Specifications

How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
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 occupant more gradually.
But air bags would not help you in many types
of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and many
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.
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 the vents in the deflated air bags. Air
bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or
being able
to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop
people from leaving the
---,-‘-I e.
I
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so.
If you have breathing problems but
can’t get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inflates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After
they inflate, you’ll need some new parts for your
air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there
to help protect you in
another crash. A new system will include air
bag modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need
to
replace other parts.
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