Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
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68 Seats and Restraints
But if a safety belt is not long
enough, your dealer will order you
an extender. When you go in to
order it, take the heaviest coat you
will wear, so the extender will be
long enough for you. To help avoid
personal injury, do not let someone
else use it, and use it only for the
seat it is made to fit. The extender
has been designed for adults. Never
use it for securing child restraints.
To wear it, attach it to the regular
safety belt. For more information,
see the instruction sheet that comes
with the extender.
Safety System Check
Check that the safety belt reminder,
safety belts, buckles, latch plates,
and retractors, are all working
properly. Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts
that might keep a safety belt system
from performing properly. See your
dealer to have it repaired. Torn or
frayed safety belts may not protect
you in a crash. They can rip apart
under impact forces. If a belt is torn
or frayed, have it replaced
immediately.Make sure the safety belt reminder
light is working. See
Safety Belt
Reminders 0118.
Keep safety belts clean and dry.
See Safety Belt Care 068.
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{Warning
Do not bleach or dye safety belt
webbing. It may severely weaken
the webbing. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide
adequate protection. Clean and
rinse safety belt webbing only
with mild soap and lukewarm
water. Allow the webbing to dry.
Safety belts should be properly
cared for and maintained.
Safety belt hardware should be kept
dry and free of dust or debris. As
necessary exterior hard surfaces
and safety belt webbing may be
lightly cleaned with mild soap and
water. Ensure there is not excessive dust or debris in the mechanism.
If dust or debris exists in the system
please see the dealer. Parts may
need to be replaced to ensure
proper functionality of the system.
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.
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Seats and Restraints 69
After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light 0119.Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.
A frontal airbag for the driver.
. A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
. A knee airbag for the driver.
. A knee airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the front outboard
passenger.
. Seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the second row
outboard passengers.
. A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated
directly behind the driver.
. A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
passenger seated directly
behind the front outboard
passenger. All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on a label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the center of the
steering wheel for the driver and on
the instrument panel for the front
outboard passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAG
is on the lower part of the
instrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG is on the
side of the seatback closest to
the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
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70 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt, even
with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, not replace them. Also,
airbags are not designed to inflate
in every crash. In some crashes
safety belts are the only restraint.
SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? 072.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance
of hitting things inside the vehicle
or being ejected from it. Airbags
are “supplemental restraints” to
the safety belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly, whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{Warning
Because airbags inflate with great
force and faster than the blink of
an eye, anyone who is up
against, or very close to any
airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
sit unnecessarily close to any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear a safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. The safety belts and
the front outboard passenger
airbags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and
upright in the seat with both feet
on the floor.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.
{Warning
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Always secure children
properly in the vehicle. To read
how, see Older Children 081 or
Infants and Young Children 083.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument cluster, 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 0119 for more information.
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Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the front outboard
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 0354
and Event Data
Recorders 0354.
. 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
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front
outboard passenger position. The
passenger airbag status indicator
will light on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
United States
Canada
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbols for on and off, will be
visible during the system check.
When the system check is
complete, either the word ON or OFF, or the symbol for on or off will
be visible. See
Passenger Airbag
Status Indicator 0119.
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and knee
airbag, under certain conditions. No
other airbag is affected by the
passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the front outboard passenger seat.
The sensors are designed to detect
the presence of a properly seated
occupant and determine if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag should be allowed
to 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.
Whenever possible, children aged
12 and under should be secured in
a rear seating position.
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76 Seats and Restraints
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 inflates.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the passenger frontal
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
passenger frontal airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard 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 off.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if
the airbag is off. If securing a
forward-facing child restraint in
the front outboard passenger
seat, always move the seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure child restraints in the rear
seat. Consider using another
vehicle to transport the child
when a rear seat is not available.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag if:
. The front outboard passenger
seat is unoccupied.
. The system determines an infant
is present in a child restraint.
. A front outboard passenger
takes his/her weight off of the
seat for a period of time. .
There is a critical problem with
the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag, the off indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbags are off. See
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator 0119.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is
sitting properly in the front outboard
passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbags to
be enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit as a reminder that the
airbags are 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 front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag,
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Seats and Restraints 77
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 0119 for more information,
including important safety
information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag if the system
determines that an infant is present in 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 Child Restraints (With
the Safety Belt in the Rear
Seat) 094 orSecuring Child
Restraints (With the Safety Belt
in the Front Seat) 096.
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 053.
6. Restart the vehicle. The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbags for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s size. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat. Never put a
rear-facing child restraint in the
front seat, even if the on
indicator is not lit.
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Seats and Restraints 79
A wet seat can affect the
performance of the passenger
sensing system. Here is how:
.The passenger sensing system
may turn off the airbag(s) 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 turn on the
front passenger airbag(s) while a
child restraint or child occupant
is on the seat. If the outboard
passenger airbag(s) are turned
on, the on indicator will be lit.
If the front 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 0119 for
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.
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
0351.
{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.
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 any
parts of the front seats, safety belts,
airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, any of the airbag modules,
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80 Seats and Restraints
ceiling or pillar garnish trim,
overhead console, 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 properlyturning off the passenger airbag(s).
See
Passenger Sensing
System 075.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail
airbags, see Different Size Tires
and Wheels 0300 for additional
important information.
If you have to modify your vehicle
because you have a disability and
you 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 0344.
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 0119.
Caution
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
coverings, have the airbag
covering and/or airbag module
replaced. For the location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? 071. 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 properly protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting
in serious injury or even death. To
(Continued)