Chevrolet TRACKER 2002 Owner's Manual page 36

When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
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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 13 mph (14 to 21 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, rear impacts, or in many side 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
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or near frontal impacts.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See "Off
Driving" in the Index for more tips on off
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
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 many 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
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road usage.
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near
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Road
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road driving.
frontal collisions.
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frontal collisions,
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