When the electronic control unit registers a low severity crash and
the safety belt is being used, the airbag will not deploy . If the safety
belt is not being used, the first stage deploys, followed by the
second stage afte r a much later time in the crash sequence.
If the electronic control unit registers a crash of medium severity,
the first stage of the airbag deploys followed by the second stage at
a much later t ime in the crash sequence - regardless of whether the
safety belt is being used or not. In higher severity crashes as regis-
tered by the electronic contro l unit, both the first and second stages
deploy almost at the same time.
On the passenger side, regardless of safety belt use, the airbag will
be turned off if the weight on the passenger seat is less than the
amount programmed in the electronic control unit . The front airbag
on the passenger side will also be turned off if one of the child
safety seats that has been certified under Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard 208 has been recognized on the seat. The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF light comes on and stays on to tell you
whe n the front Advanced Airbag on t he passenger side has been
turned off=>
page 170, "Chi ld restraints on the front seat - some
impor tant things to know".
& WARNING
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates, always wear
safet y belts properly.
• If you are unrestra ined, leaning forward , sitting sideway s or out
of position in any w ay, your risk of injury is much higher.
• You will also receive serious injurie s and could even be killed if
you are up again st the airbag or too close to it when it inflate s -
even with an Advanced Airb ag =>
page 168. •
Safety first
Airb a g s yst e m
More important things to know about front
airbags
Fig. 173 Inflated front
airbags
Safety belts are important to help keep front seat occupants in the
proper seated position so tha t airbags can unfold properly and
provide supplementa l protection in a fronta l collision.
The front airbags are designed to provide additional protection for
the chest and face of the driver and the front seat passenger when:
• safety belts are worn properly,
• the seats have been positioned so that the occupant is properly
seated as far as possib le from the airbag,
• and the head restraints have been properly adjusted.
Because airbags inflate in the blink of an eye with great force, thi ngs
you have on your lap or have placed on the seat could become
dangerous projectiles, and be pushed into you if the airbag inflates.
When an airbag deploy s, fine dust is released . This is normal and is
not caused by a fire in the vehicle. This dust is made up mostly of a
powder used t o lubrica t e the airbags as they deploy . It could irri tate
skin.
It is i mportant to remember that while the supplemental airbag
system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries, other
injuries, for example swelling, bruising and minor abrasions, can
also happen when airbags infla t e. Airbags do not pro tect the arms ...
~ehicle care irechnical data
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