2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO Owners Manual

{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, 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
inates, 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
the hazard warning ashers on when the airbags inate.
You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off,
and turn the hazard warning ashers off by using
the controls for those features.In many crashes severe enough to inate the 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 7-16andEvent Data Recorders on page 7-17.
Let only qualied technicians work on the airbag
systems. Improper service can mean that an airbag
system will not work properly. See your dealer/
retailer for service.
1-77

Airbag Off Switch
If one of the switches pictured in the following
illustrations is located in your glove box, your vehicle
has an airbag on-off switch that you can use to
manually turn on or off the right front passenger’s
airbag. Your switch may vary slightly.
If your vehicle does not have an airbag off switch, it
may have a passenger sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-81.This switch should only be turned to the off position if
the person in the right front passenger’s position is
a member of a passenger risk group identied by the
national government as follows:
Infant.An infant (less than 1 year old) must
ride in the front seat because:

My vehicle has no rear seat;
My vehicle has a rear seat too small to
accommodate a rear-facing infant seat; or
The infant has a medical condition which, according
to the infant’s physician, makes it necessary for the
infant to ride in the front seat so that the driver
can constantly monitor the child’s condition.
Child age 1 to 12.A child age 1 to 12 must
ride in the front seat because:

My vehicle has no rear seat;
Although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear
seat(s) whenever possible, children ages 1 to 12
sometimes must ride in the front because no space
is available in the rear seat(s) of my vehicle; or
The child has a medical condition which, according
to the child’s physician, makes it necessary for the
child to ride in the front seat so that the driver
can constantly monitor the child’s condition. United States
Canada
1-78

Medical Condition.A passenger has a
medical condition which, according to his or
her physician:

Causes the passenger airbag to pose a special risk
for the passenger; and
Makes the potential harm from the passenger
airbag in a crash greater than the potential
harm from turning off the airbag and allowing the
passenger, even if belted, to hit the dashboard
or windshield in a crash.
{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s airbag is turned
off for a person who is not in a risk group
identied by the national government, that
person will not have the extra protection of an
airbag. In a crash, the airbag will not be able to
inate and help protect the person sitting there.
Do not turn off the passenger’s airbag unless
the person sitting there is in a risk group.To turn off the right front passenger’s airbag, insert your
ignition key into the switch, push in, and move the
switch to the off position.
The word OFF or the off symbol will come on in the
passenger airbag status indicator located in the overhead
console to let you know that the right front passenger’s
airbag is off, after the system check is completed. The
airbag off light will come on and stay on to let you know
that the right front passenger’s airbag is off. SeeAirbag
Off Light on page 3-41. United States
Canada
1-79

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on
when you have turned off the airbag, it means
that something may be wrong with the airbag
system. The right front passenger’s airbag
could inate even though the switch is off.
If this ever happens, do not let anyone whom
the national government has identied as a
member of a passenger airbag risk group sit
in the right front passenger’s position (for
example, do not secure a rear-facing child
restraint in the right front passenger’s seat)
until you have your vehicle serviced. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 3-40for additional
information.To turn the right front passenger’s airbag on again,
insert your ignition key into the switch, push in,
and move the switch to the on position.
The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is now
enabled (may inate). SeeAirbag Off Light on page 3-41
for more information.United States
Canada
1-80

Passenger Sensing System
If your vehicle has one of the indicators pictured in the
following illustrations, then your vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the right front passenger’s position,
unless there is an airbag off switch located in the glove
box. If there is an airbag off switch, your vehicle does not
have a passenger sensing system. SeeAirbag Off Switch
on page 1-78for more information.
The passenger airbag status indicator will be visible on
the overhead console when you start your vehicle.
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
will be visible during 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 3-43.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
right front 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 children be secured in a rear seat,
including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing
child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child
seat; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children,
who are large enough, using safety belts.
United States
Canada
1-81

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.
{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.
Even if the passenger sensing system has
turned off the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under
some unusual circumstance, even though it is
turned off. Rear-facing child restraints should
be secured in a rear seat, even if the airbag
is off.
If you 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.If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, we
recommend that rear-facing child restraints not be
transported in your vehicle, even if the airbag is off.
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 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 sensing system has turned off the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is off.
SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-43.
1-82

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 (With Airbag Off Switch) on page 1-57
orSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position (With Passenger Sensing System) on page 1-62
orSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position (Heavy Duty Crew Cab Only) on page 1-66.
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. SeeHead Restraints on page 1-11.
Remove any additional material from the seat such as
blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, or seat
massagers before reinstalling or securing the child
restraint.If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle, and
check with your dealer/retailer. If no rear seat is
available, do not install a child restraint in this vehicle,
and check with your dealer/retailer.
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.
1-83

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, remove any
additional material from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat heaters or seat massagers
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. Restart the vehicle and have the person
remain in this position for two to three minutes. This
will allow the system to detect that person and
then enable the right front passenger’s frontal airbag.
Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the
seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps
the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger
airbag status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child Restraints” in
the Index for additional information about the importance
of proper restraint use.
1-84