Kia Sportage: How does the air bag system operate?
* The actual air bags in the vehicle may differ from the illustration.
- Driver's front air bag
- Passenger's front air bag
- Side air bag
- Curtain air bag
Even in vehicles with air bags, you and your passengers must always wear the
safety
belts provided in order to minimize the risk and severity of injury in the event
of a collision
or rollover.
How does the air bag system
operate?
- Air bags are activated (able to inflate
if necessary) only when the ENGINE
START/STOP button has been turned
to the ON position.
- The appropriate air bags inflate
instantly in the event of a serious
frontal collision or side collision in
order to help protect the occupants
from serious physical injury.
- There is no single speed at which the
air bags will inflate. Generally, air bags
are designed to inflate based upon
the severity of a collision and its direction,
etc. Several factors determine
whether the sensors produce an electronic
deployment / inflation signal.
- Air bags will not deploy in every crash
or collision situations. Air bag deployment
depends on a number of factors
including vehicle speed, angles of
impact, and, the density and stiffness
of the vehicles or objects which your
vehicle hits in the collision. The determining
factors are not limited to those
mentioned above.
- The front air bags will completely
inflate and deflate in an instant. It is
virtually impossible for you to see the
air bags inflate during an accident. It
is much more likely that you will simply
see the deflated air bags hanging
out of their storage compartments
after the collision.
- In addition to inflating in serious side
collisions, side and/or curtain air bags
will inflate if the sensing system
detects a rollover.
- When a rollover is detected, side and/
or curtain airbags will remain inflated
longer. This helps provide protection from ejection,
especially when used in
conjunction with the seat belts.
- In order to help provide protection,
the air bags must inflate rapidly. The
airbag inflates extremely fast between
the occupant and the vehicle structures
before the occupant impacts the
vehicle structures. This speed of inflation
reduces the risk of serious or lifethreatening
injuries and is thus a necessary
part of the air bag design.
However, airbag inflation can also
cause injuries which can include fascial
abrasions, bruises and broken
bones. This is because the rapid inflation
also causes the airbags to expand
with a great deal of force.
- There are even circumstances
under which contact with the steering
wheel or passenger air bag can
cause fatal injuries, especially if the
occupant is positioned excessively
close to the steering wheel or passenger
air bag.
WARNING
Airbag inflation
Sit as far back as possible from the
steering wheel while still maintaining
comfortable control of the vehicle. A distance
of at least 10 in (25 cm) from your
chest to the steering wheel is recommended.
Failure to do so can result in
airbag inflation injuries to the driver.
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When inflated, the air bags make a loud
noise and leave smoke and powder in
the air inside the vehicle. This is normal
and is a result of the ignition of the air
bag inflator. After the air bag in
* The actual position of SRS components
may differ from the illustration.
The SRS consists of the following components:
Driver's front air bag module
Passenger's front air bag modu
Your vehicle is equipped with an Occupant
Detection System (ODS) in the front
passenger's seat.
The ODS is
designed to detect the presence
of a properly-seated front passenger
and determin
SEE MORE:
Roof rack
If the vehicle has a roof rack, you can
load cargo on top of your vehicle.
Type A
Type B
* The actual shape may differ from the
illustration.
Crossbars and fixing components
needed to install the roof rack on your
vehicle may be obtained from an authorized
Kia dealer or other
The Auto Hold is designed to maintain
the vehicle in a standstill even though
the brake pedal is not pressed after the
driver brings the vehicle to a complete
stop by pressing the brake pedal.
Applying Auto Hold function
Press the brake pedal and start the
vehicle.
Press the Auto Hold b