ed in the inflator module. That, in turn, ignites pellets of sodium azide, which is a chemical that releases a large volume of nitrogen gas as it burns. The nitrogen gas flows into the air bag, inflating it. Almost instantly, its cushioning job finished, it begins to deflate through filters in the inflator module. According to engineers at Saab, the entire sequence takes only about 70 milliseconds (0.070 seconds). Put another way, the air bag deployment cycle could occur 4 1/4 times in one blink of an eye (Keenan 37).
Once an air bag has deployed, the bag and its inflator module must be replaced. Many manufacturers also require replacing the actuating sensors, and some even recommend replacement of the electronic control module. Since deployment occurs only with a collision of significant impact, replacement of air bag components is usually part of the general collision repair process, and has typically been handled by professional body
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