Chevrolet 2002 Avalanche, Owner'S Manual

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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. For both
frontal and side impact air bags, 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, instrument panel and the side of the front
seatbacks closest to the door.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements 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 the frontal
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 the
air bag. Side impact air bags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including frontal or near frontal
collisions, rollovers, and rear 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 near
-
frontal collisions for the driver’s
and right front passenger’s frontal air bags, and only in
moderate to severe side collisions for the driver’s and
right front passenger’s side impact air bags.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates,
so quickly that some people may not even realize
the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag
module
--
the steering wheel hub for the driver’s air
bag, the instrument panel for the right front passenger’s
bag, the side of the seatback closest to the door for
the driver and right front passenger’s side impact
air bags
--
will be hot for a short time. The parts of
the bag that come into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke
and dust coming from the vents in the deflated air bags.
Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing
or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.