Dodge Charger: OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS / Front Air Bag Operation

Front Air Bags are designed to provide additional protection by supplementing the seat belts. Front air bags are not expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions. The front air bags will not deploy in all frontal collisions, including some that may produce substantial vehicle damage — for example, some pole collisions, truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.

On the other hand, depending on the type and location of impact, front air bags may deploy in crashes with little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe initial deceleration.

Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should have deployed.

Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all collisions, and also are needed to help keep you in position, away from an inflating air bag.

When the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) detects a collision requiring the front air bags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the front air bags.

The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper passenger side of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the way as the air bags inflate to their full size. The front air bags fully inflate in less time than it takes to blink your eyes. The front air bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain the driver and front passenger.