1997 CHEVROLET BLAZER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine e.'' What's wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.
A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if you wear the
shoulder belt under your arm. In
a crash, your
body would move too far forward, which would
increase the chance
of head and neck injury.
Also, the belt would apply too much force to the
ribs, which aren't
as strong as shoulder bones.
You could also severely injure internal organs
like your liver or spleen.
1-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What’s wrong with this?
A CAUTION:
~~
You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In
a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of the
belt
to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted,
make it straight
so it can work properly, or ask
your dealer
to fix it.
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
1-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ‘i
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 both the
belt and your vehicle.
Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
(SIR) System
This part explains the Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
(SIR) system or air bag system.
Your vehicle has an air bag for the driver.
Here are
the most important things to know about the
air bag system:
A CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren’t wearing your safety belt -- even if you
have an air bag. Wearing your safety belt during
a crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air
bags are “supplemental restraints”
to the safety
belts.
All air bags are designed to work with
safety belts, but don’t replace them. Air bags are
designed to work only in moderate to severe
crashes where the front
of your vehicle hits
something. They aren’t designed to inflate at all
CAUTION: (Continued)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CAUTION: (Continued)
in rollover, rear, side or low-speed frontal crashes.
Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly
-- whether or not there’s an air bag for
that person.
A CAUTION:
Air bags inflate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye.
If you’re too close to an inflating
air bag, it could seriously injure you. Safety belts
help keep you in position before and during a
crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with an
air
bag, and sit as far back as you can while still
maintaining control
of your vehicle. There is
an air bag readiness
light on
the instrument
panel, which shows
AIR
BAG
AIR BAG.
The system checks the air bag 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How the Air Bag System Works
Where is the air bag?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel.
A CAUTION:
If something is between the driver and the air
bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person. The path
of' an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don't
put anything between an occupant and the air
bag, and don't attach
or put anything on or near
the steering wheel
hub.
1-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crash. 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 kmh). 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
how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal and
near-frontal impacts.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is
in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag module 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.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, 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 parts
of the bag that come into contact with you may be
warm, but not too
hot to touch. There will be some
smoke and dust coming from vents
in the deflated air
bag. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from
seeing or from being able to steer
the vehicle. nor does it
stop people from leaving the vehicle.
A CAUTION:
When an air bag inflates, 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.
0
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 for your
vehicle covers the need
to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with
it 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 dealer for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the cover for the driver’s air bag,
the bag may not work properly. You may have to
replace the air bag module.
Do not open or break
the
air bag cover.
1-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
The air bag affects how your vehicle 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
GM dealer and the GM Service Manual have
information about servicing your vehicle and the air bag
system. To purchase a service manual, see “Service and
Owner Publications” in the Index.
A CAUTION:
For up to two minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service.
You
can be injured if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape,
or yellow connectors. They are probably part
of
the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you
is qualified to do so.
~ ~ ~~~~ ~ ~
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: If I add a push bumper or a bicycle rack to the
front
of my vehicle, will it keep the air bag from
working properly?
A: As long as the push bumper or bicycle rack is
attached to your vehicle
so that the vehicle’s basic
structure isn’t changed, it’s not likely to keep the
air bag from working properly in a crash.
@’ Is there anything I might add to the front of the
vehicle that could keep the air
bap from
working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end sheet metal or
height, they may keep the
air bag system from
working properly. Also, the
air bag system may not
work properly
if you relocate any of the air bag
sensors.
If you have any question about this, you
should contact Customer Assistance before you
modify your vehicle. (The phone numbers
and
addresses for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of
the Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
See “Customer Satisfaction Procedure” in the Index.)