2001 Subaru Legacy Owner's Manual - Page 85

When the SRS airbag deploys, a sudden, fairly loud inflation noise will be heard and some smoke will be released. These occurrences are normal result of the deployment. This smoke does not indicate a fire in the vehicle. The SRS frontal airbag is designed to deploy in the event of an accident involving a moderate to severe frontal collision. It is basically not designed to deploy in lesser frontal impacts because the necessary protection can be achieved by the seatbelt alone. Also, it is basically not designed to deploy in side or rear impacts or in roll-over accidents because deployment of the SRS frontal airbag would not help the occupant in those situations. The SRS airbag is designed to function on a one-time-only basis. SRS airbag deployment depends on the level of force experienced in the passenger compartment during a collision. That level differs from one type of collision to another, and it may have no bearing on the visible damage done to the vehicle itself. n Examples of accident in which the SRS frontal airbag will most likely deploy. A head-on collision against a thick concrete wall at a vehicle speed of 12 to 19 mph (20 to 30 km/h) activates the SRS frontal airbag. The SRS frontal airbag will also be activated when the vehicle is exposed to a frontal impact similar in fashion and magnitude to the above-mentioned collision. HB1055BA 1-62