1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette Owner's Manual - Page 36

1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette Manual

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When should an bag inflate? air The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. The airbag 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 level is about 9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it canbe somewhat above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The air bag is not designed to 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 have inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and the vehicle's deceleration. Vehicle damage is only one indication of this. What makes an air inflate? bag In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. The sensing system triggers a chemical reaction of the sodium azide sealed in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware are all part of the air bag module packed inside the steering wheel. How does an air bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel. The airbag supplements the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the forceof the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more 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 the air bag. 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. 1-28

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When
should
an
air bag
inflate?
The air bag
is
designed to inflate
in
moderate to severe
frontal
or near-frontal crashes.
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 level
is
about
9
to
15
mph (14 to 24 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so
that
it
can be somewhat above or below this range.
If
your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The
air bag
is
not designed
to
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 have inflated simply because of
the
damage
to a vehicle or because
of
what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of
the impact and
the vehicle’s deceleration. Vehicle damage
is
only one
indication of this.
What
makes
an
air
bag
inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact
of
sufficient severity,
the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is
suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. The sensing
system triggers a chemical reaction
of
the sodium azide
sealed
in
the
inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen
gas, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air
bag and
related hardware are all part
of
the air bag module
packed inside the steering wheel.
How
does
an
air
bag
restrain?
In
moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel.
The
air bag supplements the protection provided by
safety belts. Air bags distribute the
force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping
the
occupant more 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 the air bag.
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.
1-28