2009 PONTIAC VIBE sensor

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.
Thresholds can also vary with
specic vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are not intended
to inate during vehicle rollovers,
rear impacts, or in many side
impacts. Frontal airbags for the
driver and right front passenger
may also deploy if a serious impact
occurs to the underside of the
vehicle such as hitting a curb, falling
into a deep hole, or landing hard.
In addition, the vehicle has
dual-stage frontal airbags.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the
restraint according to crash severity.The vehicle has electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing
system distinguish between a
moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. For moderate
frontal impacts, dual-stage airbags
inate at a level less than full
deployment. For more severe frontal
impacts, full deployment occurs.
The vehicle may have seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags.
SeeAirbag System on page 1-21.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags are intended
to inate in moderate to severe
side crashes. Seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags
will inate if the crash severity
is above the system’s designed
threshold level. Your vehicle
has sensors which detect side
impacts. These sensors signal the
appropriate side impact airbag
to inate. The threshold level can
vary with specic vehicle design.Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags are not intended to
inate 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. A roof-rail
airbag is 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, 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.
Seats and Restraints 1-25
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the right front
passenger position. The passenger
airbag status indicator will be
visible in the instrument panel when
the vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF will be
visible during the system check.
When the system check is complete,
either the word ON or the word
OFF will be visible depending onwhether the seat is occupied and/or
the weight of the occupant. If the
seat is unoccupied, the light will not
be visible after the system check.
SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 4-15.
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted
side impact airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbags
and the roof-rail airbags are not
affected by the passenger sensing
system.
The passenger sensing system will
also turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag, seat-mounted side
impact airbag (if equipped), and
safety belt pretensioner if it detects
that there is no occupant in that
position.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the right front passenger seat.
The sensors are designed to detectthe presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the
right front passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag (if equipped) should
be enabled (may inate) or not.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position.
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.
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.
1-28 Seats and Restraints
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

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, 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’s 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 1-28.If you have any 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 12-1.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: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 12-1.
In addition, your dealer/retailer and
the service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module and airbag wiring.
1-34 Seats and Restraints
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Power Outlet 115 Volt
Alternating Current
Electrical equipment with a
maximum limit of 115 VAC can be
plugged into this power outlet. If the
equipment used requires more than
the limit, a protection circuit will
cut the power supply. The power
automatically restarts when
equipment that operates within
the limit is plugged in.
The power outlet is located below
the shift lever.
Before using the outlet, turn on
the ignition and press the button
located on the instrument panel
below the climate control system.An indicator light in the button
comes on. After using the outlet,
press the button again to turn it off.
The power outlet is not designed for
the following electrical equipment
and they may not work properly:
Equipment with high initial peak
wattage: cathode-ray tube type
televisions, compressor-driven
refrigerators, or electric
power tools.
Other equipment requiring an
extremely stable power supply:
microcomputer-controlled
electric blankets, touch sensor
lamps, etc.
Ashtray(s)
For vehicles with a removable
ashtray, it is located in the front
cupholder in the center console
storage area.
Notice:If papers, pins, or other
ammable items are put in
the ashtray, hot cigarettes or
other smoking materials could
ignite them and possibly damage
the vehicle. Never put ammable
items in the ashtray.
For vehicles with a lighter, push
the lighter down and it will pop up
when it is ready to be used.
The ignition switch must be in the
ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN
position to use the lighter.
4-10 Instruments and Controls
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Safety Belt Reminders
When the engine is started, a chime
will sound for several seconds to
remind people to fasten their safety
belts, unless the driver safety
belt is already buckled.
The safety belt light will also ash
until the driver belt is buckled. If the
driver belt is already buckled, neither
the chime nor the light comes on.
The vehicle also has a safety belt
reminder light for the right front
passenger position next to the
passenger airbag status indicator.
SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 4-15.This light is located on the center of
the instrument panel, next to the
audio system.
When the key is turned to ON/RUN
or START, this light comes on
as a reminder for the right front
passenger to fasten their safety belt.
This light ashes until the right
front passenger safety belt is
buckled. The passenger safety belt
reminder light will not come on if
the right front passenger belt
is already buckled or if a sensor
does not detect the weight of
a passenger in that seat.
If something is placed on the right
front passenger seat, the sensors
in the seat may detect that
object and cause the right front
passenger safety belt reminder
light to come on. If this happens,
remove the object.
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 stays on if there is an
electrical problem. The system
monitors the airbag sensor
assembly, front airbag sensors,
seat-mounted side impact and
roof-mounted airbag sensors, driver
seat position sensor, driver seat
belt buckle switch, right front
occupant sensing system and
indicator light, front passenger
seat belt buckle switch, seat belt
pretensioner assemblies, inators,
interconnecting wiring and power
sources. For more information
on the airbag system, seeAirbag
System on page 1-21.
4-14 Instruments and Controls
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see
the front of your vehicle during the
day. Fully functional DRL are
required on all vehicles rst sold
in Canada.
The DRL system makes the
headlamps come on at a reduced
brightness when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on with the
engine running.
The exterior lamps switch is off.
The parking brake is released.
When the exterior lamp switch
is turned to the headlamp position,
the DRL go off and the headlamps
come on. The other lamps that
come on with the headlamps also
come on.The headlamps automatically switch
from DRL to the regular headlamps
depending on the darkness of
the surroundings. See “Automatic
Headlamp System” following.
DRL also comes on if only the
parking lamps are being used.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside,
the automatic headlamp system
turns on the low-beam headlamps at
the normal brightness along with
other lamps such as the taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps and
instrument panel lights. An indicator
light on the instrument panel comes
on when the headlamps are on.
SeeInstrument Panel Cluster on
page 4-12.If the vehicle is driven through a
parking garage, overcast weather, or
a tunnel, the automatic headlamp
system may turn on. There is
a delay before the lights turn on
when starting the car at night.
Do not cover the automatic light
sensor, located on the top left corner
of the instrument panel. If the
sensor is covered the headlamps
will stay on continuously.
Fog Lamps
#
(Fog Lamps):For vehicles with
fog lamps, move the band on the turn
signal/multifunction lever to
#to turn
them on. The fog lamps only come
on when the headlamps are on
low beam.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be
on along with the fog lamps.
5-2 Lighting
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

When to Check
Check your tires once a month
or more. Do not forget to
check the compact spare tire,
it should be at 60 psi (420 kPa).
For additional information
regarding the compact spare
tire, seeCompact Spare Tire
on page 9-70.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type
gage to check tire pressure.
You cannot tell if your tires are
properly inated simply by
looking at them. Radial tires may
look properly inated even when
they are under-inated. Check
the tire’s ination pressure when
the tires are cold. Cold means
your vehicle has been sitting for
at least three hours or driven no
more than 1 mile (1.6 km).Remove the valve cap from the
tire valve stem. Press the tire
gage rmly onto the valve to
get a pressure measurement.
If the cold tire ination pressure
matches the recommended
pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further
adjustment is necessary. If the
ination pressure is low, add air
until you reach the recommended
amount.
If you overll the tire, release air
by pushing on the metal stem
in the center of the tire valve.
Re-check the tire pressure with
the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps
back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by
keeping out dirt and moisture.Tire Pressure Monitor
System
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) uses radio and sensor
technology to check tire pressure
levels. The TPMS sensors monitor
the air pressure in your vehicle’s
tires and transmit tire pressure
readings to a receiver located
in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare
(if provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inated to
the ination pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire ination
pressure label. (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or
tire ination pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire
ination pressure for those tires.)
9-48 Vehicle Service and Care
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

The TPMS operates on a radio
frequency and complies with
RSS-210 of Industry and Science
Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause
interference.
2. This device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause
undesired operation of the device.
Changes or modications to
this system by other than an
authorized service facility could void
authorization to use this equipment.
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
The Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS) warns the driver when a low
tire pressure condition exists. TPMS
sensors are mounted onto each tire
and wheel assembly, excluding the
spare tire and wheel assembly.When a low tire pressure condition
is detected, the low tire pressure
warning light, located on the
instrument panel cluster, comes on.
This light also comes on for a
few seconds and then goes off when
you turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
This indicates the TPMS is
functioning properly. If the low-tire
pressure warning light comes on
while driving the vehicle, the system
may have detected a low-tire
condition. You need to stop as soon
as possible and check the tires.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is rst started, and
then turn off as you start to drive.This could be an early indicator that
the air pressure in the tire(s) are
getting low and need to be inated
to the proper pressure.
A Tire and Loading Information
label, attached to the vehicle, shows
the size of the vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct
ination pressure for the tires when
they are cold. SeeLoading the
Vehicle on page 8-32, for an
example of the Tire and Loading
Information label and its location on
your vehicle. Also seeInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 9-47.
The vehicle’s TPMS can warn you
about a low tire pressure condition
but it does not replace normal tire
maintenance. SeeTire Inspection
and Rotation on page 9-53andTires
on page 9-41.
9-50 Vehicle Service and Care
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual