1997 GMC Safari Owner's Manual - Page 39

How does anair bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact steering wheel orthe the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the forceof the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, air stopping the occupant more gradually. But bags would not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward those bags. Air air bags should never be regarded as anythmg more thana supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontalor near-frontal collisions. When an air bag inflates, there is dust in air. the This dust could cause breathing problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing trouble.To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should get out soon as it is safe do so. as to If you have breathing problems but can't get out of the vehicle after air bag inflates, then get an fresh airby opening a window or door. 0 What will you see after an bag inflates? air 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 module -- the of steering wheel hub for the driver's airbag, or the instrument panel for theright front passenger's bag -- will be hot for a short time. The partsof the bag that come into contactwith you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some smokeand dust coming fromvents in the deflated airbags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent the driver from seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, does it stop nor people from leaving the vehicle. Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they inflate, you'll need some new parts for your air bag system. If you don't get them,the air bag system won't be there to helpprotect you in another crash. A new system will include airbag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replaceother parts. Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic module, which records information about the air bag system. The module records information aboutthe readiness of the system, when the sensors areactivated and driver's safety belt usage at deployment.