1998 Chevrolet Prizm Owner's Manual - Page 43

If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as water up to the carpeting or higher -- or if water enters your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the air bag controller can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens, and then you start your vehicle, the damage could make the frontal and side impact air bags inflate and safety belt pretensioners activate, even if there's no crash. You would have to replace the air bags, all the sensors and related parts, parts of the safety belt system and parts of the driver and right front passenger's seatbacks. If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or if it's exposed to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless repair costs by turning off the vehicle immediately. Don't let anyone start the vehicle, even to tow it, unless the battery cables are firstdisconnected. For up to90 seconds after the ignition key is ' turned off and the battery disconnected, an air bag can still inflate during improper service. You can be injured if you are close an air bag when to it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape or yellow connectors. They are probably part of the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper service procedures, and make sure the person performing work for you is qualified to do so. The air bag systems should be inspected by a qualified technician 10 years from the manufacture date on the Certification label. After 10 years from the manufacture date, have the systems inspected every 24 months. (The Certification label is located at the rear edge of the driver's door.) 1 Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced. There are parts of the air bag systems in several places around your vehicle. Your dealer and the Prizm Service Manual have information about servicing your vehicle and the airbag systems. To purchase a service manual, see "Service and Owner Publications" in the Index. 1-29