1996 Pontiac Bonneville Owner's Manual - Page 27

How does an air bag restrain? In moderate tosevere fiontd or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact thesteering wheel or the instrument panel. The air bag supplements 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 r bags would a i not help you in m n types of collisions, including ay rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward thei bag. Air bags ar should never be regardedas anythng more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only i moderate to n severe frontal or near-frontal collisions. What will you see after an air b& inffates? After the air bag Mates, it quickly deflates. This occurs so quickly thatsome people may not even realize air the bag inflated. Some components the air bag modulein of the steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, or the . .instrument panel for the right front passenger'swill bag, be hot for a short time. Thepart of the bag that comes into contact with may be warm,but it will nev'er be you too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflatedair bags. Air bag inflation will not prevent the driver from seeing from or being able to steer the vehicle, nor it stop people will from leaving the vehicle. 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 outas 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 door. . In many crashes severe enough inflate an air bag, to windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage mayalso occur from the right front passenger air bag. The air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they inflate, you'll need some parts for your air new bag system.If you don't get them, the air bag system i another crash. n won't be there to help protect you A new system will include bag modulesand air possibly otherparts. the^ service manual for your vehicle covers the need replace other parts. to 1-20 ._ . - , . I .'