1998 Chevrolet Camaro Owner's Manual - Page 43

If something is between an occupant and an air bag, the bag might not inflate properlyit or might force the object into that person. The path of an inflating air bag must kept clear. Don't be put anything between an occupant and an air bag, and don't attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering. When should an air bag inflate? An air bag is designed toinflate in 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 move or deform, the threshold levelis about 9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 k d h ) . The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhatabove or below this range. If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such as a parked car, the thresholdlevel will be higher.The air bag is not designedto inflate in 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 haveinflated simply because of the damage to a vehicleor because of what the repair costs were. Inflation is determined by the angle the impact and of 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 crash. The sensing a system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware are all part of the bag modules inside the air steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger. 1-23