Air Bag System Construction

Air Bag System Construction

To supplement protection offered by seat belts, the air bag system includes the following air bags: front and side air bags for driver and passenger seats, right and left curtain air bags, and right and left rear side air bags. In addition to these air bags, the system also includes seat belt pretensioners and lap pretensioners for driver and passenger.

In the event of a frontal collision with an impact larger than the preset level, front air bag inflator modules (stowed in the center of steering wheel for the driver seat and under the top of instrument panel for passenger seat) are deployed. In the event of a sideward impact exceeding the preset level, the driver's/passenger's side air bag inflator module and rear side air bag inflator module (stowed in the side end of each seatback) as well as the curtain air bag inflator module (stowed in each side of roof) on the impact side are deployed.

Front seat belt pretensioner and lap pretensioner are activated whenever a frontal or sideward impact exceeding the preset level is detected to take up the sag in seat belts.

When SDM triggers air bag (inflator) module on occurrence of a frontal collision, it determines the extent of deployment for both driver and front passenger seat air bags according to the extent of the collision impact force.

At the same time, the seat belt pretensioners, side air bag (inflator) modules and lap pretensioners are activated according to ON or OFF of the seat belt buckle sensor.

The occupant classification system for the front passenger seat consists of the OCM located under the seat, the pressure pattern sensor included in the seat, the seat belt buckle sensor, and the air bag-off indicator on the auto A/C panel.

The OCM transmits the information on the condition of front passenger based on signals from the pressure pattern sensor to SDM.

The SDM determines whether the air bag is to be deployed or not depending on the information.

While there is no occupant there, even though the "PASS AIR BAG OFF" indicator is not lit, the air bag of the front passenger seat will not operate.

Each front door has a side air bag sensor installed in the door trim. As the sensor can sense a change in atmospheric pressure in the door trim that will be caused by an impact in the event of a sideward collision, it helps reduce the time lag between occurrence of an impact and activation of the side air bag inflator module.










The air bag system is designed to activate only in severe frontal and sideward collisions. It is not designed to activate in rear impacts, rollovers, or minor frontal and sideward collisions; it would offer no protection in these types of accidents.