Buick Enclave: What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates?
After a frontal airbag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that some people may not even realize an airbag inflated. Roof-mounted rollover airbags may still be at least partially inflated minutes after the vehicle comes to rest. Some components of the airbag module — the steering wheel hub for the driver’s airbag, the instrument panel for the right front passenger’s airbag, and the area along the ceiling of the vehicle near the side windows for vehicles with roof–mounted side impact airbags — may be hot for a short time. The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not prevent the driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from leaving the vehicle.
CAUTION:
When an airbag inflates, there may be
dust in the air. This dust could cause
breathing problems for people with a
history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing
problems but cannot get out of the vehicle
after an airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door. If you
experience breathing problems following
an airbag deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and flash the hazard warning flashers when the airbags inflate. You can lock the doors again, turn the interior lamps off, and turn off the hazard warning flashers by using the controls for those features.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate the airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger airbag.
• Airbags are designed to inflate only once.
After an airbag inflates, you will need some new parts for your airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag system will not be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include airbag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
• Your vehicle has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information
after a crash.
• Let only qualified technicians work on the
airbag system. Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work properly. See
your dealer for service.
