After the airbag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that some people may not even realize the airbag inflated. Some components of the airbag module may be hot for a short time. These components include the steering wheel hub for the driver's frontal airbag and the instrument panel for the right front passenger's frontal airbag. For side impact airbags, the side of the seatback closest to the driver's and/or right front passenger's door may be hot. 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 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.

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