Hyundai Elantra HD: Air bag non-inflation conditions - Why didn’t my air bag go off in a collision? (Inflation and non-inflation conditions of the air bag) - Airbag-advanced supplemental restraint system - Safety system of your vehicle - Hyundai Elantra HD 2006–2010 Owners ManualHyundai Elantra HD: Air bag non-inflation conditions

  • In certain low-speed collisions the air bags may not deploy. The air bags are designed not to deploy in such cases because they may not provide benefits beyond the protection of the seat belts in such collisions.

  • Frontal air bags are not designed to inflate in rear collisions, because occupants are moved backward by the force of the impact. In this case, inflated air bags would not be able to provide any additional benefit.

  • Front air bags may not inflate in side impact collisions, because occupants move to the direction of the collision, and thus in side impacts, frontal air bag deployment would not provide additional occupant protection.
    However, side or curtain air bags may inflate depending on the intensity, vehicle speed and angles of impact.

  • In a slant or angled collision, the force of impact may direct the occupants in a direction where the air bags would not be able to provide any additional benefit, and thus the sensors may not deploy any air bags.

  • Just before impact, drivers often brake heavily. Such heavy braking lowers the front portion of the vehicle causing it to “ride” under a vehicle with a higher ground clearance. Air bags may not inflate in this "under-ride" situation because deceleration forces that are detected by sensors may be significantly reduced by such “under-ride” collisions.

  • Air bags may not inflate in rollover accidents because air bag deployment would not provide protection to the occupants.
    However, side and/or curtain air bags may inflate when the vehicle is rolled over by a side impact collision, if the vehicle is equipped with side air bags and curtain air bags.

  • Air bags may not inflate if the vehicle collides with objects such as utility poles or trees, where the point of impact is concentrated to one area and the full force of the impact is not delivered to the sensors.
Air bag inflation conditions
Front air bag Front air bags are designed to inflate in a frontal collision depending on the intensity, speed or angles of impact of the front collision - generally from an area a little to the ...

How does the air bag system operate
Air bags are activated (able to inflate if necessary) only when the ignition switch is turned to ON or START position. Air bags inflate instantly in the event of a serious frontal or side coll ...