2019 CHEVROLET VOLT belt

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163007) - 2019 - CRC - 11/5/18
68 Seats and Restraints
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 seat 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 seat
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:{Warning
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your seat belt, even with
airbags. Airbags are designed to
work with seat belts, not replace
them. Also, airbags are not
designed to inflate in every crash.
In some crashes seat belts are
the only restraint. SeeWhen
Should an Airbag Inflate? 071.
Wearing your seat 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 seat belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a seat 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. Seat belts help keep you
in position before and during a
crash. Always wear a seat belt,
even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. The seat 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.
(Continued)

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12163007) - 2019 - CRC - 11/5/18
72 Seats and Restraints
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is designed to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location
of the impact. In addition, these
roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate during a rollover or in a
severe frontal impact. Roof-rail
airbags are not designed to inflate in
rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbags
will inflate when either side of the
vehicle is struck or if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is
about to roll over on its side, or in a
severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or repair costs.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills theairbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, see
Where Are
the Airbags? 069.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by seat belts by
distributing the force of the impact
more evenly over the
occupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
first and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. See
When
Should an Airbag Inflate? 071.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to seat belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After frontal, knee, and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize the airbags inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they inflate. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? 069.

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Seats and Restraints 75
Warning (Continued)
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.
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 that 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
0
113.
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,
depending upon the person’s
seating posture and body build.
Everyone in the vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should
wear a seat belt properly —whether
or not there is an airbag for that
person.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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76 Seats and Restraints
{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. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light 0113 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 Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
093 orSecuring Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Seat) 095.
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
0 53. 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.
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 77
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 and knee 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. Also, remove
laptops, or other electronic
devices.
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.{Warning
If the front outboard passenger
airbag is turned off for an
adult-sized occupant, the airbag
will not be able to inflate and help
protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of
serious injury or even death. An
adult-sized occupant should not
ride in the front outboard
passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag OFF indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Seat 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 “Seat 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 078
for 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
frontal airbag and passenger
knee 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.

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Seats and Restraints 79
The operation of the airbag system
can also be affected by changing,
including improperly repairing or
replacing, any parts of the following:
.Airbag system, including airbag
modules, front or side impact
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module, or airbag wiring
. Front seats, including stitching,
seams or zippers
. Seat belts
. Steering wheel, instrument
panel, overhead console, ceiling
trim, or pillar garnish trim
. Inner door seals, including
speakers
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag modules and sensors,
sensing and diagnostic module, and
airbag wiring along with the proper
replacement procedures.
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
0 74.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail
airbags, see Different Size Tires
and Wheels 0287 for additional
important information.
If the vehicle must be modified
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
0337.
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 0113.
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? 069. See your dealer
for service.

Chevrolet VOLT Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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80 Seats and Restraints
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
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 0113.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle’s seat belts.
The manufacturer ’s instructions that
come with the booster seat state the
weight and height limitations for that
booster. Use a booster seat with a
lap-shoulder belt until the child
passes the fit test below: .
Sit all the way back on the seat.
Do the knees bend at the seat
edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
. Buckle the lap-shoulder belt.
Does the shoulder belt rest on
the shoulder? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the booster seat.
. Does the lap belt fit low and
snug on the hips, touching the
thighs? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
. Can proper seat belt fit be
maintained for the length of the
trip? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
Q: What is the proper way to wear seat belts?
A: An older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder
belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or
neck. The lap belt should fit
snugly below the hips, just
touching the top of the thighs.
This applies belt force to the
child's pelvic bones in a crash.

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It should never be worn over the
abdomen, which could cause
severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in a rear seating position.
In a crash, children who are not
buckled up can strike other people
who are buckled up, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle. Older
children need to use seat belts
properly.
{Warning
Never allow more than one child
to wear the same seat belt. The
seat belt cannot properly spread
the impact forces. In a crash, they
can be crushed together and
seriously injured. A seat belt must
be used by only one person at
a time.
{Warning
Never allow a child to wear the
seat belt with the shoulder belt
behind their back. A child can be
seriously injured by not wearing
the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a
crash, the child would not be
restrained by the shoulder belt.
The child could move too far
forward increasing the chance of
head and neck injury. The child
might also slide under the lap
belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
That could cause serious or fatal
injuries. The shoulder belt should
go over the shoulder and across
the chest.
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