Kia Sportage: Side impact air bag

Your vehicle is equipped with a side impact air bag in each front seat.

The purpose of the air bag is to provide the vehicle's driver and/or the front passenger with additional protection than that offered by the seat belt alone.

• The side impact air bags are designed to deploy during certain side-impact collisions, depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and point of impact.
• The side impact air bags do not only deploy on the side of the impact but also on the opposite side.
• Also, both sides of the side impact air bags deploy in certain rollover situations.
• The side impact air bags are not designed to deploy in all side impact or rollover situations.

WARNING - Unexpected deployment

Avoid impact to the side impact airbag sensor when the ignition switch is ON to prevent unexpected deployment of the side impact air bag.

• The side air bag is supplemental to the driver's and the passenger's seat belt systems and is not a substitute for them. Therefore your seat belts must be worn at all times while the vehicle is in operation.
• For best protection from the side air bag system and to avoid being injured by the deploying side air bag, both front seat occupants should sit in an upright position with the seat belt properly fastened. The driver's hands should be placed on the steering wheel at the 9:00 and 3:00 positions. The passenger's arms and hands should be placed on their laps.

WARNING - Deployment

Do not install any accessories including seat covers, on the side or near the side air bag as this may affect the deployment of the side air bags.

• If seat or seat cover is damaged, have the vehicle checked and repaired by an authorized Kia dealer. Inform the dealer that your vehicle is equipped with side impact air bags and an occupant detection system.

WARNING - Flying objects

Do not place any objects (an umbrella, bag, etc.) between the front door and the front seat. Such objects may become dangerous projectiles if the side airbag inflates.