2006 SATURN ION Owners Manual

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 has an electronic frontal sensor
which help the sensing system distinguish between
a moderate frontal impact and a more severe frontal
impact. For moderate frontal impacts, the 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 16 to 20 mph (26 to 32 km/h),
and the threshold level for a full deployment is
25 to 30 mph (40 to 48 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.
Frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger) are
not intended to inate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
Your vehicle may or may not have roof-mounted side
impact airbags. SeeAirbag System on page 1-54.
Roof-mounted side impact airbags are intended to inate
in moderate to severe side crashes. A roof-mounted 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. Roof-mounted
side impact airbags are not intended to inate in frontal
or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts.
A roof-mounted side impact airbag is intended to
deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
1-59
ProCarManuals.com

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. For roof-mounted
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. 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. 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.
1-60
ProCarManuals.com

What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?
After a frontal airbag inates, it quickly deates, so
quickly that some people may not even realize
the airbag inated. Roof-mounted side impact airbags
deate more slowly and may still be at least partially
inated minutes after the vehicle comes to rest. Some
components of the airbag module — the steering wheel
hub for the driver’s airbag, the instrument panel for
the right front passenger’s bag or the garnish trim and
ceiling of your vehicle near the side windows for
roof-mounted side airbags — may be hot for a short
time. 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 out of the windshield 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 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.
Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically
unlock the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and turn
the hazard warning ashers on, when the airbags inate.
You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off,
and turn the hazard warning ashers off by using the
controls for those features.
1-61
ProCarManuals.com

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 has a crash sensing and diagnostic
module which records information after a crash.
SeeVehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders on page 7-7.
Let only qualied technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that your
airbag system will not work properly. See your
retailer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
If your vehicle has one of the indicators pictured in the
following illustrations, then your vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. The passenger airbag status indicator
on the instrument panel will be visible when you turn your
ignition key to RUN or START. 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. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-31.
The passenger sensing system will turn off the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver’s airbag and the side airbags (if equipped)
are not part of the passenger sensing system.Passenger
Airbag Status
Indicator – United States
Passenger
Airbag Status
Indicator – Canada
1-62
ProCarManuals.com

The passenger sensing system works with sensors
that are part of the right front passenger’s seat.
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. 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 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.
1-63
ProCarManuals.com

The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag if:
the right front passenger 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
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
right front passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator
on the instrument panel 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
following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions
and refer toSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position on page 1-51.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.
The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inate) the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult
size is sitting properly in the right front passenger’s
seat. When the passenger sensing system has allowed
the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is 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 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.
1-64
ProCarManuals.com

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.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on,
it means that something may be wrong with
the airbag system. If this ever happens, have
the vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the frontal airbag. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 3-30for more on this, including
important safety information.
A thick layer of additional material such as a blanket,
or aftermarket equipment such as seat covers, seat
heaters, and seat massagers, can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. Remove any
additional material from the seat cushion before
reinstalling or securing the child restraint and before a
small occupant, including a small adult, sits in the
right front passenger position. You may want to consider
not using seat covers or other aftermarket equipment
if your vehicle has the passenger sensing system.
SeeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on page 1-67for more information about modications
that can affect how the system operates.
1-65
ProCarManuals.com

The passenger sensing system may suppress the
airbag deployment when liquid is soaked into the seat.
If this happens, the off indicator in the passenger
airbag status indicator and the airbag readiness light
on the instrument panel will be lit. The system should
resume normal operation after the seat is allowed to
dry. If the system operates incorrectly after the seat
has dried, have your dealer check the system.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat cushion
and seatback may interfere with the proper
operation of the passenger sensing system.
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. You do not want the system to
inate while someone is working on your vehicle.
Your retailer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the airbag system.
To purchase a service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-12.
{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.
1-66
ProCarManuals.com