CHEVROLET MALIBU 2009 7.G Repair Manual
Manufacturer: CHEVROLET, Model Year: 2009, Model line: MALIBU, Model: CHEVROLET MALIBU 2009 7.GPages: 420, PDF Size: 2.27 MB
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5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap
portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing a forward-facing
child restraint, it may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child restraint as you tighten
the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
If the airbags are off, the off indicator in the passenger
airbag status indicator will come on and stay on when the
vehicle is started.
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If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child
Restraint ” underPassenger Sensing System on
page 1-66for more information.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle
safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
A frontal airbag for the driver.
A frontal airbag for the right front passenger.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the driver.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the right front
passenger.
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 the right
front 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 seat-mounted side impact airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the side of the seatback closest
to the door.
With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear
along the headliner or trim.
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 in ating bag, all airbags must in ate
very quickly to do their job.
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Here are the most important things to know about the
airbag system:
{CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you are not wearing your safety belt — even if you
have airbags. Airbags are designed to work with
safety belts, but do not replace them. Also, airbags
are not designed to deploy in every crash. In some
crashes safety belts are your only restraint. See
When Should an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-63.
Wearing your safety belt during a crash helps
reduce your chance of hitting things inside the
vehicle or being ejected from it. Airbags are
“supplemental restraints” to the safety belts.
Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that
person.
{CAUTION:
Airbags in ate with great force, faster than the blink
of an eye. Anyone who is up against, or very close
to, any airbag when it in ates can be seriously
injured or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily close to
the airbag, as you would be if you were sitting on
the edge of your seat or leaning forward. Safety
belts help keep you in position before and during a
crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with
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 or side windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags and/or roof-rail
airbags.
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{CAUTION:
Children who are up against, or very close to, any
airbag when it in ates can be seriously injured
or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer
protection for adults and older children, but not for
young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s
safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed
for them. Young children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint system can provide.
Always secure children properly in your vehicle.
To read how, seeOlder Children on page 1-32or
Infants and Young Children on page 1-35.
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 3-31
for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
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The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
The seat-mounted side impact airbags for the driver and
right front passenger are in the side of the seatbacks
closest to the door.Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
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The roof-rail airbags for the driver, right front passenger,
and second row outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an airbag,
the airbag 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.
Do not use seat accessories that block the in ation
path of a seat-mounted side impact airbag.
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 in ating roof-rail airbag will be blocked. Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
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When Should an Airbag In ate?
Frontal airbags are designed to in ate 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 in ate 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 in ate and help restrain the occupants.
Whether the 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 in ate at different crash speeds.
For example:
If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags
could in ate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits a moving object.
If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the airbags
could in ate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits an object that does not deform.
If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole), the
airbags 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
airbags could in ate at a different crash speed than if
the vehicle goes straight into the object.Thresholds can also vary with speci c vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are not intended to in ate during vehicle
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has dual-stage frontal airbags.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint according to crash
severity. The 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 in ate at a
level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal
impacts, full deployment occurs.
The vehicle has seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags. SeeAirbag System on page 1-58.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are
intended to in ate in moderate to severe side crashes.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags 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.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags are
not intended to in ate in frontal impacts, near-frontal
impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side
impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the
vehicle that is struck. A roof-rail airbag is intended
to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
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.
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For frontal airbags, in ation 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.
What Makes an Airbag In ate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
in ator. Gas from the in ator lls the airbag causing the
bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The in ator,
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.
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.
What Will You See After an Airbag
In ates?
After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact
airbags in ate, they quickly de ate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize an airbag in ated. Roof-rail
airbags may still be at least partially in ated 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 1-64.
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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
de ated airbags. Airbag in ation 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 in ates, 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 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.
The 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 in ate. You can
lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off, and turn the
hazard warning ashers off by using the controls for
those features.In many crashes severe enough to in ate the 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 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.
The vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic
module which records information after a crash.
SeeVehicle Data Recording and Privacy on
page 7-17andEvent Data Recorders on page 7-18.
Let only quali ed technicians work on the airbag
systems. Improper service can mean that an airbag
system will not work properly. See your dealer/
retailer for service.
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Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position. The passenger airbag
status indicator will be visible on the instrument
panel when the vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off, are
visible during the system check. If you are using remote
start, if equipped, to start the vehicle from a distance, you
may not see the system check. When the system check is
complete, either the word ON or OFF, or the symbol for
on or off, will be visible. SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 3-32.The passenger sensing system turns off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact
airbag under certain conditions. The driver airbags and
the roof-rail airbags are not affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with sensors that
are part of the right front passenger seat. The sensors
are designed to detect the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag
should be enabled (may in ate) or not.
According to accident statistics, children are safer when
properly secured in a rear seat in the correct child
restraint for their weight and size.
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 the 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. United States
Canada
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