1996 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner's Manual - Page 33

How does an air bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontalor near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. air bag supplements the The protection providedby safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But ar bags would not help you many types of collisions, i in including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily becausean occupant's motion is not toward the air bag. Air bags should never regarded as anythmg be more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontalor near-frontal collisions. I When anair bag inflates, there is dust in the air. This dust could cause breathing problems for people witha history of asthma.orother breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should get out soon as it is safe to do so. as If you have breathing problems but can't get out of the vehicleafter an air bag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or door. In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage mayalso occur from the right front passenger air bag. The airbags are designed to inflate only once. After they inflate, you'll need some newparts for your air bag system.If you don't get them, the air bag system won't be thereto help protect you in another crash. A new system will include air bag modules and possibly other parts.The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts. What will yousee after anair bag inflates? After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs so quickly that some people may not evenrealize the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag module in the steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, or the instrument panel for theright front passenger's bag, will be hotfor a short time. The part of the bag that comes into contact with you may warm, but it willnever be be too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation will not prevent the driver from seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, nor will it stop people from leaving the vehicle. 1-23