2003 Oldsmobile Aurora Owner's Manual - Page 58

2003 Oldsmobile Aurora Manual

Page 58 highlights

When Should an Air Bag Inflate? The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate only if the impact speed is above the system's designed "threshold level". In addition, your vehicle has "dual stage" frontal air bags, which adjust the amount of restraint according to crash severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these air bags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn't move or deform, the threshold level for the reduced deployment is about 10 to 16 mph (18 to 26 km/h), and the threshold level for a full deployment is about 18 to 24 mph (29 to 38.5 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 driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags are not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts because inflation would not help the occupant. The side impact air bags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes. A side impact air bag will inflate if the crash severity is above the system's designed "threshold level". The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design. Side impact air bags are not designed to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. A side impact air bag will only deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck. 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. For frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact air bags, inflation is determined by the location and severity of the impact. 1-51

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When
Should
an
Air
Bag
Inflate?
The
driver’s
and
right front passenger’s frontal air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate
only
if
the
impact
speed is above the system’s
designed “threshold level”.
In addition,
your
vehicle
has “dual stage” frontal air
bags,
which
adjust
the
amount
of restraint according to
crash severity. For
moderate frontal impacts, these
air
bags inflate at
a level less than full deployment. For
more
severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
If the front of your
vehicle
goes straight into a wall that
doesn’t
move
or
deform, the threshold level for the
reduced
deployment is about
10
to
16
mph
(1
8
to
26
km/h),
and
the threshold level for
a full deployment
is about 18 to
24
mph
(29
to 38.5 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
driver’s
and right front passenger’s frontal
air
bags
are
not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear
impacts,
or in many
side impacts because inflation
would
not
help
the
occupant.
The side impact air bags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe side crashes.
A
side impact air bag
will inflate
if
the crash severity is above the system’s
designed “threshold level”. The threshold level can
vary
with specific vehicle design. Side impact air bags are
not designed to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
A
side impact air bag will only deploy
on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
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.
For frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in
frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, inflation is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
1-51