1998 Chevrolet Express Van Owner's Manual - Page 38

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. Air bags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the forceof the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, a i stopping the occupant more gradually. But r bags would not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motionis not toward those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as anything more than a in supplement to safety belts, and then only moderate to severe frontalor near-frontal collisions. When anair bag inflates, there is 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 soon asit is safe to doso. as If you have breathing problems but can't get out of the vehicle after an bag inflates, then get air fresh air by opening a window or door. Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they inflate, you'll needsome new parts 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 willinclude air bag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts. What will you see after an air bag inflates? After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that some people may noteven realize the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag module -- the steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, or the instrument panel for the right front passenger's bag -- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag not that come into contact with you may be warm, but too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent the driver from seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic module, which records information about the a r bag system. The module records information i about the readinessof the system, when the sensors are activated and driver's safety belt usage at deployment.