WARNING! (Continued)
•If your vehicle is equipped with side airbags, do
not attach cupholders or any other objects on or
around the door. The inflating side airbag could
drive the objects into occupants, causing serious
injury.
•Do not cover or place items on the airbag covers.
These items may cause serious injury during in-
flation.
•Do not store or place items under the front seats.
You may damage the airbag wiring harnesses.
The front airbags have a multistage inflator design. This
allows the airbag to have different rates of inflation that
are based on collision severity. Along with the seat belts,
front airbags work with the instrument panel knee bol-
sters to provide improved protection for the driver and
front passenger. Side airbags also work with seat belts to
improve occupant protection. The seat belts are designed to protect you in many types
of collisions. The front airbags will not deploy in all
frontal collisions. Front airbag deployment will depend
on severity and type of collision.
If your vehicle is so equipped, the side airbag on the
crash side of the vehicle is triggered in certain moderate-
to-severe side collisions. In certain types of collisions,
both the front and side airbags may be triggered. But
even in collisions where the airbags work, you need the
seat belts to keep you in the right position for the airbags
to protect you properly.
Here are some simple steps you can take to minimize the
risk of harm from a deploying airbag:
1. Children 12 years and under should always ride
buckled up in a rear seat.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
WARNING!
•Relying on the airbags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The airbags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, the airbags won’t deploy at all.
Always wear your seat belts even though you have
airbags.
•Being too close to the steering wheel or instrument
panel during airbag deployment could cause seri-
ous injury. Airbags need room to inflate. Sit back,
comfortably extending your arms to reach the
steering wheel or instrument panel.
•If the vehicle has side airbags, they also need room
to inflate. Do not lean against the door. Sit upright
in the center of the seat.
Airbag System Components
The airbag system consists of the following:
•Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) Module
•Airbag Warning Light
•Driver Airbag
•Passenger Airbag
•Front Seat-Mounted Side Airbags (If Equipped)
•Steering Wheel and Column
•Instrument Panel
•Interconnecting Wiring
•Knee Impact Bolsters
•Front Acceleration Sensors
•Remote Side Impact velocity Sensors (If Equipped)
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
