GMC Terrain: Airbag System / When Should an Airbag Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with airbags. See Airbag System.
Airbags are designed to inflate if the impact exceeds the specific airbag system's deployment threshold. Deployment thresholds are used to predict how severe a crash is likely to be in time for the airbags to inflate and help restrain the occupants. The vehicle has electronic sensors that help the airbag system determine the severity of the impact. Deployment thresholds can vary with specific vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near frontal crashes to help reduce the potential for severe injuries, mainly to the driver's or front outboard passenger's head and chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will or should inflate is not based primarily on how fast the vehicle is traveling. It depends on what is hit, the direction of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash speeds depending on whether the vehicle hits an object straight on or at an angle, and whether the object is fixed or moving, rigid or deformable, narrow or wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended to inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has advanced technology frontal airbags. Advanced technology frontal airbags adjust the restraint according to crash severity.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes depending on the location of the impact. Seat-mounted side impact airbags are not designed to inflate in frontal impacts, near frontal impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact airbag is designed to inflate on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes depending on the location of the impact. In addition, these roof-rail airbags are designed to inflate during a rollover or in a severe frontal impact. Roof-rail airbags are not designed to inflate in rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbags will inflate when either side of the vehicle is struck or if the sensing system predicts that the vehicle is about to roll over on its side, or in a severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag should have inflated simply because of the vehicle damage or repair costs.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
center of the steering wheel.
The front outboard passenger
frontal airbag is in the passenger
side instrument panel...
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover...
Other information:
GMC Terrain 2018-2025 Owners Manual: Electrical System Overload
The vehicle has fuses and circuit breakers to protect against an electrical system overload. When the electrical load current is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes, protecting the circuit until the current load returns to normal or the problem is fixed...
GMC Terrain 2018-2025 Owners Manual: Child Restraint Systems
Rear-Facing Infant Restraint A rear-facing child restraint provides restraint with the seating surface against the back of the infant. The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint...
