steering PONTIAC VIBE 2006 Owners Manual

Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
1-52

{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. If your vehicle has
roof-mounted side impact 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 airbag will be blocked. Do not let seat
covers block the ination path of a side impact
airbag. The path of an inating airbag must be
kept clear.
When Should an Airbag Inate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags
are designed to inate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inate
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 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.
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
inate at a level less than full deployment. For more
severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
1-55

What Makes an Airbag Inate?
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
inator, which inates the airbag. The inator, airbag and
related hardware are all part of the airbag modules.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and the instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are also airbag
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to
the door. For vehicles with roof-mounted side impact
airbags, there are also airbag modules in the ceiling of
the vehicle, near the side window.
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 a
frontal airbag 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 a frontal airbag. A side impact airbag
would not help you in many types of collisions,
including many frontal or near frontal collisions, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward a side airbag. 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 frontal airbags, and only
in moderate to severe side collisions for side impact
airbags.
1-57

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 the airbags inated.
Roof-mounted side impact airbags deate more
slowly and 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 bag, the side of the seatback closest
to the door for the seat-mounted side impact airbags
(if equipped) and the area along the ceiling of your
vehicle near the side windows for the roof–mounted side
impact airbags (if equipped) — may 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 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 stop
people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, 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
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.
1-58

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 right front passenger’s airbag, or the airbag
covering on the driver’s and right front passenger’s
seatback (if equipped), or the side impact airbag
covering on the ceiling near the side windows
(if equipped), the bag may not work properly.
You may have to replace the airbag module in the
steering wheel, both the airbag module and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s
airbag, the airbag module and seatback for the
driver’s and right front passenger’s seat-mounted
side impact airbags (if equipped), or side impact
airbag module and ceiling covering for the
roof-mounted side impact airbags (if equipped).
Do not open or break the airbag coverings.
1-66

To open the liftglass using the key, insert the key into
the keyhole and turn clockwise to the second position.
Use the handle in the center of the liftglass to help
in lifting the glass.
Your vehicle may have a
liftglass release button
which is located on
the instrument panel to the
left of the steering
wheel. Press this button to
release the liftglass.Windows
{CAUTION:
Leaving children, helpless adults, or pets in a
vehicle with the windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the extreme heat and
suffer permanent injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Never leave a child, a helpless
adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle, especially with
the windows closed in warm or hot weather.
2-10

Sun Visors
To block out glare, swing down the sun visors. You can
also swing them to the side.
The visors can be slid along the rod for extended
coverage for the side windows unless your vehicle has
roof-mounted side impact airbags.
Visor Vanity Mirror
Swing down the sun visor to expose the vanity mirror.
The vanity mirror may have a cover. Lift the cover
to expose the mirror.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal.
Content Theft-Deterrent
If your vehicle has this feature, the theft-deterrent
system is designed to activate an alarm if any of the
side doors or the liftgate is forcibly unlocked or if
the battery terminal is disconnected and then
reconnected while the system is set.The alarm will sound the horn intermittently and ash
the headlamps, turn signal lamps and interior lights.
If the driver’s or front passenger’s side doors are
unlocked forcibly, the other side doors and the liftgate
will be locked automatically.
Arming the System
To arm the system, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position and
remove it.
2. Close and lock all doors and liftgate with the key or
remote keyless entry transmitter.
The indicator light located
on the instrument panel to
the left of the steering
wheel will come on when
all doors and liftgate
are closed and locked.
The system will be automatically set after
30 seconds. When the system is set, the indicator
light will start ashing.
2-12

Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition switch, you can turn it to
four different positions.
Notice:If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you
cannot turn it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the key
hard. Turn the key only with your hand. Using a
tool to force it could break the key or the ignition
switch. If none of these work, then your vehicle
needs service.(A) LOCK:This is the only position from which you can
remove the key. This locks your steering wheel,
ignition and automatic transaxle. Push in the ignition
switch as you turn the key toward you.
If you have an automatic transaxle, the ignition switch
cannot be turned to LOCK unless the shift lever is
in PARK (P).
{CAUTION:
On manual transaxle vehicles, turning the key
to LOCK and removing it will lock the steering
column and result in a loss of ability to steer
the vehicle. This could cause a collision. If you
need to turn the engine off while the vehicle is
moving, turn the key only to ACC. Do not push
the key in while the vehicle is moving.
(B) ACC (ACCESSORY):This position operates some
of your electrical accessories, such as the radio, but
not the ventilation fan. It unlocks the steering wheel and
ignition. To move the key from ACC to LOCK, push
in the key and then turn it to LOCK.
2-15

Outside Remote Control Mirrors
Your vehicle has outside power adjustable mirrors.
The controls are located
to the left of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
To adjust either mirror, push the button labeled L (left)
or R (right). Use the arrows on the control pad to adjust
the direction of the mirror. Once both mirrors have
been adjusted, move the selector switch back to the
center. This prevents the mirrors from being moved once
they have been adjusted.
Outside Convex Mirror
{CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder
before changing lanes.
The passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved so more can be seen from the
driver’s seat.
2-31

Storage Areas
Glove Box
Open the glove box by pulling the bottom of the
handle upward.
Cupholder(s)
There are two xed cupholders located in the console
area between the two front seats. There are also
two cupholders that fold out of the rear of the console
storage unit.
Coinholder(s)
Your instrument panel may have a coinholder located to
the left of the steering wheel and on the center
console near the parking brake.
Instrument Panel Storage Area
There are storage compartments located on the
instrument panel in two places. They are below the
interior/instrument panel brightness dial and below the
shift lever. Pull the top of the door toward you to open it
or for the compartment below the shift lever, push the
button to open it.
Center Console Storage Area
A storage area is located in the console between
the seats.
To access the storage area, pull up the lock release
lever while raising the lid.
Floor Mats
The driver’s side oor mat is held in place by
two locator hooks.
Be sure the driver’s side oor mat is properly placed on
the oor so that it does not block the movement of
the accelerator pedal.
2-34