Your vehicle may or may not have a side impact airbag.
See Airbag System on page 1-74. Side impact airbags
are intended to inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes. A side impact airbag will inflate if the crash
severity is above the system’s designed “threshold
level.” The threshold level can vary with specific
vehicle design. Side impact airbags are not intended
to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers
or rear impacts. A side impact airbag is intended
to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
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. For side
impact airbags, inflation is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
The airbag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough
terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. See Off-Road
Driving on page 4-16 for tips on off-road driving.
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag
sensing system detects that the vehicle is in a crash.
The sensing system triggers a release of gas from
the inflator, which inflates the airbag. The inflator,
the airbag and related hardware are all part of the
airbag modules. Frontal airbag modules are located
inside the steering wheel and instrument panel.
For seating positions with side impact airbags, there
are also airbag modules in the side of the seatbacks
closest to the door.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants 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. The airbag supplements the
protection provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute
the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s
upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually.
But the frontal airbags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts,
and many side impacts, primarily because an
occupant’s motion is not toward the airbag.
1-80
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