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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. 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. There will be small amounts of smoke and
dust coming from vents
in the deflated air bag. 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.
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0
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.
Your vehicle is equipped
with a diagnostic module,
which records information about the air bag system
if the air bag deploys during a crash: The module
records information about the readiness of the
system, which sensors activated the deployment, and
whether the driver’s safety belt was
in use.
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
service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the cover for the driver’s air bag, it
may not work properly. You may have to replace
the air bag on the steering wheel.
Do not open or
break the air bag cover.
Is the smoke from an air bag inflation harmful?
The particles emitted during air bag inflation are not
harmful to most people. Some people
with respiratory
ailments may .experience difficulty breathing
if they stay
in the vehicle with the windows closed after air bag
inflation.
So, if your air bag inflates, you and any
passengers should exit the vehicle
if and when it is safe
to do
so. If you or your passengers can’t get out of the
vehicle,
try to get fresh air by opening a window,
turning on the
fm, or opening a door.
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Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Buick
The air bag affects how your Buick should be serviced.
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. Your
Buick dealer and the
1994 Regal Service Manual have
information about servicing
your vehicle and the air bag
system. The air bag system does not need regular
maintenance.
I A CAUTION:
Safety Belt 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.
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The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When 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.
@ Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats’’ in the Index)
so you can sit up straight. Move your seat far enough
forward that your feet touch the part
of the car that is
called the “toeboard” (A). That way you’d be less
likely to slide under the lap belt in a crash.
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Center Passenger Position Lap Belt
-
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.
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until
the belt is snug.
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Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap
part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn’t long enough,
see “Safety Belt Extender” at the end
of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle
is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
1 Rear Seat Passengers (Coupes)
It’s very 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
1 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 belts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
U
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
belts. Here’s how to wear one properly.
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’I
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t let
it get twisted.
If
the belt stops before i.t reaches the buckle, tilt the
latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle it.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender’’ at the end of this section. Make sure the
release button on the buckle
is positioned so you
would
be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if
you ever had to.
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I I I I 1 I I I I I I
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end
of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part. The lap
part
of the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies
force
to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less
likely
to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could
cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These
parts
of the body are best able to take belt restraining
forces.
The safety belt locks
if there’s a sudden stop or a crash.
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/ -"
Rear Seat Passengers (Sedans)
It's very 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 belts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
belts. Here's
how to wear one properly.
0 To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the
buckle.
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