GMC SIERRA 2007 Owners Manual

The threshold level can vary, however, with
specic vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat
above or below this range. Vehicle’s with dual
stage airbags also have a sensor which enables
the sensing system to monitor the position of
the driver seat. The seat position sensor provides
information which is used to determine if the
airbags should deploy at a reduced level or at full
deployment.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag
sensing system detects that the vehicle is
in a crash. In the case of a roof-mounted rollover
airbag, the sensing system detects that the
vehicle is about to roll over or has been in a severe
frontal impact or a moderate to severe side
impact. The sensing system triggers a release of
gas from the inator, which inates the airbag.
The inator, 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. For vehicles with
roof-mounted rollover airbags, the airbag modules
are located in the ceiling of the vehicle, near
the side windows.
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. Airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But
the frontal 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 the airbag.
Roof-mounted rollover airbags would not help you
in many types of collisions, including many
frontal or near frontal collisions, and rear impacts.
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 for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal airbags, and only in moderate
to severe side collisions or rollovers for vehicles
with roof-mounted rollover airbags.
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What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After a frontal airbag inates, it quickly deates, so
quickly that some people may not even realize
an airbag inated. Roof-mounted rollover airbags
may still be at least partially inated minutes
after the vehicle comes to rest. Some components
of the airbag module — the steering wheel hub
for the driver’s airbag, the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s airbag, and the area
along the ceiling of the vehicle near the side
windows for vehicles with roof–mounted side
impact airbags — may be hot for a short time. 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 ash the hazard warning ashers when the
airbags inate. You can lock the doors again, turn
the interior lamps off, and turn off the hazard
warning ashers 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 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 has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information
after a crash. SeeVehicle Data Collection and
Event Data Recorders on page 656.
Let only qualied technicians work on the
airbag system. Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work properly. See
your dealer for service.
Airbag Off Switch
If one of the switches pictured in the following
illustrations is located in your glove box, your
vehicle has an airbag on-off switch that you can
use to manually turn on or off the right front
passenger’s airbag. Your switch may vary slightly.
If your vehicle does not have an airbag off switch,
it may have a passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing System.
United StatesCanada
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This switch should only be turned to the off
position if the person in the right front passenger’s
position is a member of a passenger risk group
identied by the national government as follows:
Infant.An infant (less than 1 year old)
must ride in the front seat because:

My vehicle has no rear seat;
My vehicle has a rear seat too small to
accommodate a rear-facing infant seat; or
The infant has a medical condition which,
according to the infant’s physician, makes
it necessary for the infant to ride in the front
seat so that the driver can constantly
monitor the child’s condition.
Child age 1 to 12.A child age 1 to 12 must
ride in the front seat because:

My vehicle has no rear seat;
Although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear
seat(s) whenever possible, children
ages 1 to 12 sometimes must ride in the front
because no space is available in the rear
seat(s) of my vehicle; or
The child has a medical condition which,
according to the child’s physician, makes
it necessary for the child to ride in the front
seat so that the driver can constantly monitor
the child’s condition.
Medical Condition.A passenger has a
medical condition which, according to his or
her physician:

Causes the passenger airbag to pose a
special risk for the passenger; and
Makes the potential harm from the passenger
airbag in a crash greater than the potential
harm from turning off the airbag and allowing
the passenger, even if belted, to hit the
dashboard or windshield in a crash.
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{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s airbag is
turned off for a person who is not in a risk
group identied by the national
government, that person will not have the
extra protection of an airbag. In a crash,
the airbag will not be able to inate and
help protect the person sitting there. Do
not turn off the passenger’s airbag unless
the person sitting there is in a risk group.
To turn off the right front passenger’s airbag,
insert your ignition key into the switch, push in, and
move the switch to the off position.
The word OFF or the off symbol will come on in
the passenger airbag status indicator located in the
overhead console to let you know that the right
front passenger’s airbag is off, after the system
check is completed. The airbag off light will come
on and stay on to let you know that the right
front passenger’s airbag is off. SeeAirbag Off Light
on page 250.
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{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on when you have turned off the airbag, it
means that something may be wrong with
the airbag system. The right front
passenger’s airbag could inate even
though the switch is off. If this ever
happens, do not let anyone whom the
national government has identied as a
member of a passenger airbag risk group
sit in the right front passenger’s position
(for example, do not secure a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front
passenger’s seat) until you have your
vehicle serviced. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 250for additional
information.To turn the right front passenger’s airbag on
again, insert your ignition key into the switch, push
in, and move the switch to the on position.
The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is now
enabled (may inate). SeeAirbag Off Light
on page 250for more information.
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Passenger Sensing System
If your vehicle has one of the indicators pictured in
the following illustrations, then your vehicle has
a passenger sensing system for the right front
passenger’s position, unless there is an airbag off
switch located in the glovebox. If there is an
airbag off switch, your vehicle does not have a
passenger sensing system. SeeAirbag Off Switch
on page 93for more information.
The passenger airbag status indicator will be
visible when you start your vehicle on the
overhead console.
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and
off, will be visible 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. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 252.
The passenger sensing system will turn off the
right front passenger’s frontal 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 and safety belt. 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 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.
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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 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
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 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.
If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, we
recommend that rear-facing child restraints not be
transported in your vehicle, even if the airbag is off.
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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn
off the right front passenger’s 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, the off
indicator will light and stay lit to remind you that
the airbag is off.
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 thechild restraint following the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions and refer toSecuring a
Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
(With Airbag Off Switch) on page 70orSecuring a
Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
(With Passenger Sensing System) on page 76.
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.
Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped
under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens,
adjust the head restraint.
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.
If no rear seat is available, do not install a child
restraint in this vehicle, and check with your
dealer/retailer.
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The passenger sensing system is designed to
enable (may inate) the right front passenger’s
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 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 right
front passenger’s 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.
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.
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