1995 Pontiac Trans Sport Owner's Manual - Page 38

costs were. to a vehicle or because of what the repair Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and the vehicle's deceleration. Vehicle damage is only one indication of this. What makesan air bag inflate? In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, i the a r bag sensing system detectsthat the vehicleis suddenly stopping as a resultof a crash. The sensing system triggers a chemical reaction of the sodium azide sealed in the inflator. The reactionproduces 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? When should an air bag inflate? The ar bag is designed to inflate moderate to severe i in i fiontal or near-frontal crashes.The a r bag will inflate only if the impact speed is above the system's designed "threshold level."If your vehicle goes straight intoa wall that doesn't move or deform, threshold level is about the 9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, that it can be so 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 bag air is not designed to inflate rollovers, side impacts, or rear in impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. In any particular crash,no one cansay whether an a r i bag should have inflatedsimply because of the damage In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact thesteering wheel. The air bag supplements the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force the impact of 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 and rear 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 safetybelts, and then only in moderate to severe frontalor near-frontal collisions. I 21