1994 Chevrolet Astro Owner's Manual - Page 40

How does an air bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact thesteering wheel. The air bag supplements the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping occupant the more gradually. But air bags would not provide protection in many types of collisions, including rollovers and rear andside impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion not toward the air bag. Air bags should never is be regarded as anything more than supplement to safety belt protection in a moderate to severe frontal and near-frontal collisions. What will you see after an air bag inflation? After the air bag hasinflated, it will then quicklydeflate. This occurs so quickly that some people may not even realize that the air bag inflated. The air bag will not impede the driver's vision ability to steer the vehicle, nor or will it hinder the occupants from exiting the vehicle. There will be small amounts of smoke coming from ventsin the deflated air bag. Some components of the air bag modulein the steering wheel hub may be hot for a short time, but the portion of the bag that comesinto contact with you will not be hot to the touch. The air bag is designed to inflate only once. After itinflates, you'll need some new partsfor your air bag system. If you don't get them, the air bag system won't be there to help protect you another crash. A in new system willinclude the air bag module and possibly other parts. The service manual has information about the need to replace other parts. 0 Your vehicle is equipped with a diagnostic module, which records information about the air bag systemif the air bag deploys in a crash. The module records information about readiness of the system, the which sensors activatedthe deployment, and whether thedriver's safety belt was in use. Let only qualifi.ed technicians work on your air bag system. Improper service can mean that your air bag system won't work properly. See your dealer for service. NOTICE: If you damage the cover of the driver's facial air bag, it may not work properly. You may have to replace the air bag on the steering wheel.Do not openor break the air bag cover. 1-28