1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette Owner's Manual - Page 54

I Don't attach anything to, or putanything between, an occupant and an air bag. If something is between an occupant and an airbag, the bag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into you and cause injury. The path of an inflating air bag must be kept clear, so don't attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub oron or near any air bag cover. When should an air inflate? bag An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crash. 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 kmk). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat aboveor 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 how quickly the vehicle slows downin frontal or near-frontal impacts. What makes an airbag inflate? 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 from the 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.