2009 BUICK LUCERNE page 3
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{CAUTION:
Children who are up against, or very close to, any
airbag when it in ates can be seriously injured or
killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer
protection for adults and older children, 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 1-35or
Infants and Young Children on page 1-38.
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 3-36
for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
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Your vehicle also has a dual-depth passenger airbag that
adjusts the restraint according to crash severity, seat
location, and safety belt status using electronic frontal
sensor(s) and other special sensors which enable the
sensing system to monitor the position of the front
passenger seat. The passenger airbag in ates to a
reduced depth when the passenger seat is in a forward
position. For more rearward front seating positions, the
passenger airbag may in ate to an increased depth
(a full deployment), based on safety belt status and
the crash severity measured early in the event.
(Always wear your safety belt, even with frontal airbags.)
Your vehicle has seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags. SeeAirbag System on page 1-58.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags
are intended to in ate in moderate to severe side
crashes. Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags
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.Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are not
intended to in ate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that
is struck. Both roof-rail airbags will deploy when either
side of the vehicle 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 seat-mounted side impact
and roof-rail airbags, deployment is determined by the
location and severity of the side impact.
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What Makes an Airbag In ate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
in ator. Gas from the in ator lls the airbag causing the
bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The in ator, the
airbag, and related hardware are all part of the airbag
module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the
steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles
with seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to the
door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there are airbag
modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side
windows that have occupant seating positions.
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. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impact
and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? on page 1-63for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
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What Will You See After an Airbag
In ates?
After the frontal airbags 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-rail airbags may still be at least partially in ated
for some time after they deploy. Some components
of the airbag module may be hot for several minutes.
For location of the airbag modules, seeWhat Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-65.
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.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag in ates, 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 in ates, 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.
The 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 in ate.
You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off,
and turn the hazard warning ashers off by using the
controls for those features.
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In many crashes severe enough to in ate the airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur
from the right front passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to in ate only once. After an
airbag in ates, 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.
The vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic
module which records information after a crash. See
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy on page 7-17
andEvent Data Recorders on page 7-17.
Let only quali ed technicians work on the airbag
systems. Improper service can mean that an airbag
system will not work properly. See your dealer/
retailer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position. The passenger airbag
status indicator will be visible on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
are visible during the system check. If you are using
remote start, if equipped, to start the vehicle from
a distance, you may not see the system check. When
the system check is complete, either the word ON
or OFF, or the symbol for on or off, will be visible.
SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-37. United States
Canada
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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger airbag and seat-mounted
side impact 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 frontal airbag and seat-mounted
side impact airbag, the off indicator will light and stay lit
to remind you that the airbags are off. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-37.The passenger sensing system is designed to turn on
(may in ate) the right front passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in
the right front passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing system has allowed the
airbags to be enabled, the on indicator will light and stay
lit to remind you that the airbags are 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 frontal
airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag, depending
upon the person’s seating posture and body build.
Everyone in the vehicle who has outgrown child restraints
should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there
is an airbag for that person.{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help avoid injury to
yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-36
for more information, including important safety
information.
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If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as
blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, or
seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions
provided by the child restraint manufacturer and
refer toSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position on page 1-54.5. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting
the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, turn the vehicle
off. Then slightly recline the vehicle seatback and
adjust the seat cushion, if adjustable, to make sure
that the vehicle seatback is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion.
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 1-2.
6. Restart the vehicle.
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.
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Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
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.
A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or
cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat covers,
seat heaters, and seat massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. We recommend
that you not use seat covers or other aftermarket
equipment except when approved by GM for your speci c
vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 1-73for more information about
modi cations that can affect how the system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger seat or
between the passenger seat cushion and seatback
may interfere with the proper operation of the
passenger sensing system.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around the vehicle. Your dealer/retailer and the
service manual have information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To purchase a service
manual, seeService Publications Ordering Information
on page 7-16.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition is turned off
and the battery is disconnected, an airbag can still
in ate during improper service. You can be injured
if you are close to an airbag when it in ates. 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 quali ed to do so.
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