1997 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner's Manual - Page 35

If something is between an occupant and an air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into person. The path that of an inflating air bag mustkept clear. Don't be put anything between an occupant and an air bag, and don't attach put anything on the or steering wheel hub oron or near any other air bag covering. When should an air bag inflate? An air bag is designed to inflate a moderate to severe in frontal or near-frontal crash. 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 moveor deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, that so it can be somewhat aboveor below this range.If your vehicle strikes something that will move deform, such or as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher.The in air bag is not designed to inflate rollovers, side impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. In any particular crash,no one can say whether an air bag should have inflated simply because of the damag to a vehicleor because of what the repair costs were. Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or near-frontal impacts. What makes an air bag inflate? In an impact of sufficient severity, the bag sensing air system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. sensing The system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware are all part ofthe air bag modules inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel front of in the rightfront passenger. 1-25