2009 Pontiac Vibe Owner's Manual - Page 29

Seats and Restraints • If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole), the airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits a wide object (like a wall). The vehicle has electronic frontal sensors, which help the sensing system distinguish between a moderate frontal impact and a more severe frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, dual-stage airbags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. The vehicle may have seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags. See Airbag System on page 1-21. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are intended to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags will inflate if the crash severity is above the system's designed threshold level. Your vehicle has sensors which detect side impacts. These sensors signal the appropriate side impact airbag to inflate. The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design. 1-25 • If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle, the airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle goes straight into the object. Thresholds can also vary with specific vehicle design. Frontal airbags are not intended to inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts. Frontal airbags for the driver and right front passenger may also deploy if a serious impact occurs to the underside of the vehicle such as hitting a curb, falling into a deep hole, or landing hard. In addition, the vehicle has dual-stage frontal airbags. Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint according to crash severity. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are not intended to inflate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck. A roof-rail airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck. It is possible that, in a crash involving the rear side of your vehicle, that only the roof-mounted airbag will deploy. 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.