GMC Terrain: Airbag System / How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by seat belts by distributing the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help contain the head and chest of occupants in the outboard seating positions in the first and second rows. The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover events, although no system can prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions, primarily because the occupant's motion is not toward those airbags. See When Should an Airbag Inflate?.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to seat belts.
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...
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates?
After frontal and seat-mounted side
impact airbags inflate, they quickly
deflate, so quickly that some people
may not even realize the airbags
inflated...
Other information:
GMC Terrain 2018-2021 Owners Manual: Curves in the Road
Warning On curves, ACC may not detect a vehicle ahead in your lane. You could be startled if the vehicle accelerates up to the set speed, especially when following a vehicle exiting or entering exit ramps. You could lose control of the vehicle or crash...
GMC Terrain 2018-2021 Owners Manual: Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the front outboard passenger position. The passenger airbag status indicator will light on the overhead console when the vehicle is started. The words ON and OFF will be visible during the system check...
