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When should an air bag inflate?
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
14 to 18 mph (23 to 29 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The
air bag is
not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts, because inflation 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 damage is only one
indication of
this.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under a
wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially
on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See “Off-Road
Driving”
in the Index for more tips on off-road driving.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-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 air bag. The inflator, air bag and
related hardware are all part
of the air bag module
packed inside the steering wheel.
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
help you
in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts 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.
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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 will be hot for a short time. The
part of
the bag that comes into contact with you may be
warm, but
it will never be too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated
air bag. 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.
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When an air bag Iates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with
a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out
as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening
a window or door.
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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 for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a diagnostic module,
which records information about the air bag system.
The module records information about the readiness
of the system, when the sensors are activated and
driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
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 retailer
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 module. Do not open or break
the air bag cover.
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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. 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 section.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will
lock. If
it does, let it go back all the way and start again.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and
the lap portion
should be worn as low as possible, below
the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
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Rear Seat Passengers Lap-Shoulder Belt
It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! The
positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear belts.
Here’s how to wear one properly.
seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
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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
~~
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Qon’t let it get twisted. The shoulder belt may lock if
you pull the belt across you very quickly.
If this
happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock
it.
Then pull the belt across you more slowly.
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2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure
it is secure.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it
will lock.
If it does, let it go back all the way and
start again.
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.
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.
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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.
The safety belt also locks if you pull the belt very
quickly out of the retractor.
.A CAUTION:
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You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is
too loose.
In a crash, you would move forward
too much, which could increase injury. The
shoulder belt should
fit against your body.
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~~~ ~ To unlatch the belt,
just push the button on the buckle.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides will provide added
safety belt comfort for children who have outgrown
child restraints and for small adults. When installed on
a
shoulder belt, the comfort guide pulls the belt away
from the neck and head.
There is one guide for each outside passenger position
in
the rear seat. To provide added safety belt comfort for
children who have outgrown child restraints and for smaller adults, the comfort guides may be installed on
the shoulder belts. Here’s how
to install a comfort guide
and use the safety belt:
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. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback and the interior body to remove the
guide from its storage clip.
2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic
cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide
over the belt, and insert the two edges
of the belt into
the slots of the guide.
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