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 2018-2026 Owners Manual: Summer Tires


    This vehicle may come with high performance summer tires. These tires have a special tread and compound that are optimized for maximum dry and wet road performance. This special tread and compound will have decreased performance in cold climates, and on ice and snow...

    GMC Terrain 2018-2026 Owners Manual: Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing


    If equipped, the Rear Vision Camera (RVC), Rear Park Assist (RPA), Front Park Assist (FPA), Surround Vision, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Automatic Parking Assist (APA) may help the driver park or avoid objects. Always check around the vehicle when parking or backing...

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