GMC 2003 Envoy - Manual (Page 63)

In any patlicular crash, no one can say whathar an air
bag should ha\/e Inflated simply because of the damage
Ю a vehicle or because of wbal Iba repair costs were.
For frenfal air bags, inflation is deiemninea by the angle
of the impact and how quickly ihe vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-fronlal impacts. For side Impact
a if bags, inflation is determined by Ihe location
and severity of Ihe impact.
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 safely bolt. Sea Ofr-Fftwrf
Dffvitig with Your
Four-Whe^i-Onve Vefjide on
paffe4'i5ior tips on ott-rcari driving.
What Makes an Air Bag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
syslem detects lhat the vehicle is in a cгash^ For
both frontal and sde Impact air bags, the sensing
syslem triggers a release ai gas from the inflalor, which
Inflates the air bag. The inlf^tor^ the air bag and
raiated hardware are all part of The air bag modules.
Frontal air bag modutss are located Inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with side
Impact air bags, the air bag modules ana Icicatad in the
sealback cJosast to the drivers and/or right front
passenger's door
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In mode rate lo sevora Irontal or near I rental ccHisions,
oven belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrumeni panel, (n imoderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact ihe inside
of The vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safely belts. Air bags drstribute the lorce of
tfie impact more evenly over the occupant's upper
body, stopping Ihe occupand more gradually. Bui the
trontat air bags would not hefp you in many types
ot collisions, including rollovers, rear IrTpaels, ar>d many
side impacts, primarily because an or^upant's mollDn
is no1 toward the air bag. Side Impact air bags would not
help you in many types d collisions, Including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
pnmanly because an occupant's motion is nol toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything imoie chan a aupplemeni to safety belts, and
then only In modfiTale to severe frontal or near-Fronlal
codisions (or the driver's and righi Iront passenger's
frontal air bags, and only in moderate to sevofo
sido collisions tor vehicles with a driver’s and right iront
passenger's side impaci air bag
1-56