2006 PONTIAC VIBE ECU

The passenger sensing system works with sensors that
are part of the right front passenger’s seat assembly
and safety belt assembly. The sensors are designed to
detect the presence of a properly-seated occupant
and determine if the passenger’s frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact airbag (if equipped)
and safety belt pretensioner 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.
General Motors recommends 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.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sun visor
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 and seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) under certain conditions, 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. General Motors recommends 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.
1-60

The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag (if equipped) if:
the right front passenger seat is unoccupied
the system determines that a small child is present
in a child restraint
the system determines that a small child is present
in a booster seat
a right front passenger takes his/her weight off of
the seat for a period of time
the right front passenger 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 sensing system has turned off the
passenger’s frontal airbag and seat-mounted side
impact airbag (if equipped), the off indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is 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 with the
ignition key in the ACC or LOCK position, following
the child restraint manufacturer’s directions and refer to
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position on page 1-45.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. Also make sure the child restraint is
not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and
check with your dealer.
An object, person or child in the rear seat contacting or
pressing the right front passenger’s seatback, or
objects stowed under the right front passenger’s seat,
may affect the proper functioning of the passenger
sensing system.
When you use a safety belt extender in the right front
passenger’s seat, make sure the passenger airbag
status indicator shows “ON”. If the indicator shows
“OFF”, disconnect the extender’s latch from the buckle
then reconnect the safety belt. Make sure the indicator
light shows “ON”, then reconnect the safety belt
extender. If you use the safety belt extender while the
indicator light shows “OFF”, the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) may not activate correctly. SeeAirbag
System on page 1-49for important safety information
about your airbags.
1-61

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 7-14.
{CAUTION:
For up to two minutes 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 wires wrapped with
yellow tape or yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the airbag systems. 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.
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the vehicle that
could keep the airbags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end or side sheet metal
or height, 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.
1-64

Do not perform any of the following changes
without consulting your dealer. Such changes can
interfere with the proper operation of the airbag
system, passenger sensing system and/or safety
belt pretensioners.
Repairs on or near the front seat belt retractor
assemblies
Modication of the suspension system
Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo
bar, etc.), snowplow, winches or any other
equipment to the front end
Repairs made on or near the front fenders,
front end structure or console
Installation of electronic devises such as a
mobile two-way radio, cassette tape player
or compact disc player
Modication of the suspension system
Modication of the front end structure or the side
structure of the passenger compartment
Repairs made on or near the console of the
front seat
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get my
vehicle modied. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my advanced airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module (located under the driver’s seat), or the
instrument panel can affect the operation of
the advanced 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.
1-65

Keys...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-4
Doors and Locks.............................................2-6
Door Locks....................................................2-6
Power Door Locks..........................................2-7
Rear Door Security Locks................................2-8
Liftgate/Liftglass.............................................2-9
Windows........................................................2-10
Manual Windows..........................................2-11
Power Windows............................................2-11
Sun Visors...................................................2-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-12
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-12
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-14
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-14
Ignition Positions..........................................2-15
Starting the Engine.......................................2-16
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-17
Automatic Transaxle Operation.......................2-18
Overdrive Off...............................................2-21
Manual Transaxle Operation...........................2-21
Parking Brake..............................................2-24
Shifting Into Park (P) (Automatic Transaxle)......2-25Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)................................2-26
Parking Your Vehicle (Manual Transaxle).........2-27
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-28
Engine Exhaust............................................2-28
Running the Engine While Parked...................2-29
Mirrors...........................................................2-30
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-30
Manual Rearview Mirror with OnStar
®..............2-30
Outside Remote Control Mirrors......................2-31
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-31
OnStar
®System.............................................2-32
Storage Areas................................................2-34
Glove Box...................................................2-34
Cupholder(s)................................................2-34
Coinholder(s)................................................2-34
Instrument Panel Storage Area.......................2-34
Center Console Storage Area.........................2-34
Floor Mats...................................................2-34
Rear Storage Area........................................2-35
Rear Cargo Accessory Track System...............2-36
Cargo Cover................................................2-36
Cargo Tie Downs..........................................2-37
Sunroof.........................................................2-37
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Rear Door Security Locks
Your vehicle is equipped with rear door security locks
that help prevent passengers from opening the rear
doors on your vehicle from the inside.
The security locks are
located on the inside of
the rear door trim.
To use these locks, do the following:
1. Slide the lever down.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same thing to the other rear door lock.The rear doors on your vehicle cannot be opened from
the inside when this feature is in use.
To open a rear door with the security lock, do
the following:
1. Unlock the door from the inside.
2. Then open the door from the outside.
If you don’t cancel the security lock feature, adults and
older children who ride in the rear won’t be able to
open the rear door from the inside. You should let adults
and older children know how these security locks
work, and how to cancel the locks.
To cancel the rear door security lock, do the following:
1. Unlock the door from the inside and open the
door from the outside.
2. Slide the lever up.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
The rear door locks will now work normally.
2-8

OnStar®System
OnStar®uses global positioning system (GPS) satellite
technology, wireless communications, and live
advisors to provide you with a wide range of safety,
security, information, and convenience services. If your
airbags deploy, the system is designed to make an
automatic call to OnStar
®Emergency where we
can request emergency services be sent to your
location. If you lock your keys in the car, call OnStar
®at
1-888-4-ONSTAR and they can send a signal to
unlock your doors. If you need roadside assistance,
press the OnStar
®button and they will get you the help
you need.A complete OnStar
®User’s Guide and the Terms and
Conditions of the OnStar®Subscription Service
Agreement are included in the vehicle’s glove box
literature. For more information, visit www.onstar.com or
www.onstar.ca. Contact OnStar
®at 1-888-4-ONSTAR
(1-888-466-7827), or press the OnStar®button to speak
to an OnStar®advisor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Terms and conditions of the Subscription Service
Agreement can be found at www.onstar.com or
www.onstar.ca.
OnStar®Services
For new vehicles equipped with OnStar®, the Safe and
Sound Plan is included for one year from the date of
purchase. You can extend this plan beyond the
rst year, or upgrade to the Directions and Connections
®
Plan to meet your needs. For more information, press
the OnStar®button to speak to an advisor.
2-32

How to Remove and Replace the
Floor Mat
To remove the oor mat,
pull up on the rear of the
mat to disconnect it
from the locator hooks.
To reinstall the oor mat, line up the openings in the
oor mat over the locator hooks and push down
into place.
Rear Storage Area
A storage area is located under the rear cargo area
oor panel.
Turn the knobs on the oor
panel to unlock the
storage area access cover.
Be sure to lock the access cover to close it securely.
2-35