282 SAFETY The first stage inflator is triggered immediately during an impact that requires air bag deployment. A low energy output is used in less severe collisions. A higher energy output is used for more severe collisions. WARNING! Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all collisions, and also are needed to help keep you in position, away from an inflating air bag. Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In some collisions, air bags won’t deploy at all. Always wear your seat belts even though you have air bags.
When the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) detects a collision requiring the front air bags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the front air bags. This vehicle may be equipped with a driver and/or front passenger seat belt buckle switch that detects whether the driver or front passenger seat belt is buckled. The seat belt buckle switch may adjust the inflation rate of the Advanced Front Air Bags. Front Air Bag Operation The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper passenger side of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the way as the air bags inflate to their full size.
The front air bags fully inflate in less time than it takes to blink your eyes. The front air bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain the driver and front passenger. Knee Impact Bolsters Front Air Bags are designed to provide additional protection by supplementing the seat belts. Front air bags are not expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions. The front air bags will not deploy in all frontal collisions, including some that may produce substantial vehicle damage — for example, some pole collisions, truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
WARNING! No objects should be placed over or near the air bag on the instrument panel or steering wheel because any such objects could cause harm if the vehicle is in a collision severe enough to cause the air bag to inflate. The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the driver and front passenger, and position the front occupants for improved interaction with the front air bags. Do not put anything on or around the air bag covers or attempt to open them manually. You may damage the air bags and you could be injured because the air bags may no longer be functional. The protective covers for the air bag cushions are designed to open only when the air bags are inflating.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of impact, front air bags may deploy in crashes with little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe initial deceleration. Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact bolsters in any way. WARNING! Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should have deployed. (Continued) Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band radios, etc.