CHEVROLET 2011 Camaro - Manual (Page 73)

Black plate (27,1) Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-27
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 the 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.
. If the vehicle hits a narrow object
(like a pole), the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a wide
object (like a wall).
. If the vehicle goes into an object
at an angle, the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight
into the object.
Thresholds can also vary with
specific vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has
dual-stage frontal airbags.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the
restraint according to crash
severity. Your vehicle has
electronic frontal sensors,
which help the sensing system
distinguish between a moderate
frontal impact and a more severe
frontal impact. For moderate frontal
impacts, dual-stage airbags inflate
at a level less than full deployment.
For more severe frontal impacts,
full deployment occurs.