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2008 Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid Owner Manual M


Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Head Restraints ......................................... 1-2
Front Seats ............................................... 1-4
Rear Seats .............................................. 1-10
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-12
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-31
Airbag System ......................................... 1-53
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-70
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-7
Windows ................................................. 2-10
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-16
Mirrors .................................................... 2-31
OnStar® System ...................................... 2-33
Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-36
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-41
Sunroof .................................................. 2-44
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
.......................... 3-4
...................................... 3-18
........ 3-25
.................. 3-44
....................................... 3-59


Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators Driver Information Center (DIC) Audio System(s)


Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Towing


Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
........ 4-2
................................................... 4-28
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-39
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-41
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-46
Tires ...................................................... 5-47
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-79
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-87
Electrical System ...................................... 5-88
Capacities and Specifications ..................... 5-98
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
........... 7-2
........................... 7-13
........... 7-15
Index ................................................................ 1


Customer Assistance and Information Reporting Safety Defects Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy


Maintenance Schedule


Canadian Owners A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer/retailer or from:


Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com


Propriétaires Canadiens On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante:


Helm Incorporated P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
1-800-551-4123
www.helminc.com


SATURN, the SATURN Emblem, and the name VUE are registered trademarks of Saturn Corporation. GENERAL MOTORS and GM are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. Saturn reserves the right to make changes after that time without further notice. This manual describes features that may or may not be on your specific vehicle. Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.


Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 25812263 A First Printing


©2007 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


ii


About Driving Your Vehicle As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or an accident. Be sure to read the “on-pavement” and “off-road” driving guidelines in this manual. See Driving Your Vehicle on page 4-2.


Using this Manual Read this owner manual from beginning to end to learn about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures and words work together to explain things.


Index To quickly locate information about the vehicle use the Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the page number where it can be found.


Safety Warnings and Symbols There are a number of safety cautions in this book. A box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the warning.


{CAUTION:


These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people.


Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions.


A circle with a slash through it is a safety symbol which means “Do Not,” “Do Not do this” or “Do Not let this happen.”


iii


Vehicle Symbols The vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a specific component, control, message, gage, or indicator.


Vehicle Damage Warnings Notices are also used in this manual. Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by the vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.


iv


Section 1


Seats and Restraint Systems


Head Restraints ...............................................1-2
Front Seats ......................................................1-4
Manual Seats ................................................1-4
Seat Height Adjuster .......................................1-5
Power Seat ...................................................1-5
Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-6
Heated Seats .................................................1-6
Manual Reclining Seatbacks .............................1-7
Passenger Folding Seatback ............................1-9
Rear Seats .....................................................1-10
.................................1-10
Safety Belts ...................................................1-12
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-12
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-17
Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-25
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-30
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-30
Child Restraints .............................................1-31
Older Children ..............................................1-31
Infants and Young Children ............................1-34
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-37


Split Folding Rear Seat


Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-39
Lower Anchors and Tethers for


Children (LATCH) ......................................1-41


Securing a Child Restraint in a


Rear Seat Position ....................................1-47


Securing a Child Restraint in the


Right Front Seat Position ............................1-49
Airbag System ...............................................1-53
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-56
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-59
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-61
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-61
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-62
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-63
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-68
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped


Vehicle ....................................................1-68
Restraint System Check ..................................1-70
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-70
Replacing Restraint System Parts


After a Crash ............................................1-71


1-1


Head Restraints The vehicle’s front and rear seats have adjustable head restraints in the outboard seating positions.


{CAUTION:


With head restraints that are not installed and adjusted properly, there is a greater chance that occupants will suffer a neck/spinal injury in a crash. Do not drive until the head restraints for all occupants are installed and adjusted properly.


1-2


Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint is at the same height as the top of the occupant’s head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.


Pull the head restraint up to raise it. To lower the head restraint, press the button, located on the top of the seatback, and push the restraint down.


Push down on the head restraint after the button is released to make sure that it is locked in place. The vehicle’s head restraints are not designed to be removed. Active Head Restraint System The vehicle has an active head restraint system in the front outboard seating positions. These automatically tilt forward to reduce the risk of neck injury if the vehicle is hit from behind.


1-3


Front Seats


Manual Seats


{CAUTION:


You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving.


To move a manual seat forward or rearward:


1. Lift the bar to unlock


the seat.


2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the bar.


Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place.


1-4


Seat Height Adjuster


If your vehicle has a manual driver seat height adjuster, it is located on the outboard side of the seat near the front of the seat cushion.


Power Seat a: To adjust the seat:


Move the seat forward or rearward.


To raise the seat, move the lever upward repeatedly until the seat is at the desired height. To lower the seat, move the lever downward repeatedly until the seat is at the desired height.


Raise or lower the front or rear part of the seat cushion.


1-5


Manual Lumbar


If your vehicle has this feature, the knob is located on the inboard side of the driver’s seatback.


Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the lumbar support.


Heated Seats On vehicles with heated front seats the controls are located on the center console. To operate the heated seats the engine must be running.


M (Heated Seat): Press this button to turn on the heated seat. The light on the button will come on to indicate that the feature is working. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the heat to the seat off. Indicator lights show the level of heat selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. The passenger seat may take longer to heat up.


1-6


Manual Reclining Seatbacks


{CAUTION:


You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving.


{CAUTION:


If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.


Driver’s Seat shown, Passenger Seat similar


To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outboard side of the seat and move the seatback to the desired position. Then release the lever to lock the seatback in place. If the passenger’s seat is a flat folding seat, fully raise the lever to disengage the seatback.


1-7


{CAUTION:


Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their job when you are reclined like this. The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it will not be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash, the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.


Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.


1-8


Passenger Folding Seatback


{CAUTION:


If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inflating airbag might force that object toward a person. This could cause severe injury or even death. Secure objects away from the area in which an airbag would inflate. For more information, see Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-56 and Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-22.


{CAUTION:


Things you put on this seatback can strike and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash. Remove or secure all items before driving.


On vehicles with this feature, to fold the seatback: 1. Lower the head restraint all the way. 2. Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat as far back as it will go and release the bar. Try to move the seat back and forth to make sure it is locked into place.


3. Lift up fully on the recliner lever, located on the outboard side of the seat, and fold the seatback forward until it disengages.


1-9


{CAUTION:


If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.


3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is


locked in place.


The recliner lever is also used to recline the seatback while a passenger is seated. See Manual Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-7. Rear Seats Split Folding Rear Seat The rear split bench seatbacks can be folded forward, upright, or partially reclined, independent of the other seatback position.


4. Continue to fold the seat forward until it locks in


the folded position.


5. Pull up on the seatback to be sure it is locked. To raise the seatback, do the following: 1. Lift up fully on the recliner lever, located on the outboard side of the seat, and push up on the seatback.


2. Continue raising the seatback until the seatback


re-engages.


1-10


{CAUTION:


If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked.


{CAUTION:


A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted will not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted.


To fold the seatback down: Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat. 1. Unbuckle all three safety belts and put the front


seatback in an upright position.


2. Lift the lever located on the top of the seatback to


release the seatback and fold the seatback forward.


To recline the seatback: 1. Lift and hold the lever located on top of the seatback. 2. Tilt the seatback rearward, then release the lever.


1-11


Safety Belts


Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts.


{CAUTION:


Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you are not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from it and be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passenger(s) are restrained properly too.


1-12


{CAUTION:


It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly.


Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-28. In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why: You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter... a lot!


Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.


Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels.


Put someone on it.


1-13


Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop.


The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...


1-14


or the instrument panel...


or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense.


1-15


Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from


home, why should I wear safety belts?


A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in a crash — even one that is not your fault — you and your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good driver does not protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone.


Questions and Answers About Safety Belts


Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash


if I am wearing a safety belt?


A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety


belt or not. But your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down.


Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have


to wear safety belts?


A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they


work with safety belts — not instead of them. Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions.


1-16


How to Wear Safety Belts Properly This section is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-31
or Infants and Young Children on page 1-34. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. It is very important for all occupants to buckle up. Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety belt, there is important information you should know.


Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the floor in front of you. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones and you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash.


1-17


Q: What is wrong with this?


{CAUTION:


You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit snugly against your body.


A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as


much protection this way.


1-18


Q: What is wrong with this?


{CAUTION:


You can be seriously hurt if your lap belt is too loose. In a crash, you could slide under the lap belt and apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The lap belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs.


A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as


much protection this way.


1-19


Q: What is wrong with this?


{CAUTION:


You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not on the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.


A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.


1-20


Q: What is wrong with this?


A: The belt is over an armrest.


{CAUTION:


You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied on the abdomen, not on the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests.


1-21


Q: What is wrong with this?


{CAUTION:


You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest.


A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm.


It should be worn over the shoulder at all times.


1-22


Q: What is wrong with this?


A: The belt is behind the body.


{CAUTION:


You can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, you would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. Your body could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. You might also slide under the lap belt. The belt force would then be applied right on the abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest.


1-23


Q: What is wrong with this?


{CAUTION:


You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer/retailer to fix it.


A: The belt is twisted across the body.


1-24


Lap-Shoulder Belt All seating positions in your vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.


2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.


Do not let it get twisted. The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of a passenger belt out all the way, you may engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again. Engaging the child restraint locking feature may affect the passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-63.


3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.


Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-30. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary.


4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster,


move it to the height that is right for you. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later in this section.


1-25


5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the


shoulder belt. It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants.


To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way. When the safety belt is not in use, slide the latch plate up the safety belt webbing. The latch plate should rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near the guide loop on the side wall. Before you close a door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle.


1-26


Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster Your vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.


To move it up or down, squeeze the release buttons (A) together and move the height adjuster to the desired position.


Safety Belt Pretensioners Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front outboard occupants. Although you cannot see them, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal, or rear crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. And, if your vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash or a rollover event. Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a crash, you will need to get new ones, and probably other new parts for your safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-71.


After you move the height adjuster to where you want it, try to move it up or down without squeezing the release buttons to make sure it has locked into position.


1-27


Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide for each outboard passenger position in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort guide to the safety belt: 1. Remove the guide from its storage location,


which is a pocket on the side of the seat.


2. Place the guide over the belt, and insert the


two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.


1-28


3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat.


The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top.


{CAUTION:


A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.


4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described previously in this section. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder.


To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that you can take them out of the guide. Store the comfort guide in its storage location, which is a pocket on the side of the seat.


1-29


Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.


The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly.


Safety Belt Extender If the safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be long enough for you. To help avoid personal injury, do not let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat it is made to fit. The extender has been designed for adults. Never use it for securing child seats. To wear it, attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender.


A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.


1-30


Child Restraints


Older Children


The manufacturer’s instructions that come with the booster seat state the weight and height limitations for that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until the child passes the below fit test: (cid:127) Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the knees


bend at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.


(cid:127) Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder


belt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-25 for more information. If the shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the booster seat. (cid:127) Does the lap belt fit low and snug on the hips,


touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.


Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts.


(cid:127) Can proper safety belt fit be maintained for


the length of the trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.


1-31


{CAUTION:


Never do this. Here two children are wearing the same belt. The belt cannot properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A belt must be used by only one person at a time.


Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts? A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt and


get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should fit snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic bones in a crash. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash.


Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-25. According to accident statistics, children and infants are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating positions. In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts properly.


1-32


{CAUTION:


Never do this. Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind the child. In a crash, the child would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. The child might slide under the lap belt. The belt force would then be applied right on the abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. The child could also move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest.


1-33


Infants and Young Children Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle.


{CAUTION:


Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Never leave children unattended in a vehicle and never allow children to play with the safety belts.


Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate restraints. Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. In addition, young children should not use the vehicle’s adult safety belts alone; they need to use a child restraint.


{CAUTION:


People should never hold an infant in their arms while riding in a vehicle. An infant does not weigh much — until a crash. During a crash an infant will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it. For example, in a crash at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) infant will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force on a person’s arms. An infant should be secured in an appropriate restraint.


1-34


CAUTION:


(Continued)


Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide.


{CAUTION:


Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer protection for adults and older children, but not for young children and infants.


CAUTION:


(Continued)


1-35


{CAUTION:


Newborn infants need complete support, including support for the head and neck. This is necessary because a newborn infant’s neck is weak and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into the restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed across the strongest part of an infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants should always be secured in appropriate infant restraints.


Q: What are the different types of add-on child


restraints?


A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the


vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types. Selection of a particular restraint should take into consideration not only the child’s weight, height, and age but also whether or not the restraint will be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will be used. For most basic types of child restraints, there are many different models available. When purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come with the restraint state the weight and height limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition, there are many kinds of restraints available for children with special needs.


1-36


{CAUTION:


The body structure of a young child is quite unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom the safety belts are designed. A young child’s hip bones are still so small that the vehicle’s regular safety belt may not remain low on the hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settle up around the child’s abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply force on a body area that is unprotected by any bony structure. This alone could cause serious or fatal injuries. Young children should always be secured in appropriate child restraints.


Child Restraint Systems


A rear-facing infant seat (A) provides restraint with the seating surface against the back of the infant.


The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.


A forward-facing child seat (B) provides restraint for the child’s body with the harness.


1-37


Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in the Vehicle


{CAUTION:


A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child restraint is properly installed in the vehicle using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH system, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual.


A booster seat (C-D) is a child restraint designed to improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window.


1-38


To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH system. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-41 for more information. A child can be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to the instructions that come with the restraint which may be on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this manual. The child restraint instructions are important, so if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy from the manufacturer. Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no child is in it.


Securing the Child Within the Child Restraint


{CAUTION:


A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Because there are different systems, it is important to refer to the instructions that come with the restraint. Make sure the child is properly secured, following the instructions that came with that restraint.


Where to Put the Restraint Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. We recommend that children and child restraints be secured in a rear seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children, who are large enough, using safety belts.


1-39


A label on the sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.


CAUTION:


(Continued)


{CAUTION:


A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. Rear-facing child restraints should be secured in a rear seat, even if the airbag is off.


CAUTION:


(Continued)


If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-63
for additional information.


If the vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, a rear-facing child restraint should not be installed in the vehicle, even if the airbag is off. When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with your child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. Wherever you install a child restraint, be sure to secure the child restraint properly. Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no child is in it.


1-40


Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) The LATCH system holds a child restraint during driving or in a crash. This system is designed to make installation of a child restraint easier. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint that are made for use with the LATCH system. Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual. When installing a child restraint with a top tether, you must also use either the lower anchors or the safety belts to properly secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed using only the top tether and anchor. In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you need a child restraint that has LATCH attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child restraint and its attachments. The following explains how to attach a child restraint with these attachments in your vehicle. Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors and attachments.


Lower Anchors


Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position that will accommodate a child restraint with lower attachments (B).


1-41


Top Tether Anchor


A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child restraint to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into the vehicle. The top tether attachment (B) on the child restraint connects to the top tether anchor in the vehicle in order to reduce the forward movement and rotation of the child restraint during driving or in a crash. Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or a dual tether (C). Either will have a single attachment (B) to secure the top tether to the anchor.


1-42


Some child restraints that have top tethers are designed for use with or without the top tether being attached. Others require the top tether always to be attached. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for your child restraint. If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints. Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit is available. Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor Locations


i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors.


j (Lower Anchor): Seating positions with two lower anchors.


Rear Seat


To assist you in locating the lower anchors, each seating position with lower anchors has two labels, near the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion.


To assist you in locating the top tether anchors, the top tether anchor symbol is located near the top tether anchors.


The top tether anchors are located on the back of the rear seatback. Be sure to use an anchor located on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed.


Do not secure a child restraint in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be attached, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be attached. Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-39 for additional information.


1-43


Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System


{CAUTION:


{CAUTION:


If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to anchors, the restraint will not be able to protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be seriously injured or killed. Make sure that a LATCH-type child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual.


Each top tether anchor and lower anchor in the vehicle is designed to hold only one child restraint. Attaching more than one child restraint to a single anchor could cause the anchor or attachment to come loose or even break during a crash. A child or others could be injured if this happens. To help prevent injury to people and damage to your vehicle, attach only one child restraint per anchor.


1-44


{CAUTION:


Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Secure any unused safety belts behind the child restraint so children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock, if your vehicle has one, after the child restraint has been installed. Be sure to follow the instructions of the child restraint manufacturer.


Notice: Contact between the child restraint LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety belt assembly may cause damage to these parts. Make sure when securing unused safety belts behind the child restraint that there is no contact between the child restraint LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety belt assembly.


Folding an empty rear seat with the safety belts secured may cause damage to the safety belt or the seat. When removing the child restraint, always remember to return the safety belts to their normal, stowed position before folding the rear seat. 1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the


lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have lower attachments or the desired seating position does not have lower anchors, secure the child restraint with the top tether and the safety belts. Refer to your child restraint manufacturer instructions and the instructions in this manual.


1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired


seating position.


1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child restraint to the lower anchors.


1-45


2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that


the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped. Refer to the child restraint instructions and the following steps:


2.1. Find the top tether anchor. 2.2. Route, attach, and tighten the top tether


according to your child restraint instructions and the following instructions:


If the position you are using does not have a headrest or head restraint and you are using a single tether, route the tether over the seatback.


If the position you are using does not have a headrest or head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether over the seatback.


If the position you are using has an adjustable headrest or head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether around the headrest or head restraint.


1-46


If the position you are using has an adjustable headrest or head restraint and you are using a single tether, raise the headrest or head restraint and route the tether under the headrest or head restraint and in between the headrest or head restraint posts.


3. Push and pull the child restraint in different


directions to be sure it is secure.


Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with your child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle.


If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-41 for how and where to install your child restraint using LATCH. If you secure a child restraint using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-41 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child restraint in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the safety belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say.


1-47


If you need to install more than one child restraint in the rear seat, be sure to read Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-39. 1. Put the child restraint on the seat. 2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder


portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.


3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary.


1-48


4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of


the retractor to set the lock.


5. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,


pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt, and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.


6. If your child restraint has a top tether, follow the


child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-41
for more information.


7. Push and pull the child restraint in different


directions to be sure it is secure.


To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it.


Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position Your vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-39. In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing system which is designed to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-63
and Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-30
for more information on this, including important safety information.


1-49


A label on your sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.


CAUTION:


(Continued)


{CAUTION:


A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. Rear-facing child restraints should be secured in a rear seat, even if the airbag is off.


CAUTION:


(Continued)


If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-63
for additional information.


If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, we recommend that rear-facing child restraints not be transported in your vehicle, even if the airbag is off. If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-41 for how to install your child restraint using LATCH. If you secure a child restraint using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-41
for top tether anchor locations.


1-50


Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. 1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before


securing the forward-facing child restraint. When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator on the passenger airbag status indicator should light and stay lit when you start the vehicle. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-30.


2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.


4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.


Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary.


1-51


5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of


the retractor to set the lock.


1-52


6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,


pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.


7. If your vehicle does not have a rear seat and your


child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-41 for more information.


8. Push and pull the child restraint in different


directions to be sure it is secure.


If the airbag is off, the off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator will come on and stay on when the vehicle is started. If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens, adjust the head restraint. Remove any additional material from the seat such as blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters or seat massagers before reinstalling or securing the child restraint. If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and check with your dealer/retailer. If no rear seat is available, do not install a child restraint in this vehicle and check with your dealer/retailer. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it.


Airbag System Your vehicle has the following airbags: (cid:127) A frontal airbag for the driver. (cid:127) A frontal airbag for the right front passenger. (cid:127) A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the driver. (cid:127) A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the


right front passenger.


(cid:127) A roof-rail airbag for the driver and the passenger


seated directly behind the driver.


(cid:127) A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger and the passenger seated directly behind the right front passenger.


All of the airbags in your vehicle will have the word AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label near the deployment opening. For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and on the instrument panel for the right front passenger. With seat-mounted side impact airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the side of the seatback closest to the door. With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear along the headliner or trim.


1-53


Here are the most important things to know about the airbag system:


{CAUTION:


You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if you are not wearing your safety belt — even if you have airbags. Wearing your safety belt during a crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Airbags are “supplemental restraints” to the safety belts. All airbags are designed to work with safety belts, but do not replace them.


If your vehicle does not have a right front passenger seat, the frontal passenger airbag is disabled. The frontal passenger airbag is still in the vehicle, but it should not deploy in a crash. Even if the airbag is disabled, do not place cargo in front of this or any airbag.


{CAUTION:


Be sure that cargo is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inflating airbag might force that object toward a person. This could cause severe injury or even death. Secure objects away from the area in which an airbag would inflate. For more information, see Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-56 and Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-22.


Airbags are designed to supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Even though today’s airbags are also designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inflating bag, all airbags must inflate very quickly to do their job.


1-54


{CAUTION:


{CAUTION:


Frontal airbags are designed to deploy in moderate to severe frontal and near frontal crashes. They are not designed to inflate in rollover, rear crashes, or in many side crashes. Seat-mounted side impact airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe crashes where something hits the side of your vehicle. They are not designed to inflate in frontal, in rollover, or in rear crashes. Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe crashes where something hits the side of your vehicle, during a vehicle rollover, or in a severe frontal impact. They are not designed to inflate in rear crashes. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person.


Airbags inflate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily close to the airbag, as you would be if you were sitting on the edge of your seat or leaning forward. Safety belts help keep you in position before and during a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with airbags. The driver should sit as far back as possible while still maintaining control of the vehicle. Occupants should not lean on or sleep against the door or side windows in seating positions with seat-mounted side impact airbags and/or roof-rail airbags.


1-55


Where Are the Airbags?


{CAUTION:


Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer the best protection for adults, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide. Always secure children properly in your vehicle. To read how, see Older Children on page 1-31 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-34.


There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument panel cluster, which shows the airbag symbol.


The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the steering wheel.


The system checks the airbag electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-29
for more information.


1-56


The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the instrument panel on the passenger’s side.


Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar


The seat-mounted side impact airbags for the driver and right front passenger are in the side of the seatbacks closest to the door.


1-57


{CAUTION:


If something is between an occupant and an airbag, the airbag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into that person causing severe injury or even death. The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put anything between an occupant and an airbag, and do not attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other airbag covering. Do not use seat accessories that block the inflation path of a seat-mounted side impact airbag. If your vehicle has roof-rail airbags, never secure anything to the roof of your vehicle by routing the rope or tie down through any door or window opening. If you do, the path of an inflating roof-rail airbag will be blocked.


Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar


The roof-rail airbags for the driver, right front passenger, and second row outboard passengers are in the ceiling above the side windows.


1-58


When Should an Airbag Inflate? Frontal airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes to help reduce the potential for severe injuries mainly to the driver’s or right front passenger’s head and chest. However, they are only designed to inflate if the impact exceeds a predetermined deployment threshold. Deployment thresholds are used to predict how severe a crash is likely to be in time for the airbags to inflate and help restrain the occupants. Whether your frontal airbags will or should deploy is not based on how fast your vehicle is traveling. It depends largely on what you hit, the direction of the impact, and how quickly your vehicle slows down.


Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash speeds. For example: (cid:127) If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits a moving object.


(cid:127) If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the


airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits an object that does not deform. (cid:127) If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole), the


airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits a wide object (like a wall). (cid:127) If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle, the


airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle goes straight into the object.


Thresholds can also vary with specific vehicle design.


1-59


Frontal airbags are not intended to inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts. In addition, your vehicle has dual-stage frontal airbags. Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint according to crash severity. Your vehicle has electronic frontal sensors, which help the sensing system distinguish between a moderate frontal impact and a more severe frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, dual-stage airbags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. Your vehicle has seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags. See Airbag System on page 1-53. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are intended to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes. In addition, these roof-rail airbags are intended to inflate during a rollover or in a severe frontal impact. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags will inflate if the crash severity is above the system’s designed threshold level. The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design.


Seat-mounted side impact airbags are not intended to inflate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. Roof-rail airbags are not intended to inflate in rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck. Both roof-rail airbags will deploy when either side of the vehicle is struck, or if the sensing system predicts that the vehicle is about to roll over, or in a severe frontal impact. In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag should have inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down. For seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags, deployment is determined by the location and severity of the side impact. In a rollover event, roof-rail airbag deployment is determined by the direction of the roll.


1-60


What Makes an Airbag Inflate? In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator, the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the airbag module. Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to the door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there are airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows that have occupant seating positions.


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. In moderate to severe side collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside of the vehicle.


Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body. Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help contain the head and chest of occupants in the outboard seating positions in the first and second rows. The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover events, although no system can prevent all such ejections. But airbags would not help in many types of collisions, primarily because the occupant’s motion is not toward those airbags. See When Should an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-59 for more information. Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts.


1-61


What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact airbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so quickly that some people may not even realize an airbag inflated. Roof-rail airbags may still be at least partially inflated for some time after they deploy. Some components of the airbag module may be hot for several minutes. For location of the airbag modules, see What Makes an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-61. The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may 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 prevent people from leaving the vehicle.


1-62


{CAUTION:


When an airbag inflates, there may be 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 cannot get out of the vehicle after an airbag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you experience breathing problems following an airbag deployment, you should seek medical attention.


Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and turn the hazard warning flashers on when the airbags inflate. You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off, and turn the hazard warning flashers off by using the controls for those features. You must first, however, turn your ignition key to the following ignition switch positions: 1. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF. 2. Turn the ignition key to ON/RUN.


In many crashes severe enough to inflate the airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger airbag. (cid:127) Airbags are designed to inflate only once. After an


airbag inflates, you will need some new parts for the airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag system will not be there to help protect you in another crash. A new system will include airbag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.


(cid:127) Your vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic module which records information after a crash. See Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy on page 7-15 and Event Data Recorders on page 7-15.


(cid:127) Let only qualified technicians work on the airbag


systems. Improper service can mean that an airbag system will not work properly. See your dealer/retailer for service.


Passenger Sensing System If your vehicle has a right front passenger seat, your vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the right front passenger position. The passenger airbag status indicator will be visible on the instrument panel when you start your vehicle.


United States


Canada


The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off, will be visible during the system check. When the system check is complete, either the word ON or the word OFF, or the symbol for on or off, will be visible. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-30. The passenger sensing system will turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions. The driver airbags are not part of the passenger sensing system.


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The passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of the right front passenger seat and safety belt. The sensors are designed to detect the presence of a properly-seated occupant and determine if the right front passenger frontal airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or not. Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. We recommend that children be secured in a rear seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children, who are large enough, using safety belts. A label on your sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.


{CAUTION:


A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. Rear-facing child restraints should be secured in a rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat.


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If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, we recommend that rear-facing child restraints not be transported in your vehicle, even if the airbag is off. The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag if: (cid:127) The right front passenger seat is unoccupied. (cid:127) The system determines that an infant is present in


a rear-facing infant seat.


(cid:127) The system determines that a small child is present


in a child restraint.


(cid:127) The system determines that a small child is present


in a booster seat.


(cid:127) A right front passenger takes his/her weight off of


the seat for a period of time.


(cid:127) The right front passenger seat is occupied by a


smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown child restraints.


(cid:127) Or, if there is a critical problem with the airbag


system or the passenger sensing system.


When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is off. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-30.


If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions and refer to Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position on page 1-49. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens, adjust the head restraint. See Head Restraints on page 1-2. Remove any additional material from the seat such as blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers before reinstalling or securing the child restraint. If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle, and check with your dealer/retailer. If no rear seat is available, do not install a child restraint in this vehicle, and check with your dealer/retailer. The passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate) the right front passenger frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the right front passenger seat.


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When the passenger sensing system has allowed the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is active. For some children who have outgrown child restraints and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system may or may not turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag, depending upon the person’s seating posture and body build. Everyone in your vehicle who has outgrown child restraints should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person. If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front passenger seat, but the off indicator is lit, it could be because that person is not sitting properly in the seat. If this happens, turn the vehicle off, remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters or seat massagers and ask the person to place the seatback in the fully upright position, then sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the person’s legs comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for two to three minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person and then enable the right front passenger frontal airbag.


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Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger airbag status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child Restraints” in the Index for additional information about the importance of proper restraint use.


If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. This may unintentionally cause the passenger sensing system to turn the airbag(s) off for some adult size occupants. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again.


{CAUTION:


If the airbag readiness light in the instrument panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it means that something may be wrong with the airbag system. If this ever happens, have the vehicle serviced promptly, because an adult-size person sitting in the right front passenger’s seat may not have the protection of the airbag(s). See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-29 for more on this, including important safety information.


A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect how well the passenger sensing system operates. We recommend that you not use seat covers or other aftermarket equipment other than any that GM has approved for your specific vehicle. See Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-68 for more information about modifications that can affect how the system operates.


{CAUTION:


Stowing of articles under the passenger’s seat or between the passenger’s seat cushion and seatback may interfere with the proper operation of the passenger sensing system.


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Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle


Q: Is there anything I might add to or change


about the vehicle that could keep the airbags from working properly?


A: Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s frame, bumper system, height, front end or side sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from working properly. Changing or moving any parts of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing and diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument panel, roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner or pillar garnish trim, front sensors, side impact sensors, rollover sensor module, or airbag wiring can affect the operation of the airbag system.


Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced. There are parts of the airbag system in several places around your vehicle. Your dealer/retailer and the service manual have information about servicing your vehicle and the airbag system. To purchase a service manual, see Service Publications Ordering Information on page 7-14.


{CAUTION:


For up to 10 seconds after the ignition is turned off and the battery is disconnected, an airbag can still inflate during improper service. You can be injured if you are close to an airbag when it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors. They are probably part of the airbag system. Be sure to follow proper service procedures, and make sure the person performing work for you is qualified to do so.


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In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the right front passenger’s position, which includes sensors that are part of the passenger’s seat. The passenger sensing system may not operate properly if the original seat trim is replaced with non-GM covers, upholstery or trim, or with GM covers, upholstery or trim designed for a different vehicle. Any object, such as an aftermarket seat heater or a comfort enhancing pad or device, installed under or on top of the seat fabric, could also interfere with the operation of the passenger sensing system. This could either prevent proper deployment of the passenger airbag(s) or prevent the passenger sensing system from properly turning off the passenger airbag(s). See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-63. If you have any questions about this, you should contact Customer Assistance before you modify your vehicle. The phone numbers and addresses for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.


If your vehicle has rollover roof-rail airbags, see Different Size Tires and Wheels on page 5-62
for additional important information.


Q: Because I have a disability, I have to get my vehicle modified. How can I find out whether this will affect my airbag system?


A: If you have questions, call Customer Assistance. The phone numbers and addresses for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.


In addition, your dealer/retailer and the service manual have information about the location of the airbag sensors, sensing and diagnostic module and airbag wiring.


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Airbags The airbag system does not need regularly scheduled maintenance or replacement. Make sure the airbag readiness light is working. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-29 for more information. Notice: or broken, the airbag may not work properly. Do not open or break the airbag coverings. If there are any opened or broken airbag covers, have the airbag covering and/or airbag module replaced. For the location of the airbag modules, see What Makes an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-61. See your dealer/retailer for service.


If an airbag covering is damaged, opened,


Restraint System Check


Checking the Restraint Systems Safety Belts Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing its job, have it repaired. Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away. Make sure the safety belt reminder light is working. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-28 for more information. Keep safety belts clean and dry. See Care of Safety Belts on page 5-81.


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Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash


{CAUTION:


A crash can damage the restraint systems in your vehicle. A damaged restraint system

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