1998 Chevrolet Cavalier Owner's Manual - Page 45

What makes an air bag inflate? In an impactof sufficient seventy, the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle in a crash.The sensing is system triggers a release gas from the inflator, which of What will you see after an air bag inflates? After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that some people may not even realize the air bag inflated. Some components the air bag of module -- the steering wheel hubfor the driver's air inflates theair bag. The inflator, air bag and related bag, or the instrument panel the rightfront for hardware areall part of the air bag modules inside the steering wheel and in instrument panelin front of the the The passenger's bag -- will be hotfor a short time. right front passenger. into parts of the bag that come contact with you may be warm, but not hot to touch. There will be some too How does an air bag restrain? smoke and dust coming from vents the deflated air in In moderate to severe frontal near-frontal collisions, or bags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent driver the even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the from seeing or from being able to steerthe vehicle, instrument panel.Air bags supplement the protection nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. provided by safetybelts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But bags would ar i not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motionis not toward those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as anythng more than a supplement tosafety belts, and then only moderate to in severe frontal or near-frontal collisions. 1-27