2005 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE Owners Manual

If your vehicle has a right front passenger’s side impact
airbag, it is located in the side of the passenger’s
seatback closest to the door.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the airbag might not inate properly
or it might force the object into that person
causing severe injury or even death. The path
of an inating 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 let seat covers
block the ination path of a side impact airbag.
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When Should an Airbag Inate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags
are designed to inate in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inate only
if the impact exceeds a predetermined deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds take into account a
variety of desired deployment and non-deployment
events and are used to predict how severe a crash is
likely to be in time for the airbags to inate and help
restrain the occupants. Whether your 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.
In addition, your vehicle has “dual stage” frontal airbags,
which adjust the restraint according to crash severity.
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. For moderate frontal impacts, these airbags
inate at a level less than full deployment. For more
severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front
of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that does not
move or deform, the threshold level for the reduced
deployment is about 10 to 16 mph (18 to 26 km/h), and
the threshold level for a full deployment is about 18 to
24 mph (29 to 38.5 km/h). (The threshold level can vary,
however, with specic vehicle design, so that it can be
somewhat above or below this range.)Airbags may inate at different crash speeds.
For example:If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbag
could inate at a different crash speed than if
the object were moving.
If the object deforms, the airbag could inate
at a different crash speed than if the object does
not deform.
If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole) the
airbag could inate 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
airbag could inate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight into the object.
The frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger) are
not intended to inate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because ination
would not likely help the occupants.
Your vehicle may or may not have a side impact airbag.
SeeAirbag System on page 1-47. Side impact airbags
are designed to inate in moderate to severe side
crashes. A side impact airbag will inate if the crash
severity is above the system’s designed “threshold
level.” The threshold level can vary with specic vehicle
design. Side impact airbags are not designed to
inate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or
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rear impacts, because ination would not likely help the
occupant. A side impact airbag will only deploy on
the side of the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, ination is determined by
the angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle
slows down in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side
impact airbags, ination is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inator, which inates
the airbag. The inator, the airbag and related hardware
are all part of the airbag modules. Frontal airbag modules
are located inside the steering wheel and instrument
panel. For vehicles with side impact airbags, the airbag
modules are located in the seatback closest to the
driver’s and/or right front passenger’s door.
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. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags 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 airbag. Side impact airbags 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 airbags. Airbags 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 airbags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact airbag.
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What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After the airbag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the airbag
inated. Some components of the airbag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal airbag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag. For vehicles with side impact airbags, 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 deated airbags.
Airbag 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 airbag 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 not get out of the vehicle after an airbag
inates, 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.
Your vehicle has a feature that will automatically unlock
the doors and turn the interior lamps on when the
airbags inate (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.
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In many crashes severe enough to inate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to inate only once. After an
airbag inates, you will need some new parts for
your 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.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information after
a crash. SeeVehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders on page 7-9.
Let only qualied technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that an
airbag 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 airbag, or the airbag
covering on the driver’s and right front passenger’s
seatback, the airbag may not work properly. You
may have to replace the airbag module in the
steering wheel, both the airbag module and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s
airbag, or both the airbag module and seatback for
the driver’s and right front passenger’s side
impact airbag. Do not open or break the airbag
coverings.
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Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual
have information about servicing your vehicle and the
airbag system. To purchase a service manual, see
Service 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
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
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 airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
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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 your seat adjuster will not work after a crash, the
special part of the safety belt that goes through the seat
to the adjuster may need to be replaced.
If an airbag inates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part about the airbag system
earlier in this manual.
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✍NOTES
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