2007 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX sensor

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 electronic frontal
sensors which helps the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. For moderate frontal
impacts, these 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 12 to 16 mph
(19 to 26 km/h), and the threshold level for a
full deployment is about 18 to 24 mph
(29 to 38.5 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.
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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 173.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. 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.
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.
United StatesCanada
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{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.
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 492.
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Headlamps on Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the vehicle’s ignition
is off and the driver’s door is opened when the
exterior lamp control is left on in either the
headlamp or parking lamp position.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during
the day. DRL can be helpful in many different
driving conditions, but they can be especially
helpful in the short periods after dawn and before
sunset. Daytime running lamps are required to
function at all times on all vehicles rst sold
in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel
makes the DRL work, so be sure it is not covered.
The DRL system will make the low-beam
headlamps come on at reduced brightness when
the following conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is off.
The parking brake is released.While the DRL are on, only the vehicle’s low-beam
headlamps will be on at reduced brightness.
The turn signal, taillamps, sidemarker and other
lamps will not be on. The instrument panel cluster
will not be lit up either.
When it is dark enough outside, the DRL will turn
off and the vehicle’s headlamps and parking
lamps will turn on. The other lamps that come on
with the headlamps will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps
will go off and the DRL will come on.
To idle the vehicle with the DRL off, turn the
exterior lamp control off and then do one of the
following:
Turn the exterior lamp control to the parking
lamp position.
Turn the exterior lamp control to the headlamp
position.
Turn the exterior lamp control from AUTO to
off and back to AUTO.
This feature is not available for vehicles rst sold
in Canada.
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Do not cover the solar sensor located in the
center of the instrument panel, near the
windshield. For more information on the solar
sensor, see “Sensors” later in this section.
Manual Operation
xw
(Temperature):To manually adjust the
temperature inside the vehicle, press the up arrow
on the temperature control to raise the temperature
and press the down arrow to lower the
temperature. The display will show your selection.
When one temperature is displayed, the driver
temperature is set. When both temperatures are
displayed, the temperature for both the driver
and passenger are set. Pressing PASS will turn
the passenger temperature setting on and
off. If only the driver temperature is set, the driver
temperature is used for the passenger and the
passenger display is off.
9(Fan):Turn the fan knob clockwise to increase
the fan speed and counterclockwise to decrease
the fan speed. Turning the fan knob cancels
the automatic fan operation and places the systemin manual. Turn the knob to AUTO to return to
automatic fan operation. If the airow seems low
when the fan is at the highest setting, the
passenger compartment air lter, if equipped, may
need to be replaced. SeePassenger Compartment
Air Filter on page 166for additional information.
9(Off):Turning the fan knob off will turn
the controller completely off.
Mode:This control has several settings to control
the direction of airow.
To change the current mode, select one of the
following:
AUTO:This mode is automatically set depending
on the temperature in the vehicle and solar
sensor information.
H(Vent):This mode directs air to the
instrument panel outlets.
%(Bi-Level):This mode directs airow to the
instrument panel outlets and to the oor outlets.
A small amount of air is also directed to the
windshield and the side window outlets.
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6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to
the oor outlets with some air directed to the
side window outlets, and a little air directed to the
windshield.
#(Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn
the air conditioning compressor on or off. The
indicator light on the button will come on when the
air conditioning is on.
?(Recirculation):Press this button to turn
the recirculation mode on or off. This mode keeps
outside air from coming in the vehicle. It can be
used to help reduce the outside air and odors that
may enter the vehicle or help to cool the air
inside the vehicle quicker.
Recirculation is not available in defrost or
oor/defog mode. Pressing the recirculation button
will turn on the indicator light.
Using recirculation for long periods of time may
cause the air inside your vehicle to become
too dry. To prevent this from happening, after the
air in your vehicle has cooled, turn the
recirculation mode off.
z(Heated Seats):Press this button to turn the
heated seats on and off. The button on the left
controls the driver’s seat and the button on
the right controls the passenger’s seat. See
Heated Seats on page 10for additional
information.
Sensors
The solar sensor on your vehicle monitors the
solar radiation and the air inside of your vehicle,
then uses the information to maintain the selected
temperature by initiating needed adjustments to
the temperature, the fan speed and the air delivery
system. The system may also supply cooler air
to the side of the vehicle facing the sun. The
recirculation mode will also be activated, as
necessary. Do not cover the solar sensor located
in the center of the instrument panel, near the
windshield, or the system will not work properly.
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Passenger Safety Belt
Reminder Light
Several seconds after the key is turned to RUN or
START, a chime will sound for several seconds to
remind the front passenger to buckle their safety
belt. This would only occur if the passenger airbag
is enabled. SeePassenger Sensing System on
page 74for more information. The passenger
safety belt light will also come on and stay on for
several seconds, then it will ash for several more.
If the passenger’s safety
belt is buckled, neither
the chime nor the
light will come on.
Airbag Readiness Light
There is an airbag readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster, which shows the airbag
symbol. The system checks the airbag’s
electrical system for malfunctions. The light
indicates if there is an electrical problem. The
system check includes the airbag sensors,
the airbag modules, the wiring, and the diagnostic
module. For more information on the airbag
system, seeAirbag System on page 64.
This light will come on
when the vehicle is
started, and it will ash
for a few seconds. Then
the light should go out.
This means the system is functioning properly.
If the airbag readiness light stays on after the
vehicle is started, or comes on as the vehicle is
being driven, the airbag system may not work
properly. Have the vehicle serviced right away.
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SERVICE BRAKE APPLY SENSOR
This message displays when the brake apply
sensor is not functioning properly. The vehicle still
has brakes when this warning message displays,
but you should have the vehicle serviced by
your dealer as soon as possible.
This message displays only while the ignition is in
RUN. A chime sounds for two seconds while
this message is displayed. Press the set/reset
button to acknowledge this message and to clear
it from the screen.
This message continues to display if it has not
been acknowledged when the engine is turned off.
It also re-displays for three seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message
re-appears when the engine is turned on.
SERVICE PARK LAMPS
This message displays if one of the vehicle’s
parking lamps needs to be replaced. SeeFront
Turn Signal, Parking and Fog Lamps on page 394
for bulb replacement procedures.
This message displays only while the ignition is in
RUN. A chime sounds for two seconds while
this message is displayed. Press the set/reset
button to acknowledge this message and to clear
it from the screen.
This message continues to display if it has not
been acknowledged when the engine is turned off.
It also re-displays for three seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message
re-appears when the engine is turned on.
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