1997 Pontiac Grand Am Owner's Manual - Page 31

I I A CAUTION: When shouldan air bag inflate? - - I something is between an occupant and an air f or it bag, the bag might not inflate properly might force the object into person. The path that of an inflating air bag mustkept clear. Don't be put anything between an occupant andair an bag, and don't attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering. An air bag is designed to inflatein a moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate only if the impact speed is above the system's designed "threshold level." If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn't moveor deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 16 mph (14 to 26 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however,with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such as a parked car,the threshold level will be higher. The air bagis not designed to inflate in rollovers, side impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. In any particular crash, no one can say whetheran air bag shouldhave inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. Inflation is determined bythe angle of the impact and how quickly thevehicle slows down in frontalor near-frontal impacts. 1-24