2007 CHEVROLET IMPALA airbag off

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 the 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 Recording
and Privacy on page 443andEvent Data
Recorders on page 443.
Let only qualied technicians work on the
airbag system. Improper service can mean
that your airbag system will not work properly.
See your dealer/retailer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
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.
If you use remote start to start your vehicle from
a distance, if your vehicle has this feature,
you may not see 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 179.
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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 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. 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.There is a label on your sun visor that 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. Never put a rear
facing child restraint in the right front passenger
seat unless the airbag is off. Here is why:
{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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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CAUTION: (Continued)
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.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’s frontal airbag has been
turned off by the passenger sensing system, the
off indicator on the instrument panel will light
and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is off.
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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 64.
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 if one is available 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.
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.
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SeeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 83for 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.
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/
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 441.
{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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The main components of your instrument panel are listed here:
A. Air Vent. SeeOutlet Adjustment on page 172.
B. Remote Trunk Release Button. See “Remote
Trunk Release” underTrunk on page 102.
C. Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 153.
D. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 175.
E. Hazard Warning Flasher Button. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 152.
F. Driver Information Center. SeeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on page 190.
G. Passenger Air Bag status Indicator. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 179.
H. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on
page 215.
I. Exterior Lamps Control. SeeExterior Lamps on
page 160.
J. Instrument Panel Brightness. SeeInstrument
Panel Brightness on page 163.
K. Traction Control On/Off Button (If Equipped).
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 256.L. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever. SeeTilt Wheel on
page 153.
M. Steering Wheel Cruise Control. SeeCruise
Control on page 157.
N. Hood Release. SeeHood Release on
page 305.
O. Horn. SeeHorn on page 152.
P. Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped).
SeeAudio Steering Wheel Controls on
page 243.
Q. Ignition Switch. SeeIgnition Positions on
page 112.
R. Climate Controls. SeeClimate Control System
on page 168.
S. Accessory Power Outlets. SeeAccessory
Power Outlet(s) on page 167.
T. Center Console Shift Lever (If Equipped).
See “Console Shift Lever” underShifting Into
Park (P) on page 121.
U. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 144.
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Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
Your vehicle has the passenger sensing system.
Your instrument panel has a passenger airbag
status indicator.
When you start the vehicle, the passenger airbag
status indicator will light ON and OFF, or the
symbol for on and off, for several seconds as a
system check. If you use remote start to start your
vehicle from a distance, if equipped, you may
not see the system check. Then, after several
more seconds, the status indicator will light either
ON or OFF, or either the on or off symbol to
let you know the status of the right front
passenger’s frontal airbag.If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the
passenger airbag status indicator, it means that
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag is enabled
(may inate).
{CAUTION:
If the on indicator comes on when you have
a rear-facing child restraint installed in the
right front passenger’s seat, it means that
the passenger sensing system has not
turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag.
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. Do not use a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger’s
seat if the airbag is turned on.
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179

{CAUTION:
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the right
front 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 the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the
airbag status indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has turned off the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 77for more on this,
including important safety information.If, after several seconds, both status indicator
lights remain on, or if there are no lights at
all, there may be a problem with the lights
or the passenger sensing system. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
{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
airbag(s). SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 178for more on this, including
important safety information.
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