2007 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Owners Manual

Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically
unlock the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and
ash the hazard warning ashers when the airbags
inate. You can lock the doors again, turn the
interior lamps off, and turn off the hazard warning
ashers by using the controls for those features.
In many crashes severe enough to inate the
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 594.
Let only qualied technicians work on the
airbag system. Improper service can mean
that an airbag system will not work properly.
See your dealer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system.
The passenger airbag status indicator on the
overhead console 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. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 243.
United StatesCanada
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The passenger sensing system will turn off the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag 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 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 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.
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.
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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn
off the right front passenger’s 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 passenger’s airbag, 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 following the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions and refer toSecuring
a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
on page 68.
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.
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The passenger sensing system is designed to
enable (may inate) the right front passenger’s
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 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.
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{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 242for more on this, including
important safety information.Aftermarket equipment, such as seat covers,
can affect how well the passenger sensing system
operates. You may want to consider not using
seat covers or other aftermarket equipment.
SeeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 87for more information about
modications that can affect how the system
operates.
{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.
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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 dealer 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 600.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds, after the ignition 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.
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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 582.
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, rollover sensor
module, steering wheel, instrument panel,
overhead console, ceiling headliner, ceiling
and pillar garnish trim, roof-mounted rollover
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.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure
on page 582.
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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. Keep safety belts clean and
dry. SeeCare of Safety Belts on page 540
for 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,
or the side impact airbag covering on the
ceiling near the side windows, the airbag may
not work properly. You may have to replace
the airbag module in the steering wheel, both
the airbag module and the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s airbag, or
side impact airbag module and ceiling covering
for roof-mounted rollover airbags (if equipped).
Do not open or break the airbag coverings.
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