2006 CHEVROLET COLORADO sensor

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 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 doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level
for the reduced deployment is about 8 to 16 mph
(12.9 to 25.7 km/h), and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 19 to 24 mph (30.6 to 38.6 km/h).(The threshold level can vary, however, with specic
vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above
or below this range.)
Frontal airbags may inate at different crash speeds.
For example:
If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags
could inate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits a moving object.
If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the
airbags could inate at a different crash speed than
if the vehicle hits an object that does not deform.
If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole) the
airbags 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
airbags 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.
If your vehicle has side impact airbags, it has
electronic side sensors. The side impact airbags are
intended 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”.
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The threshold level can vary with specic vehicle
design. Side impact airbags are not intended to inate
in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear
impacts. Both side impact airbags will deploy when
either side of the vehicle is struck.
Your vehicle has seat position sensors which enable the
sensing system to monitor the position of the driver’s
seat and the right front passenger’s seat. Seat position
sensors provide information that is used to determine
if the airbags should deploy at a reduced level or at
full deployment.
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
what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or near-frontal
impacts. For side impact airbags, ination is determined
by the location and severity of the impact.
The airbag 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. SeeOff-Road
Driving on page 4-15for more tips on off-road driving.What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inator, which
inates the airbag. The inator, airbag, and related
hardware are all part of the airbag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger. For vehicles with roof-mounted side
impact airbags, there are also airbag modules in the
ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows.
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 many frontal or near frontal
collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts, primarily because
an occupant’s motion is not toward those airbags.
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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 airbag should be enabled (may
inate) or not.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
We recommend 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.
If your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint, there is a label on your sun
visor that says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing
child is so great if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inating airbag.
Even though the passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal
airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child
restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one
can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in the
rear seat, even if the airbag is off.
If you need to secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far back as it will
go. It is better to secure the child restraint in
a rear seat.
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Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front or
sides of the vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Also, the airbag system may
not work properly if you relocate any of the airbag
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 the Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure
on page 7-2.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get my
vehicle modied. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, steering wheel, instrument panel,
ceiling headliner, ceiling and pillar garnish trim,
roof-mounted airbag modules, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
If you have questions, call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
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Headlamps on Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime will sound when
your headlamps or parking lamps are manually turned
on and your key is out of the ignition. To turn off
the chime, turn the headlamp switch to off and then
back on. In the automatic mode, the headlamps turn off
once the ignition is in LOCK.
If your vehicle was rst sold in Canada and the parking
lamps are turned on manually, the DRL will stay on.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
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 rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system will come on when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is in AUTO.
The transmission is not in PARK (P) if you have
an automatic transmission.
The light sensor determines it is daytime.Your vehicle will have either the parking lamps or
reduced intensity low beams used as the DRL.
When the DRL are on, only those lamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarkers, and other lamps will not
be on. The instrument panel will not be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, the headlamps will
automatically switch from DRL to the regular headlamps.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, your automatic
headlamp system will turn on your headlamps at the
normal brightness along with other lamps such as
the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps, roof marker
lamps and the instrument panel lights. The radio
lights will become more dim when the headlights are
off compared to when the headlights are on.
Your vehicle has a light sensor located on the top of
the instrument panel. Be sure it is not covered, or
the system will be on whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on your headlamps when
driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast
weather or a tunnel. This is normal.
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There is a delay in the transition between the daytime
and nighttime operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic headlamp system so
that driving under bridges or bright overhead street lights
does not affect the system. The DRL and automatic
headlamp system will only be affected when the
light sensor sees a change in lighting lasting longer
than the delay.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
control is in the full bright position. SeeInstrument
Panel Brightness on page 3-17.Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has fog lamps, you can use them for
better vision in foggy or misty conditions. Your parking
lamps and/or low-beam headlamps must be on for
your fog lamps to work.
The fog lamp button is
located near the exterior
lamps control.
Press the button to turn the fog lamps on while the
headlamps or parking lamps are on. Press the button
again to turn them off. An indicator light will glow in the
button when the fog lamps are on.
Remember, fog lamps alone will not give off as much
light as your headlamps. Never use your fog lamps
in the dark without turning on the headlamps.
The fog lamps will go off whenever your high-beam
headlamps come on. When the high beams go off, the
fog lamps will come on again.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps
to be on along with the fog lamps.
3-16

Airbag Readiness Light
There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows the airbag symbol. The system
checks the airbag’s electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an electrical problem.
The system check includes the airbag sensors, the
airbag modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and
diagnostic module. For more information on the
airbag systems, seeAirbag System on page 1-66.
This light will come on
when you start your
vehicle, and it will ash
for a few seconds.
Then the light should go
out. This means the
system is ready.
If the airbag readiness light stays on after you start the
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your airbag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the airbag system
may not be working properly. The airbags
in your vehicle may not inate in a crash,
or they could even inate without a crash.
To help avoid injury to yourself or others,
have your vehicle serviced right away if the
airbag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle.
The airbag readiness light should ash for a few seconds
when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the light does
not come on then, have it xed so it will be ready to warn
you if there is a problem.
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Fuses Usage
PWR/SEATPower Seat Circuit Breaker
(If Equipped)
RT HDLP Passenger’s Side Headlamp
LT HDLP Driver’s Side Headlamp
AUX PWR 2 Accessory Power 2
FOG/LAMP Fog Lamps (If Equipped)
A/C CMPRSR Air Conditioning Compressor
WSW Wiper/Washer Switch
PWR/WNDW Power Windows (If Equipped)
FUEL/PUMP Fuel Pump
STRTR Starter Solenoid Relay
WPR Wiper
ABS 2Anti-lock Brake System 2
(ABS Pump)
DR/LCK Power Door Locks (If Equipped)
ETC Electronic Throttle Control (ETC)
02 SNSR Oxygen Sensors
CRUISECruise Control Switch, Inside
Rearview Mirror, Transfer Case
Control Module, Brake Switch,
Clutch Disable
HTD/SEAT Heated Seat (If Equipped)
AIRBAGSupplemental Inatable Restraint
System, Sensing and Diagnostic
ModuleFuses Usage
ABSAnti-lock Brake System (ABS), ABS
module, Four-Wheel Drive, Gravity
Sensor
BCK/UP Back-up Lights
FRT/AXLE Front Axle Actuator
TRN/HAZRD
REARRear Turn/Hazard Lights
ERLS Map Sensor, Can Purge Solenoid
PCMI Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
TRANS Transmission Solenoid
IGNIgnition, Clutch Starter Switch,
Neutral Safety Back-Up Switch,
Ignition Coils 1-5, Air Conditioning
Relay
INJ Injectors
ABS 1Anti-lock Brake System 1
(ABS Logic)
FRT PRK
LAMPFront Park/Turn Lamps, Driver and
Passenger’s Side Power Window
Switches Lighting
REAR PRK
LAMPRear Parking Lamp 1, Passenger’s
Side Taillamp, License Plate Lamps
REAR PRK
LAMP2Driver’s Side Rear Taillamp,
Passenger Side Airbag Indicator
Lighting, Instrument Panel Dimming
Power (2WD/4WD switch lighting)
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