2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Owner's Manual - Page 59
2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Manual
Page 59 highlights
If something is between an occupant and an air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into that person causing severe injury or even death. The path of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don't put anything between an occupant and an air bag, and don't attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering. Don't let seat covers block the inflation path of a side impact air bag. air bags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front of your vehicle goes straight intoa wall that doesn't move or deform, the threshold level for the reduced deployment is about 12 to 18 mph (19 to 29 km/h), and the threshold level for a full deployment is about 18 to 24 mph (29 to 38.5 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range. I ' If your vehicle strikes something that will moveor deform,such as a parked car, thethreshold level will be higher. The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags are not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts because inflation would not help the occupant. When Should an Air Bag Inflate? The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate only if the impact speed is above the system's designed "threshold level". In addition, your vehicle has "dual stage" frontal air bags, which adjust the amount of restraint according to crash severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these Your vehicle may or may not have a driver side air bag. See Air Bag Systems in the Index. A driver 's side impact air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes involving the driver's door. A side impact air bag will inflate if the crash severity is above the system's designed "threshold level." The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design. A driver's side impact air bag is not designed to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. 1-52