2011 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE Owners Manual

2-46 Seat and restraint systems
2
Deployment of front air bags
N00408000459
The front air bags ARE DESIGNED TO DEPLOY when… The front air bags are designed to deploy when the vehicle suf-
fers a moderate to severe frontal impact. A typical condition is
shown in the illustration to the left.
The front air bags are designed to deploy only in certain mod-
erate to severe frontal collisions within the shaded area
between the arrows in the illustration to the right.
The front air bags will deploy if the impact to the vehicle’s
main structure is above a specific threshold level. The thresh-
old level is approximately 15 mph (25 km/h) for a frontal colli-
sion straight into a solid flat wall that does not bend or deform.
If the impact to the vehicle’s main structure is below this
threshold level, the front air bags may not deploy. This thresh-old level may also be higher if the vehicle hits something that
absorbs the impact, either by bending or moving (for example,
another stationary vehicle, a pole or a guard rail).
The beginning stage of air bag inflation is the most forceful,
and can cause serious injuries or death if you are too close to
the deploying air bag. Accordingly, it is important that you
always wear the available seat belt. Head-on collision with a solid wall at
speeds of approx. 15 mph (25 km/h) or
higherModerate to severe frontal impact within
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Seat and restraint systems
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2
The front air bags MAY NOT DEPLOY when … In certain types of front collisions, the front air bags may not
deploy, even if the deformation of the body seems to be large,
because the vehicle’s body structure is designed to absorb the
impact and deform in order to help protect the occupants. Some
typical situations where the front air bags may not deploy are
shown in the illustrations.
Because the front air bags do not protect the occupant in all
types of frontal collisions, be sure to always wear your seat
belts properly.
Collision with a utility pole, tree or other narrow objects
Collision where the vehicle slides under the rear body of a
truck
Oblique frontal impact
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2-48 Seat and restraint systems
2
The front air bags ARE NOT DESIGNED TO
DEPLOY when …The front air bags are not designed to deploy in situations
where they cannot provide protection to the occupants.
Some typical situations are shown in the illustrations.
Because the front air bags do not protect the occupants in all
types of collisions, be sure to always wear your seat belts prop-
erly.
Rear end collision to your vehicle
Side collision to your vehicle
Vehicle rolls onto its side or roof
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Seat and restraint systems
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The front air bags MAY DEPLOY when … The front air bags may deploy if the underside of the vehicle
suffers a moderate to severe impact (undercarriage impact).
Some typical situations are shown in the illustrations.
Because the front air bags may deploy in certain types of unex-
pected impacts, as shown in the illustrations, and these unex-
pected impacts can move you out of position, it is important to
always wear your seat belts properly. When worn properly, seat
belts can help maintain your distance from the air bags when
they begin to inflate. The beginning stage of air bag inflation is
the most forceful and can cause serious injury or death if you
are close to the deploying air bag.
Collision with an elevated median/island or curb
Vehicle travels over a deep hole/pothole
Vehicle drives down a steep slope and hits the ground
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2-50 Seat and restraint systems
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WA R N I N G
!
Do not attach anything to the steering wheel’s pad-
ded cover, such as trim material, badges, etc. These
could strike and injure an occupant if the air bag
inflates.
Do not set anything on, or attach anything to, the
instrument panel above the glove compartment.
Such items could strike and injure an occupant if the
air bag inflates.
WA R N I N G
!
Do not attach accessories to, or put them in front of,
the windshield. They could restrict the air bag infla-
tion, or strike and injure an occupant, when the air
bag inflates.
Do not place objects, such as packages or pets,
between the air bags and the driver or the front pas-
senger. Such objects can adversely affect air bag
performance, or cause serious injury or death when
the air bag deploys.
Immediately after air bag inflation, some parts of
the air bag system will be hot. Do not touch them.
You could be burned.
The air bag system is designed to work only once.
After the air bags deploy, they will not work again.
They must promptly be replaced and the entire air
bag system must be inspected by an authorized
Mitsubishi Motors dealer.
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Side air bag system
N00408100290
The side air bags (A) are contained in the driver and front pas-
senger seatbacks.
[For ECLIPSE]
The side air bag is designed to inflate only on the side of the
vehicle that is impacted, even with no passenger in the front
seat.
[For ECLIPSE SPYDER]
The side air bag is designed to inflate only on the side of the
vehicle that is impacted.
In the following situations, the passenger’s side air bag is not
operational.

The passenger’s seat weight sensors sense a weight of less
than about 66 pounds (30 kg) on the front passenger seat.

The front passenger’s seat is not occupied.
ECLIPSE
ECLIPSE SPYDER
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2-52 Seat and restraint systems
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A label is attached to the seatbacks in vehicles with side air
bags.
Curtain air bag system (ECLIPSE only)
N00419200028
The curtain air bags are contained in the front and rear pillars
and roof side rail. The curtain air bag is designed to inflate only
on the side of the vehicle that is impacted, even with no passen-
ger in the front seat.
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WA R N I N G
!
The side air bag and curtain air bag can cause seri-
ous injury or death to anyone too close to the air bag
when it deploys. To reduce the risk of injury from a
deploying side air bag and curtain air bags, driver
and front passenger must be properly restrained
and seated well back, upright, and in the middle of
the seat. Do not lean against the door.
WA R N I N G
!
In order to reduce the risk of injury from a deploy-
ing side air bag, do not allow any rear seat passen-
gers to hold onto the back of either front seat.
Special care should be taken with children.
Do not place any objects near or around the front of
either front seatback. Such objects can interfere
with proper side air bag deployment and cause
injury during deployment of the side air bag.
Do not place stickers, labels or additional trim on
the back of either front seat. They can interfere with
proper side air bag deployment.
Do not install seat covers or re-cover seats that have
side air bags. Covers can interfere with proper side
air bag deployment and adversely affect side air bag
performance.
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