3-54
Safety System
During a moderate to severe frontal
collision, sensors will detect the
vehicle’s rapid deceleration. If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the control
unit will inflate the front air bags, at the
time and with the force needed.
The front air bags help protect the driver
and front passenger by responding to
frontal impacts in which seat belts alone
cannot provide adequate restraint. When
needed, the side air bags help provide
protection in the event of a side impact
or rollover by supporting the side upper
body area.
[ Air bags are activated (able to inflate
if necessary) only when the Start/Stop
button is in the ON or START position
and it can be activated within about 3
minutes after the vehicle is turned off.
[ Air bags inflate in the event of certain
frontal or side collisions to help
protect the occupants from serious
physical injury.
[ There is no single speed at which the
air bags will inflate. Generally, air bags
are designed to inflate based upon the
severity of a collision and its direction.
These two factors determine whether
the sensors produce an electronic
deployment/inflation signal.
[ The front air bags will completely
inflate and deflate in an instant. It is
virtually impossible for you to see the
air bags inflate during an accident. It is
much more likely that you will simply
see the deflated air bags hanging out
of their storage compartments after
the collision.[ In addition to inflating in serious side
collisions, vehicles equipped with a
rollover sensor, side and/or curtain
air bags and front center air bag will
inflate if the sensing system detects a
rollover.
When a rollover is detected, curtain
air bags will remain inflated longer to
help provide protection from ejection,
especially when used in conjunction
with the seat belts. (if equipped with a
rollover sensor)
[ To help provide protection, the air
bags must inflate rapidly. The speed
of air bag inflation is a consequence
of extremely short time in which
to inflate the air bag between the
occupant and the vehicle structures
before the occupant impacts those
structures. This speed of inflation
reduces the risk of serious or life-
threatening injuries and is thus a
necessary part of air bag design.
However, the rapid air bag inflation
can also cause injuries which can
include facial abrasions, bruises and
broken bones because the inflation
speed also causes the air bags to
expand with a great deal of force.
[ There are even circumstances under
which contact with the air bag can
cause fatal injuries, especially if the
occupant is positioned excessively
close to the air bag.
You can take steps to reduce the risk
of being injured by an inflating air bag.
The greatest risk is sitting too close to
the air bag. An air bag needs about 10
in. (25 cm) of space to inflate. NHTSA
recommends that drivers allow at least
10 in. (25 cm) between the center of the
steering wheel and the chest.
3-58
Safety System
For example, if a child restraint of the
type specified in the regulations is on the
seat, the occupant classification sensor
can detect it and cause the air bag to
turn OFF.
Front passenger seat adult occupants
who are properly seated and wearing the
seat belt properly, should not cause the
passenger air bag to be automatically
turned OFF. For smaller adults it may turn
OFF, however, if the occupant does not
sit in the seat properly (for example, by
not sitting upright, by sitting on the edge
of the seat, or by otherwise being out of
position), this could cause the sensor to
turn the air bag OFF.
You will find the “PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF” indicator on the center fascia
panel. This system detects the conditions
1-4 in the following table and activates or
deactivates the front passenger air bag
based on these conditions.
Always be sure that you and all vehicle
occupants are seated properly and
wearing the seat belt properly for the
most effective protection by the air bag
and the seat belt.The OCS may not function properly if the
passenger takes actions which can affect
the classification system. These include:
[ Failing to sit in an upright position.
[ Leaning against the door or center
console.
[ Sitting towards the sides of the front
of the seat.
[ Putting their legs on the dashboard or
resting them on other locations which
reduce the passenger weight on the
front seat.
[ Wearing the seat belt improperly.
[ Reclining the seatback.
[ Wearing thick clothes like ski wear or
hip protection wear.
[ Putting an additional thick cushion on
the seat.
[ Putting electrical devices (e.g.
notebook, satellite radio) on the seat
with inverter charging.