1995 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE instrument panel

or the instrument panel .-. or the safety belts !
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make
such good sense.
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There is an air bag
readiness light
on the
instrument panel, which
shows INFLfXTABLE
RESTRAINT.
The system checks the air bag’s electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells
you if there is an electrical
problem.
See “Air Bag Readiness Light” in the Index
for more information.
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How the Air Bag System Works
,
The right front passenger's air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger's side.
Where is the air bag?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the steering
wheel.
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When should an air bag Mate?
The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to. severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.”
If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about 9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h). The ~.esh~Ld level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so that
it can be somewhat above m below this range. If your
vehicle strikes’something that willmove ar defm, such
as
a parked car, th6 thre@mld level will be higher, The
air bag is not designed to’inflate
in rollovers, side
impacts, or rear impacts, because Mation
would not
help the occupant. /
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle
or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and
the vehicle’s deceleration. Vehicle darnage
is only one
indication
of this.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient seventy,
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
air bag. The inflator, air bag, and
related hardware are
all part of the air bag modules
packed inside the steering wheel
and in the instrument
panel in front
of the right front passenger.
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How does an air bag restrain?
In modmate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. 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 help you 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 belts, and then only in
moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs
so quickly that some people may not even realize 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 right front passenger’s bag,
will
be hot for a short time, but the part of the bag that comes
into contact with you will not be hot to
the touch. There
will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the
deflated air bags. Air bag inflation will not prevent the
driver from seeing or from being able to steer the
vehicle, nor will it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
When an air bag inflates, th
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with
a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyon
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do
If you have breathing problems but can’t get
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates,
fresh air by opening a
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields
are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur frm the
right Eront passenger
air bag.
The air bags are designed to inflate only once. After
they
inflate; you’ll need some new parts for your air
hag. system. If you Bon’t get them, the air bag system
won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash.
A new sys- wiIl include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service md for your
vehicle cov’ers the need to replace other parts.
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7
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Pontiac, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you
if everything is
working properly -- and what to do if you have a problem.
Keys
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Ignition Switch
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions.
ACCESSORY (A): An ON position in which you can
operate your electrical power accessories. Press in the
igniti’on switch as you turn the top of it toward you.
LOCK (B): The only position in which you can remove
the key, This locks your steering wheel, ignition and
transaxle.
OFF (e): Unlocks the steering wheel, ignition, and
transaxle, but does not send electrical power to any
accessories.
Use this position if your vehicle me be
pushed or towed, but never try to push-start your
vehicle.
A warning cbime will sound if you open the
driver’s door when the ignition
is off and the key is in
the ignition.
RUN 0): An ON position to which the switch returns
after you start your engine and release the switch. The
switch stays in the RUN position when the engine is
running. But even when the engine is not running, you
accessories,
and to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
§TART (E): Starts the engine. When the engine starts,
release de key. The ignition switch will return to
RUN
for normal driving.
Note that even if
the engine is not running, the positions
ACCESSORY and RUN are ON positions that allow
you to operate
yom electrical accessories, such as the
radio.
Key Reminder Warning: If you leave your key in the
ignition, in the OFF position, you will hear a warning
tone when you open the driver’s door.
CEUl Use Rm to QPe3Tit.e yOlar &C!T’kd power
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Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two
upward (for right) and two
downward (for
left)
positions. These positions
I
allow you to signal a turn or
a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
A green arrow on the
instrument panel will flash
in the direction of the turn
or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the green arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until
you complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows don’t
flash but just stay on, a signal bulb
may be burned out
and other drivers won’t see your turn signal. If you have
the Driver Information Center, it will tell you
if you
have a burned out bulb. See “Driver Information
Center” in the Index.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the green arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check the fuse and for burned-out bulbs.
See “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in the Index.
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