Buick Encore: 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 locations, see Where Are the Airbags?
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 seat belts by distributing the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's 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?
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to seat belts.
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What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal, knee (if equipped),
and seat-mounted side impact
airbags inflate, they quickly deflate,
so quickly that some people may
not even realize the airbags inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front
outboard passenger position. The
passenger airbag status indicator
will light on the instrument panel
when the vehicle is started.
United Sta
SEE MORE:
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an engine coolant
temperature gauge to warn of the
engine overheating. See Engine
Coolant Temperature Gauge
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood when this warning appears,
get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program
If the decision is made to lift the
hood, m
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interior
lamps turn on briefly at night, or in
areas with limited lighting, when
is pressed on the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter. When a
door is opened, the interior lamps
come on. They stay on for about
20 seconds. When all of the doors
have been clo
