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Airbag Safety Precautions

Passengers must not move out of or change seats while the vehicle is moving. A passenger who is not wearing a seat belt during a collision or emergency stop can be thrown against the inside of the vehicle, against other occupants, or be ejected from the vehicle.

Do not use any accessories on seat belts. Devices claiming to improve occupant comfort or reposition the seat belt can reduce the protection provided by the seat belt and increase the chance of serious injury in a collision.

Do not modify the front seats. Modification of the front seats may interfere with the operation of the SRS sensing components or side airbags.

Do not place items under the front seats. Placing items under the front seats may interfere with the operation of the SRS sensing components and wiring harnesses.

Do not cause impact to the doors. Impact to the doors when the Engine Start/Stop button is in the ON or START position may cause the airbags to inflate.

Modifications to accommodate disabilities. If you require modification to your vehicle to accommodate a disability, contact the HYUNDAI Customer Connect Center at 800-633-5151.

Airbag Safety Precautions

  • Always use seat belts and Child Restraint Systems - every trip, every time, everyone! Even with airbags, you can be seriously injured or killed in a collision if you are improperly belted or not wearing your seat belt when the airbag inflates.

  • Never place a child in any Child Restraint System or booster seat in the front passenger seat, unless the airbag is deactivated.

    An inflating airbag could forcefully strike the infant or child causing serious or fatal injuries.

  • ABC - Always Buckle Children under age 13 in the back seat. It is the safest place for children of any age to ride. If a child age 13 or older must be seated in the front seat, he or she must be properly belted and the seat should be moved as far back as possible.

  • Make sure that all occupants sit upright with the seatback in an upright position, centered on the seat cushion with their seat belt on, legs comfortably extended, and their feet on the floor until the vehicle is parked and the vehicle is turned off. If an occupant is out of position during a crash, the rapidly deploying airbag may forcefully contact the occupant causing serious or fatal injuries.

  • Never sit or lean unnecessarily close to the airbags or lean against the door or center console.

    Move your seat as far back as possible from front airbags, while still maintaining control of the vehicle. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that drivers allow at least 10 in. (25 cm) between the center of the steering wheel and the chest.

Adding equipment to or modifying your airbag equipped vehicle

If you modify your vehicle by changing your vehicle's frame, bumper system, front end or side sheet metal, or ride height, this may affect the operation of your vehicle's SRS.

Airbags system operation

The Supplemental Restraint System Control Module (SRSCM) continually monitors all SRS components while the Engine Start/Stop button is ON to determine if a crash impact is severe enough to require airbag deployment or pretensioner seat belt deployment.

During a moderate to severe frontal collision, sensors detect the vehicle's rapid deceleration. If the rate of deceleration is high enough, the SRSCM inflates the front airbags with the force needed.

The front airbags help protect the driver and front passenger by responding to frontal impacts in which seat belts alone cannot provide adequate restraint. When needed, the side airbags help provide protection in the event of a side impact or rollover by supporting the side upper body area.

  • Airbags are activated (able to inflate if necessary) only when the Engine Start/Stop button is in the ON or START position, and it may be activated within 3 minutes after the engine is turned off.

  • Airbags inflate in the event of certain frontal or side collisions to help protect the occupants from serious physical injury.

  • There is no single speed at which the airbags will inflate. Generally, airbags are designed to inflate based upon the severity of a collision and its direction. Airbag deployment also depends on a number of other factors including vehicle speed, angles of impact and the density and stiffness of the vehicles or objects which your vehicle impacts during a collision. The determining factors are not limited to those mentioned above.

  • The front airbags completely inflate and deflate in an instant. It is virtually impossible for you to see the airbags inflate during an accident. It is much more likely that you simply see the deflated airbags hanging out of their storage compartments after the collision.

  • In addition to inflating in serious side collisions, vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor, side and/or curtain airbags inflate if the sensing system detects a rollover.

    When a rollover is detected, curtain airbags remain inflated longer to help provide protection from ejection, especially when used in conjunction with the seat belts.

  • To help provide protection, the airbags must inflate rapidly. The speed of airbag inflation is a consequence of extremely short time in which the airbag inflates between the occupant and the vehicle structures before the occupant impacts those structures. This speed of inflation reduces the risk of serious or life-threatening injuries and is thus a necessary part of airbag design.

    However, the rapid airbag inflation may also cause injuries that include facial abrasions, bruises, and broken bones because the inflation speed also causes the airbags to expand with great force.

  • There are even circumstances under which contact with the airbag may cause fatal injuries, especially when the occupant is positioned excessively close to the airbag.

You can take steps to reduce the risk of being injured by an inflating airbag. The greatest risk is sitting too close to the airbag. An airbag needs about 10 in. (25 cm) of space to inflate. NHTSA recommends that drivers allow at least 10 in. (25 cm) between the center of the steering wheel and the chest.

  1. When the SRSCM detects a sufficiently severe impact to the front of the vehicle, it automatically deploys the front airbags.

    Driver's front airbag 1

    2C_DriverAirbagProcedure

  2. Upon deployment, tear seam in the pad cover separates from the expansion of the airbags.

    • A fully inflated airbag, in combination with a properly worn seat belt, slows the driver's or the front passenger's forward motion, reducing the risk of head and chest injury.

    Driver's front airbag 2

    2C_DriverAirbagProcedure_2

  3. After complete inflation, the airbag immediately starts deflating, enabling the driver to maintain forward visibility and steer or operate other controls.

    Driver's front airbag 3

    2C_DriverAirbagDeployment

    Passenger’s front airbag

    2C_PassengerAirbagDeployment

  • To reduce the risk of serious injury or death from an inflating airbag:

    • Never place a child restraint in the front passenger seat. Always properly restrain children under age 13 in the rear seats of the vehicle.

    • Adjust the front passenger's and driver's seats as far to the rear as possible while allowing you to maintain full control of the vehicle.

    • Hold the steering wheel with hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions.

    • Never place anything or anyone between the airbag and the seat occupant.

    • Do not allow the front passenger to place their feet or legs on the dashboard.

  • To prevent objects from becoming dangerous projectiles when the passenger's airbag inflates:

    • Do not install or place any objects (drink holder, CD holder, stickers, etc.) on the front passenger's panel above the glove box where the passenger's airbag is located.

    • Do not install a container of liquid air freshener near the instrument cluster or on the instrument panel surface.

What to expect after an airbag inflates

After a frontal or side airbag inflates, it deflates very quickly. Airbag inflation does not prevent the driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able to steer. Curtain airbags may remain partially inflated for some time after they deploy.

After an airbag inflates, take the following precautions:

  • Open your windows and doors as soon as possible after impact to reduce prolonged exposure to the powder released by the inflating airbag.

  • Do not touch the airbag storage area's internal components immediately after an airbag has inflated. The parts that come into contact with an inflating airbag may be very hot.

  • Always wash exposed skin areas thoroughly with cold water and mild soap.

  • Have an authorized HYUNDAI dealer inspect your vehicle and replace components as required before operating your vehicle again. Airbags are designed to be used only.

Noise and smoke from inflating airbag

When the airbags inflate, they make a loud noise and may release powder inside the vehicle. After the airbag inflates, you may feel discomfort while breathing. This may be due to the impact of the airbag or the seat belt with your chest and it may also be due to breathing residual powder in the air and around your vehicle. The powder may aggravate asthma for some people. If you experience breathing problems after an airbag deployment, seek medical attention immediately.

Though the powder is nontoxic, it may cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, throat, etc. If this is the case, wash and rinse with cold water immediately and seek medical attention if the symptoms persist.

Do not install a Child Restraint System on the front passenger's seat

2C_AirbagPartsWarning

Even though your vehicle is equipped with the Occupant Classification System (OCS), never install a Child Restraint System in the front passenger's seat. An inflating airbag may forcefully strike a child or child restraint resulting in serious or fatal injury.

Never use a rearward facing child restraint on a seat protected by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it. It may result in death or serious injury to the CHILD. Children should always ride in the rear seats.

SRS warning light

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The SRS airbag warning light on the instrument panel displays the airbag symbol in the illustration. The light indicates if there is a potential problem with your airbag system, which could include your side and/or curtain airbags used for rollover protection.

If your SRS malfunctions, the airbags may not inflate properly during a collision increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

Your SRS malfunctions in the following conditions:

  • The light does not turn on for about three to six seconds when the Engine Start/Stop button is in the ON position.

  • The light stays on after illuminating for about three to six seconds.

  • The light comes on while the vehicle is moving.

  • The light blinks when the engine is running.

Have an authorized HYUNDAI dealer inspect the SRS as soon as possible.