2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX wheel
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In most states and in all Canadian provinces,
the law says to wear safety belts. Here is
why:They work.
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do
have a crash, you do not know if it will be a
bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes
can be so serious that even buckled up, a person
would not survive. But most crashes are in
between. In many of them, people who buckle up
can survive and sometimes walk away. Without
belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety belts in
vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes
buckling up does matter... a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast
as it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a
seat on wheels.
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{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it in ates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults,
but not for young children and infants.
Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system
nor its airbag system is designed for them.
Young children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint system can
provide. Always secure children properly
in your vehicle. To read how, seeOlder
Children on page 42orInfants and Young
Children on page 45.
There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the
airbag symbol.The system checks the airbag electrical system
for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is
an electrical problem. SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 202for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
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If your vehicle has a roof-mounted side impact
airbag for the right front passenger and the person
seated directly behind that passenger, it is in
the ceiling above the side windows.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and
an airbag, the airbag 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. 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 airbag
will be blocked. Do not let seat covers
block the in ation path of a side impact
airbag. The path of an in ating airbag
must be kept clear.
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Frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger)
are not intended to in ate during vehicle
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
Your vehicle may or may not have side impact
airbags. SeeAirbag System on page 72for more
information. Side impact airbags are intended
to in ate in moderate to severe side crashes.
A side impact airbag will in ate if the crash severity
is above the system’s designed threshold level.
The threshold level can vary with speci c vehicle
design. Side impact airbags are not intended
to in ate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts. A side impact airbag
is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle
that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether
an airbag should have in ated simply because
of the damage to a vehicle or because of what
the repair costs were. For frontal airbags,
in ation is determined by what the vehicle hits,
the angle of the impact, and how quickly the
vehicle slows down. For side impact airbags,
in ation is determined by the location and
severity of the impact.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. Frontal
airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and the instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are
also airbag modules in the side of the front
seatbacks closest to the door. For vehicles with
roof-mounted side impact airbags, there are
also airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle,
near the side window.
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.
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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.What Will You See After an Airbag
In ates?
After the frontal and seat-mounted side impact
airbags in ate, they quickly de ate, so quickly that
some people may not even realize an 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 bag, the side of the seatback closest to
the door for the seat-mounted side impact airbags
(if equipped), and the garnish trim and the area
along the ceiling of your vehicle near the side
windows for the roof–mounted side impact airbags
(if equipped) — 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.
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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 476.
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 476.
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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 439
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 airbag covering on the driver’s and
right front passenger’s seatback (if equipped),
or the side impact airbag covering on the
garnish trim and ceiling near the side windows
(if equipped), 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, the airbag
module and seatback for the driver’s and
right front passenger’s seat-mounted side
impact airbags (if equipped), or the side
impact airbag module, garnish trim and ceiling
covering for the roof-mounted side impact
airbags (if equipped). Do not open or break
the airbag coverings.
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To use your adjustable throttle and brake pedal
feature, do the following:
The adjustable pedal feature is meant to be used
with the adjustable seat and adjustable steering
wheel controls to reach a safe and comfortable
position.
1. Adjust your seat to a comfortable position
where you can comfortably reach other
controls such as the radio and climate
controls.
2. Adjust the throttle and brake pedals to reach
a comfortable and safe operating position.
3. Adjust the steering wheel to a safe operating
position.Engine Coolant Heater
In very cold weather, 0°F (−18°C) or colder, the
engine coolant heater, if your vehicle has this
feature, can help. You will get easier starting
and lower fuel usage during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in
a minimum of four hours prior to starting your
vehicle. At temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of
the coolant heater is not required. Your vehicle
may also have an internal thermostat in the
plug end of the cord. This will prevent operation of
the engine coolant heater when the temperature
is at or above 0°F (−18°C) as noted on the cord.
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