GMC ACADIA 2007 Manual Online

{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and
an airbag, the airbag might not inate
properly or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury or even
death. The path of an inating 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.
Do not use seat accessories that block
the ination path of a seat-mounted side
impact airbag.
If your vehicle has roof-rail airbags, never
secure anything to the roof of your
vehicle by routing the rope or tie down
through any door or window opening. If
you do, the path of an inating roof-rail
airbag will be blocked.
When Should an Airbag Inate?
Frontal airbags are designed to inate in moderate
to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes to help
reduce the potential for severe injuries mainly
to the driver’s or right front passenger’s head and
chest. However, they are only designed to
inate if the impact exceeds a predetermined
deployment threshold. Deployment thresholds are
used to predict how severe a crash is likely to
be in time for the airbags to inate 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.
Frontal airbags may inate at different crash
speeds. For example:
If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the
airbags could inate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a moving object.
If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the
airbags could inate at a different crash
speed than if the vehicle hits an object that
does not deform.
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If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole),
the airbags could inate 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 inate at a different crash
speed than if the vehicle goes straight into
the object.
Thresholds can also vary with specic vehicle
design.
Frontal airbags are not intended to inate during
vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many
side impacts.
In addition, your vehicle has dual-stage frontal
airbags. Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint
according to crash severity. Your vehicle has
electronic frontal sensors, which help the sensing
system distinguish between a moderate frontal
impact and a more severe frontal impact. For
moderate frontal impacts, dual-stage airbags inate
at a level less than full deployment. For more
severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are
intended to inate in moderate to severe side
crashes. In addition, these roof-rail airbagsare intended to inate during a rollover or in a
severe frontal impact. Seat-mounted side impact
and roof-rail airbags will inate if the crash severity
is above the system’s designed threshold level.
The threshold level can vary with specic vehicle
design.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags are not
intended to inate in frontal impacts, near-frontal
impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. Roof-rail
airbags are not intended to inate in rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag is intended
to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
Both roof-rail airbags will deploy when either
side of the vehicle is struck, or if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is about to
roll over, or in a severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether
an airbag should have inated simply because
of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the
repair costs were. For frontal airbags, ination is
determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle
of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows
down. For seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags, deployment is determined by the
location and severity of the side impact. In a
rollover event, roof-rail airbag deployment
is determined by the direction of the roll.
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What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends
an electrical signal triggering a release of gas
from the inator. Gas from the inator lls
the airbag causing the bag to break out of the
cover and deploy. The inator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of the airbag
module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the
steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles
with seat-mounted side impact airbags, there
are airbag modules in the side of the front
seatbacks closest to the door. For vehicles with
roof-rail airbags, there are airbag modules in
the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows
that have occupant seating positions.
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
safety belts.
Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags
distribute the force of the impact more evenly over
the occupant’s upper body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to
help contain the head and chest of occupants
in the outboard seating positions in the rst,
second, and third 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. SeeWhen Should
an Airbag Inflate? on page 81for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything
more than a supplement to safety belts.
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What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side
impact airbags inate, they quickly deate,
so quickly that some people may not even realize
an airbag inated. Roof-rail airbags may still be
at least partially inated for some time after
they deploy. Some components of the airbag
module may be hot for several minutes. For
location of the airbag modules, seeWhat Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 83.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with
you may be warm, but not too hot to touch.
There may be some smoke and dust coming from
the vents in the deated airbags. Airbag ination
does not prevent the driver from seeing out of the
windshield or being able to steer the vehicle,
nor does it prevent people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there may be
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 inates, 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, and
turn the hazard warning ashers on when the
airbags inate. You can lock the doors, turn the
interior lamps off, and turn the hazard warning
ashers off by using the controls for those features.
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In many crashes severe enough to inate the
airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle
deformation. Additional windshield breakage
may also occur from the right front passenger
airbag.
Airbags are designed to inate only once.
After an airbag inates, 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 your vehicle covers the need to
replace other parts.
Your vehicle has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information
after a crash. SeeVehicle Data Recording and
Privacy on page 536andEvent Data
Recorders on page 537.
Let only qualied technicians work on the
airbag systems. Improper service can
mean that an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer/retailer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system
for the right front passenger’s position. The
passenger airbag status indicator will be visible
when you start your vehicle in the instrument
panel.
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and
off, will be visible during the system check. If
you are using remote start to start your vehicle
from a distance, if equipped, you may not see 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. SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on
page 218.
United StatesCanada
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The passenger sensing system will turn off the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag under certain
conditions. The driver’s airbags are not part of the
passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with
sensors that are part of the right front passenger’s
seat. The sensors are designed to detect the
presence of a properly-seated occupant and
determine if the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag
should be enabled (may inate) or not.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if
they are restrained in the rear rather than the
front seat.
We recommend that children be secured in a rear
seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a
rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a
booster seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
A label on your sun visor says, “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 deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger’s airbag inates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
inating airbag.
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the right
front passenger’s frontal and
seat-mounted side impact 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. We
recommend that rear-facing child
restraints be secured in the rear seat,
even if the airbags are off.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn
off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag if:
The right front 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 child restraint.
The system determines that a small child is
present in a booster seat.
A right front passenger takes his/her weight off
of the seat for a period of time.
The right front 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 right front passenger’s frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact airbag, the off
indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that
the airbags are off. SeePassenger Airbag
Status Indicator on page 218.
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 toSecuring a
Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
on page 72.
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.
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Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped
under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens,
adjust the head restraint. SeeHead Restraints
on page 17.
Remove any additional material from the seat
cushion before reinstalling or securing the
child restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the
child restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle,
and check with your dealer/retailer.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
enable (may inate) the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag
anytime the system senses that a person of
adult size is sitting properly in the right front
passenger’s seat. When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbags to be enabled, the
on indicator will light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbags are 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
right front passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact 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.
If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front
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 two to three minutes. This will allow the
system to detect that person and then enable the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
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Safety 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 “Safety
Belts” and “Child Restraints” in the Index for
additional information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
{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 airbag(s). SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 217for more on
this, including important safety
information.
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.
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You may want to consider not using seat covers
or other aftermarket equipment. SeeAdding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 91for more information about modications
that can affect how the system operates.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
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 inate while someone is
working on your vehicle. Your dealer/retailerand the service manual have information about
servicing your vehicle and the airbag system.
To purchase a service manual, seeService
Publications Ordering Information on page 535.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds, after the ignition is
turned off and the battery is disconnected,
an airbag can still inate during improper
service. You can be injured if you are
close to an airbag when it inates. 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
qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular
maintenance.
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