Page 41 of 398
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To unlatch the belt,
just push the button
on the buckle. The
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.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFUTMLE
RESTUNT SYSTEM (AIR BAGS)
This section explains the Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (SIR), or “air
bag,” system. Your Cadillac has an air bag for the driver and for the
right-front passenger.
Here’s the most important thing
to know:
Even with an air‘ bag, if youk not wearing ;a safety Jjelt and
you’re in a crash, your injuries may be much worse. Air, bags are
* not designed to’ inflate in rollovers or in rear, side or low-speed
frontal crashes. You need to wear your safety belt to reduce the
chance of hitting things inside the vehicle or being ejected Prom
it. Always wear your safety belt9 even with an air bag.
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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 you’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-
;74
-+< . v
, . .4:2
- fair bag, and the driver should sit as far back as possible 2.
-‘r I -. r: ’ still maintaining control of the vehicle.
An inflating air bag can seriously injure small children.. -Always
.secure children properly in your vehicle, To read how, see the
“Children
and Safety Belts” section of this manual, andmad
the caution label
on the front-passenger’s safety belt,
Air Bag System Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel. The system
checks itself and the light tells you
if there is a problem.
INFL.
REST.
INFLATABLE
RESTRAINT
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.
1
1
1
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Page 44 of 398

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine GM vehicles is between 9 and 14 mph. 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.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, sensors
strategically located
on the vehicle detect that the vehicle is suddenly
stopping as a result
of a crash. These sensors complete an electrical
circuit, triggering a chemical reaction
of the sodium azide sealed in the
inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which inflates a cloth bag.
The inflator, cloth bag, and related hardware are all part
of the air bag
inflator modules packed inside the steering wheel and in the instrument
panel in front of the passenger
if there is a passenger air bag.
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 pane\
l. The air
bag supplements 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
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.
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
30
Page 47 of 398

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle also has the right-front passenger’s air bag. Both the driver’s
air bag and the right-front passenger’s air bag must
be disconnected if the
ignition
has to be on for electrical work, or if thc steering column or
instrument panel
is to be disasscmbled.
Your vehicles with both a driver’s air bag and
a right-front passenger’s air
bag, you must disconnect both air bags. Follow the procedure above for
the driver’s air bag,
then disconnect the right-front passenger’s air bag
like this:
Turn off ignition.
Remove the SIR (air bag) fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in
the Index).
Remove the trap door located inside the glove
box.
Disconnect the yellow connector.
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
inflatable restraint 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.
SAFETYBELT USE DURING PREGNANCY
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely
to be seriously injured if they don’t wear
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.
33
Page 48 of 398
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
.. ..
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety
belt is worn
properly, it’s more likely that tlw fctus won’t be hurt in a
crash. For pregnant womcn,
as for anyone, the key to making safety bclts
effective
is wearing them properly.
RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER POSITION
The right front passenger’s safety belt works thc same way as the driver’s
safety belt. See “Driver Position,” earlier
in this part.
When the
lap portion of the bclt is pullcd out all the way, it will lock. If it
does, let it go back all the way and start again.
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Page 49 of 398
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine REAR SEAT PASSENGERS
It’s vely important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident
statistics show that unbelted
people in the. rear seat are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers
who aren’t safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing
safety be.lts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder belts. Here’s how to
wear
one properly.
35
Page 50 of 398
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1. Pick up the latch
plate and pull the
belt across you.
Don't
let it get
twisted.
2. Push the latch plate into thc bucklc until it clicks.
If thc belt stops
before it reaches the
buckle, tilt the latch
plate and keep
pulling until you can
buckle it.
36
Page 51 of 398
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the belt is not long enough, scc “Safety Belt Extender” at the end of
this section. Make sure the release button on the buckle faces upward or
outward so you would be able to unbucklc it quickly if you evcr had to.
4’ 3. To make the lap
part tight,
pull
buckle end of the
belt
as you pull up
on the shoulder
past.
.- down on the
37