PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 1998 Owner's Guide

How the Air Bag System Works
Where are the air bags?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel. The
right front passenger's
air bag is in the instrument
panel
on the passenger's side.
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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.
When should an air bag inflate?
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
9 to 15 mph (14 to 24 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.
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.
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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 anythmg 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.
I
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.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage
may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
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 system
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.
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Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
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 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 fist disconnected.
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 Grand
Prix 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.
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A CAUTION:
For up to 10 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 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.
Center Passenger Position
i3
Lap Belt
U
If your vehicle has a bench seat, someone can sit in the
center position.
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When you sit in a center 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.
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.
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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.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
Lap-Shoulder Belt
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.
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 Extendef’ 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. 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 beIt
restraining forces.
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The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or a crash,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
I 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.
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
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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.