1996 Oldsmobile 88 Owner's Manual - Page 29

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 inflatingair bag must be kept clear. Don't put anything betweenan occupant andan air bag, and don't attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering. When shouldan air bag inflate? An a r bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe i a frontal or near-frontal crash. air bag will inflate The only if the impact speed above the system's designed is "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 kmk). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, that so it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, s as a parked car, the threshold level be higher.The will air bagis not designedto 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 ai bag should have inflated simply because damage of the to a vehicle or because what the repair costs were. of Inflation is determined by the angle the impact and of 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 vehiclein a crash. The sensing is system triggersa release of gas from the inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware are all part the air bag modules inside the of steering wheel and in the instrument panel in of the front right front passenger. 1-21