
WARNING!(Continued)
•Relying on the air bags alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The air bags work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, air bags won’t deploy at all. Al-
ways wear your seat belts even though you have air
bags.
Advanced Front Air Bag Operation
Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to provide addi-
tional protection by supplementing the seat belts. Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags are not expected to reduce the risk
of injury in rear, side, or rollover collisions. The Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags will not deploy in all frontal
collisions, including some that may produce substantial
vehicle damage — for example, some pole collisions,
truck underrides, and angle offset collisions.
On the other hand, depending on the type and location of
impact, Advanced Front Air Bags may deploy in crashes
with little vehicle front-end damage but that produce a
severe initial deceleration.
Because air bag sensors measure vehicle deceleration
over time, vehicle speed and damage by themselves are
not good indicators of whether or not an air bag should
have deployed.
Seat belts are necessary for your protection in all colli-
sions, and also are needed to help keep you in position,
away from an inflating air bag.
When the ORC detects a collision requiring the Ad-
vanced Front Air Bags, it signals the inflator units. A large
quantity of non-toxic gas is generated to inflate the
Advanced Front Air Bags.
The steering wheel hub trim cover and the upper right
side of the instrument panel separate and fold out of the
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

•Passenger Air Bag Disabled (PAD) Indicator Light – an
amber light located in the center of the instrument
panel
•Air Bag Warning Light
Occupant Classification Module (OCM)
The Occupant Classification Module (OCM) is located
underneath the front passenger seat. The OCM uses
input from the Bladder to determine the front passen-
ger ’s most probable classification. The OCM communi-
cates this information to the ORC. The ORC may deacti-
vate the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag deployment
based on occupant classification.
Bladder
The Bladder is located beneath the passenger seat cush-
ion foam. The Bladder sends signals to the OCM for
classifying the occupant in the front passenger seat. Any
weight on the seat will be sensed by the Bladder. In order
for the OCS to operate as designed, it is important for the
front passenger to be seated properly and properly
wearing the seat belt. Properly seated passengers are:
•Sitting upright
•Facing forward
•Sitting in the center of the seat with their feet comfort-
ably on or near the floor
•Sitting with their back against the seat back and the
seat back in an upright position
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

PAD Indicator Light is illuminated with the words “PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG OFF” when an adult is in the front
passenger seat, the front passenger must reposition his/
her body in the seat until the PAD Indicator Light goes
out. This means that the Passenger Advanced Front Air
Bag is activated. Failure to be properly seated in the
passenger seat may prevent the passenger air bag from
deploying.
WARNING!
Occupants in the front passenger seat sitting improp-
erly may deactivate the Passenger Advanced Front
Air Bag. This may result in serious injury or death in
a collision. Always wear your seat belt and sit prop-
erly, with the seat back in an upright position, your
back against the seat back, sitting upright, facing
forward, in the center of the seat, with your feet
comfortably on or near the floor.
Do Not Decrease The Passenger ’s Total Seated
Weight On The Passenger Seat
The front passenger ’s seated weight must be properly
positioned on the front passenger seat. Failure to do so
may result in serious injury or death. The OCS deter-
mines the most probable classification of the occupant
that it detects. The OCS bladder will detect the front
passenger ’s decreased seated weight, which may result
in deactivation of the Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag
in a collision and serious injury or death may result. This
does not mean that the OCS is working improperly.
Decreasing the front passenger ’s seated weight on the
front passenger seat may result in deactivation of the
Passenger Advanced Front Air Bag. Examples of im-
proper front passenger seating include:
•The front passenger ’s weight is transferred to another
part of the vehicle (like the door, arm rest or instru-
ment panel)
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
and/or Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(CMVSS).
Knee Impact Bolsters
The Knee Impact Bolsters help protect the knees of the
driver and front passenger, and position the front occu-
pants for improved interaction with the Advanced Front
Air Bags.
WARNING!
•Do not drill, cut, or tamper with the knee impact
bolsters in any way.
•Do not mount any accessories to the knee impact
bolsters such as alarm lights, stereos, citizen band
radios, etc.
Supplemental Door-Integrated Side Air Bags
This vehicle is equipped with Supplemental Door-
Integrated Side Air Bag Inflatable Curtains (SABICs).
SABICs may help reduce the risk of head injury to front
seat outboard occupants in certain side impacts. SABICs
may reduce the risk of injuries in certain side impacts, in
addition to the injury reduction potential provided by the
seat belts and body structure. The SABICs are located in
the door trim below the side windows. The trim covering
the SABICs is labeled “SRS AIRBAG” or “AIRBAG.”
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

The SABICs may help reduce the risk of partial or
complete ejection of vehicle occupants through side
windows in certain side impact events.
The SABICs deploy upward, covering the side windows.
An inflating SABIC pushes the outside edge of the trim
out of the way and covers the window. The SABICs
inflate with enough force to injure you if you are not
belted and seated properly, or if items are positioned in
the area where the SABICs inflate. Children are at an
even greater risk of injury from a deploying air bag.
SABICs are designed to activate in certain side impacts.
The Occupant Restraint Controller (“ORC”) determines
whether the deployment of the SABIC in a particular
impact event is appropriate, based on the severity and
type of collision. The side impact sensors aid the ORC in
determining the appropriate response to impact events.
The system is calibrated to deploy the SABIC on the
impact side of the vehicle during impacts that require
SABIC occupant protection. In side impacts, the SABICs
deploy independently; a left side impact deploys the left
side SABIC only and a right-side impact deploys the
right side SABIC only. Vehicle damage by itself is not a
good indicator of whether or not SABICs should have
deployed.
Supplemental Door-Integrated Side Air Bag Label
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 63

SABICs will not deploy in all side collisions, including
some collisions at certain angles, or some side collisions
that do not impact the area of the passenger compart-
ment. SABICs may deploy during angled or offset frontal
collisions where the Advanced Front Air Bags deploy.
SABICs are a supplement to the seat belt restraint system.
SABICs deploy in less time than it takes to blink your
eyes. Occupants, including children, who are up against
or very close to SABICs can be seriously injured or killed.
Occupants, including children, should never lean on or
sleep against the door, side windows, or area where the
side air bags inflate, even if they are in an infant or child
restraint.
Seat belts (and child restraints where appropriate) are
necessary for your protection in all collisions. They also
help keep you in position, away from an inflating SABIC.
To get the best protection from the SABICs, occupants
must wear their seat belts properly and sit upright with
their backs against the seats. Children must be properly
restrained in a child restraint or booster seat that is
appropriate for the size of the child.
WARNING!
•Your vehicle is equipped with left and right
Supplemental Door-Integrated Side Air Bag Inflat-
able Curtains (SABICs). Do not stack luggage or
other cargo up high enough to block the deploy-
ment of the SABICs. The door trim below the side
windows where the SABIC and its deployment
path are located, should remain free from any
obstructions.
•SABICs need room to inflate. Do not lean against
the door or window. Sit upright in the center of the
seat.
(Continued)
64 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!(Continued)
•Being too close to the SABICs during deployment
could cause you to be severely injured or killed.
•Relying on the SABICs alone could lead to more
severe injuries in a collision. The SABICs work
with your seat belt to restrain you properly. In
some collisions, SABICs won’t deploy at all. Al-
ways wear your seat belt even though you have
SABICs.
NOTE:Air bag covers may not be obvious to you, but
they will open during air bag deployment.
If A Deployment Occurs
The Advanced Front Air Bags are designed to deflate
immediately after deployment.
NOTE:Front and/or side air bags will not deploy in all
collisions. This does not mean something is wrong with
the air bag system.
If you do have a collision, which deploys the air bags, any
or all of the following may occur:
•The air bag material may sometimes cause abrasions
and/or skin reddening to the occupants as the air bags
deploy and unfold. The abrasions are similar to fric-
tion rope burns or those you might get sliding along a
carpet or gymnasium floor. They are not caused by
contact with chemicals. They are not permanent and
normally heal quickly. However, if you haven’t healed
significantly within a few days, or if you have any
blistering, see your doctor immediately.
•As the air bags deflate, you may see some smoke-like
particles. The particles are a normal by-product of the
process that generates the non-toxic gas used for air
bag inflation. These airborne particles may irritate the
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 65

skin, eyes, nose, or throat. If you have skin or eye
irritation, rinse the area with cool water. For nose or
throat irritation, move to fresh air. If the irritation
continues, see your doctor. If these particles settle on
your clothing, follow the garment manufacturer ’s in-
structions for cleaning.
Do not drive your vehicle after the air bags have de-
ployed. If you are involved in another collision, the air
bags will not be in place to protect you.
WARNING!
Deployed air bags and seat belt pretensioners cannot
protect you in another collision. Have the air bags,
seat belt pretensioners, and the seat belt retractor
assemblies replaced by an authorized dealer imme-
diately. Also, have the Occupant Restraint Controller
System serviced as well.
NOTE:
•Air bag covers may not be obvious in the interior trim,
but they will open during air bag deployment.
•After any collision, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized dealer immediately.
Enhanced Accident Response System
In the event of an impact, if the communication network
remains intact, and the power remains intact, depending
on the nature of the event, the ORC will determine
whether to have the Enhanced Accident Response Sys-
tem perform the following functions:
•Cut off fuel to the engine.
•Flash hazard lights as long as the battery has power or
until the ignition is placed in the “OFF” position.
66 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE