2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS PASSANGER belt

Here are the most important things to know about the
airbag system:
{CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash
if you are not wearing your safety belt — even
if you have airbags. Wearing your safety belt
during a crash helps reduce your chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or being
ejected from it. Airbags are “supplemental
restraints” to the safety belts. Airbags are
designed to work with safety belts, but do not
replace them. Airbags are designed to deploy
in moderate to severe frontal and near frontal
crashes. They are not designed to inate in
rollover, rear crashes, or in many side crashes.
And, for some unrestrained occupants, airbags
may provide less protection in frontal crashes
than more forceful airbags have provided in
the past. Everyone in your vehicle should wear
a safety belt properly — whether or not there
is an airbag for that person.
{CAUTION:
Airbags inate with great force, faster than
the blink of an eye. If you are too close to an
inating airbag, as you would be if you were
leaning forward, it could seriously injure you.
Safety belts help keep you in position before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver should sit as
far back as possible while still maintaining
control of the vehicle.
1-67

If your vehicle has an airbag for the right front passenger
read this.
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags 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 airbag
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,
seeOlder Children on page 1-31andInfants
and Young Children on page 1-34.
There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows the airbag symbol.The system checks the airbag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-27
for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s airbag is in the middle of the steering wheel.
1-68

Dual Stage Airbags
If your vehicle has frontal airbags with dual stage
deployment, the restraint will adjust according to the
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 inflate 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 12 to 16 mph (19 to 26 km/h), and the threshold
level for a full deployment is about 16 to 25 mph
(26 to 40 km/h). (The threshold level can vary, however,
with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat
above or below this range.)
Vehicles with dual stage airbags are also equipped with
special sensors which enable the sensing system to
monitor the position of both the driver and passenger
front seats. The seat position sensors provide
information which is used to determine if the airbags
should deploy at a reduced level or at full deployment.
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
inflator, which inflates the airbag. The inflator, 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.
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. Airbags supplement 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
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 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.
1-71

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.
Medical Condition.A passenger has a
medical condition which, according to his or
her physician:
•
causes the passenger airbag to pose a special risk
for the passenger; and
•makes the potential harm from the passenger
airbag in a crash greater than the potential
harm from turning off the airbag and allowing the
passenger, even if belted, to hit the dashboard
or windshield in a crash.
{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s airbag 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
airbag. In a crash, the airbag will not be able to
inate and help protect the person sitting
there. Do not turn off the passenger’s airbag
unless the person sitting there is in a risk
group. SeeAirbag Off Switch on page 1-73.
1-74

For some children who have outgrown child restraints
and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag, 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 right front
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
airbag.
1-80

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, the instrument panel, 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.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
Restraint System Check
Checking the 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. SeeCare of Safety Belts on
page 5-87for more information.
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.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s airbag, the airbag
may not work properly. You may have to replace the
airbag module in the steering wheel or both the
airbag module and the instrument panel for the right
front passenger’s airbag. Do not open or break
the airbag coverings.
1-83

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 airbag inflates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part on the airbag system earlier
in this section.
If the frontal airbags inflate, you will also need to replace
the driver’s and right front passenger’s safety belt buckle
assembly. Be sure to do so. Then the new buckle
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 buckle assemblies, even if
the frontal airbags have not deployed. The driver
and front passenger’s safety belt buckle assemblies
contain the safety belt pretensioners. Have your safety
belt pretensioners checked if your vehicle has been
in a collision, or if your airbag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle or while you are driving.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-27.
1-84

Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers, especially children, can easily
open the doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is locked, the handle
will not open it. You increase the chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors are not locked. So, wear
safety belts properly and lock the doors
whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with keyless entry, see
Remote Keyless Entry System on page 2-3for more
information.
From the outside, use your key.
To lock the door from the
inside, slide the manual
lever on your door down.
To unlock the door, slide
the manual lever up.
2-7