Topic: Center-seat airbag systems
Objective: SUV center-seat airbag system update
Task: Given a late-model General Motors SUV to review and inspect, the rescue team will determine if a center-seat airbag system exists and, if so, adapt their rescue techniques accordingly.
In this University of Extrication article, we look at center-seat airbag systems, a technology that began appearing General Motors (GM) SUVs in 2013 and will soon be found in sedan vehicles sold in the United States as well.
Automobile manufacturers have found that injuries of front-seat occupants can occur during a side-impact collision because the occupants might actually collide with each other inside the vehicle as they are being tossed from side to side. To minimize this possibility, GM introduced its Center-Seat Airbag System in its mid-size SUVs (Enclave, Acadia and Traverse) several years ago. This safety feature has now been expanded and is available in the full line of GM SUVs.
When similar airbag systems appear in sedans in the U.S., they will be found in the front-seat area or possibly the center of the rear bench seat of the automobile. For now, we’ll focus on GM’s airbag system found in SUVs. Regardless of vehicle make or model, it is important that responders have the ability to detect the presence of a center-seat airbag system in any type of vehicle.
In cooperation with GM, recent field research work allowed me to review the system and deploy the center-seat airbag of a 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali.
Searching for clues
With a GM SUV, detection of the center-seat airbag should begin by visually scanning the driver’s seat. Familiar seat airbag IDs will be located on the outboard side of the seat, toward the door. With a GM Center-Seat Airbag System, an additional airbag ID on the inside edge of the driver’s seat will be present as well, indicating the presence of a second airbag for that seat.
GM’s Center-Seat Airbag System deploys a large, disk-shaped airbag from the inside edge of the driver’s seat. The airbag deploys upward toward the ceiling, inflating between the driver and front-seat passenger. It will remain inflated longer than typical frontal airbags.
The high-pressure stored-gas inflator for a seat airbag and the seat airbag itself is located in a module mounted to the side of the seatback frame. When a center-seat airbag is present, both sides of the seatback will have a stored-gas inflator airbag module. If a rescuer at a crash scene needed to remove a seatback for some reason, the side upholstery should be cut open to make sure that they don’t cut into seatback area housing an undeployed seat airbag module.
Final step
The presence of undeployed airbags in any crash-damaged vehicle where injured occupants are present introduces a degree of risk for responders. The most proactive action that rescuers can take with undeployed airbags is to detect their presence, remain clear of the inflation zones, locate the 12-volt battery and know the procedure to shutdown the 12-volt power early in the rescue operation.
SIDEBAR
Late-Model GM SUV Center-Seat Airbag Safety Protocols
- Check for frontal airbags and kneebags
- Check for a side-impact seat airbag ID on the driver’s seatback
- Check inside edge of driver’s seatback for a second airbag ID (center-seat airbag ID)
- Remain clear of airbag inflation zones
- Locate battery(s)
- Shutdown 12-volt electrical power
Ron Moore
RON MOORE, who is a Firehouse contributing editor, recently retired as a division chief with the McKinney, TX, Fire Department and now serves with Prosper, TX, Fire Rescue. He self-published the Vehicle Rescue 1-2-3 training manual and serves as the forum moderator for the extrication section of Firehouse.com . Moore can be contacted directly at [email protected].
