Seat Position Sensors
Vehicle’s with dual stage air bags are also equipped
with special sensors which enable the sensing system to
monitor the position of both the driver and passenger
front seats. The seat position sensor provides
information which is used to determine if the air bags
should deploy at a reduced level or at full deployment.
Single Stage Air Bags
If your vehicle has frontal air bags with single stage
deployment and your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that does not move or deform, the threshold level
is about 13 to 16 mph (20 to 25 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.
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-frontal collisions,
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
near-frontal collisions.
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Summary of Contents for Silverado 2004
Page 5: ...These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle v ...
Page 80: ...United States without Passenger Sensing System Canada with Passenger Sensing System 1 74 ...
Page 92: ... NOTES 1 86 ...
Page 167: ... NOTES 3 3 ...
Page 168: ...Instrument Panel Overview 3 4 ...
Page 202: ...Canada with Passenger Sensing System Canada without Passenger Sensing System 3 38 ...
Page 414: ...When you lift up the hood on the VORTEC 8100 V8 engine you will see the following 5 18 ...
Page 490: ...Removing the Spare Tire and Tools Regular Cab and Crew Cab Extended Cab 5 94 ...
Page 497: ...Front Position 2WD 1500 Series Front Position All Other Models 5 101 ...
Page 524: ...5 128 ...
Page 532: ... NOTES 5 136 ...
Page 550: ...Engine Drive Belt Routing V6 Engines V8 Engines 6 18 ...