What Makes an Airbag Inflate?

In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator, the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the airbag module. Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbags modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to the door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there are airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows that have occupant seating positions.

    See also:

    Additional Factors Affecting System Operation
    Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger airbag status. See “Safety Belts” ...

    Dolly Towing (Rear-Wheel-Drive Vehicles)
    Use the following procedure to dolly tow a rear-wheel-drive vehicle from the rear: 1. Attach the dolly to the tow vehicle following the dolly manufacturer's instructions. 2. Put the rear w ...

    Driver Information Center (DIC)
    The DIC display is located in the center of the instrument panel cluster. It shows the status of many vehicle systems. The controls for the DIC are located on the turn signal lever. A. SET/CL ...