2007 PONTIAC VIBE steering

There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, 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 162for 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
passenger 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 inate
properly or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury or even
death. The path of an inating 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 inating airbag will
be blocked. Do not let seat covers block
the ination path of a side impact airbag.
The path of an inating airbag must be
kept clear.
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It is possible that, in a crash involving the front of
your vehicle, only one of the two frontal airbags
in your vehicle will deploy. This is rare, but it can
happen in a crash just severe enough to make
a frontal airbag inate.
Side impact airbags are intended to inate in
moderate to severe side crashes. A side impact
airbag will inate if the crash severity is above the
system’s designed “threshold level.” The
threshold level can vary with specic vehicle
design. Side impact airbags are not intended to
inate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or
in many rear impacts. Your vehicle has sensors
which detect side impacts. These sensors
signal the appropriate side airbag to inate. Both
side impact airbags (seat-mounted and
roof-mounted) are intended to deploy on the side
of the vehicle that is struck. It is possible that,
in a crash involving the rear side of your vehicle,
that only the roof-mounted airbag will deploy.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether
an airbag should have inated simply because
of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the
repair costs were.For frontal airbags, ination is determined by what
the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, vehicle
speed, and how quickly the vehicle slows down in
frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
airbags, ination is determined by the location and
severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
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 inator, which inates the
airbag. The inator, 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.
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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.
What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After the frontal and seat-mounted side impact
airbags inate, they quickly deate, so quickly that
some people may not even realize an airbag
inated. Roof-mounted side impact airbags may still
be at least partially inated 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.
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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 400.
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, 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 400.
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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 357for 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 ceiling near
the side windows (if equipped), the bag 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 side impact airbag
module and ceiling covering for the
roof-mounted side impact airbags (if equipped).
Do not open or break the airbag coverings.
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Liftgate/Liftglass Release
To unlock and open the liftgate using the key,
insert the key into the keyhole and turn
counterclockwise. Raise the liftgate by hand.
When closing the liftgate, use the handle to pull
it down.
To lock the liftgate, turn the key clockwise to the
rst position.To open the liftglass using the key, insert the key
into the keyhole and turn clockwise to the
second position. Use the handle in the center of
the liftglass to help in lifting the glass.
Your vehicle may have
a liftglass release button
which is located on
the instrument panel to
the left of the steering
wheel. Press this button
to release the liftglass.
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Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some
cities. Although your vehicle has a number of
theft-deterrent features, we know that nothing we
put on it can make it impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
If your vehicle has this feature, the theft-deterrent
system is designed to activate an alarm if any
of the side doors or the liftgate is forcibly unlocked
or if the battery terminal is disconnected and
then reconnected while the system is set.
The alarm will sound the horn intermittently and
ash the headlamps, turn signal lamps and interior
lights. If the driver’s or front passenger’s side
doors are unlocked forcibly, the other side doors
and the liftgate will be locked automatically.
Arming the System
To arm the system, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position
and remove it.
2. Close and lock all doors and liftgate with the
key or remote keyless entry transmitter.The indicator light
located on the
instrument panel to the
left of the steering
wheel will come
on when all doors and
liftgate are closed
and locked.
The system will be automatically set after
30 seconds. When the system is set,
the indicator light will start ashing.
3. After the indicator light starts ashing, you
may leave the vehicle.
Do not leave anyone in the vehicle when you
set the system, because unlocking the
vehicle from the inside will activate the system.
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