Knee Airbags
The knee SRS airbags inflate in a moderate-to-severe frontal collision to help keep the driver and/or front passenger in the proper position and to help maximize the benefit provided by the vehicle’s other safety features.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) indicates that the airbags are designed to supplement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the occupant’s primary restraint system.
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Do not attach accessories on or near the knee airbags as they can interfere with the proper operation of the airbags, or even hurt someone if the airbags inflate.The driver and front passenger should not store any items under the seat or behind their feet. The items can interfere with proper airbag deployment in the event of a moderate to severe frontal collision and may result in inadequate protection.
Housing Locations
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The knee airbag for the driver and the one for the front passenger are housed under the steering column and the glove box respectively.
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Both are marked SRS AIRBAG.
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Operation
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The driver’s and front passenger’s knee airbag deploy at the same time as the driver’s and front passenger’s airbag respectively.
Even if the collision is not severe enough to deploy the front airbags, the knee airbags may inflate alone.
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When knee airbags deploy with little or no visible damage
Because the airbag system senses sudden deceleration, a strong impact to the vehicle framework or suspension might cause one or more of the airbags to deploy.
Examples include running into a curb, the edge of a hole, or other low fixed objects that cause a sudden deceleration in the vehicle chassis. Since the impact is underneath the vehicle, damage may not be readily apparent.
When knee airbags may not deploy, even though exterior damage appears severe
Since crushable body parts absorb crash energy during an impact, the amount of visible damage does not always indicate proper airbag operation. In fact, some collisions can result in severe damage but no airbag deployment because the airbags would not have been needed or would not have provided protection even if they had deployed.
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