KIA Spectra_Spectra5 2008 - Manual (Page 80)

Knowing your vehicle
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• Air bags may not inflate if the vehi-
cle collides with objects such as
utility poles or trees, where the
point of impact is concentrated to
one area and the full force of the
impact is not delivered to the sen-
sors.
How does the air bag system
operate
• Air bag only operates when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
or START positions.
• Air bags inflate instantly in the
event of serious frontal or side col-
lision (if equipped with side air bag
or curtain air bag) in order 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 by the severity of a collision
and its direction. These two factors
determine whether the sensors
send out an electronic deploy-
ment/inflation signal.
• Air bag deployment depends on a
number of factors including vehicle
speed, angles of impact and the
density and stiffness of the vehi-
cles or objects which your vehicle
hits in the collision. Though, factors
are not limited to those mentioned
above.
• The front air bags will completely
inflate and deflate in an instant.
It is 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 com-
partments after the collision.
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