Chevrolet 2002 Camaro Owner's Manual page 29

CAUTION:
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 causing severe
injury or even death. 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 12 to 18 mph (19 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,
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 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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