2007 GMC Envoy Owner's Manual - Page 79

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 roof-mounted airbags, inflation is determined by the location and severity of the impact. The airbag system is designed to work properly under a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage. Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. See Off-Road Driving on page 319 for tips on off-road driving. What Makes an Airbag Inflate? In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. Additionally, in the case of a "rollover capable" roof-mounted side impact airbag, the sensing system detects that the vehicle is about to roll over. 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 inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger. For vehicles with roof-mounted rollover airbags, the airbag modules, the inflator, and the airbags are located in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows. 79