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{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any air bag when it in ates can be seriously
injured or killed. Air bags 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 air bag
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 the part of this manual called “Older
Children” or “Infants and Young Children.”
There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the air
bag symbol.The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAir Bag Readiness Light on page 3-32
for more information.
Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver’s frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
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If your vehicle has a right front passenger’s side impact
air bag it is located in the side of the passenger’s
seatback closest to the door.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not in ate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
in ating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering. Don’t let seat covers block the
in ation path of a side impact air bag.
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What Makes an Air Bag In ate?
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 in ator, which
in ates the air bag. The in ator, the air bag and
related hardware are all part of the air bag modules.
Frontal air bag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with side
impact air bags, the air bag modules are located in the
seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right front
passenger’s door.
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 thefrontal 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 vehicles with a driver’s and
right front passenger’s side impact air bag.
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What Will You See After an Air Bag
In ates?
After the air bag in ates, it quickly de ates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
in ated. Some components of the air bag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal air bag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
air bag. For vehicles with side impact air bags, the side
of the seatback closest to the driver’s and/or right
front passenger’s door will be hot. 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 de ated air bags. Air
bag in ation doesn’t 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 in ates, 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
in ates, 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 and turn the interior lamps on when the air
bags in ate (if battery power is available). You can lock
the doors again and turn the interior lamps off by
using the door lock and interior lamp controls.
In many crashes severe enough to in ate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
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Air bags are designed to in ate only once. After an
air bag in ates, 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 frontal impact 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, when the system
commands air bag in ation and driver’s safety belt
usage at deployment. The module also records
speed, engine rpm, brake and throttle data.
Let only quali ed 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.
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Audio System(s).............................................3-58
Setting the Time...........................................3-58
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-59
Radio with Six-Disc CD.................................3-69
Navigation/Radio System...............................3-81
Rear Seat Entertainment System....................3-82
Rear Seat Audio (RSA).................................3-93
Radio Personalization....................................3-94
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-94Audio Steering Wheel Controls.......................3-95
DVD Distortion.............................................3-96
Understanding Radio Reception......................3-96
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player.................3-96
Care of Your CDs and DVDs.........................3-97
Care of Your CD and DVD Player...................3-97
Cleaning the Video Screen.............................3-98
Fixed Mast Antenna......................................3-98
Chime Level Adjustment................................3-98
Section 3 Instrument Panel
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The main components of your instrument panel are the
following:
A. Exterior Lamp Controls. SeeExterior Lamps on
page 3-15.
B. Air Outlets. See “Outlet Adjustment” underDual
Automatic Climate Control System on page 3-21.
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-8.
D. OnStar and Audio Steering Wheel Controls. See
Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-95.
E. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-29.
F. Audio Steering Wheel Controls. SeeAudio Steering
Wheel Controls on page 3-95.
G. Ignition Switch. SeeIgnition Positions on page 2-19.
H. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-58.I. Climate Controls. SeeDual Automatic Climate
Control System on page 3-21.
J. Hood Release. SeeHood Release on page 5-10.
K. Driver Information Center (DIC) Steering Wheel
Controls. SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on
page 3-45.
L. Rear Window Washer/Wiper. See “Rear Window
Washer/Wiper” underTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-8.
M. Lighter. SeeAshtrays and Cigarette Lighter on
page 3-20.
N. Accessory Power Outlet. SeeAccessory Power
Outlets on page 3-20.
O. Rear Window Defogger. See “Rear Window
Defogger” underDual Automatic Climate Control
System on page 3-21.
P. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-38.
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Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning ashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal lamps will ash on and off.The button for the hazard
warning ashers is located
on top of the steering
column.
The hazard warning ashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key isn’t in.
Press the button all the way down to make your front
and rear turn signal lamps ash on and off. To turn
off the ashers, press the button again until it clicks and
then release it.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, the turn
signals won’t work.
3-6
