WARNING!(Continued)
the air bags and you could be injured because the air
bags may no longer be functional. The protective
covers for the air bag cushions are designed to open
only when the air bags are inflating.
• Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work with
your seat belt to restrain you properly. In some
collisions, air bags won’t deploy at all. Always wear
your seat belts even though you have air bags.
Front Air Bag Operation
Front Air Bags are designed to provide additional protec-
tion by supplementing the seat belts. Front air bags are not
expected to reduce the risk of injury in rear, side, or
rollover collisions. The front air bags will not deploy in all
frontal collisions, including some that may produce sub-
stantial vehicle damage — for example, some pole colli-
sions, truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of
impact, front air bags may deploy in crashes with little
vehicle front-end damage but that produce a severe initial
deceleration. Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration over
time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are not
good indicators of whether or not an air bag should have
deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all collisions,
and also are needed to help keep you in position, away
from an inflating air bag.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the front air
bags, it signals the inflator units. A large quantity of
non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the front air bags.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right side
of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the way as
the air bags inflate to their full size. The front air bags fully
inflate in less time than it takes to blink your eyes. The
front air bags then quickly deflate while helping to restrain
the driver and front passenger.
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the front air bags.
218 SAFETY
MS.90032) and distilled water for proper corrosion pro-
tection of your engine which contains aluminum com-
ponents.
• Keep the front of the radiator clean. If your vehicle is
equipped with air conditioning, keep the front of the
condenser clean.
• Do not change the thermostat for Summer or Winter
operation. If replacement is ever necessary, install ONLY
the correct type thermostat. Other designs may result in
unsatisfactory engine coolant (antifreeze) performance,
poor gas mileage, and increased emissions.
Brake System
In order to assure brake system performance, all brake
system components should be inspected periodically. Refer
to the “Maintenance Plan” in this section for the proper
maintenance intervals.
