GMC ENVOY 1998 Owner's Guide

When should an air bag inflate?
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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.
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
14 to 18 mph (23 to 29 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.
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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.
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.
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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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 syste,m
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 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.
I 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
right front passenger’s air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to the carpeting or higher -- or if water enters
your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens, and then
you start your vehicle, the damage could make the air
bags inflate, even if there’s no crash. You would have to
replace
the air bags as well as the sensors and related
parts.
If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or if it’s exposed
to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs
by turning off the vehicle immediately.
Don’t let anyone start the vehicle, even to tow
it, unless
the battery cables are first disconnected.
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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 system
in several places
around your vehicle. You don't want the system to
inflate while someone is working
on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the
GM 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 mi tes 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 nee.d regular maintenance.
Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped
V
Q: 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 Satisfxtion Procedure
in this manual.
See ;'Customer Satisfiction Procedure"
in the Index.)
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Rear Seat Passengers
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.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
belts. Here's how
to wear one properly.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
I. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don't let
it get twisted. The shoulder belt may lock if
you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this
happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it.
Then pull the belt across you more slowly.
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2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it
will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and
start again.
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.
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder
part.
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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.
The safety belt also locks if you pull the belt very
quickly out of the retractor.
ou 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.
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To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides will provide added
safety belt comfort for children who have outgrown
child restraints and for small adults. When installed on a
shoulder belt, the comfort guide pulls the belt away
from the neck and head. There is one guide for each outside passenger position in
the rear seat.
To provide added safety belt comfort for
children who have outgrown child restraints and for smaller adults, the comfort guides may be installed
on
the shoulder belts. Here’s how to install a comfort guide
and use the safety belt:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback and the interior body to remove the
guide from its storage clip.
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2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic
cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide
over the belt, and insert the two edges
of the belt into
the slots
of the guide.
3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat.
The elastic cord must be under the belt
and the guide
on top.
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4. Buckle, position and release the safety belt as described in “Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions”
earlier in this section. Make sure that the shoulder
belt crosses the shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the
belt edges together
so that you can take them out from
the guides. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage
clip, and then slide the guide onto the clip. Rotate the
guide and clip inward and in between the seatback and
the interior body, leaving
only the loop of elastic
cord exposed.
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