What will you see after an air bag inflates?; When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.; This dust could cause breathing problems for- Page 40

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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

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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 side impact air bag.

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’s side impact
air bag 

--

 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.

CAUTION:

When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or a door.

In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.

D

Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag inflates, you’ll need some new parts for your
air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air bag
system won’t be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include air bag modules
and possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.