2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual - Page 80

What Will You See After an Air Bag Inflates? After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that some people may not even 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 that come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation does not prevent the driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. CAUTION: (Continued) the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have breathing problems but can't get out of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you experience breathing problems following an air bag deployment, you should seek medical attention. In many crashes severe enough to inflate the air bag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger air bag. {CAUTION: When an air 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 CAUTION: (Continued) • Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they inflate, you will need some new parts for your air bag system. If you do not get them, the air bag system will not be there to 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. 1-74