2003 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Owners Manual

Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver’s frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel. The
right front passenger’s frontal air bag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side. If your vehicle has one, the driver’s side impact
air bag is in the side
of the driver’s seatback closest
to the door.
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If your vehicle has one, the right front passenger’s side
impact air bag is in the side
of the passenger’s
seatback closest to the door.
r
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 causing
severe injury or even death. 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. Don’t let seat covers block the
inflation path of a side impact air bag.
When Should an Air Bag Inflate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal
cr ~ear-frsnta! crashes. En? ?hey are designed to inflate
only
if the impact speed is above the system’s
designed “threshold level”.
In addition, your vehicle
has “dual stage” frontal air
bags, which adjust the amount of restraint according to
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For rnodemtefrourtatimpacts-tt-tese ~
air bags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For
more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
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If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level
for the reduced deployment is about 10 to 16 mph
(18 to 26 km/h),
and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 18 to
24 mph (29 to 38.5 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 driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal
air bags are not designed to inflate
in rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because inflation
would not help the occupant.
Your vehicle may or may not have
a side impact air
bag. See Air Bag Systems in the Index. Side impact air
bags are designed to inflate
in moderate to severe
side crashes. A side impact air bag will inflate
if
the crash severity is above the system’s designed
‘threshold level’. The threshold level can vary with
specific vehicle design. Side impact air bags are not
designed to inflate
in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
A side impact air bag will only deploy
on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
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. For
frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, inflation is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
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. For
both frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, the air bag and
related hardware are
all part of the air bag modules.
Frontal air bag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with side
impact air bags, the air bag modules are located in the
seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right front
passenger’s door.
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. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. 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.
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But the frontal air bags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and
many side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s
motion is not toward the air bag. Side impact air bags
would not help you in many types of collisions,
including frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and
rear 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 for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal air bags, and only in moderate
to severe side collisions for vehicle’s with a driver’s and
right front passenger‘s side impact air bag.
What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inflates?
After the 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 will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal air bag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
air bag. For vehicles with side impact air bags, the side
of the seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right
front passenger’s
door will be hot. 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 the vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag
inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.
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 a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
Your vehicle has a feature that will automatically unlock
the doors and turn the interior lamps on when the air
bags inflate (if battery power is available). You can lock
the doors again and turn the interior lamps
off by
using the door Imk and interior !amp contro!s.
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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.
0 Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag 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 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 an electronic frontal
sensor, which helps the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. Your vehicle is also equipped
with a crash sensing and diagnostic module,
which records information about the frontal air bag
system. The module records information about
the readiness
of the system, when the system
commands air bag inflation and driver’s safety belt
usage at deployment. The module also records
speed, engine
RPM, brake and throttle data.
0 Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an 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, or the air
bag covering on the driver’s and right front
passenger’s seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for
the right front
passenger’s air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
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Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts
of the air bag systems in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle
and the air bag systems. To purchase a service manual,
see
Service Publications Ordering lnformation on
page
7-9.
For up to 10 seconds 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 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 systems do not need regular maintenance.
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Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts.
If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle. A damaged restraint system may
not properly protect the person using
it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash.
To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash, have them inspected and any necessary replacements made as soon as possible.
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If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts or LATCH
system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be
if
worn during a more severe crash, then you need
new parts.
If the LATCH system was being used during a more
severe crash, you may need new LATCH system parts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have LATCH
system, safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts
and repairs may be necessary even if the
belt or LATCH system wasn’t being used at the time of
the collision.
If your seat adjuster won’t work after a crash, the
special part of the safety belt that goes through the seat
to the adjuster may need to be replaced.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part about the air bag system
earlier in this manual.
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