Buick Encore: Airbag System / How Does an Airbag Restrain?

Buick Encore 2020-2026 Owner's Manual / Seats and Restraints / 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 the frontal, knee (if equipped), and seat-mounted side impact airbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so quickly that some people may not even realize the airbags inflated...

Other information:

Buick Encore 2020-2026 Owner's Manual: Antilock Brake System (ABS)

The Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps prevent a braking skid and maintain steering while braking hard. ABS performs a system check when the vehicle is first driven. A momentary motor or clicking noise may be heard while this test is going on, and the brake pedal may move slightly...

Buick Encore 2020-2026 Owner's Manual: OnStar

If the vehicle is equipped with OnStar and has an active service plan, additional data may be collected and transmitted through the OnStar system. This includes information about the vehicle’s operation; collisions involving the vehicle; the use of the vehicle and its features, including infotainment; and the location and approximate GPS speed of the vehicle...