1998 GMC Envoy Owner's Manual - Page 32

What makes an air bag inflate? 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 of the air bag module -- the steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, or the instrument panel for the right front passenger's bag -- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent the driver from seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing system triggers a release of gas fromthe inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger. How does an air bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontal near-frontal collisions, or even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupantmore gradually. But air 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 air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions. When an air bag inflates, thereis dust in the air. This dust could cause breathing problemsfor people witha history of asthma or other breathing trouble.To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should getout as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have breathing problems can't getout but of the vehicle after air bag inflates, then get an fresh airby opening a window or door. 1-25