86 SEATS AND RESTRAINTSFrontal airbags are not intended toinflate during vehicle rollovers, rearimpacts, or many side impacts.In addition, the vehicle has advancedtechnology frontal airbags. Advancedtechnology frontal airbags adjust therestraint according to crash severity.The vehicle also has a seat positionsensor that enables the sensingsystem to monitor the position of thedriver seat. The seat position sensorprovides information that is used toadjust the deployment of the driverfrontal airbag.The front centre airbag is designed toinflate in moderate to severe sidecrashes depending upon the locationof the impact, when either side of thevehicle is struck. In addition, the frontcentre airbag is designed to inflatewhen the sensing system predicts thatthe vehicle is about to roll over on itsside. The front centre airbag is notdesigned to inflate in frontal impacts,near frontal impacts, or rear impacts.Seat-mounted side impact airbags aredesigned to inflate in moderate tosevere side crashes depending on thelocation of the impact. Seat-mountedside impact airbags are not designedto inflate in frontal impacts, nearfrontal impacts, rollovers, or rearimpacts. A seat-mounted side impactairbag is designed to inflate on theside of the vehicle that is struck.Roof-rail airbags are designed toinflate in moderate to severe sidecrashes depending on the location ofthe impact. In addition, these roof-railairbags are designed to inflate duringa rollover or in a severe frontalimpact. Roof-rail airbags are notdesigned to inflate in rear impacts.Both roof-rail airbags will inflate wheneither side of the vehicle is struck,if the sensing system predicts that thevehicle is about to roll over on itsside, or in a severe frontal impact.In any particular crash, no one cansay whether an airbag should haveinflated simply because of the vehicledamage or the repair costs.What Makes an AirbagInflate?In a deployment event, the sensingsystem sends an electrical signaltriggering a release of gas from theinflator. Gas from the inflator fills theairbag causing the bag to break out ofthe cover. The inflator, the airbag, andrelated hardware are all part of theairbag module.For airbag locations, see Where Are theAirbags? 0 84.How Does an AirbagRestrain?In moderate to severe frontal or nearfrontal collisions, even beltedoccupants can contact the steeringwheel or the instrument panel. Inmoderate to severe side collisions,even belted occupants can contact theinside of the vehicle.Airbags supplement the protectionprovided by seat belts by distributingthe force of the impact more evenlyover the occupant's body.
