1995 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner's Manual - Page 33

In any particular crash, one can say whether an air no bag should have inflated simply because the damage of to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and the vehicle's deceleration. Vehicle damage only one is indication of this. What makes an bag inflate? air In a frontalor near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. sensing The system triggersa chemical reactionof the sodium azide sealed in the inflator.The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which inflates the air bag. inflator, air bag, and The related hardwareare all partof the air bag modules packed insidethe steering wheel and the instrument in panel in front of the right front passenger. When should an air bag inflate? The air bagis designed to inflate in moderate severe to frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate only if the impact speed above the system's designed is "threshold level."If your vehicle goes straight a into wall that doesn't move deform, the threshold level or is about 9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 l f / ) The threshold level ulh. can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, that so it can be somewhat above or below range. If your this vehicle strikes something that will move deform, such or as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side impacts, or rear impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. How does an air bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontal near-frontal collisions, or even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel.The air bag supplements the protection providedby safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags would not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers and rear and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion not toward the air bag. is 1-26 ,