Description & Operation: Notes

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Pontiac Bonneville and 2002 Buick LeSabre. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: Accidental air bag deployment is possible. Personal injury may result. Read and follow all WARNINGS and AIR BAG SAFETY PRECAUTIONS before working on air bag system or related components.

Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (SIR) system is designed to supplement protection provided by driver-side and passenger-side seat belts. A frontal crash of sufficient force up to 30 degrees off center line of vehicle will deploy driver-side and passenger-side air bag modules. Steering column and knee bolsters below instrument panel also absorb crash energy. Driver-side and passenger-side air bag modules are dual stage air bag modules. Stage 1 will deploy during moderate frontal collisions. More severe frontal collisions will result in a full stage deployment, where both Stage 1 and Stage 2 sections of air bag module are deployed.

Side impact air bag system supplements protection offered by doors and vehicle structure. When a side impact of sufficient force occurs, side impact air bag system deploys a single stage air bag module from driver or front passenger's seat on side of impact.

SIR system consists of Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM), driver-side and passenger-side dual stage air bag modules, left and right side impact air bag modules, left and right Side Impact Sensors (SIS), SIR coil assembly, Electronic Frontal Sensor (EFS) and AIR BAG warning light.