2004 GMC CANYON Owner's Manual

What Makes an Air Bag Inate?
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 inator, which inates
the air bag. The inator, air bag, and related hardware
are all part of the air bag modules inside the steering
wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger. For vehicles with side impact
air bags, the air bag modules are located in the ceiling
of the vehicle, near the side windows.
How Does an Air Bag 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. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal air bags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the air bag. Side impact air bags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal air bags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for the side impact air bags.
1-67

What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inates?
After an air bag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the air bag inated.
Some components of the air bag module — the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s air bag, the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s bag or the ceiling of your
vehicle near the side windows — will be hot for a short
time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deated air bags. Air bag ination does not prevent the
driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor
does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an air bag inates, there is 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
can’t get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
Your vehicle has a feature that will automatically unlock
the doors, turn the interior lamps on and ash the
hazard warning ashers when the air bag inates
(if battery power is available). You can lock the doors
again by using the door lock. The interior lamps
and hazard warning ashers will deactivate after
approximately 15 minutes.
1-68

In many crashes severe enough to inate 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 inate only once. After an
air bag inates, you will need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you do not get them, the air
bag system will not 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. If your vehicle has side impact air bags,
it also has electronic side sensors. Your vehicle is
equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic
module, which records information about the air bag
system. The module records information about
the readiness of the system and when the systemcommands air bag ination. 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 qualied technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air
bag system will not 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 side
impact air bag covering on the ceiling near the side
windows, 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
side impact air bag module and ceiling covering
for the roof-mounted side impact air bag. Do not
open or break the air bag coverings.
1-69

Air Bag Off Switch
Regular Cab Models and Extended Cab
Models without Rear Seats
If your vehicle is a regular cab model or an extended
cab model without rear seats, it has a switch on
the instrument panel that you can use to turn off the
right front passenger’s frontal air bag.
This switch should only be turned to the off position if
the person in the right front passenger’s position is
a member of a passenger risk group identied by the
national government as follows:
Infant. An infant (less than 1 year old)
must ride in the front seat because:

my vehicle has no rear seat;
my vehicle has a rear seat too small to
accommodate a rear-facing infant seat; or
the infant has a medical condition which, according
to the infant’s physician, makes it necessary for the
infant to ride in the front seat so that the driver
can constantly monitor the child’s condition.
Child age 1 to 12. A child age 1 to 12 must
ride in the front seat because:

my vehicle has no rear seat;
although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear
seat(s) whenever possible, children ages 1 to
12 sometimes must ride in the front because no
space is available in the rear seat(s) of my vehicle;
or
the child has a medical condition which, according
to the child’s physician, makes it necessary for the
child to ride in the front seat so that the driver
can constantly monitor the child’s condition.
1-70

Medical Condition. A passenger has a
medical condition which, according to his
or her physician:

causes the passenger air bag to pose a special risk
for the passenger; and
makes the potential harm from the passenger air
bag in a crash greater than the potential harm
from turning off the air bag and allowing the
passenger, even if belted, to hit the dashboard or
windshield in a crash.
{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s frontal air bag is
turned off for a person who is not in a risk
group identied by the national government,
that person will not have the extra protection
of an air bag. In a crash, the air bag would not
be able to inate and help protect the person
sitting there. Do not turn off the passenger’s
frontal air bag unless the person sitting there
is in a risk group.To turn off the right front
passenger’s frontal air bag,
insert your ignition key
into the switch, push
in, and move the switch to
the off position.
The air bag off light will come on to let you know that
the right front passenger’s frontal air bag is off. The right
front passenger’s frontal air bag will remain off until
you turn it back on again, and the air bag off light will
stay on to remind you that the air bag is off.
1-71

{CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light ever comes on
when you have turned off the air bag, it means
that something may be wrong with the air bag
system. The right front passenger’s frontal air
bag could inate even though the switch is off.
If this ever happens, do not let anyone whom
the national government has identied as a
member of a passenger air bag risk group
sit in the right front passenger’s position
(for example, do not secure a rear-facing child
restraint in the right front passenger’s seat)
until you have your vehicle serviced.
To turn the right front
passenger’s frontal air bag
on again, insert your
ignition key into the switch,
push in, and move the
switch to the auto position.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag systems in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle
and the air bag systems.To purchase a service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-11.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
air bag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an air bag
when it inates. Avoid wires wrapped with
yellow tape or yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the air bag system. Be sure to
follow proper service procedures, and make
sure the person performing work for you is
qualied to do so.
The air bag systems do not need regular maintenance.
1-72

Adding Equipment to Your
Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front of
the vehicle that could keep the air bags from
working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end sheet metal or
height, they may keep the air bag system from
working properly. Also, the air bag system may not
work properly if you relocate any of the air bag
sensors. 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 theCustomer Satisfaction Procedure
on page 7-2.
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.)
1-73

Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{CAUTION:
A crash can damage the restraint systems 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 have 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 was not being used at the time of
the collision.
If an air bag inates, you will need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in this section.
If the frontal air bags inate, you will also need to
replace the driver’s and right front passenger’s safety
belt retractor assembly. Be sure to do so. Then the new
retractor assembly will be there to help protect you in
a collision.
After a crash you may need to replace the driver and
front passenger’s safety belt retractor assemblies, even
if the frontal air bags have not deployed. The driver
and front passenger’s safety belt retractor assemblies
contain the safety belt pretensioners. Have your
safety belt pretensioners checked if your vehicle has
been in a collision, or if your air bag readiness light stays
on after you start your vehicle or while you are driving.
SeeAir Bag Readiness Light on page 3-25.
1-74