1998 Buick Century Owner's Manual - Page 30

When shouldan airbag inflate? An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate only if the impact speed is above the system's designed "threshold level." If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn't move or deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform,such as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side impacts or rearimpacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air bag should have inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. Inflation is determined by the angleof the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or near-frontal impacts. If something is betweenan occupant and an air bag, the bag mightnot inflate properly or it might force the object into that person. The path of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don't put anything between an occupant and anair bag, and don't attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering.