When should an airbag inflate, When should an airbag inflate? -61, Warning – Buick 2011 Lucerne User Manual

Page 93

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Buick Lucerne Owner Manual - 2011

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WARNING:

If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the airbag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag, and
do not attach or put anything on the steering
wheel hub or on or near any other airbag
covering.

Do not use seat accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted side impact
airbag.

Never secure anything to the roof of a vehicle with
roof-rail airbags by routing a rope or tie down
through any door or window opening. If you do,
the path of an inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.

When Should an Airbag Inflate?

Frontal airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal crashes to help reduce the
potential for severe injuries mainly to the driver's or right
front passenger's head and chest. However, they are
only designed to inflate if the impact exceeds a
predetermined deployment threshold. Deployment
thresholds are used to predict how severe a crash is
likely to be in time for the airbags to inflate and help
restrain the occupants.

Whether your frontal airbags will or should deploy is not
based on how fast your vehicle is traveling. It depends
largely on what you hit, the direction of the impact, and
how quickly your vehicle slows down.

Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash speeds.
For example:

.

If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags
could inflate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits a moving object.

.

If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits an object that does not
deform.

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