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uuAirbags uTypes of Airbags
Safe Driving
Types of Airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with four types of airbags:
• Front airbags:  Airbags in front of the driver ’s and front passenger’s seats.
• Knee airbags:  Airbags under the steering column and under the glove box.
• Side airbags:  Airbags in the driver’s and  front passenger’s seat-backs.
• Side curtain airbags:  Airbags above the side windows.
Each is discussed in the following pages.
Front Airbags (SRS)
The front SRS airbags inflate in a moderate-to -severe frontal collision to help protect 
the head and chest of the driver and/or front passenger.
SRS  (Supplemental Restraint System) indica tes that the airbags are designed to 
supplement seat belts, not replace them.  Seat belts are the occupant’s primary 
restraint system.
The front airbags are housed  in the center of the steering wheel for the driver, and 
in the dashboard for the front pass enger. Both airbags are marked SRS AIRBAG.
■Housing Locations
1Types of Airbags
The airbags can inflate whenever the power mode is 
in ON.
After an airbag inflates in a crash, you may see a 
small amount of smoke. This is from the combustion 
process of the infl ator material and  is not harmful. 
People with respiratory pr oblems may experience 
some temporary discomfort. If  this occurs, get out of 
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
1 Front Airbags (SRS)
During a frontal crash severe  enough to cause one or 
both front airbags to deploy, the airbags can inflate 
at different rates, dependi ng on the severity of the 
crash, whether or not the se at belts are latched, and/
or other factors. Frontal airbags are designed to 
supplement the seat belts to help reduce the 
likelihood of head and chest injuries in frontal 
crashes.
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Continued53
uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe DrivingFront airbags are designed to inflate duri ng moderate-to-severe frontal collisions. 
When the vehicle decelerates suddenly, the sensors send information to the control 
unit which signals one or both front airbags to inflate.
A frontal collision can be either head-on or angled between two vehicles, or when a 
vehicle crashes into a stationary object, such as a concrete wall.
While your seat belt restrains your torso, the 
front airbag provides supplemental protection 
for your head and chest.
The front airbags deflate immediately so that 
they won’t interfere with the driver’s visibility 
or the ability to steer or operate other 
controls.
The total time for inflation and deflation  is so fast that most occupants are not 
aware that the airbags deployed until th ey see them lying in front of them.
■Operation
■How the Front Airbags Work1How the Front Airbags Work
Although the driver’s and fr ont passenger’s airbags 
normally inflate within a spli t second of each other, it 
is possible for only one airbag to deploy. This can 
happen if the severity of a  collision is at the margin, 
or threshold, that determines whether or not the 
airbags will deploy. In such cases, the seat belt will 
provide sufficient protec tion, and the supplemental 
protection offered by the airbag would be minimal.
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54
uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe Driving
■When front airbags should not deploy
Minor frontal crashes:  Front airbags were designed to supplement seat belts and 
help save lives, not to prevent minor scrape s, or even broken bones that might occur 
during a less than moderate-to-severe frontal crash.
Side impacts:  Front airbags can provide protection when a sudden deceleration 
causes a driver or front passenger to move  toward the front of the vehicle. Side 
airbags and side curtain airb ags have been specifically designed to help reduce the 
severity of injuries that can occur during a moderate-to-severe side impact which 
can cause the driver or passenger to move toward the side of the vehicle.
Rear impacts:  Head restraints and seat belts are your best protection during a rear 
impact. Front airbags cannot provide any si gnificant protection and are not designed 
to deploy in such collisions.
Rollovers:  In a rollover, your best form of protection is a seat belt or, if your vehicle 
is equipped with a rollover sensor, both a se at belt and a side curtain airbag. Front 
airbags, however, are not designed to deploy in a rollover as they would provide 
little if any protection.
■When front airbags deploy with  little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden deceleration, a strong impact to the 
vehicle framework or suspension might caus e one or more of the airbags to deploy. 
Examples include running into a curb, the edge of a hole, or other low fixed object 
that causes a sudden deceleration in th e vehicle chassis. Since the impact is 
underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.
■When front airbags may not deploy, even though exterior damage 
appears severe
Since crushable body parts absorb crash energy during an impact, the amount of 
visible damage does not always indicate  proper airbag operation. In fact, some 
collisions can result in severe damage but no airbag deployment because the airbags 
would not have been needed or would not  have provided protection even if they 
had deployed.
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uuAirbags uFront Airbags (SRS)
Safe DrivingThe airbags have advanced features to he lp reduce the likelihood of airbag related 
injuries to smaller occupants. The driver’s advanced airbag system includes a 
seat position sensor.
Based on information from  this sensor and the 
severity of the impact, the advanced airbag 
system determines the optimal deployment of 
the driver’s airbag.
■Advanced Airbags1 Advanced Airbags
If there is a problem with the driver’s seat position 
sensor or the passenger’s s eat weight sensors, the 
SRS indicator will come on, and in the event of a 
crash, the airbag will deploy (regardless of the driver’s 
seating position or  passenger’s occupant 
classification) with a fo rce corresponding to the 
severity of the impact. 2 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) 
Indicator  P. 63
For the advanced front airbags to work properly, 
confirm that:
•The occupant is sitting  in an upright position, 
wearing the seat belt prope rly and the seat back is 
not excessively reclined.
•The occupant is not leaning against the door or 
center console.
•The occupant’s feet are plac ed on the floor in front 
of them.
•There are no objects ha nging from the front 
passenger’s seat.
•Only small, lightweight objec ts are in the seat back 
pocket.
•The steering wheel and passenger’s side dashboard 
are not obstructed by any object.
•No liquid has been spille d on or under the seat.•There is no child seat or other object pressing 
against the rear of the seat or seat back.
•There is no rear passenger pushing or pulling on 
the back of the front passenger’s seat.
Driver’s 
Seat 
Position 
Sensor
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57
uuAirbags uKnee Airbags
Continued
Safe Driving
Knee Airbags
The knee SRS airbags inflate in a moderate -to-severe frontal collision to help keep 
the driver and/or front passenger in the pr oper position and to help maximize the 
benefit provided by the vehicle’s other safety features.
SRS  (Supplemental Restraint System) indica tes that the airbag is designed to 
supplement seat belts, not replace them . Seat belts are the occupant’s primary 
restraint system.
The knee airbag for the driver and the one for 
the front passenger are housed under the 
steering column and the glove box 
respectively.
Both are marked SRS AIRBAG.
■Housing Locations
1Knee Airbags
Do not attach accessories on  or near a knee airbag as 
they can interfere with the proper operation of the 
airbag, or even hurt someone if the airbag inflates.
The driver and fr ont passenger should not store any 
items under the seat or be hind their feet. The items 
can interfere with proper airbag deployment in the 
event of a moderate to se vere frontal collision and 
may result in inadequate protection.
Housing 
Location
Housing 
Location
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62
uuAirbags uSide Curtain Airbags
Safe Driving
Side Curtain Airbags
The side curtain airbags help  protect the heads of the driver and passengers in the 
outer seating positions during a moderate-to -severe side impact. The side curtain 
airbags equipped in this vehicle are also designed to help reduce the likelihood of 
partial and complete ejection of vehicle occupants through side windows in crashes, 
particularly rollover crashes.
The side curtain airbags are located in the 
ceiling above the side windows on both sides 
of the vehicle.
The side curtain airbag is designed to deploy 
in a rollover or a moderate-to-severe side 
impact.
■Housing Locations
1Side Curtain Airbags
If the SRS control unit sens es that your vehicle is 
about to rollover, it imme diately deploys both side 
curtain airbags and activates both front seat belt 
tensioners.
If the impact is on the passenger’s side, the 
passenger’s side curtain airbag deploys even if there 
are no occupants on that side of the vehicle.
To get the best protecti on from the side curtain 
airbags, occupants should wear their seat belts 
properly and sit upr ight and well back in their seats.
Do not attach any objects to the side windows or roof 
pillars as they can interfere with the proper operation 
of the side curtain airbags.
Side Curtain Airbag Storage
■Operation
Deployed Side Curtain Airbag
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Continued63
uuAirbags uAirbag System Indicators
Safe Driving
■When side curtain airbags deploy in a frontal collision
One or both side curtain ai rbags may also inflate in a moderate-to-severe angled 
frontal collision.
Airbag System Indicators
If a problem occurs in the airbag system , the SRS indicator will come on and a 
message appears on the driver information interface.
■When the power mode is set to ON.
The indicator comes on for a few seconds, 
then goes off. This tells you the system is 
working properly.
If the indicator comes on at any other time , or does not come on at all, have the 
system checked by a dealer as soon as po ssible. If you don’t, your airbags and seat 
belt tensioners may not work  properly when they are needed.
■Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Indicator1Supplemental Restraint Sy stem (SRS) Indicator
3WARNING
Ignoring the SRS indicator can result in 
serious injury or death if the airbag systems 
or tensioners do not work properly.
Have your vehicle checked by a dealer as 
soon as possible if th e SRS indicator alerts 
you to a possible problem.
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uuAirbags uAirbag System Indicators
64
Safe Driving■When the passenger  front airbag off 
indicator comes on
The indicator comes on  to alert you that the 
front passenger’s airbag  has been turned off.  
This occurs if the seat  is empty or when the 
weight sensors determine that a small child or 
infant is on the passenger seat.
Children age 12 or under should always ri de properly restrained in a back seat.
2Child Safety  P. 67
If the indicator is on in th e event of a crash, the front passenger’s airbag will not 
deploy. If your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger’s knee  airbag, this airbag 
will not deploy either.
■Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator1 Passenger Front Airbag Off Indicator
To ensure the passenger is  detected properly, confirm 
that:
•The occupant is sitting  in an upright position, 
wearing the seat belt prope rly and the seat back is 
not excessively reclined.
•The occupant is not leaning against the door or 
center console.
•The occupant’s feet are plac ed on the floor in front 
of them.
•There are no objects ha nging from the front 
passenger’s seat.
•Only small, lightweight objec ts are in the seat back 
pocket.
•No liquid has been spille d on or under the seat.
•There is no child seat or other object pressing 
against the rear of the seat or seat back.
•There is no rear passenger pushing or pulling on 
the back of the front passenger’s seat.
•There are no objects placed under or beside the 
front passenger’s seat . Improperly positioned 
objects can interfere with the advanced airbag 
sensors.
•The floor mat behind the  front passenger’s seat is 
hooked to the floor mat anchor. An improperly 
placed mat can interfere with the advanced airbag 
sensors.
•The head restraint is  not contacting the roof.
U.S.
Canada
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