Pontiac g8 User Manual

2009 Pontiac G8 Owner Manual M

Seats and Restraints

Front Seats Rear Seats Safety Belts Airbag System Child Restraints

.................... 1-2

.................... 1-5

................... 1-5

.............. 1-20

............. 1-34

Keys, Doors and Windows

Keys Doors and Locks Theft-Deterrent

Windows Mirrors Sunroof

Storage

............................ 2-1

............................. 2-2

............ 2-8

Systems

................... 2-11

...................... 2-14

......................... 2-16

........................ 2-18

.............................. 3-1

......................... 3-1

Instruments and Controls

Instrument Panel

Warning Lights, Gages, and

............................. 4-1

Overview

Indicators

.................... 4-2

.................. 4-10

......... 1-1

Driver Information

Center (DIC)

OnStar

Lighting

System

............................. 5-1

......................... 5-1

Infotainment

Audio System(s)

Climate Controls

............. 4-22

............ 4-35

...................... 6-1

............. 6-1

............... 7-1

............. 7-1

Driving and Operating

Starting and Operating

Your Vehicle Driving Your Vehicle Fuel

............................ 8-34

............... 8-2

Vehicle Service and Care

Service Owner Checks Headlamp Aiming Bulb Replacement Electrical System Tires

............................ 9-1

.......................... 9-2

................ 9-5

.......... 9-28

......... 9-31

........... 9-36

........................... 9-42

....... 8-1

...... 8-16

Tire Changing Jump Starting Towing Appearance Care

Technical Data

Vehicle Identiﬁcation Capacities and

Speciﬁcations

............... 9-66

............... 9-84

........................ 9-88

.......... 9-95

................. 10-1

............ 10-2

Service and Maintenance

Service and

Maintenance

..................... 11-1

.............. 11-1

Customer Information

Customer Information Reporting Safety

Defects

Vehicle Data Recording

and Privacy

Index

....................................i-1

................... 12-14

............. 12-16

...... 10-1

...... 12-1

..... 12-1

ii Preface

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, PONTIAC, the PONTIAC Emblem, are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation, and the name G8 is a trademark of General Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. GM reserves the right to make changes after that time without further notice. For vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Pontiac Division wherever it appears in this manual.

Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 92213381 A First Printing

This manual describes features that may or may not be on your speciﬁc vehicle.

Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols, and words work together to explain vehicle operation.

Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.

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 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 helminc.com

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.

Preface iii

Cautions and Notices

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.”

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 notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle.

Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your 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.

There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use the same words, CAUTION or Notice.

iv Preface

✍ NOTES

Seats and Restraints 1-1

Seats and Restraints

Front Seats

Front Seats Manual Seats Power Seat(s) Lumbar Seat Adjustment Reclining Seatbacks Head Restraints Heated Seats

Rear Seats

Rear Seat Operation

Safety Belts

Safety Belts How to Wear Safety

Belts Properly Lap-Shoulder Belt Safety Belt Use During

Pregnancy Safety Belt Extender

........................1-2

.....................1-2

..................1-4

.....................1-5

........................1-5

...................1-8

.............1-14

.......................1-18

....1-2

...........1-3

...........1-5

.........1-18

Safety Belt Check

.............1-18

Care of Safety Belts Replacing Safety Belt

System Parts After a Crash

...........................1-19

Airbag System

Airbag System Where Are the Airbags? When Should an Airbag

Inﬂate?

What Makes an Airbag

Inﬂate?

How Does an Airbag

Restrain?

What Will You See After

an Airbag Inﬂates?

Passenger Sensing

System

Servicing Your

Airbag-Equipped Vehicle

Adding Equipment to

Your Airbag-Equipped

Vehicle Airbag System Check Replacing Airbag System

Parts After a Crash

..................1-20

............................1-23

............................1-25

........................1-25

..........1-25

............................1-27

............................1-31

............................1-32

.........1-19

....1-22

.......1-33

.........1-33

Child Restraints

Older Children Infants and Young

Children Child Restraint Systems Where to Put the

Restraint Lower Anchors and

Tethers for Children

(LATCH) Replacing LATCH System

Parts After a Crash Securing Child Restraints

(Rear Seat) Securing Child Restraints

(Right Front Seat)

..................1-34

..........................1-36

.........................1-40

..........................1-42

...........1-47

......................1-48

............1-50

....1-39

1-2 Seats and Restraints

Front Seats

A. Head Restraints on page 1-4. B. Lumbar Seat Adjustment

on page 1-2.

C. Reclining Seatbacks on

page 1-3. D. Power Seat(s) on page 1-2. E. Manual Seats on page 1-2.

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 adjust a manual seat:

1. Lift the bar (E) to unlock the seat.

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

Try to move the seat to be sure it is locked in place.

Power Seat(s)

• Move the seat forward or

rearward by moving the control (D) forward or rearward.

• Move the whole seat up or down

by moving the control up or down.

• Tilt the seat by turning the control

forward or rearward.

Lumbar Seat Adjustment

Adjust the lumbar support (B) by turning the control forward or rearward.

Seats and Restraints 1-3

Reclining Seatbacks

{ CAUTION

You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust the 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

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.

(Continued)

CAUTION (Continued)

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.

Adjust the reclining seatback by turning the knob (C). Do not lean on the seatback while adjusting it.

1-4 Seats and Restraints

Head Restraints

The front seats have adjustable head restraints in the outboard seating positions.

The rear seats have head rests in the outboard seating positions. They are not adjustable.

{ 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.

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.

Seats and Restraints 1-5

Heated Seats

On vehicles with heated front seats, the controls are located on the center console. To operate the heated seats the ignition must be on.

L (Heated Seat): Press to turn on

the heated seat.

A light indicates that the feature is working. The number of indicator lights shows the level of heat selected: one for low, two for medium, and three for high. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings and to turn the heat off.

Rear Seats

Rear Seat Operation

The center seatback folds forward to allow access to the trunk.

Press the button at the top of the seatback to release it, then fold it forward.

Lift the seatback to return it to the sitting position. Move the safety belt out of the way, and push the seatback until it is locked in place.

Safety Belts

This section of the manual describes how to use safety belts properly. It also describes some things not to do with safety belts.

{ CAUTION

Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can 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.

1-6 Seats and Restraints

{ 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.

This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 4-12 for additional information.

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 safety 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.

Seats and Restraints 1-7

Put someone on it.

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...

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.

1-8 Seats and Restraints

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts

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.

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.

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 infants. If a child will be riding in the vehicle, see Older Children on

page 1-34 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-36. 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.

Seats and Restraints 1-9

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.

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose.

It will not give as much protection this way.

{ 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.

1-10 Seats and Restraints

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The lap belt is too loose. It will

not give nearly as much protection this way.

{ CAUTION

Q: What is wrong with this?

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 belt is buckled in the wrong

buckle.

Seats and Restraints 1-11

{ 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.

Q: What is wrong with this?

{ 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.

A: The belt is over an armrest.

1-12 Seats and Restraints

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is worn under

the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times.

{ 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.

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The belt is behind the body.

Seats and Restraints 1-13

{ 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.

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.

1-14 Seats and Restraints

Lap-Shoulder Belt

All seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt.

The following instructions explain 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 the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint locking feature may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again.

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 1-18.

Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.

Seats and Restraints 1-15

4. 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, push the button on the buckle. The belt should return to its stowed position.

Slide the latch plate up the safety belt webbing, when the safety belt is not in use. The latch plate should rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near the guide loop on the side wall.

Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt, damage can occur to both the safety belt and the vehicle.

Safety Belt Pretensioners

This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the front outboard occupants. Although the safety belt pretensioners cannot be seen, 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 or near frontal crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met.

And, if the vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash.

Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced and probably other new parts for the safety belt system. See Replacing Safety Belt System Parts After a Crash on page 1-19.

1-16 Seats and Restraints

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 shoulder 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. Pull the elastic cord out from the side of the seatback to remove the guide from its storage pocket.

2. Place the guide over the belt and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.

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.

Seats and Restraints 1-17

{ 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.

To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that the safety belt can be removed from the guide. Push the guide into the pocket on the side of the seatback.

Properly secure the guide loop before folding the seatback. The comfort guide and vehicle can be damaged while closing a door if it is not properly secured in its storage location.

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

1-18 Seats and Restraints

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.

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.

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.

Safety Belt Check

Now and then, check the safety belt reminder light, safety belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other loose or damaged safety belt system parts that might keep a safety belt system from doing its job. See your dealer/retailer to 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 4-12 for more information.

Keep safety belts clean and dry. See Care of Safety Belts on page 1-19.

Seats and Restraints 1-19

Care of Safety Belts

Keep belts clean and dry.

{ CAUTION

Do not bleach or dye safety belts. If you do, it may severely weaken them. In a crash, they might not be able to provide adequate protection. Clean safety belts only with mild soap and lukewarm water.

Replacing Safety Belt System Parts After

a Crash

{ CAUTION

A crash can damage the safety belt system in the vehicle. A damaged safety belt system may not properly protect the person using it, resulting in serious injury or even death in a crash. To help make sure the safety belt systems are working properly after a crash, have them inspected and any necessary replacements made as soon as possible.

After a minor crash, replacement of safety belts may not be necessary. But the safety belt assemblies that were used during any crash may have been stressed or damaged. See your dealer/retailer to have the safety belt assemblies inspected or replaced.

New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the safety belt system was not being used at the time of the crash.

Have the safety belt pretensioners checked if the vehicle has been in a crash, or if the airbag readiness light stays on after you start the vehicle or while you are driving. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 4-13.

1-20 Seats and Restraints

Airbag System

The vehicle has the following airbags:

• A frontal airbag for the driver.

• A frontal airbag for the right front

passenger.

• A seat-mounted side impact

airbag for the driver.

• A seat-mounted side impact

airbag for the right front passenger.

• A roof-rail airbag for the driver and

the passenger seated directly behind the driver.

• A roof-rail airbag for the right front

passenger and the passenger seated directly behind the right front passenger.

All of the airbags in the 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.

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.

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. Airbags are designed to work with safety belts, but do not replace them. Also, airbags are not designed to deploy in every crash. In some crashes safety belts are your only restraint. See When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? on page 1-23.

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. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person.

Seats and Restraints 1-21

{ CAUTION

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.

{ 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. 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 1-34 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-36.

There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument panel cluster, which shows the airbag symbol. 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 4-13 for more information.

1-22 Seats and Restraints

Where Are the Airbags?

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

The right front passenger 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.

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

{ 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.

Never secure anything to the roof of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags by routing a rope or tie down through any door or window opening. If you do, the path of an inﬂating roof-rail airbag will be blocked.

Seats and Restraints 1-23

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 the 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:

• If the vehicle hits a stationary

object, the airbags could inﬂate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits a moving object.

• 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.

• 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).

• 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.

Frontal airbags are not intended to inﬂate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.

1-24 Seats and Restraints

In addition, the vehicle has dual-stage frontal airbags. Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint according to crash severity. The 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.

The vehicle has seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags. See Airbag System on page 1-20.

Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are intended to inﬂate in moderate to severe side crashes. 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 and roof-rail airbags are not intended to inﬂate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.

A roof-rail airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.

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.

Seats and Restraints 1-25

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.

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 1-23 for more information.

Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts.

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 1-25.

1-26 Seats and Restraints

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.

{ 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

(Continued)

CAUTION (Continued)

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.

The 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.

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.

• 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.

• The vehicle has a crash sensing

and diagnostic module which records information after a crash. See Vehicle Data Recording and

Privacy on page 12-16 and Event Data Recorders on page 12-16.

• 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.

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