1994 CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: What’s wrong with this?
A The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly as much protection
this
way.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is over an armrest.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the
shoulder at all times.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Q: What's wrong with this?
n n
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
To unlatch the belt,
just push the button
on
the buckle. The belt
should
go back out of
I 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driver’s Facial Air Bag System
This section explains the Driver’s Facial Air Bag system. Here are the most
important things
to know:
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air Bag System Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel, which shows
AIR BAG . The system checks for electrical malfunctions, 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.
Remember, 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.
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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 Facial 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 is between
11 and 16
mph (17 and 23 km/h). However, this velocity threshold depends on the
option content of the vehicle 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 impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing system detects
that the vehicle is suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. The sensing
system triggers a chemical 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering wheel. 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 m\
any 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 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 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.
0 Your vehicle is equipped with a diagnostic module, which records
information about the air bag system
if the air bag deploys in 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 qualifi.ed 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 of the driver’s facial air bag, it ma\
y not
work properly. You may have to replace the air bag on the
steering wheel.
Do not open or break the air bag cover.
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