BUICK LESABRE 1993 Owner's Guide

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
A CAUTION:
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.
@ What’s wrong with this?
1
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
29

1 A CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt is
buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash,
the belt would
go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.
Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest
you.
&.' What's wrong with this?
3
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.

/11 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.
I
What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
31

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.
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle,
The belt should go back out of the way.
1
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.
32

Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
System/Supplemental Restraint System (Air
Bag)
This section explains the driver’s Supplemental
Inflatable Restraint (SIR)/Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) system, commonly referred to
as an air
bag. Here are the most important things to
know:
Even with an aSr bag, if you’re not wearing a
safety belt and you’re [in a crash, your injuries
may be much worse.
Air bags are not designed
to inflate in rollovers or in rear, side or low-speed
I frontal crashes. You need to wear your safety
belt to reduce the chance of hitting
things inside
the vehicle or being ejected from it. Always wear I
your safety belt, even with an air bag. ,I 1
I .,I.
I 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 for an air bag inflation
in 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 “INFL REST” or “INFLATABLE
RESTRAINT.” The system checks itself and the light
tells you
if there is a problem.
22

INFL.
REST.
You will see this light flash for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to
“Run” or “Start.” Then the light
should
go out, which means the system is ready.
I a CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on
when you start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you are driving, your air
bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away. ’
I I I
How The Air Bag System Works
Where is the air bag?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering
wheel.
When is an air bag expected to inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will only
inflate if the velocity
of the impact is above the designed
34

threshold level. When impacting straight into a wall that
does
not move or deform, the threshold level for most
GM vehicles is between 9 and 14 mph. However, this
velocity threshold depends
on the vehicle design and
may be several miles-per-hour faster or slower.
In
addition, this threshold velocity will be considerably
higher if the vehicle strikes an object such as a parked
car which will move and deform on impact. The air bag
is also not designed to inflate in rollovers, side impacts,
or rear impacts where the inflation would provide
no
occupant protection benefit.
In any particular crash, the determination of whether the
air bag should have inflated cannot be based solely
on
the level of damage on the vehicle(s). Inflation is
determined by the angle of the impact and the vehicle’s
deceleration,
of which vehicle damage is only one
indication. Repair cost is not a good indicator of
whether an air bag should have deployed.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal impact of sufficient severity, sensors
strategically located on the vehicle detect that the
vehicle is suddenly stopping as a result of
a crash. These
sensors complete an electrical circuit, triggering a
chemical reaction of the sodium azide sealed in the
inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which
inflates the cloth bag. The inflator, cloth bag, and related hardware
are all part
of the air bag inflator 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
provide protection in many types
of collisions, including
rollovers and rear 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 belt protection in moderate to
severe frontal and near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflation?
After the air bag has inflated, it will then quickly
deflate. This occurs
so quickly that some people may
not even realize that the air bag inflated. The air bag will
not impede the driver’s vision or ability to steer the
vehicle, nor will it hinder the occupants from exiting the
vehicle. There will be small amounts
of smoke coming
from vents in the deflated air bag. Some components
of
the air bag module in the steering wheel hub may be hot
for a short time, but the portion
of the bag that comes
into contact with you will
not be hot to the touch. The
35

nitrogen gas used to inflate the air bag will have vented
into the passenger compartment, and the bag will be
deflated within seconds after
the collision. Nitrogen
makes up about
80% of the air we breathe and is not
hazardous.
As the nitrogen vents from the bag, small
particles are also vented into the passenger
compartment.
A CAUTION:
’
0
I’
Don’t attach anything to the steering wheel
pad.
It might injure the driver if the air bag
inflates.
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
has information about the need to replace
other
parts.
Let only qualified technicians work on your
air-bag system. Improper service can mean
I
.‘that your air bag system won’t work
properly.
See your dealer fgr service.
Servicing Your Buick with the Air Bag
System
Please tell or remind anyone who works on your Buick
that
it has the air bag system. 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. The air bag system does not
need regular maintenance, Your Buick dealer and the
1993 LeSabre Service Manual have information about
the air bag system, including repair or disposal.
A CAUTION:
For up t0.2 minutes after the ignitlon key is
turned off and the battery 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. Be sure
to follow the proper service
procedures.
When electrical work is done under the hood or inside
your vehicle, the ignition should be
in “Lock” if
possible.
36

Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape, or yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the air bag
system.
But if the ignition has to be on for electrical work, or if
the steering column is to be disassembled, the air bag
system must be disconnected.
To do this:
Turn off the ignition.
Remove the SIR/SRS (air bag) fuse (see “Fuses and
Circuit Breakers” in the Index).
Disconnect the yellow connector at the base of the
When the work is complete, if the air bag system was
disconnected, be sure to reattach everything and replace
the fuse before turning the ignition on. When you
turn
the ignition key on, be sure you see the air bag readiness
light on the instrument panel. If
you don’t see this light
flash and then go out as usual, have your air bag system
repaired. steering
column.
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. A
pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and
the lap portion should be worn
as low as possible
throughout the pregnancy.
7
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.
37

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 part.
When the lap portion
of the belt is pulled out all the
way,
it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and
start again.
Be sure to use the correct buckle when buckling your
lap-shoulder belt. If you find that the latch plate will not
go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the buckle
for the center passenger position.
Center Passenger Position
n
38