GMC 2007 Sierra - Manual (Page 98)

How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the
steering wheel or the instrument panel. The airbag
supplements the protection provided by safety
belts. Airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But airbags
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 airbags. Airbags 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.
What Will You See After an Airbag
Inflates?
After an airbag inflates, it quickly deflates, so
quickly that some people may not even realize the
airbag inflated. Some components of the airbag
module — the steering wheel hub for the driver’s
airbag or the instrument panel for the right
front passenger’s bag — may be hot for a short
time. The parts of the airbag 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 airbags. Airbag
inflation does not prevent the driver from seeing
out of the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving
the vehicle.
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