PONTIAC GRAND-AM 1995 Owner's Manual

It’s possible that an automatic belt could keep you from
fully opening a door. That can happen
if the door was
slammed shut very hard. Just close the door all the way,
then slowly open it.
If that doesn’t fix it, then your
Pontiac needs service.
We hope you’ll always keep your automatic belt
buckled. However, you may need to unbuckle it in an
emergency.
To unbuckle the automatic belt, just push the
button
on the buckle.
To reattach the automatic belt:
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
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3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
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@ What’s wrong with this?
L
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
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Q: What’s wrong with this?
I
I
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
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&: What's wrong with this?
I
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.
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What’s wrong with this?
L I 1 I 1 I I I I I I I
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS), or air bag.
Your Pontiac has an air bag for the driver.
Here are the most important things to know about the air
bag system:
AIR
BAG
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How the Air Bag System Works
Where is the air bag?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering
wheel.
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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.
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.
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, stgpping
the occupant more gradually. But air bags would-not
help you in many types of collisions, including kollovers
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 belts, and then only in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
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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, but
the part of the bag that comes into contact with you will
not be hot to the 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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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.
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 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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Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Pontiac
The air bag affects how your Pontiac 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
Pontiac dealer and the
1995 Grand Am Service Manual
have information about servicing your vehicle and the
air bag system.
To purchase a service manual, see
“Service Publications” in the Index. The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.
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.
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