2011 Chevrolet Volt Owner's Manual - Page 86

3-30 Seats and Restraints In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag should have inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down. For seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags, deployment is determined by the location and severity of the side impact. In a rollover event, roof‐rail airbag deployment is determined by the direction of the roll. 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 knee airbags, there are airbag modules below the steering column and below the glove box. For vehicles with seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag 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. 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. Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Frontal airbags with knee airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's body, stopping the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body.