2011 CHEVROLET HHR Owners Manual

Black plate (65,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
What Will You See After an Airbag
Inflates?
After the frontal airbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not even realize an
airbag inflated. Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after they deploy. Some
components of the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the airbag modules, see
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? on page 2‑64.
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 on the interior lamps and hazard warning
flashers, and shut off the fuel system after the airbags
inflate. You can lock the doors, turn off the interior
lamps and hazard warning flashers by using the
controls for those features.
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Black plate (66,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
{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.
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 the 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 8‑15and Event Data Recorderson
page 8‑16.
.Let only qualified technicians work on the airbag
systems. Improper service can mean that an
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
If the vehicle has one of the passenger airbag status
indicators pictured in the following illustrations, then the
vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the right
front passenger position. The passenger airbag status
indicator, if equipped, is visible on the instrument panel
when the vehicle is started.
In addition, if the vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger position, the label
on the vehicle's sun visors refer to “ADVANCED
AIRBAGS”.
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Black plate (67,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
United StatesCanada
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
will be 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 the
word OFF, or the symbol for on or off, will be visible.
See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4‑27. The passenger sensing system will turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver airbag and 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
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.
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Black plate (68,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
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.
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no
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,
(Continued)
WARNING: (Continued)
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 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. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 4‑27.
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Black plate (69,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
The passenger sensing system is designed turn on
(may inflate) 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.
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.
{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 4‑26
for 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 2‑54.
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. See Head Restraints
on
page 2‑2.
6. Restart the vehicle.
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Black plate (70,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
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.
If no rear seat is available, do not install a child
restraint in this vehicle.
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.
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Black plate (71,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
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 specific vehicle. See Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on page 2‑72for more
information about modifications 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.
.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. See Airbag Readiness Light
on page 4‑26for
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.
{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.
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Black plate (72,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
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 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 8‑14.
{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 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 may have 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,
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