GMC SIERRA 1996 Owner's Guide

he Air Bag System Works
Where is the air bag?
The driver’s air bag is
in the middle of the
steering wheel. Don’t
put anything on, or attach anything to, the
steering wheel. Also, don’t put anything (such
as
pets or objects) between the driver and the
steering wheel. If something is between an
occupant and an air bag, it could affect the
performance
of the air bag -- or worse, it could
cause injury.
When should an air bag inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflate
in moderate to severe
frontal
or near-frontal crashes. 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.
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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
the vehicle’s deceleration. Vehicle damage is only one
indication
of this.
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 a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity,
the air bag sensing system detects that
the vehicle is
suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. The sensing
system triggers
a chemical reaction of the sodium azide
sealed
in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen
gas, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and
related hardware are all part of the air bag 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
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.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs
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
part of the bag that comes into contact with you
may be
warm, but
it will never be too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from vents
in the deflated
air bag.
Air bag inflation will not prevent the driver
from seeing or from being able
to steer the vehicle, nor
will it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
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1 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 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.
0
0
Your vehicle is equipped with a 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,
it may not work properly. You may have to
replace the air bag module.
Do not open or break
the air bag cover.
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I
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
1 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 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 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
.I air bags from wor@ng properly in a crash.
What if
I add a snow plow? Will it keep the air
bag 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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Q=
A:
Is there anything I might add to the front of the
vehicle that could keep the air bag from
working properly?
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.)
Safety 1 ___ Jse DurinP Z regnancy
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, below
the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
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.
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.
Right Front Passenger Position
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
earlier in this section.
When the lap belt is pulled out all the
way, it will lock.
If it does, let it
go back all the way and start again.
, way as the driver’s safety belt. !See “Driver Position”
Center Passenger Position
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has front and rear bench seats, someone
can sit
in the center positions.
Rear (Extended and Crew Cab)
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L
Front (All)
When you sit in a cenIer seating position, you have a lap
safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the belt
longer,
tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt. Rear (Extended
and Crew
Cab)
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Rear Seat r rssengers
Front (All)
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until
the belt is snug.
Buckle, position and release
it the same way as the lap
part
of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn’t long enough,
see “Safety Belt Extender“
at the end of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up!
Accident statistics
show that unbelted people in the rear
seat are
hurt more often in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers
who aren’t safety belted can be thrown
out
of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others
in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
(Extended
Cab)
If you have a Crew Cab, see “Rear Seat Outside
Passenger Positions (Crew Cab)” later in this section.
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Lap-Shoulder Belt (Extended Cab)
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
belts. Here’s how
to wear one properly.
1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don’t let
it get twisted. If
the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch
plate and keep pulling until
you can buckle it.
Pull up on the latch plate
to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end
of this section.
Make sure the release button
on the buckle is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
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3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end
of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part. The
lap part of
the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs.
In a crash, this applies
force
to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less likely
to slide under the lap belt.
If you slid under it, the belt
would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should
go
over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the
body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks
if there’s a sudden stop or a crash.
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