2005 Buick Century Owner's Manual - Page 61

A driver's side impact air bag is not designed to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation would not likely help the occupant. In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air bag should have inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact air bags, inflation is determined by the location and severity of the impact. How Does an Airbag Restrain? In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the frontal airbags would not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward the airbag. A side impact airbag would not help you in many types of collisions, including frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward that airbag. Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions for the driver's and right front passenger's frontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe side collisions for vehicles with a driver's side impact airbag. What Makes an Airbag Inflate? In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both the frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates the airbag. The inflator, airbag and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules. Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with a driver's side impact airbag, the airbag modules are located in the seatback closest to the driver's door. 1-55