1994 Buick Roadmaster Owner's Manual - Page 41

What makes an air bag inflate? What will you see after an air bag inflation? After the air bag has inflated, it will then quickly so de,flgte..This occurs quickly that some people may not even realize that the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag module in the steering wheel hub for the driver's,airbag or-the instrument panel for the passenger's bag may be for a short time, the hat but you portion of the bag that comes into contact with will not be hot to the touch. There will be small amounts of smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated air or bags. The air bag willnot impede the driver's vision ability to steer the vehicle, nor will it hinder the occupants from exitingthe vehicle. In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may occur vehicles in with passenger air bags because the windshield actsaas reaction surface for inflating air bag. the 0 The air bagsare designed to inflate only once. After they inflate, you'll need some new parts for your air bag system.If you don't getthem, the air bag system won't be there to help protect you another crash. in A new system will include air bag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual has information about the need to replace other parts. In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is suddenly stoppingas a result of a crash.The sensing system triggers a chemical reaction of the sodium azide sealed inthe inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which inflates a cloth bag. inflator, cloth bag, The and related hardware are all partof the air bag inflator modules packed inside steering wheel and in the the instrument panel in front the passenger. of How does an air bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. The air bag supplements the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the forceof the impact moreevenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags would not provide protectionin many types of collisions, including rollovers and rear and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward the as air bag. Air bags should never be regarded anything in more than a supplement to safety belt protection moderate to severe frontal and near-frontal collisions. 39