1996 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner's Manual - Page 34

When shouldan air bag inflate? The'air bag is designedto inflate in moderate tosevere frontal or near-frontalcrashes. The air bag will inflate only if theimpact speed is above the system's designed "threshold level." If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn't move deform, the threshold level is or 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 deform, such or as a parked car, threshold level will be higher. The the air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side ., -.because. f l a t i o n . would not i impacts or rear impagts, -: . . help the occupant. . , , What makesan air bag inflate? In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing systemdetects that the vehcle is suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. The sensing system triggers a chemicalreaction 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 modules p,acked insidethe steering wheel andin the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger. t How does an air bag restrain? . In any particular crash,no one can say whether anair bag should have inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicleor because of what the repaircosts were. Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and the vehicle's deceleration. Vehicle damage is only one indication ofthis. ., t: _, In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, the even belted occupants can contact steering.whee1or the instrument panel. Thea r bag supplements the protection i 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 i bags would ar not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion'isnot toward the air bag. Air bags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only moderate in to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions. .