Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-29
5. If, after reinstalling the childrestraint 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 3‑2.
6. Restart the vehicle.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure
the child in the child restraint in a
rear seat position in the vehicle, and
check with your dealer.If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the front outboard passenger seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting properly in the seat. Use the
following steps to allow the system
to detect that person and enable the
front outboard 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.
Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
3-30 Seats and Restraints
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
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑31 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.
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 13‑11.
{WARNING
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle 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.
Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-31
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end or side sheet
metal, may keep the airbag system
from working properly. The
operation of the airbag system can
also be affected by 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, or airbag wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
front outboard 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, 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).
See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑26. The vehicle has rollover roof‐rail
airbags, see
Different Size Tires
and Wheels on page 10‑54 for
additional important information.
If you have to modify your vehicle
because you have a disability and
have questions about whether the
modifications will affect the vehicle's
airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag
system will be affected if the vehicle
is modified for any other reason, call
Customer Assistance. See
Customer Assistance Offices on
page 13‑3.
Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
3-32 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. See
Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑11for 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 airbags, see
Where Are the Airbags? on
page 3‑21. 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 5‑11
for more information.
Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-35
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.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
For example, in a crash at only
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 (36,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
3-36 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.
Black plate (40,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
3-40 Seats and Restraints
A label on your 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
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it 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, 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 3‑26 for additional
information.
When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with your
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 you install a child
restraint, 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
your vehicle
—even when no child
is in it.
Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-49
Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat
Position)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat
is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑39.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) under certain
conditions. See andPassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on
page 5‑12 for more information on
this, including important safety
information.
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 it is
turned off.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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, 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 3‑26 for additional
information.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑41 for how to
install your 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 3‑41 for top tether
anchor locations.