airbag BUICK RAINIER 2005 User Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: BUICK, Model Year: 2005, Model line: RAINIER, Model: BUICK RAINIER 2005Pages: 452, PDF Size: 2.6 MB
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{CAUTION:
Both frontal and roof-mounted airbags in ate
with great force, faster than the blink of an
eye. If you are too close to an in ating airbag,
as you would be if you were leaning forward, it
could seriously injure you. Safety belts
helpkeep you in position for airbag in ation
before and during a crash. Always wear your
safety belt even with frontal airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible while still
maintaining control of the vehicle. Occupants
should not lean on or sleep against the door.
There is an airbag
readiness light on the
instrument panel 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. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-29
for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s airbag is in the middle of the steering
wheel.
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The right front passenger’s airbag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.If your vehicle has a roof-mounted airbag for the driver
and the person seated directly behind the driver, it
is located in the ceiling above the side windows.
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If your vehicle has a roof-mounted airbag for the right
front passenger and the person directly behind that
passenger, it is located in the ceiling above the
side windows.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the bag might not in ate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
in ating 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. And, if your vehicle has
roof-mounted airbags, never secure anything
to the roof of your vehicle by routing the rope
or tiedown through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an in ating side
impact airbag will be blocked. The path of an
in ating airbag must be kept clear.
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When Should an Airbag In ate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags
are designed to in ate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to in ate
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 in ate 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
in ate 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 9 to 16 mph (14 to 26 km/h),
and the threshold level for a full deployment is about18 to 25 mph (29 to 40 km/h). (The threshold level can
vary, however, with speci c vehicle design, so that it can
be somewhat above or below this range.)
Airbags may in ate at different crash speeds. For
example:
If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbag
could in ate at a different crash speed than if
the object were moving.
If the object deforms, the airbag could in ate at a
different crash speed than if the object does not
deform.
If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole) the
airbag could in ate 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
airbag could in ate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight into the object.
The frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger) are
not intended to in ate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because in ation
would not likely help the occupants.
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Your vehicle may or may not have a roof-mounted
airbag. SeeAirbag System on page 1-46. These
“rollover capable” airbags are designed to in ate in
moderate to severe side crashes or during a rollover.
A roof-mounted airbag will in ate if the crash severity is
above the system’s designed “threshold level.” The
threshold level can vary with speci c vehicle design.
Roof-mounted airbags are not designed to in ate
in frontal or near-frontal impacts, or rear impacts,
because in ation would not likely help the occupant.
Your vehicle has seat position sensors which enable the
sensing system to monitor the position of the driver’s
seat and the right front passenger’s seat. Seat position
sensors provide information that is used to determine
if the airbags should deploy at a reduced level or at full
deployment.In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have in ated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, in ation is determined by
the angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle
slows down in frontal and near-frontal impacts.
For roof-mounted airbags, in ation is determined by the
location and severity of the impact.
The airbag system is designed to work properly under a
wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough
terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. SeeOperating
Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle Off Paved Roads on
page 4-15for tips on off-road driving.
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What Makes an Airbag In ate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. In the case
of a “rollover capable” roof-mounted airbag, the sensing
system detects that the vehicle is about to roll over. For
both frontal and roof-mounted airbags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the in ator, which
in ates the airbag. The in ator, 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
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. The airbag supplements 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 airbags
would not help you in many types of collisions, including
frontal or near frontal collisions, and rear 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 for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe
side collisions or rollovers for the roof-mounted airbags.
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What Will You See After an Airbag
In ates?
After an airbag in ates, it quickly de ates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the airbag in ated.
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 or the ceiling of your
vehicle near the side windows — 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
de ated airbags. Airbag in ation 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 in ates, 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
can not get out of the vehicle after an airbag
in ates, 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 will automatically unlock
the doors and turn the interior lamps on when the
airbags in ate (if battery power is available). You can
lock the doors again and turn the interior lamps off
by using the door lock and interior lamp controls.
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In many crashes severe enough to in ate an airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to in ate only once. After an
airbag in ates, 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. SeeVehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders on page 7-9.
Let only quali ed technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that your
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer for service.Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s airbag, or the side
impact airbag covering on the ceiling near the side
windows, the airbag 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, or side impact airbag module and ceiling
covering for the roof-mounted side impact airbag.
Do not open or break the airbag coverings.
Passenger Sensing System
Your vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger’s position. A passenger airbag
status indicator in the rearview mirror will be visible
when you turn your ignition key to START or RUN. The
words ON and OFF or the symbol for on and off, will
be visible on the rearview mirror 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 3-30.
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The passenger sensing system will turn off the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver’s airbag and the side 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 in ate) 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.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint. 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. Passenger Airbag Status Indicator – United States
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator – Canada
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{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag in ates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the in ating airbag.
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 the rear seat, even if the airbag
is off.The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger’s frontal 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 forward-facing 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
passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator in the
rearview mirror 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 the child restraint
following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions
and refer toSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position on page 1-43.
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