Side Airbags

The side airbags help protect the torso and pelvis of the driver, front passenger, or an outer rear seat occupant during a moderate-to-severe side impact.

Detail

Do not attach accessories on or near the side airbags. They can interfere with the proper operation of the airbags, or hurt someone if an airbag inflates.

Do not cover or replace the seat-back covers without consulting a dealer.
Improperly replacing or covering seat-back covers can prevent your side airbags from properly deploying during a side impact.

Make sure you, your front seat passenger and rear outboard occupants always sit upright. Leaning into the path of a side airbag can prevent the airbag from deploying properly and increases your risk of serious injury.

Side airbag deployment is controlled by a pressure sensor inside each front door. Damage or changes to the inside or outside of the doors may negatively affect side airbag deployment. Contact an authorized dealer before changing or repairing a front door.

Housing Locations

Operation

When a side airbag deploys with little or no visible damage

Because the airbag system senses sudden acceleration, a strong impact to the side of the vehicle’s framework can cause a side airbag to deploy. In such cases, there may be little or no damage, but the side impact sensors detected a severe enough impact to deploy the airbag.

When a side airbag may not deploy, even though visible damage appears severe

It is possible for a side airbag not to deploy during an impact that results in apparently severe damage. This can occur when the point of impact was toward the far front or rear of the vehicle, or when the vehicle’s crushable body parts absorbed most of the crash energy. In either case, the side airbag would not have been needed nor provided protection even if it had deployed.