1994 PONTIAC FIREBIRD seats

Seats and Restraint Systems
Safety Belts: They’re
for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to
use safety belts properly. It also tells you
some things you should not do with safety
belts. And it explains the Supplemental
Inflatable Restraint, or “air bag” system.
’his figure lights up as a reminder to
uckle up. (See “Safety Belt Reminder
.ight” in the Index.)
n many states and Canadian provinces,
he law says to wear safety belts. Here’s
vhy: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If
you do have a crash, you don’t know
if it
will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes
can be
so serious that even buckled up a
person wouldn’t survive. But most
crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they
could have been badly hurt or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in
vehicles, the facts are clear. In most
crashes buckling up does matter
... a lot!
. . .I4
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Seats and Restraint Systems
Put someone on it.
Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle.
The rider doesn't stop. The
person keeps going until stopped by
something.
In
a real vehicle, it could be the
windshield
. . .
. . .I6
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Seats and Restraint Systems
Q: Why don’t they just put in air bags
so people won’t have to wear safety
belts?
A: Air bags, or Supplemental Inflatable
Restraint systems, are in some vehicles today and will be in more
of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only
- so they
work
with safety belts, not instead of
them. Every air bag system ever offered for sale has required the use
of safety belts. Even if you’re in a
vehicle that has air bags, you still
have
to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s
true not only in
frontal collisions, but especially
in
side and other collisions.
Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never
drive far from home, why should
I
wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but
if you’re in an accident
- even one
that isn’t your fault
- you and your
passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver doesn’t protect you from things
beyond your control, such as bad
drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles
(40 km) of home. And the greatest
number of serious injuries and deaths
occur at speeds of less than
40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
Safety Belt Reminder
Light
When the key is turned to “Run” or
“Start,” a chime
will come on for about
eight seconds to remind people to fasten
their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is already buckled. The safety
belt light will also come on and stay on
until the driver’s belt is buckled.
. . .I8
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How to Wear Safety
Belts Properly
Adults
This section is only for people of adult
size.
Be aware that there are special things to
know about safety belts and children. And
there are different rules for smaller
children and babies.
If a child will be
riding in your Pontiac, see the section
after this one, called “Children.” Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
I
First, you’ll want to know which restraint
systems your vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This section describes the driver’s
restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s
how to wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see
“Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up
straight.
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Seats and Restraint Systems
&e ,,, " &
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the
belt across you. Don't let it get
twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle
until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure
it
is secure. 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.
I L-> I'
L
5. To make the lap part tight, pull down
on the buckle end of the belt as you
pull up
on the shoulder belt. The
lap part
of the belt should be worn
ow and snug on the hips, just touching
he thighs. In a crash, this applies force to
he strong pelvic bones. And you'd be
ess likely to slide under the lap belt. If
rou slid under it, the belt would apply
orce at your abdomen. This could cause
;erious or even fatal injuries. The
Ihoulder belt should go over the shoulder
tnd across the chest. These
parts of the
lady are best able to take belt restraining
.orces.
The safety belt locks if there's a sudden
;top or crash.
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Seats and Restraint Systems
~~
Q: What’s wrong with this?
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 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 bott the belt and your
vehicle.
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Seats and Restraint Systems
AIR
BAG
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on
the instrument panel, which shows
“AIR BAG” on it. 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.
How the Air Bag System Works
Where
is the air bag?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle
steering wheel. of th
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Seats and Restraint Systems
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. Some
components
of the air bag module in the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s air
bag or the instrument panel for the
passenger’s bag 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 bags. 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.
In many crashes severe enough
to inflate
an air bag, windshields are broken by
vehicle deformation. Additional
... 26
windshield breakage may occur in
vehicles with passenger air bags because
the windshield acts as a reaction surface
for the inflating air bag.
The 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 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 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 or the right-front passenger’s
air bag, they may not work properly.
You may have to replace the air bag
on the steering wheel or both the air
bag and the instrument panel for the
passenger’s air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag covers.
1s 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 fan, or opening a door.
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