2009 SATURN VUE seats
[x] Cancel search: seatsPage 52 of 386
The vehicle has seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags.
SeeAirbag System on page 1-42.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags are intended
to in ate in moderate to severe side
crashes. In addition, these roof-rail
airbags are intended to in ate during
a rollover or in a severe frontal
impact. 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 airbags
are not intended to in ate in
frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts. Roof-rail
airbags are not intended to in ate
in 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, or if the
sensing system predicts that
the vehicle is about to roll over,
or in a severe frontal impact.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. In a
rollover event, roof-rail airbag
deployment is determined by the
direction of the roll.
1-48 Seats and Restraint System
ProCarManuals.com
Page 53 of 386
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.Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
rst and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of
full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
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 1-47for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
Seats and Restraint System 1-49
ProCarManuals.com
Page 54 of 386
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 1-49.
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. You
must rst, however, turn the ignition
key to the following ignition switch
positions:
1. Turn the ignition key to
LOCK/OFF.
2. Turn the ignition key to ON/RUN.
1-50 Seats and Restraint System
ProCarManuals.com
Page 55 of 386
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.
SeeVehicle Data Recording and
Privacy on page 7-16andEvent
Data Recorders on page 7-16.
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 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 3-30.
United States
Canada
Seats and Restraint System 1-51
ProCarManuals.com
Page 56 of 386
The passenger sensing system
turns 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
works with sensors that are part of
the right front passenger seat and
safety belt. The sensors are
designed to detect the presence
of a properly-seated occupant and
determine if the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side
impact airbag should be enabled
(may in ate) or not.According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in a 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.
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 in ates.
This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the in ating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag in ates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
(Continued)
1-52 Seats and Restraint System
ProCarManuals.com
Page 57 of 386
CAUTION (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped), no system is
fail-safe. No one can guarantee
that an airbag will not deploy under
some unusual circumstance, even
though the airbag(s) are off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the airbag(s)
are 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 the vehicle does not have a
rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint, a
rear-facing child restraint should not
be installed in the vehicle, even if the
airbag is off.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 3-30.
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.
Seats and Restraint System 1-53
ProCarManuals.com
Page 58 of 386
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 3-29for 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 toSecuring a Child
Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position on page 1-39.5. 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 with an
infant present in a child restraint,
secure the child restraint in a rear
seat position in the vehicle and
see your dealer/retailer.
1-54 Seats and Restraint System
ProCarManuals.com
Page 59 of 386
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
and seat-mounted side impact
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.
Seats and Restraint System 1-55
ProCarManuals.com