2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE airbag off

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 instrument panel 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 3-33.
The passenger sensing system
turns off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbag,
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and the roof-rail airbags are not
affected by the passenger sensing
system.The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the right front passenger seat.
The sensors are designed to detect
the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the
right front passenger frontal airbag
should be enabled (may inate)
or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.
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
Seats and Restraint System 1-53

A label on the 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
airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if
the right front passenger airbag
inates and the passenger seat is
in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
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.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag if:
The right front passenger seat is
unoccupied.
The system determines that an
infant is present in a child
restraint.
A right front passenger takes
his/her weight off of the seat for a
period of time.
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, the off
indicator will light and stay lit
to remind you that the airbag is off.
SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 3-33.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on (may inate) the
right front passenger frontal 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 airbag to be
enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that
the airbag is active.
1-54 Seats and Restraint System

For some children, including children
in child restraints, and for very small
adults, the passenger sensing
system may or may not turn off the
right front passenger frontal 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 3-33for more information,
including important safety
information.
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 to
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position on
page 1-43.5. 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.
The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbag for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s seating posture and body
build. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat.
Seats and Restraint System 1-55

If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
If a person of adult-size is sitting in
the right front passenger seat, but
the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. If this happens,
use the following steps to allow the
system to detect that person and
enable the right front passenger
frontal airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.3. Place the seatback in the fully
upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the
seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the
on indicator is lit.
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 seatmassagers 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 specic
vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment
to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-58for more information
about modications that can affect
how the system operates.
A wet seat can affect the
performance of the passenger
sensing system. Here is how:The passenger sensing system
may turn off the passenger airbag
when liquid is soaked into the
seat. If this happens, the off
indicator will be lit, and the airbag
readiness light on the instrument
panel will also be lit.
1-56 Seats and Restraint System

Liquid pooled on the seat that has
not soaked in may make it more
likely that the passenger sensing
system will enable (turn on) the
passenger airbag while a child
restraint or child occupant is on
the seat. If the passenger airbag
is turned on, the on indicator will
be lit.
If the passenger seat gets wet, dry
the seat immediately. If the airbag
readiness light is lit, do not install a
child restraint or allow anyone to
occupy the seat. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 3-33for
important safety information.
The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop or
other electronic device, is put on an
unoccupied seat. If this is not desired
remove the object from the seat.{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 7-15.
{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.
Seats and Restraint System 1-57

Adding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add
to or change about the
vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working
properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that
change the vehicle’s frame,
bumper system, height, front end
or side sheet metal, they may
keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or
moving any parts of the front
seats, safety belts, the airbag
sensing and diagnostic module,
steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules,
ceiling headliner or pillar
garnish trim, front sensors, side
impact sensors, rollover
sensor module, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of
the airbag system.In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position,
which includes sensors that are
part of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may
not operate properly if the original
seat trim is replaced with non-GM
covers, upholstery or trim, or with
GM covers, upholstery or trim
designed for a different vehicle.
Any object, such as an
aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the
seat fabric, could also interfere
with the operation of the
passenger sensing system. This
could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system from
properly turning off the passenger
airbag(s). SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-53.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 7-1.
If the vehicle has rollover
roof-rail airbags, seeDifferent
Size Tires and Wheels on
page 5-52for additional
important information.
1-58 Seats and Restraint System

The back of the vehicle is in an
accident, the position and
mounting angle of the camera can
change or the camera can be
affected. Be sure to have the
camera and its position and
mounting angle checked at your
dealer/retailer.
There are extreme temperature
changes.
The rear vision camera system
display in the rearview mirror may
turn off or not appear as expected
due to one of the following
conditions. If this occurs the left
indicator light on the mirror will ash.
A slow ash may indicate a
loss of video signal, or no
video signal present during the
reverse cycle.
A fast ash may indicate that the
display has been on for the
maximum allowable time during a
reverse cycle, or the display has
reached an Over Temperature
limit.
The fast ash conditions are used
to protect the video device from
high temperature conditions.
Once conditions return to normal
the device will reset and the
green indicator will stop ashing.
During any of these fault conditions,
the display will be blank and the
indicator will continue to ash as long
as the vehicle is in R (Reverse) or
until the conditions return to normal.
Pressing and holding
zwhen the
left indicator light is ashing will turn
off the video display along with
the left indicator light.
OnStar®System
OnStar uses several innovative
technologies and live advisors to
provide a wide range of safety,
security, information, and
convenience services. If the airbags
deploy, the system is designed to
make an automatic call to OnStar
Emergency advisors who can
request emergency services be sent
to your location. If the keys are
locked in the vehicle, call OnStar at
1-888-4-ONSTAR to have a signal
sent to unlock the doors. OnStar
Hands-Free Calling, including
30 trial minutes good for 60 days, is
available on most vehicles. OnStar
Turn-by-Turn Navigation service,
with one trial route, is available on
most vehicles. Press the OnStar
button to have an OnStar advisor
contact Roadside Service.
Features and Controls 2-43

Airbag Readiness Light
This light shows if there is an
electrical problem. The system
check includes the airbag sensor,
the pretensioners, the airbag
modules, the wiring and the crash
sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the airbag
system, seeAirbag System on
page 1-46.
This light will come on and stay on
for several seconds when the vehicle
is started. Then the light should
go out.
If the airbag readiness light stays
on after the vehicle has been started
or comes on when while driving,
the airbag system may not work
properly. Have the vehicle serviced
right away.{CAUTION
If the airbag readiness light stays
on after the vehicle is started or
comes on while driving, it means
the airbag system might not be
working properly. The airbags in
the vehicle might not inate in a
crash, or they could even inate
without a crash. To help avoid
injury, have the vehicle serviced
right away.
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-53
for important safety information.
The instrument panel has a
passenger airbag status indicator.When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, for several seconds
as a system check. If you are using
remote start to start the vehicle
from a distance, if equipped, you
may not see the system check.
United States
Canada
Instrument Panel 3-33