Pontiac Solstice (2006 year). Manual

CAUTION:

(Continued)

They are not designed to inflate in rollover,
rear crashes, or in many side crashes. And, for
some unrestrained occupants, airbags may
provide less protection in frontal crashes than
more forceful airbags have provided in the
past. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a
safety belt properly — whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.

{

CAUTION:

Airbags inflate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye. If you are too close to an
inflating airbag, as you would be if you were
leaning forward, it could seriously injure you.
Safety belts help keep you in position before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver should sit
as far back as possible while still maintaining
control of the vehicle.

{

CAUTION:

Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any
airbag when it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer
the best protection for adults, but not for young
children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety
belt system nor its airbag system is designed
for them. Young children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint system can
provide. Always secure children properly in
your vehicle. To read how, see Older Children
on page 1-18 and Infants and Young Children on
page 1-20.

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The right front passenger’s airbag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.

{

CAUTION:

If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.

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When Should an Airbag Inflate?

Airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to
inflate only if the impact exceeds a predetermined
deployment threshold. Deployment thresholds take into
account a variety of desired deployment and
non-deployment events and are used to predict how
severe a crash is likely to be in time for the airbags to
inflate and help restrain the occupants. Whether your
frontal airbags will or should deploy is not based on how
fast your vehicle is traveling. It depends largely on what
you hit, the direction of the impact and how quickly your
vehicle slows down.

In addition, your vehicle has “dual stage” frontal airbags,
which adjust the restraint according to crash severity.
Your vehicle is equipped with electronic frontal sensors,
which help the sensing system distinguish between a
moderate frontal impact and a more severe frontal
impact. For moderate frontal impacts, these airbags
inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more
severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front
of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that does not
move or deform, the threshold level for the reduced
deployment is about 12 to 16 mph (19 to 26 km/h), and
the threshold level for a full deployment is about
18 to 22 mph (28.9 to 35.4 km/h). (The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it
can be somewhat above or below this range.)

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Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash speeds.
For example:

•

If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags
could inflate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits a moving object.

•

If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the airbags
could inflate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits an object does not deform.

•

If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole) the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than if
the vehicle hits a wide object (like a wall).

•

If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle the
airbags could inflate at a different crash speed than if
the vehicle goes straight into the object.

The frontal airbags are not intended to inflate during
vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.

In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag
should have inflated simply because of the damage to a
vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. Inflation
is determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the
impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down.

What Makes an Airbag Inflate?

In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
inflator, which inflates the airbag. The inflator, airbag,
and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules
inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel
in front of the right front passenger.

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. Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But airbags would
not help you in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and many side impacts, primarily
because an occupant’s motion is not toward those
airbags. Airbags should never be regarded as anything
more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in
moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.

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What Will You See After an Airbag
Inflates?

After an airbag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the airbag inflated.
Some components of the airbag module — the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s airbag or the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s bag — will be hot for a
short time. The parts of the bag that come into contact
with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will
be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not prevent the
driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor
does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.

{

CAUTION:

When an airbag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do
so. If you have breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an airbag inflates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or a
door. If you experience breathing problems
following an airbag deployment, you should
seek medical attention.

Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors, turn the interior lamps on, turn the hazard
warning flashers on and turn off the HVAC when the
airbags inflate (if battery power is available). You can
lock the doors again, turn the interior lamps off, turn the
hazard warning flashers off and turn the HVAC on by
using the controls for those features.

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In many crashes severe enough to inflate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional
windshield breakage may also occur from the right front
passenger airbag.

•

Airbags are designed to inflate only once. After an
airbag inflates, you will need some new parts for your
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 your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.

•

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information after a
crash. See Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders on page 7-9.

•

Let only qualified technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that your airbag
system will not work properly. See your dealer for
service.

Passenger Sensing System

Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system. The
passenger airbag status indicator will be visible when you
turn your ignition key to RUN or START. The words ON
and OFF or the symbol for on and off, will be visible on
the instrument panel during the system check. When the
system check is complete, either the word ON or the word
OFF, or the symbol for on or the symbol for off will be
visible. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on
page 3-25.

The passenger sensing system will turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver’s airbag is not part of the passenger sensing
system.

Passenger

Airbag Status

Indicator – United States

Passenger

Airbag Status

Indicator – Canada

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The passenger sensing system works with sensors that
are part of the passenger’s seat. The sensors are
designed to detect the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the passenger’s frontal airbag
should be enabled (may inflate) or not.

Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are
restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. General
Motors recommends that child restraints be secured in a
rear seat, including an infant riding in a rear-facing infant
seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child seat and an
older child riding in a booster seat. Never put a child in a
rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat
unless the passenger airbag status indicator shows off.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the right front
passenger seat unless the airbag is off.

{

CAUTION:

A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inflates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating airbag. Be sure the
airbag is off before using a rear-facing child
restraint in the right front seat position.

Even though the passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal
airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child
restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under
some unusual circumstance, even though it is
turned off. General Motors recommends that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in a rear
seat whenever possible, even if the airbag is off.

If you need to 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.

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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the passenger’s frontal airbag if:

•

the passenger seat is unoccupied

•

the system determines that an infant is present in a
rear-facing infant seat

•

the system determines that a small child is present
in a forward-facing child restraint

•

the system determines that a small child is present
in a booster seat

•

a passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for
a period of time

•

the passenger seat is occupied by a smaller
person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints

•

or if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.

When the passenger sensing system has turned off the
passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator in the
instrument panel will light and stay lit to remind you that
the airbag is off. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 3-25.

If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator
is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint following the
child restraint manufacturer’s directions and refer to
Securing a Child Restraint in the Passenger Seat Position
on page 1-27.

If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make sure that
the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child restraint
into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly recline the
vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat cushion if
possible.

If the on indicator is still lit, do not install a child restraint
in this vehicle and check with your dealer.

The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inflate) the passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the
system senses that a person of adult size is sitting
properly in the passenger’s seat. When the passenger
sensing system has allowed the airbag to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbag is active.

For some children who have outgrown child restraints
and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the passenger’s frontal airbag,
depending upon the person’s seating posture and body
build. Everyone in your vehicle who has outgrown child
restraints should wear a safety belt properly — whether
or not there is an airbag for that person.

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If a person of adult-size is sitting in the passenger’s seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be because that person
is not sitting properly in the seat. If this happens, turn the
vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in
the fully upright position, then sit upright in the seat,
centered on the seat cushion, with the person’s legs
comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for about two minutes.
This will allow the system to detect that person and then
enable the passenger’s airbag.

{

CAUTION:

If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on,
it means that something may be wrong with
the airbag system. If this ever happens, have
the vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the frontal airbag. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 3-24 for more on this, including
important safety information.

A thick layer of additional material such as a blanket, or
aftermarket equipment such as seat covers, seat heaters
and seat massagers can affect how well the passenger
sensing system operates. Remove any additional
material from the seat cushion before reinstalling or
securing the child restraint and before a small occupant,
including a small adult, sits in the passenger position.
You may want to consider not using seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment if your vehicle has the passenger
sensing system. See Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-42 for more
information about modifications that can affect how the
system operates.

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Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle

Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. You do not want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have information about
servicing your vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-15.

{

CAUTION:

For up to 20 seconds after the ignition key 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.

The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.

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Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle

Is there anything I might add to the front of the
vehicle that could keep the airbags from
working properly?

Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end sheet metal or
height, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Also, the airbag system may not
work properly if you relocate any of the airbag
sensors. If you have any questions about this, you
should contact Customer Assistance before you
modify your vehicle. The phone numbers and
addresses for Customer Assistance are in Step Two
of the Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer Satisfaction Procedure on
page 7-2.

Because I have a disability, I have to get my
vehicle modified. How can I find out whether
this will affect my airbag system?

Changing or moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module (located in the console), or the instrument
panel can affect the operation of the airbag
system. If you have questions, call Customer
Assistance. The phone numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure in this manual.
See Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.

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Restraint System Check

Checking the Restraint Systems

Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, 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, get a new one right away.

Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag system
does not need regular maintenance.)

Notice: If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the passenger’s airbag, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the airbag module
in the steering wheel or both the airbag module and
the instrument panel for the passenger’s airbag.
Do not open or break the airbag coverings.

Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash

{

CAUTION:

A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle. A damaged restraint system may
not properly protect the person using it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.

If you have had a crash, do you need new belts?

After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if
worn during a more severe crash, then you need
new parts.

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If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have safety belt
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and
repairs may be necessary even if the belt was not being
used at the time of the collision.

If an airbag inflates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part on the airbag system earlier
in this section.

If the frontal airbags inflate, you will also need to
replace the driver’s and passenger’s safety belt retractor
assembly. Be sure to do so. Then the new retractor
assembly will be there to help protect you in a collision.

After a crash you may need to replace the driver and
front passenger’s safety belt retractor assemblies, even
if the frontal airbags have not deployed. The driver
and front passenger’s safety belt retractor assemblies
contain the safety belt pretensioners. Have your
safety belt pretensioners checked if your vehicle has
been in a collision, or if your airbag readiness light stays
on after you start your vehicle or while you are driving.
See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-24.

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Pontiac Solstice (2006 year). Manual - part 3