steering CHEVROLET HHR 2009 1.G Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may be found on
the vehicle and what they mean. For more information
on the symbol, refer to the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv

Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
A frontal airbag for the driver.
A frontal airbag for the right front passenger.
The vehicle may have the following airbags:
A roof-rail airbag for the driver and the passenger
seated directly behind the driver.
A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger and
the passenger seated directly behind that
passenger.
All of the airbags in your vehicle will have the word
AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the
middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and
on the instrument panel for the right front passenger.
With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear
along the headliner or trim.Even if you do not have a right front passenger seat in
your vehicle there is still an active frontal airbag in
the right side of the instrument panel. Do not place cargo
in front of this airbag.
{CAUTION:
Be sure that cargo is not near an airbag. In a
crash, an inating airbag might force that object
toward a person. This could cause severe injury
or even death. Secure objects away from the
area in which an airbag would inate. For more
information, seeWhere Are the Airbags? on
page 1-61andLoading the Vehicle on page 4-25.
Airbags are designed to supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Even though today’s airbags are
also designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the
force of an inating bag, all airbags must inate very
quickly to do their job.
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Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.The right front passenger’s airbag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
1-61

If your vehicle has roof-rail airbags for the driver, right
front passenger, and second row outboard passengers,
they are in the ceiling above the side windows.
{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.
Never secure anything to the roof of a vehicle with
roof-rail airbags by routing a rope or tie down
through any door or window opening. If you do,
the path of an inating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked. Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
1-62

Roof-rail airbags are not intended to inate in frontal
impacts, near-frontal impacts, or rear impacts. A roof-rail
airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle
that is struck or if the sensing system predicts that
the vehicle is about to roll over.
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 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.
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 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. 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 and second 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 1-63for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
1-64

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to or change
about the vehicle that could keep the airbags
from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change the vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or moving any parts
of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner
or pillar garnish trim, front sensors, side impact
sensors, rollover sensor module, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger position, which
includes sensors that are part of the passenger seat.The passenger sensing system may not operate
properly if the original seat trim is replaced with
non-GM covers, upholstery or trim, or with GM
covers, upholstery or trim designed for a different
vehicle. Any object, such as an aftermarket seat
heater or a comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the operation of the passenger
sensing system. This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger airbag(s) or prevent
the passenger sensing system from properly turning
off the passenger airbag(s). SeePassenger Sensing
System (Without Turbo/With Turbo and RPO AS5)
on page 1-66orPassenger Sensing System (With
Turbo and RPO AR9 or AE4) on page 1-72.
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.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail airbags,
seeDifferent Size Tires and Wheels on page 5-71
for additional important information.
1-78

Keys
{CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition key
is dangerous for many reasons, children or others
could be badly injured or even killed. They could
operate the power windows or other controls or
even make the vehicle move. The windows will
function with the keys in the ignition and children
could be seriously injured or killed if caught in the
path of a closing window. Do not leave the keys in
a vehicle with children.
The key can be used for the ignition and the driver’s
door lock.
The key has a transponder in the key head that
matches a decoder in the vehicle’s steering column.
If a replacement key or any additional keys are needed,
you must purchase it from your dealer/retailer.
2-3

Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different positions.
In order to shift out of P (Park), the ignition must be in
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY and the brake pedal
must be applied.
Notice:Using a tool to force the key to turn in the
ignition could cause damage to the switch or break
the key. Use the correct key, make sure it is all the
way in, and turn it only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see your dealer/retailer.
9(LOCK/OFF):This position locks the steering column
when the key is removed. The key can only be removed
in LOCK/OFF.On vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift
lever must be in P (Park) to turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF.
On vehicles with a manual transmission, the ignition
switch can be turned to LOCK/OFF in any shift lever
position.
The steering can bind with the wheel turned off center.
If this happens, move it from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this does not work, then the
vehicle needs service.
{CAUTION:
If you have a manual transmission removing the
key from the ignition switch 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 to ACC/ACCESSORY.
ACC (ACC/ACCESSORY):This position operates
some of the electrical accessories. It unlocks the
steering wheel and ignition.
2-23

R(ON/RUN):This is the position in which you can
operate the electrical accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning and indicator lights. The
switch stays in this position when the engine is running.
If you leave the key in the ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/
RUN position with the engine off, the battery could be
drained. You may not be able to start the vehicle if the
battery is allowed to drain for an extended period of time.
/(START):This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will
return to ON/RUN for driving.
A warning tone will sound when the driver door is opened,
the ignition is in LOCK/OFF or ACC/ACCESSORY and
the key is in the ignition.
Column Lock Release
For vehicles with an automatic transmission, the
following procedure allows the ignition to be turned to
LOCK/OFF and ignition key to be removed in case of a
dead battery or low voltage battery.
1. Make sure the shift lever is in P (Park).
2. Remove the cover from the bottom of the steering
column.
2-24

OnStar Hands-Free Calling
OnStar Hands-Free Calling allows eligible OnStar
subscribers to make and receive calls using voice
commands. Hands-Free Calling is fully integrated into the
vehicle, and can be used with OnStar Pre-Paid Minute
Packages. Most vehicles include 30 trial minutes good
for 60 days. Hands-Free Calling can also be linked to a
Verizon Wireless service plan in the U.S. or a Bell
Mobility service plan in Canada, depending on eligibility.
To nd out more, refer to the OnStar Owner’s Guide in
the vehicle’s glove box, visit onstar.com or onstar.ca, or
speak with an OnStar advisor by pressing the OnStar
button or calling 1-888-4-ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827).
OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation
Vehicles with the OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation
system can provide voice-guided driving directions.
Press the OnStar button to have an OnStar advisor
locate a business or address and download driving
directions to the vehicle. Voice-guided directions to the
desired destination will play through the audio system
speakers. See the OnStar Owner’s Guide for more
information.
OnStar Virtual Advisor
OnStar Virtual Advisor is a feature of OnStar Hands-Free
Calling that uses minutes to access location-based
weather, local traffic reports, and stock quotes. Press
the phone button and give a few simple voice commands
to browse through the various topics. See the OnStar
Owner’s Guide for more information. This feature is only
available in the continental U.S.
OnStar Steering Wheel Controls
This vehicle may have a Talk/Mute button that can be
used to interact with OnStar Hands-Free Calling.
SeeAudio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-94for
more information.
On some vehicles, the mute button can be used to dial
numbers into voice mail systems, or to dial phone
extensions. See the OnStar Owner’s Guide for more
information.
2-49