2007 CHEVROLET IMPALA steering
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Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
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Page 73 of 460
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant
and an airbag, the bag might not in ate
properly or it might force the object
into that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an in ating
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. And, if your
vehicle has roof-mounted side impact
airbags, never secure anything to the
roof of your vehicle by routing the rope
or tie down through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an in ating
side impact airbag will be blocked.
The path of an in ating airbag must
be kept clear.
When Should an Airbag In ate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal
airbags are designed to in ate in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they are
designed to in ate 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 in ate 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 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 in ate at a level
less than full deployment. For more severe
frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
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What Makes an Airbag In ate?
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 in ator, which in ates
the airbag. The in ator, 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.
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 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.
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
vehicles with side impact airbags.
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What Will You See After an
Airbag In ates?
After a frontal airbag in ates, it quickly de ates,
so quickly that some people may not even realize
the airbag in ated. Roof-mounted side impact
airbags may still be at least partially in ated
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 airbag, or the
garnish trim and ceiling of your vehicle near
the side windows for vehicles with roof–mounted
side impact airbags — may be hot for a short time.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact
with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch.
There may be some smoke and dust coming from
the vents in the de ated airbags. Airbag in ation
does not prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer the vehicle,
nor does it prevent people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag in ates, there may be
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 in ates, 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 on the hazard warning ashers when
the airbags in ate. You can lock the doors again,
turn the interior lamps off, and turn the hazard
warning ashers off by using the controls for
those features.
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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 426.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get
my vehicle modi ed. 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,
instrument panel, ceiling headliner, ceiling
and pillar garnish trim, roof-mounted 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 426.
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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. SeeCare of Safety Belts on page 390
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
(if equipped) 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
side impact airbags (if equipped.) Do not
open or break the airbag coverings.
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How long should you keep the coolant heater
plugged in? The answer depends on the outside
temperature, the kind of oil you have, and
some other things. Instead of trying to list
everything here, we ask that you contact your
dealer in the area where you will be parking your
vehicle. The dealer/retailer can give you the
best advice for that particular area.
Active Fuel Management™
(3.9L V6 and 5.3L V8 Engines)
Your vehicle’s engine may be equipped with
Active Fuel Management™. This system allows
the engine to operate on either all or half of
its cylinders, depending on your driving conditions.
When less power is required, such as cruising
at a constant vehicle speed, the system will
operate in the half cylinder mode, allowing your
vehicle to achieve better fuel economy. When
greater power demands are required, such
as accelerating from a stop, passing, or merging
onto a freeway, the system will maintain
full-cylinder operation.
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle has a shift lever on the
steering column or on the console between
the seats.
There is a display, located on the instrument panel
cluster that will indicate the gear the vehicle is in.
Maximum engine speed is limited on automatic
transaxle vehicles while you are in PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N) to protect driveline components
from improper operation.
There are several different positions for the shift
lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels.
It is the best position to use when the engine
is started because your vehicle cannot move
easily.
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Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 121.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 284.
Steering Column Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot
and set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pulling
the shift lever toward you and moving it up as
far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Console Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot
and set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding
in the button on the shift lever and pushing
the lever all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in
your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
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