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56 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
Each time the front seat belts are
buckled while the vehicle is in P (Park)
or D (Drive) and the engine is running
or in Auto Stop (if equipped), the
system may activate to tighten the
seat belts.
The system also activates during
emergency braking and/or sudden
driving maneuvers and releases when
driving conditions return to normal.
The system will not activate if the
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control system is not functioning
properly. SeeTraction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0241.
If there is a problem with the
Automatic Seat Belt Tightening
System, a message displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). If a
system unavailable message displays
repeatedly or if a service message
displays, see your dealer. Other seat
belt functions are not affected by the
Automatic Seat Belt Tightening
System.Seat Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has seat belt
pretensioners for the front outboard
occupants. Although the seat belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they are
part of the seat belt assembly. They
can help tighten the seat belts during
the early stages of a moderate to
severe frontal, near frontal, or rear
crash if the threshold conditions for
pretensioner activation are met. Seat
belt pretensioners can also help
tighten the seat belts in a side crash
or a rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash, the
pretensioners and probably other
parts of the vehicle’s seat belt system
will need to be replaced. See Replacing
Seat Belt System Parts after a Crash
0 58.
Do not sit on the outboard seat belt
while entering or exiting the vehicle or
at any time while sitting in the seat.
Sitting on the seat belt can damage
the webbing and hardware.
Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides
Rear seat belt comfort guides may
provide added seat belt comfort for
older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults.
When installed on a shoulder belt, the
comfort guide positions the shoulder
belt away from the neck and head.
Comfort guides are available through
your dealer for the rear outboard
seating positions. Instructions are
included with the guides.
Seat Belt Use During
Pregnancy
Seat belts work for everyone,
including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to be
seriously injured if they do not wear
seat belts.
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A pregnant woman should wear a
lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion
should be worn as low as possible,
below the rounding, throughout the
pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is to
protect the mother. When a seat belt
is worn properly, it is more likely that
the fetus will not be hurt in a crash.
For pregnant women, as for anyone,
the key to making seat belts effective
is wearing them properly.
Seat Belt Extender
If the vehicle's seat belt will fasten
around you, you should use it.But if a seat belt is not long enough,
your dealer will order you an extender.
Only a GM dealer issued extender
should be used. 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. For more
information on the proper use and fit
of seat belt extenders see the
instruction sheet that comes with the
extender.
Safety System Check
Periodically check the seat belt
reminder, seat belts, buckles, latch
plates, retractors, shoulder belt height
adjusters (if equipped), and seat belt
anchorages to make sure they are all
in working order. Look for any other
loose or damaged seat belt system
parts that might keep a seat belt
system from performing properly. See
your dealer to have it repaired. Torn,
frayed, or twisted seat belts may not
protect you in a crash. Torn or frayedseat belts can rip apart under impact
forces. If a belt is torn or frayed, have
it replaced immediately. If a belt is
twisted, it may be possible to untwist
by reversing the latch plate on the
webbing. If the twist cannot be
corrected, ask your dealer to fix it.
Make sure the seat belt reminder light
is working. See
Seat Belt Reminders
0 108.
Keep seat belts clean and dry. See Seat
Belt Care 057.
Seat Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
Seat belts should be properly cared for
and maintained.
Seat belt hardware should be kept dry
and free of dust or debris. As
necessary, exterior hard surfaces and
seat 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.
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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? 061.
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.
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 069 or
Infants and Young Children 070.
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 0109 for more
information.
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64 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
The words ON and OFF, and 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, and the symbol for
on or off, will be visible. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0109.
The passenger sensing system turns
off the front outboard passenger
frontal 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 and seat belt.
The sensors are designed to detect the
presence of a properly seated
occupant and determine if the front
outboard passenger frontal 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.
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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the passenger
frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe.
No one can guarantee that an
airbag will not deploy under some
unusual circumstance, even though
the airbag is turned 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 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 if:
.The front outboard passenger seat
is unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant is
present in a child restraint.
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.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, the OFF
indicator will light and stay lit as a
reminder that the airbag is off. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
0 109.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on the front
outboard passenger frontal 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 airbag to be enabled,
the ON indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbag is 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, 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.
{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 0109 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 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) 082 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the
Seat Belt in the Front Seat) 084.
Make sure the seat belt retractor is
locked by pulling the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor
when installing the child restraint,
even if the child restraint is
equipped with a seat belt lock off.
When the retractor lock is set, the
belt can be tightened but not
pulled out of the retractor.
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
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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. SeeHead
Restraints 040.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system may or
may not turn off the airbag 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
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 or that the child
restraint locking feature is engaged.
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. If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the way, the child
restraint locking feature will be
engaged. This may unintentionally
cause the passenger sensing system
to turn the airbag off for some
adult-sized occupants. If this
happens, unbuckle the belt, let the
belt go back all the way, and then
buckle the belt again without
pulling the belt out all the way.
6. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the ON
indicator is lit.
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{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 068 for
more information about modifications
that can affect how the system
operates.
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 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 Publication Ordering
Information 0406.
{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.
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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 0109.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the vehicle’s
seat belts.
The manufacturer 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, try
using the rear seat belt comfort
guide, if available. See “Rear Seat
Belt Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt 053. If a comfort
guide is not available, or if the
shoulder belt still does not rest on
the shoulder, then 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