1998 GMC Safari Owner's Manual - Page 44

How does an air bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or i the instrument panel.Ar bags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But bags would air not help you in many types collisions, including of rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward those air bags. Ar bags should never be regarded as anything i more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions. What will you seeafter an air bag inflates? After an air bag Mates, it quickly deflates,so quickly that some people may not even realize the air bag inflated. Some components the air bag module the of -steering wheel hub the driver's air bag, the for or instrument panelfor the right front passenger's bag -- will be hotfor a short time. parts of the bag The that come into contact with you may warm, but not be too hot to touch. There will be some smoke dust and coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent driver from seeing or from the being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. I ,A CAUTJN: , t ." When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air. This dust could cause breathing problems for people with a history asthma or other of breathing trouble.To avoid this, everyone the in vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe so. do to If you have breathing problems but can't get out of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get fresh airby openinga window or door. 0 Air bags are designed to inflateonly once. After they inflate, you'll need some new parts your air bag for system. If you don't getthem, the air bag system won't be there to help protect you another crash. in A new system will include air bag modules and possibly other parts.The service manualfor your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts. Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing ana diagnostic module, which records information about the air bag system. module records The information about the readiness the system, of when the sensors are activated and driver's safety belt usage at deployment. 1-30