2011 CHEVROLET AVEO airbag off

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Aveo Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-9
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly.
.Safety Belts on page 3‑11.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑14.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑20.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑48.
Sensing System for
Passenger Airbag
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat‐mounted
side impact airbag (if equipped)
under certain conditions. The driver
airbags are not affected by this.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible, near the
clock, located in the center of the
instrument panel when the vehicle is
started.
United States
Canada
See Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑31 for important information.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Aveo Owner Manual - 2011
3-26 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag
when it inflates 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 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 the
vehicle. To read how, seeOlder
Children on page 3‑38 orInfants
and Young Children on
page 3‑41.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument panel, which
shows the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag
electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an
electrical problem. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑12 for
more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver's frontal airbag is in the
middle of the steering wheel.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Aveo Owner Manual - 2011
3-30 Seats and Restraints
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal and seat-mounted
side impact airbags inflate, they
quickly deflate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize the
airbags inflated. 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 3‑29.
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 deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation 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.
{WARNING
When an airbag inflates, 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 inflates, 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, turn on the
hazard warning flashers, and shut off the fuel system after the airbags
inflate. You can lock the doors, turn
the interior lamps off, and turn the
hazard warning flashers off by using
the controls for those features.
{WARNING
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Aveo Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-31
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the right front
passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, 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 13‑15 andEvent Data
Recorders on page 13‑15.
.Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag system.
Improper service can mean that
the airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer 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, near the clock, located in
the center of the instrument panel,
when the vehicle is started.
United States
Canada
The words PASSENGER AIRBAG
ON and PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
or the symbols for on and off will be
visible, during the system check.
When the system check is
complete, either the words
PASSENGER AIRBAG ON and
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF or the
symbol for on and off will be visible.
See Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5‑12.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Aveo Owner Manual - 2011
3-32 Seats and Restraints
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted
side impact airbag (if equipped)
under certain conditions. The driver
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 and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) should be enabled
(may inflate) 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.
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.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
(Continued)
WARNING (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.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Aveo Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-33
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) 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
(if equipped), the off indicator will
light and stay lit to remind you that
the airbag or airbags are off. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑12.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to enable (may inflate) the
right front passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag (if equipped) 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 or airbags to be
enabled, the on symbol will light and
stay lit to remind you that the airbag
or 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 (if equipped),
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.
{WARNING
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. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑12 for more
information, including important
safety information.

Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Aveo Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-35
system to detect that person and
enable the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted
side impact airbag (if equipped):
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional materialfrom 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
seat massagers can affect how
well the passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that
you not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment other than
any that GM has approved for your
specific vehicle. See Adding
Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 3‑36 for more
information about modifications that
can affect how the system operates.
{WARNING
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.

Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Aveo Owner Manual - 2011
3-36 Seats and Restraints
Servicing the
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 and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑12.
{WARNING
For up to 10 seconds after the
ignition is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. 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 qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q: Is there anything I might addto or change about the vehicle
that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that
change your 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, 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 seat. The passenger