CHEVROLET SONIC 2017 2.G Repair Manual

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
60 Seats and Restraints
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, whyshould I have to wear safetybelts?
A:Airbags are supplementalsystems only; so they workwithsafety belts—not instead ofthem. Whether or not an airbagis provided, all occupants stillhave to buckle up to get themost protection.
Also, in nearly all states and inall Canadian provinces, the lawrequires wearing safety belts.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people ofadult size.
There are special things to knowabout safety belts and children, andthere are different rules for smallerchildren and infants. If a child will beriding in the vehicle, seeOlderChildren077orInfants and YoungChildren079.Followthoserulesforeveryone's protection.
It is very important for all occupantsto buckle up. Statistics show thatunbelted people are hurt more oftenin crashes than those who arewearing safety belts.
There are important things to knowabout wearing a safety belt properly.
.Sit up straight and always keepyour feet on the floor in frontof you.
.Always use the correct bucklefor your seating position.
.Wear the lap part of the belt lowand snug on the hips, justtouching the thighs. In a crash,this applies force to the strong
pelvic bones and you would beless likely to slide under the lapbelt. If you slid under it, the beltwould apply force on yourabdomen. This could causeserious or even fatal injuries.
.Wear the shoulder belt over theshoulder and across the chest.These parts of the body are bestable to take belt restrainingforces. The shoulder belt locks ifthere is a sudden stop or crash.
{Warning
Yo u c a n b e s e r i o u s l y i n j u r e d ,
or even killed, by not wearing
your safety belt properly.
.Never allow the lap orshoulder belt to becomeloose or twisted.
.Never wear the shoulderbelt under both arms orbehind your back.
.Never route the lap orshoulder belt over anarmrest.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
Seats and Restraints 61
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehiclehave a lap-shoulder belt.
The following instructions explainhow to wear a lap-shoulder beltproperly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat isadjustable, so you can sit upstraight. To see how, see“Seats”in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pullthe belt across you. Do not letit get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lockif you pull the belt across youvery quickly. If this happens, letthe belt go back slightly tounlock it. Then pull the beltacross you more slowly.
If the shoulder portion of apassenger belt is pulled out allthe way, the child restraintlocking feature may beengaged. If this happens, letthe belt go back all the wayand start again.
For the driver and frontoutboard passenger belts,if the webbing locks in the latch
plate before it reaches thebuckle, tilt the latch plate to flatto unlock.
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
If the latch plate will not go fullyinto the buckle, check if thecorrect buckle is being used.
Pull up on the latch plate tomake sure it is secure. If thebelt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt Extender064.
Position the release button onthe buckle so that the safetybelt could be quickly unbuckledif necessary.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
62 Seats and Restraints
4. If equipped with a shoulder beltheight adjuster, move it to theheight that is right for you. See“Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster”in this section for instructionson use and important safetyinformation.
5. To make the lap part tight, pullup on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pullstitching on the safety beltthrough the latch plate to fullytighten the lap belt on smalleroccupants.
To u n l a t c h t h e b e l t , p u s h t h e b u t t o non the buckle. The belt shouldreturn to its stowed position.
Always stow the safety belt slowly.If the safety belt webbing returnsquickly to the stowed position, theretractor may lock and cannot bepulled out. If this happens, pull thesafety belt straight out firmly tounlock the webbing, and thenrelease it. If the webbing is stilllocked in the retractor, see yourdealer.
Before a door is closed, be sure thebelt is out of the way. If a door isslammed against a safety belt,damage can occur to both thesafety belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder beltheight adjuster for the driver andright front passenger seatingpositions.
Adjust the height so the shoulderportion of the belt is on the shoulderand not falling off of it. The beltshould be close to, but notcontacting, the neck. Impropershoulder belt height adjustmentcould reduce the effectiveness ofthe safety belt in a crash. SeeHowto Wear Safety Belts Properly060.

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Seats and Restraints 63
The adjuster can be moved up bypushing the slide/trim up. To movethe adjuster down, press the releasebutton and move it down.
After the adjuster is set to thedesired position, try to move it downwithout pressing the release buttonto make sure it has locked intoposition.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety beltpretensioners for front outboardoccupants. Although the safety beltpretensioners cannot be seen, theyare part of the safety belt assembly.They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of amoderate to severe frontal, nearfrontal, or rear crash if the thresholdconditions for pretensioneractivation are met. Safety beltpretensioners can also help tightenthe safety belts in a side crash or arollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If thepretensioners activate in a crash,the pretensioners and probablyother new parts of the vehicle'ssafety belt system will need to bereplaced. SeeReplacing Safety BeltSystem Parts after a Crash065.
Do not sit on the outboard safetybelt while entering or exiting thevehicle or at any time while sitting inthe seat. Sitting on the safety beltcan damage the webbing andhardware.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
Rear safety belt comfort guides mayprovide added safety belt comfortfor older children who haveoutgrown booster seats and forsome adults. When installed on a
shoulder belt, the comfort guidepositions the belt away from theneck and head.
Comfort guides are availablethrough your dealer for the rearoutboard seating positions.Instructions are included with theguide.
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone,including pregnant women. Like alloccupants, they are more likely tobe seriously injured if they do notwear safety belts.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
64 Seats and Restraints
Apregnantwomanshouldwearalap-shoulder belt, and the lapportion should be worn as low aspossible, below the rounding,throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus isto protect the mother. When a safetybelt is worn properly, it is more likelythat the fetus will not be hurt in acrash. For pregnant women, as foranyone, the key to making safetybelts effective is wearing themproperly.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fastenaround you, you should use it.
But if a safety belt is not longenough, your dealer will order youan extender. When you go in toorder it, take the heaviest coat youwill wear, so the extender will belong enough for you. To help avoidpersonal injury, do not let someoneelse use it, and use it only for theseat it is made to fit. The extenderhas been designed for adults. Neveruse it for securing child restraints.To w e a r i t , a t t a c h i t t o t h e r e g u l a r
safety belt. For more information,see the instruction sheet that comeswith the extender.
Safety System Check
Check that the safety belt reminder,safety belts, buckles, latch plates,and retractors, are all workingproperly. Look for any other loose ordamaged safety belt system partsthat might keep a safety belt systemfrom performing properly. See yourdealer to have it repaired. Torn orfrayed safety belts may not protectyou in a crash. They can rip apartunder impact forces. If a belt is tornor frayed, have it replacedimmediately.
Make sure the safety belt reminderlight is working. SeeSafety BeltReminders011 0.
Keep safety belts clean and dry.SeeSafety Belt Care064.
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{Warning
Do not bleach or dye safety belt
webbing. It may severely weaken
the webbing. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide
adequate protection. Clean and
rinse safety belt webbing only
with mild soap and lukewarm
water. Allow the webbing to dry.
Safety belts should be properlycared for and maintained.
Safety belt hardware should be keptdry and free of dust or debris. Asnecessary exterior hard surfacesand safety belt webbing may belightly cleaned with mild soap andwater. Ensure there is not excessivedust or debris in the mechanism.If dust or debris exists in the systemplease see the dealer. Parts mayneed to be replaced to ensureproper functionality of the system.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
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Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{Warning
Acrashcandamagethesafety
belt system in the vehicle.
Adamagedsafetybeltsystem
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.
After a minor crash, replacement ofsafety belts may not be necessary.But the safety belt assemblies thatwere used during any crash mayhave been stressed or damaged.See your dealer to have the safetybelt assemblies inspected orreplaced.
New parts and repairs may benecessary even if the safety beltsystem was not being used at thetime of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners,if equipped, checked if the vehiclehas been in a crash, or if the airbagreadiness light stays on after youstart the vehicle or while you aredriving. SeeAirbag ReadinessLight011 0.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the followingairbags:
.Afrontalairbagforthedriver.
.Afrontalairbagforthefrontoutboard passenger.
.Akneeairbagforthedriver.
.Akneeairbagforthefrontoutboard passenger.
.Aseat-mountedsideimpactairbag for the driver.
.Aseat-mountedsideimpactairbag for the front outboardpassenger.
.Seat-mounted side impactairbags for the second rowoutboard passengers.
.Aroof-railairbagforthedriverand the passenger seateddirectly behind the driver.
.Aroof-railairbagforthefrontoutboard passenger and thepassenger seated directlybehind the front outboardpassenger.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
66 Seats and Restraints
All vehicle airbags have the wordAIRBAG on the trim or on a labelnear the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the wordAIRBAG is on the center of thesteering wheel for the driver and onthe instrument panel for the frontoutboard passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAGis on the lower part of theinstrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impactairbags, the word AIRBAG is on theside of the seatback closest tothe door.
For roof-rail airbags, the wordAIRBAG is on the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplementthe protection provided by safetybelts. Even though today's airbagsare also designed to help reducethe risk of injury from the force of aninflating bag, all airbags must inflatevery quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important thingsto know about the airbag system:
{Warning
Yo u c a n b e s e v e r e l y i n j u r e d o r
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt, even
with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, not replace them. Also,
airbags are not designed to inflate
in every crash. In some crashes
safety belts are the only restraint.
SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate?068.
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 the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly, whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{Warning
Because airbags inflate with great
force and faster than the blink of
an eye, anyone who is up
against, or very close to any
airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
sit unnecessarily close to any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
acrash.Alwayswearasafety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. The safety belts and
the front outboard passenger
airbags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and
upright in the seat with both feet
on the floor.
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.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
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{Warning
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Always secure children
properly in the vehicle. To read
how, seeOlder Children077or
Infants and Young Children079.
There is an airbag readiness lighton the instrument panel cluster,which shows the airbag symbol. Thesystem checks the airbag electricalsystem for malfunctions. The lighttells you if there is an electricalproblem. SeeAirbag ReadinessLight011 0for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in thecenter of the steering wheel.
The front outboard passengerfrontal airbag is in the passengerside instrument panel.
The driver knee airbag is below thesteering column. The front outboardpassenger knee airbag is below theglove box.

Chevrolet Sonic Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-10122660) -2017 - crc - 5/13/16
68 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, Passenger
Side Similar
The driver and front outboardpassenger seat-mounted sideimpact airbags are in the side of theseatbacks closest to the door.
The roof-rail airbags for the driver,front outboard passenger, andsecond row outboard passengersare in the ceiling above the sidewindows.
Rear Seat Driver Side Shown,
Passenger Side Similar
On vehicles with second rowseat-mounted side impact airbags,they are in the sides of the rearseatback closest to the door.
{Warning
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the
airbag might not inflate properly
or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 inflation 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
inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped withairbags. SeeAirbag System065.Airbags are designed to inflate if theimpact exceeds the specific airbagsystem's deployment threshold.Deployment thresholds are used to

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predict how severe a crash is likelyto be in time for the airbags toinflate and help restrain theoccupants. The vehicle haselectronic sensors that help theairbag system determine theseverity of the impact. Deploymentthresholds can vary with specificvehicle design.
Frontal airbags are designed toinflate in moderate to severe frontalor near frontal crashes to helpreduce the potential for severeinjuries, mainly to the driver's orfront outboard passenger's headand chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will orshould inflate is not based primarilyon how fast the vehicle is traveling.It depends on what is hit, thedirection of the impact, and howquickly the vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate atdifferent crash speeds depending onwhether the vehicle hits an objectstraight on or at an angle, andwhether the object is fixed ormoving, rigid or deformable, narrowor wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended toinflate during vehicle rollovers, rearimpacts, or many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle hasadvanced technology frontalairbags. Advanced technologyfrontal airbags adjust the restraintaccording to crash severity.
Knee airbags are designed to inflatein moderate to severe frontal ornear-frontal impacts. Knee airbagsare not designed to inflate duringvehicle rollovers, in rear impacts,or in many side crashes.
Seat-mounted side impact airbagsare designed to inflate in moderateto severe side crashes dependingon the location of the impact.Seat-mounted side impact airbagsare not designed to inflate in frontalimpacts, near frontal impacts,rollovers, or rear impacts.Aseat-mountedsideimpactairbagis designed to inflate on the side ofthe vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed toinflate in moderate to severe sidecrashes depending on the locationof the impact. In addition, these
roof-rail airbags are designed toinflate during a rollover or in asevere frontal impact. Roof-railairbags are not designed to inflate inrear impacts. Both roof-rail airbagswill inflate when either side of thevehicle is struck, if the sensingsystem predicts that the vehicle isabout to roll over on its side, or in asevere frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one cansay whether an airbag should haveinflated simply because of thevehicle damage or the repair costs.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensingsystem sends an electrical signaltriggering a release of gas from theinflator. Gas from the inflator fills theairbag causing the bag to break outof the cover. The inflator, the airbag,and related hardware are all part ofthe airbag module.
For airbag locations, seeWhere Arethe Airbags?067.