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 distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper 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.

Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help contain the head and chest of occupants in the outboard seating positions in the first and second rows.

The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover events, although no system can prevent all such ejections.

But airbags would not help in many types of collisions, primarily because the occupant's motion is not toward those airbags. See When Should an Airbag Inflate? for more information.

Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts.

    See also:

    Airbag Readiness Light
    This light shows if there is an electrical problem with the airbag system. The system check includes the airbag sensor(s), passenger sensing system, the pretensioners, the airbag modules, th ...

    License Plate Lamp (Wagon)
    To replace one of these bulbs: 1. Open the liftgate. See Liftgate for more information. Passenger Side Shown, Driver Side Similar 2. Push the left end of the lamp assembly toward the right. ...

    Storage Compartments
    Press the bottom of the load floor handle assembly to lift the top on the handle. Pull up on the handle to open the cargo management system. See Cargo Management System (Wagon Only) for m ...