After the airbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so quickly that some people may not even realize the airbags inflated. Some components of the airbag module -- the steering wheel hub for the driver's airbag, the instrument panel for the right front passenger's bag, the side of the seatback closest to the door for seat-mounted side impact airbags, and the area along the ceiling of your vehicle near the side windows for roof-mounted side impact airbags -- may be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not prevent the driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.

Caution: When an airbag inflates, there may be dust in the air. This dust could cause breathing problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have breathing problems but cannot get out of the vehicle after an airbag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you experience breathing problems following an airbag deployment, you should seek medical attention.

Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock the doors and turn the interior lamps on when the airbags inflate. You can lock the doors again and turn the interior lamps off by using the door lock and interior lamp controls. The hazard warning flashers will also come on when the airbags deploy. If you want to turn them off, press the hazard warning flasher button twice.

In many crashes severe enough to inflate the airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger airbag.