Page 41 of 406
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To unlatch the belt,
just push the button
on the buckle. The
I
I-
belt should go back
out of the
way.
Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam
the door
on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle.
SUPPLEMENT& INFLATDLE
RESTMNT SYSTEM
(AIR BAG)
This section explains the driver's Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (SIR)
system, commonly referred to as an air bag. Here are the most important
l things to know:
I
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine .- -
A CAUTION:
Air bags inflate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye.
If yoii’re too close to an inflating air bag, it could seriously
injure
you. Safety belts help keep you in position for an air bag
inflation in a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with an
air bag, and sit as
far back as you can while still maintaining
control
of your vehicle,
Air Bag System Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel, which shows
“Inflatable Restraint”. The system checks itself and the light tells you if
there
is a problem.
You will see this light
flash for a
few seconds
when you turn your
ignition to
“Run” or
“Start.” Then the light
should
go out, which
means the system
is
ready.
A CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you start
your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you are driving, your
air bag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right
away.
29
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How The Air Bag System Works
Where is the air bag?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel.
When is an air bag expected to inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal crashes. The air bag will only inflate if the velocity of the impact
is above the designed threshold level. When impacting straight into a wall
that does not move
or deform, the threshold level for most GM vehicles is
between
9 and 14 mph (14 and 23 km/h). However, this velocity threshold
depends
on the vehicle design and may be several miles-per-hour faster or
slower. In addition, this threshold velocity
will be considerably higher if the
vehicle strikes an object such as a parked car which
will move and deform
on impact. The air bag is also not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts, or rear impacts where the inflation would provide no occupant
protection benefit.
In any particular crash, the determination
of whether the air bag should
have inflated cannot be based solely on the level
of damage on the
vehicle(s). Inflation
is determined by the angle of the impact and the
vehicle's deceleration,
of which vehicle damage is only one indication.
Repair cost
is not a good indicator of whether an air bag should have
deployed.
c_
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal impact of sufficient severity, sensors strategically located on
the vehicle detect that the vehicle
is suddenly stopping as a result of a
reaction of the sodium azide sealed in the inflator. The reaction produces
nitrogen gas, which inflates the cloth bag. The inflator, cloth bag, and
related hardware are all part of the air bag inflator module packed inside
the steering wheel.
-
- crash. These sensors complete an electrical circuit, triggering a chemical
-
How does an air bag restrain?
occupants can contact the steering wheel. The air bag supplements the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the
occupant more gradually. But air bags would not provide protection 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
safety belt protection in moderate to severe frontal and near-frontal
collisions.
-. - In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted
- impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping the
__
-
What will you see after an air bag inflation?
After the air bag has inflated, it will then quickly deflate. This occurs so
__ quickly that some people may not even realize that the air bag inflated.
The air bag will not impede the driver’s vision or ability to steer the
vehicle, nor will it hinder the occupants from exiting the vehicle. There
__ will be small amounts of smoke coming from vents in the deflated air bag.
Some components
of the air bag module in the steering wheel hub may
be hot for a short time, but the portion
of the bag that comes into contact
with you will not be hot to the touch. The nitrogen gas used to inflate the
air bag
will have vented into the passenger compartment, and the bag will
be deflated within seconds after the collision. Nitrogen makes up about
80% of the air we breathe and is not hazardous. As the nitrogen vents
compartment.
__
- from the bag, small particles are also vented into the passenger
31
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @ Don’t attach anything to the steering wheel pad. It might
injure the driver if the air bag inflates.
The air bag is designed to inflate only once. After it inflates,
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 the
air bag module and possibly other parts. The service manual
has information about the need to replace other parts.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag system.
Improper service can mean that your air bag system won’t
work properly. See your dealer for sewice.
L
‘L d
Sewicing Your Cadillac with the Air Bag System
Please tell or remind anyone who works on your Cadillac that it has the c)
air bag system. There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle.
You don’t want the system to inflate while someone
is working on your vehicle. The air bag system does not need regular
maintenance. Your Cadillac dealer and the
1993 Cadillac Service Manual
have information about the air bag system, including repair or disposal.
-
A CAUTION:
For up to 2 minutes after the ignition key is turned off and the
battery disconnected, an
air bag can still inflate during
improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an air
bag when it inflates.
Be sure to follow the proper service
procedures.
When electrical work is
done under the hood or inside your vehicle, the
ignition should be in “Lock” if possible.
Page 46 of 406

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine .LI Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape, or yellow connectors. They are
probably part
of the air bag system.
But if the ignition has to be on for electrical work, or
if the steering
To do this:
- column is to be disassembled, the air bag system must be disconnected.
0 Turn off the ignition.
0 Remove the SIR (air bag) fuse. (See “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in I_
the Index.)
_- 0 Disconnect the yellow connector at the base of the steering column.
When the work is complete, if the air bag system was disconnected, be
sure to reattach everything and replace the fuse before turning the
~ ignition on. When you turn the ignition key on, be sure you see the air
bag readiness light on the instrument panel.
If you don’t see this light
flash and then
go out as usual, have your air bag system repaired.
I__
SAFETYBELT USE DUMNG PREGNANCY
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all
safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear
a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion
should be worn as
low as possible throughout the pregnancy.
- occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they don’t wear
I_
33
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine . .I ’ 1, . -
The best way to protect the fett 1s is to motect the mother. Wh
en a safety
belt is
worn properly, it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a
crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key
to making safety belts
effective is wearing them properly.
RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER POSITION
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s
safety belt. See “Driver Position,’’ earlier
in this part.
When the lap portion
of the belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it - -
does, let it go back all the way and start again.
If your vehicle has a center passenger position, be Be sure to use the
correct buckle when buckling your lap-shoulder belt.
If you find that the
latch plate will not go fully into the buckle, see
if you are using the buckle
for the center passenger position.
-
34
-
Page 48 of 406
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine L_ CENTER PASSENGER POSITION
__
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has front and rear bench seats, someone can sit in the
center positions.
When you
sit in a
center seating
position, you have a
lap safety belt, which
has no retractor.
To
make the belt longer,
tilt the latch plate
and pull
it along the
belt.