1997 GMC SIERRA Owners Manual

There is an air bag
readiness light on the
AIR
BAG
instrument panel, which
shows 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.
How the Air Bag System Works
Where are the air bags?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
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The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
A CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an 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 an air
bag, and don’t attach or put anything
on the .
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering.
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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 9 to 16 mph (14 to 26 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
how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal or
near-frontal impacts. 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 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 modules 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 moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. Air bags supplement 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
those air bags. 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 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
-- 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. 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 bags. 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.
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In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by
vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from
the right front passenger air bag.
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 for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing
and 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.
Unless you have a Crew Cab, your vehicle has a
switch on
the instrument panel that you can use to
turn off the passenger’s air bag. But use this switch
only when
you want to secure a rear-facing child
restraint at the right front passenger’s position. See
“Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position” in the Index for more on this, including
important safety information.
A CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s air bag is turned
off, an adult or a child who is no longer an infant
sitting in the right front passenger’s position
won’t have the extra protection of an air bag.
In
a crash, the air bag wouldn’t be able to inflate
and help protect the person sitting there. Make
sure the air bag
is turned on unless you are using
a rear-facing child restraint in the right front
seat position.
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, Let only qualified technicians work on your air
I 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 covering for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s
air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You
may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
~ bag module and the instrument panel for the
I passenger’s air bag. Do not open or break the air
bag coverings.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect 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 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.
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate uring improper service. You
can be injured
if yo 6 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.
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Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle
&.’ If I add a push bumper or a bicycle rack to the
front
of my vehicle, will it keep the air bags
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 bags from working properly
in a crash.
e.’ Is there anything I’might add to the front of the
vehicle that could keep the air bags 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 questions 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 “Custotner Satisfaction Procedure”
in the Index.)
e.’ What if I add a snow plow? Will it keep the air
bags from working properly?
A: We’ve designed our air bag systems to work
properly under a wide range
of conditions,
including snow plowing with vehicles equipped with the optional Snow Plow Prep Package (RPO
VYU). But don’t change or defeat the snow plow’s
“tripping mechanism.”
If you do, it can damage
your snow plow and your vehicle, and
it may cause
an air bag inflation.
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Center Passenger Position
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has front and rear bench seats, someone
can sit
in the center positions.
I
Rear (Extended and Crew Cab)
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