
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag inflates, you’ll need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash.
A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with electronic frontal
sensors which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate and a more severe frontal
impact. Your vehicle is also equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which records
information about the frontal air bag system. The
module records information about the readiness of
the system and when the system commands
are bag inflation. It records the status
of the driver’s safety belt usage in
a crash in which the air bag
deploys or a crash in which the air bag nearly
deploys. The module also records speed, engine
RPM, brake and throttle data.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice: If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air
bag covering
on the driver’s and right front
passenger’s seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver’s and right front passenger’s side impact air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
1-80

Passenger Sensing System
If your rearview mirror has one of the indicators pictured
in the following illustrations, your vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. The indicator will be visible when you
turn your ignition key
to START or RUN. The words ON
and OFF or the symbol for on and off, will be visible on
the rearview mirror during the system check. When the
system check
is complete, either the word ON or the word
OFF, or the symbol for on or the symbol for off will be
visible. See Passenger
Air Bag Status Indicator on
page 3-32. If your rearview mirror doesn’t have either of
the indicators pictured, then your vehicle doesn’t have the
passenger sensing system.
L
Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator - United States Passenger
Air Bag
Status Indicator
- Canada
The passenger sensing system will turn off the right
front passenger’s frontal air bag under certain
conditions. The driver’s air bag and the side air bags
are not part
of the passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with sensors that
are part of the right front passenger’s seat and safety
belt. The sensors are designed to detect the presence of
a properly-seated occupant and determine
if the
passenger’s frontal air bag 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.
General Motors, therefore, recommends that child
restraints be secured in a rear seat including an infant
riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in a
booster seat. Never put a child in rear facing child
1-81

When the passenger sensing system has turned off the
passenger’s frontal air bag, the
off indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the air bag is
off.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the passenger’s frontal air bag when a rear facing infant
seat, a forward-facing child restraint or a booster seat
is detected. If the 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
restraint following the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions and refer to Securing
a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
on page 7-68 of this manual.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting
the vehicle, 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.
The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inflate) the right front passenger’s frontal air
bag anytime the system senses that a person of adult
size is sitting properly in the right front passenger’s seat.
When the passenger sensing system has allowed the
air bag to be enabled, the on indicator will light and stay
lit to remind you that the air bag 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’s
frontal air bag, 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 air bag
for that person.
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat, but the
off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person isn’t sitting properly in the seat. If
this happens, turn the vehicle
off and ask the person to
place the seatback in the full 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 about two
minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person
and then enable the passenger’s air bag.
1-83

Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
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.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
1 -86

Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
A crash can damage the restraini ystems in
your vehicle.
A damaged restraint system may
not properly protect the person using
it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash.
To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as
soon as possible. If
you’ve had a crash, do
YOU need new belts or LATCH
system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But
if the belts were stretched, as they would be if
worn during a more severe crash, then you need new
parts.
If the LATCH system was being used during a more
severe crash, you may need new LATCH system parts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have LATCH
system, safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even
if the belt
or LATCH system wasn’t being used at the time of
the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in this section.
1-87

Doors and Locks
Door Locks
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.
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
Young children who get into unlocked
Outsiders can e ~ ily 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 from 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
2-a

Section 3 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ............................... 3.4
Hazard Warning Flashers
................................ 3.5
Other Warning Devices ................................... 3.6
Horn
............................................................. 3.6
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3-6
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
......................... 3.7
Exterior Lamps
............................................. 3.13
Interior Lamps
.............................................. 3.16
Accessory Power Outlets
............................... 3.17
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
........................ 3.18
Climate Controls ............................................ 3. 1 9
Electronic Climate Control System
................... 3.19
Outlet Adjustment
......................................... 3.25
Rear Climate Control System
......................... 3.25
Climate Controls Personalization
..................... 3.27
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ............. 3.28
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3.29
Speedometer and Odometer
........................... 3.30
Tachometer
................................ ......... 3.30
~
Safety Belt Reminder Light ............................. 3.30
Air Bag Readiness Light
................................ 3.31
Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator ................ -3-32
Charging System Light
.................................. 3-33
Voltmeter Gage
............................................ 3-34
Brake System Warning Light
...................... 3-34
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
........................................... 3-35
Traction
Off Light .......................................... 3-36
Transmission Temperature Gage
..................... 3-37
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
............................. 3-38
Oil Pressure Gage ........................................ 3-40
Security Light
............................................... 3-41
Tow/Haul Mode Light .................................... 3-42
Fuel Gage
................................................... 3-42
Low Fuel Warning Light
............................. 3-42
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
.................. 3-36
Cruise Control
Light ...................................... 3-41
3- 1

Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both
miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
Your vehicle’s odometer works together with the driver information center. You can set
a personal trip
and business trip odometer. See “Trip Information” under
DIC Operation and Displays on page 3-43.
The odometer mileage can be checked without the
vehicle running. Simply press the trip stem
on the
instrument panel cluster.
If your vehicle ever needs a new odometer installed, the
new one will be set
to the correct mileage total of the
old odometer.
Tachometer
Your tachometer displays the engine speed in
revolutions per minute (rpm).
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come
on for several seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for several seconds,
then it will flash for
several more.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come
on.
Notice: Do not operate the engine with the
tachometer in the shaded warning area, or engine
damage may occur.
3-30