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. The inflator, the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the airbag module.

For airbag location, see Where Are the Airbags? .

    See also:

    Additional Factors Affecting System Operation
    Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger airbag status. See “Saf ...

    Windshield Wipers
    If the wiper motor overheats due to heavy snow or ice, the windshield wipers will stop until the motor cools, and the wiper control is turned off. After removal of the blockage, the wiper motor wi ...

    Base Headlamp Assembly
    The base model vehicle has a halogen high-beam headlamp, a low-beam/Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) headlamp, and a turn signal/parking lamp on the headlamp assembly. For replacement of the turn s ...