2011 CHEVROLET VOLT airbag

Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
3-40 Seats and Restraints
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance
or replacement. Make sure the
airbag readiness light is working.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑19 for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken,
the airbag may not work properly.
Do not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbag modules,
see What Makes an Airbag
Inflate? on page 3‑30. See your
dealer for service.
Replacing Airbag System
Parts after a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the
airbag systems in the vehicle.
A damaged airbag system
may not work properly and
may not protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting
in serious injury or even death.
To help make sure the airbag
systems are working properly
after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon
as possible. If an airbag inflates, you will need
to replace airbag system parts.
See your dealer for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the airbag
system may not work properly.
Have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness Light
on page 5‑19 for more information.

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-43
Infants and Young
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs
protection! This includes infants
and all other children. Neither the
distance traveled nor the age and
size of the traveler changes the
need, for everyone, to use safety
restraints. In fact, the law in every
state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says
children up to some age must be
restrained while in a vehicle.
{WARNING
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt
is wrapped around their neck
and the safety belt continues to
tighten. Never leave children
unattended in a vehicle and
never allow children to play
with the safety belts.Airbags plus lap‐shoulder belts
offer protection for adults and older
children, but not for young children
and infants. Neither the vehicle's
safety belt system nor its airbag
system is designed for them. Every
time infants and young children ride
in vehicles, they should have the
protection provided by appropriate
child restraints.
Children who are not restrained
properly can strike other people,
or can be thrown out of the vehicle.
{WARNING
Never do this.
Never hold an infant or a child
while riding in a vehicle. Due to
crash forces, an infant or a child
will become so heavy it is not
possible to hold it during a crash.
For example, in a crash at only
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
40 km/h (25 mph), a 5.5 kg (12 lb)
infant will suddenly become a
110 kg (240 lb) force on a person's
arms. An infant should be
secured in an appropriate
restraint.

Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
3-44 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
Never do this.
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front
seat. Secure a rear-facing child
restraint in a rear seat. It is also
better to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in a rear seat. If you
must secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front
seat, always move the front
passenger seat as far back
as it will go.
Q: What are the different types ofadd-on child restraints?
A: Add-on child restraints, which
are purchased by the vehicle
owner, are available in four
basic types. Selection of a
particular restraint should take
into consideration not only the
child's weight, height, and age
but also whether or not the
restraint will be compatible with
the motor vehicle in which it will
be used. For most basic types of child
restraints, there are many
different models available.
When purchasing a child
restraint, be sure it is designed
to be used in a motor vehicle.
If it is, the restraint will have a
label saying that it meets federal
motor vehicle safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer's
instructions that come with the
restraint state the weight and
height limitations for a particular
child restraint. In addition, there
are many kinds of restraints
available for children with
special needs.

Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-47
SeeLower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑49 for more information.
Children can be endangered in a
crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.
When securing an add-on child
restraint, refer to the instructions
that come with the restraint which
may be on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both, and to this manual.
The child restraint instructions
are important, so if they are not
available, obtain a replacement
copy from the manufacturer.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to
properly secure any child restraint in
the vehicle —even when no child is
in it. In some areas, Certified Child
Passenger Safety Technicians
(CPSTs) are available to inspect
and demonstrate how to correctly
use and install child restraints.
In the U.S., refer to the National
Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) website
to locate the nearest child safety
seat inspection station. For CPST
availability in Canada, check with
Transport Canada or the Provincial
Ministry of Transportation office.
Securing the Child within the
Child Restraint
{WARNING
A child can be seriously injured
or killed in a crash if the child
is not properly secured in the
child restraint. Secure the child
properly following the instructions
that came with that child restraint.
Where to Put the
Restraint
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 and
child restraints 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
restraint in the front.”
This is
because the risk to the rear-facing
child is so great, if the airbag
deploys.

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
3-48 Seats and Restraints
{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 airbag(s), 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 turned off.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑33 for additional
information.
When securing a child restraint in
a rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the
child restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
Child restraints and booster seats
vary considerably in size, and some
may fit in certain seating positions
better than others. Always make
sure the child restraint is properly
secured. Depending on where you place
the child restraint and the size
of the child restraint, you may
not be able to access adjacent
safety belt assemblies or LATCH
anchors for additional passengers
or child restraints. Adjacent seating
positions should not be used if the
child restraint prevents access to
or interferes with the routing of the
safety belt.
Wherever a child restraint is
installed, be sure to secure the
child restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to
properly secure any child restraint in
the vehicle
—even when no child is
in it.

Black plate (60,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
3-60 Seats and Restraints
Securing Child Restraints
(Front Passenger Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure
a forward-facing child restraint.
SeeWhere to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑47.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which
is designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag
and passenger knee airbag under
certain conditions. See Passenger
Sensing System on page 3‑33 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑20 for more information,
including important safety
information. 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 airbag(s), 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 turned 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.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑33 for additional
information.

Black plate (61,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-61
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑49 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured using a safety belt and
it uses a top tether, see Lower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) on page 3‑49
for top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached. You will be using the lap-shoulder
belt to secure the child restraint in
this position. Follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
1. Move the seat as far back as
it will go before securing the
forward-facing child restraint.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag
and passenger knee airbag, the
off indicator on the passenger
airbag status indicator should
light and stay lit when you start
the vehicle. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator on
page 5‑20.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of
the vehicle's safety belt through
or around the restraint. The child
restraint instructions will show
you how.
4. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.

Black plate (62,1)Chevrolet Volt Owner Manual - 2011
3-62 Seats and Restraints
5. Pull the shoulder belt all the wayout of the retractor to set the
lock. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened but
not pulled out of the retractor.6. To tighten the belt, push downon the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt,
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint,
it may be helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked,
repeat Steps 5 and 6. 7. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
If the airbags are off, the off
indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator will come on and
stay on when the vehicle is started.
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit, see
“If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint” underPassenger Sensing
System on page 3‑33 for more
information.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.