1-31or 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's why
safety belts make such good sense. Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts --
and the Answers
Q: Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I'm wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be
-- whether you're wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you're upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have
to wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts
-- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you're in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That's true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
1-46 When should an air bag inflate?
The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or
near
- frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system's designed
ªthreshold level.º
If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn't move
or deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 16 mph
(14 to 26 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however,
with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat
above or below this range.
If your vehicle strikes something that will move or
deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be
higher. The driver's and right front passenger's frontal
air bags are not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because inflation
would not help the occupant.
The side impact air bags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe side crashes. A side impact air bag
will inflate if the crash severity is above the system's
designed ªthreshold level.º The threshold level can vary
with specific vehicle design. Side impact air bags are not
designed to inflate in frontal or near
- frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant. A side impact air bag will only
deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck. In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For
frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle of
the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in
frontal and near
- frontal impacts. For side impact air
bags, inflation is determined by the location and severity
of the impact.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off
- road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See ªOff
- Road
Drivingº in the Index for more tips on off
- road driving.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates
the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware
are all part of the air bag modules inside the steering
wheel, instrument panel and the side of the front
seatbacks closest to the door.
2-2Windows
CAUTION:Leaving children in a vehicle with the windows
closed is dangerous. A child can be overcome by
the extreme heat and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from heat stroke. Never
leave a child alone in a vehicle, especially with
the windows closed in warm or hot weather.
2-6Door Locks
CAUTION:Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children
-- can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked,
the handle won't open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in
a crash if the doors aren't locked. So, wear
safety belts properly and lock the doors
whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or stop
your vehicle. Locking your doors can help
prevent this from happening. There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
To unlock the door form the outside, use the keyless
entry system or the key.
To unlock the door from
the inside, slide the manual
lever forward. To lock the
door, slide the manual
lever rearward.
2-12Liftgate/Liftgate Glass
CAUTION:It can be dangerous to drive with the liftgate or
liftgate glass open because carbon monoxide
(CO) gas can come into your vehicle. You can't
see or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness
and even death.
If you must drive with the liftgate or liftgate
glass open or if electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through the seal between
the body and the liftgate or liftgate glass:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on VENT or OUTSIDE AIR. That will
force outside air into your vehicle. See
ªComfort Controlsº in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See ªEngine Exhaustº in the Index. To open from the outside, insert the key into the
lock and turn it counterclockwise to unlock the glass
and liftgate.
The liftgate glass can be opened using the pushbutton on
the liftgate after the doors have been unlocked. This can
be done by using either the power door locks or the
remote keyless entry system.
To open the entire liftgate, lift the handle located in the
center of the door.
To lock from the outside, insert the key into the lock
button and turn clockwise. All doors will lock. You may
also use the remote keyless entry system or the power
door locks to lock the liftgate and liftgate glass.
Theft Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft
- deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
2-39Puddle Lamps Your vehicle is equipped with puddle lamps to help you
see the area near the base of the front doors when it is
dark out. The puddle lamps will illuminate when a door
is opened or when you press the UNLOCK button on the
keyless entry transmitter. The lamps will time out or
turn off once the engine is started.
You can program the puddle lamps not to come on if
you choose. See ªSecondary Information Centerº in the
Index for more information.
Daytime Running Lamps Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully
functional daytime running lamps are required on all
vehicles first sold in Canada. The DRL system will come on when:
The ignition is on,
the exterior lamps control is off,
the automatic transmission is not in PARK (P),
the light sensor determines it is daytime and
the parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your DRL lamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won't be on.
The instrument panel won't be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, the automatic headlamp
system will switch from DRL to the headlamps or the
last chosen headlamp setting that was used.
When you turn the exterior lamps control to the off
position, the headlamps will go off, and your DRL
lamps will illuminate, provided it is not dark outside.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake. Shifting the transmission into PARK (P) will also
allow you to idle the vehicle with the DRL off. The
DRL will stay off until you release the parking brake
or shift the transmission out of PARK (P).
2-57Global positioning capabilities will not be available if
satellite signals are obstructed.
OnStar will not function if the vehicle's battery is
discharged or disconnected. It may also be inoperative if
the vehicle is in an accident and the OnStar or vehicle
electrical system components are damaged.
OnStar is the communication link between you and
existing governmental emergency roadside service
providers. OnStar will receive your call and use
reasonable effort to contact an appropriate provider.
OnStar cannot promise that the providers will respond in
a timely manner or at all. Sunroof (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a power sliding
sunroof. To open or close your sunroof, the ignition
needs to be on or RAP needs to be active. See ªRetained
Accessory Powerº in the Index.
Press and release the rear side of the button located in
the front overhead console to express
- open the glass
panel and sunshade. To close the glass panel, press and
hold the front of the button. The glass will not be fully
seated unless the button is held until the glass stops
moving. With the sunroof closed, press the forward side
of the button to open the sunroof to the vent position.
3-19Compact Disc Changer
The compact disc changer plays up to six standard size
CDs continuously. Individual CDs may be loaded into or
ejected from any position.
A green light on each numbered button indicates a CD is
loaded in the respective position. An amber light on a
numbered button indicates that a CD is playing. When
loading CDs, the loading slot indicators turn amber to
indicate that the player is ready to accept a CD. CDs can
be loaded or ejected with the radio or the ignition being
on or off. You must load CDs with the label side up. If you do not,
the player will automatically eject the CDs.
NOTICE: Loading CDs with adhesive labels will damage
the player.
To load a CD perform the following steps:
1. Press the LOAD button. Available positions will
blink amber.
2. Select a position by pressing the desired numbered
button with an amber blinking light. If a button is not
pressed within five seconds, the changer will go to
the lowest available position.
3. Load the CD when the loading slot indicators turn
amber. An internal door will open allowing a single
CD to be inserted into the changer. After
approximately ten seconds the changer will be ready
to play.