2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Owners Manual

The passenger’s frontal airbag is in the instrument panel
on the passenger’s side.If your vehicle has a side impact airbag for the driver, it is
in the side of the driver’s seatback closest to the door.
1-43

If your vehicle has a side impact airbag for the right
front passenger, it is 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.
When Should an Airbag Inate?
The driver’s and 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.
1-44

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 12 mph
(16 to 19.3 km/h), and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 18 to 21 mph (28.9 to 33.8 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 passenger) are not
intended to inate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts,
or in many side impacts.
Your vehicle may or may not have side impact airbags.
SeeAirbag System on page 1-40for more information.
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.” 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. A
side impact airbag is intended to 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 what the vehicle
hits, 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.
1-45

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, 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 seating positions with side impact
airbags, there are also airbag modules in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the 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 many 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 side impact
airbags.
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 may
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 passenger’s frontal
airbag. For vehicles with side impact airbags, the side of
the seatback closest to the driver’s and/or passenger’s
door may be hot. The parts of the airbag 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 out of the windshield or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.
1-46

{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 cannot
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.In many crashes severe enough to inate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur
from the passenger’s 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.
1-47

Passenger Sensing System
Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system. The
passenger airbag status indicator in the rearview mirror
will be visible when you start the vehicle. The words
ON and OFF or the symbol for on and off, will be visible
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 Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-35.The passenger sensing system will turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag and side impact airbag
(if equipped) under certain conditions. The driver’s
airbags are not part of the passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with sensors
that are part of the 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 and side impact airbag
(if equipped) 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.
You may have 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. Passenger Airbag Status Indicator – United States
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator−Canada
1-48

Never put a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the
passenger’s seat unless the passenger airbag status
indicator shows off and the airbags are off.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the passenger’s
airbag inates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close
to the inating airbag. Be sure the airbag is off
before using a rear-facing child restraint in the
passenger’s position.
Even though the passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal
airbag and side impact airbag (if equipped) 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
We recommend that rear-facing child restraints
be transported in vehicles with a rear seat that
will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint,
whenever possible. If you need to secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the
passenger’s seat, always move the
passenger’s seat as far back as it will go.
It is better to secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the passenger’s frontal airbag and side impact airbag
(if equipped) if:
the passenger’s seat is unoccupied
the system determines that an infant is present in a
rear-facing infant seat
the system determines that a small child is present
in a forward-facing child restraint
the system determines that a small child is present
in a booster seat
1-49

a passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for
a period of time
the passenger’s seat is occupied by a smaller
person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints
or if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system
When the passenger’s frontal airbag and side impact
airbag (if equipped) have been turned off by the
passenger sensing system, the off indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the airbags are off.
If a 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 child restraint following
the child restraint manufacturer’s directions and refer
toSecuring a Child Restraint in the Passenger
Seat Position on page 1-35.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make sure
that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly
recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible.
If the on indicator is still lit, do not secure the child
restraint in this vehicle and check with your dealer.The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inate) the passenger’s frontal airbag and
side impact airbag (if equipped) anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in
the passenger’s seat. When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbags to be enabled, the on
indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that the
airbags are 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 passenger’s frontal airbag
and side impact airbag (if equipped), 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
airbag for that person.
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the passenger’s
seat, but the off indicator is lit, it could be because that
person is not sitting properly in the seat. If this happens,
turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the
seatback in the fully 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 frontal airbag and side impact
airbag (if equipped).
1-50