frontal collision
or side collision in order to help
protect the occupants from serious
physical injury.
• There is no single speed at which
the air bags will inflate.
Generally, air bags are designed to
inflate based upon the severity of a
collision and its direction. These
two factors determine whether the
sensors produce an electronic
deployment/ inflation signal.
• Air bag deployment depends on a
number of factors including vehicle
speed, angles of impact and the
density and stiffness of the vehi-
cles or objects which your vehicle
hits in the collision. The determin-
ing factors are not limited 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
simply see the deflated air bags
hanging out of their storage com-
partments 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 is a consequence
of the extremely short time in which
a collision occurs and the need to
inflate the air bag between the
occupant and the vehicle structures
before the occupant impacts those
structures. This speed of inflation
reduces the risk of serious or life-
threatening injuries in a severe col-
lision and is thus a necessary part
of air bag design.
However, air bag inflation can also
cause injuries which can include
facial abrasions, bruises and bro-
ken bones 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
steering wheel air bag can cause
fatal injuries, especially if the
occupant is positioned exces-
sively close to the steering wheel.
WARNING
• To avoid severe personal
injury or death caused by
deploying air bags in a colli-
sion, the driver should sit as
far back from the steering
wheel air bag as possible (at
least 250 mm (10 inches)
away). The front passengers
should always move their
seats as far back as possible
and sit back in their seat.
• Air bags inflate instantly in the
event of collision, and passen-
gers may be injured by the air
bag expansion force if they are
not in a proper position.
• Air bag inflation may cause
injuries including facial or
bodily abrasions, injuries
from broken glasses or burns.
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