belt PONTIAC G8 2008 Owner's Manual

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
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 1-22for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
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 an airbag inated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inated 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 1-24.
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2008 - Pontiac G8 Owner Manual

Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the right front
passenger position. The passenger
airbag status indicator will be
visible in the rearview mirror when
you start the vehicle.
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbol for on and off, will be visible
during the system check. If you are
using remote start to start your
vehicle from a distance, if equipped,
you may not see 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 4-14.
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbags are
not part of 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 should
be enabled (may inate) or not.
Accident statistics show that children
are safer if they are restrained in
the rear rather than the front seat.
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.
{CAUTION
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right
front passenger airbag
inates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint
can be seriously injured or killed
if the right front passenger
airbag inates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
(Continued) United States
Canada
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vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
SeeHead Restraints on page 1-4.
Remove any additional material from
the seat such as blankets, cushions,
seat covers, seat heaters, or seat
massagers before reinstalling or
securing the child restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure
the child in the child restraint in
a rear seat position in the vehicle,
and check with your dealer/retailer.
The passenger sensing system
is designed to enable (may inate)
the right front passenger frontal
airbag anytime the system senses
that a person of adult size is
sitting properly in the right front
passenger seat. When the
passenger sensing system has
allowed the airbag to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and
stay lit to remind you that the airbag
is active.For some children who have
outgrown child restraints and for very
small adults, the passenger sensing
system may or may not turn off the
right front passenger frontal airbag,
depending upon the person’s seating
posture and body build. Everyone in
the vehicle who has outgrown child
restraints should wear a safety belt
properly — whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
If a person of adult-size is sitting in
the right front passenger seat, but
the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. If this happens,
turn the vehicle off, remove any
additional material from the seat,
such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters or seat
massagers and ask the person to
place the seatback in the fully upright
position, then sit upright in the seat,
centered on the seat cushion, with
the person’s legs comfortably
extended. Restart the vehicle and
have the person remain in this
position for two to three minutes.This will allow the system to detect
that person and then enable the right
front passenger frontal airbag.
Safety belts help keep the passenger
in position on the seat during vehicle
maneuvers and braking, which helps
the passenger sensing system
maintain the passenger airbag
status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child
Restraints” in the Index for additional
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.
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Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around your vehicle. Your
dealer/retailer and the service
manual have information about
servicing your vehicle and the airbag
system. To purchase a service
manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 12-15.
{CAUTION
For up to 10 seconds after the
ignition is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inate during
improper service. You can be
injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid
yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the airbag
system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person
performing work for you is
qualied to do so.
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,
the inside rearview mirror, ceiling
headliner or pillar garnish trim,
front sensors, or airbag wiring can
affect the operation of the airbag
system.
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Replacing Airbag System
Parts After a Crash
{CAUTION
A crash can damage the airbag
systems in your vehicle.
A damaged airbag system
may not work properly and
may not protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash,
resulting in serious injury or
even death. To help make sure
your airbag systems are
working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any
necessary replacements made
as soon as possible.If an airbag inates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See
your dealer/retailer for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the
airbag system may not work
properly. Have the vehicle serviced
right away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 4-13for more
information.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle’s safety belts.
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The manufacturer’s instructions that
come with the booster seat, state
the weight and height limitations for
that booster. Use a booster seat
with a lap-shoulder belt until
the child passes the below t test:
Sit all the way back on the
seat. Do the knees bend at the
seat edge? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the booster seat.
Buckle the lap-shoulder
belt. Does the shoulder belt rest
on the shoulder? If yes,
continue. If no, then return to the
booster seat.
Does the lap belt t low and
snug on the hips, touching
the thighs? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the booster seat.
Can proper safety belt t
be maintained for the length of
the trip? If yes, continue. If
no, return to the booster seat.
Q:What is the proper way to
wear safety belts?
A:An older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder
belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or
neck. The lap belt should t
snugly below the hips, just
touching the top of the thighs.
This applies belt force to
the child’s pelvic bones in a
crash. It should never be worn
over the abdomen, which
could cause severe or even fatal
internal injuries in a crash.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system
secured in a rear seating position.
In a crash, children who are not
buckled up can strike other people
who are buckled up, or can bethrown out of the vehicle. Older
children need to use safety belts
properly.
{CAUTION
Never do this.
Never allow two children to wear
the same safety belt. The safety
belt can not properly spread the
impact forces. In a crash, the
two children can be crushed
together and seriously injured.
A safety belt must be used by
only one person at a time.
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{CAUTION
Never do this.
Never allow a child to wear the
safety belt with the shoulder
belt behind their back. A child
can be seriously injured by not
wearing the lap-shoulder belt
properly. In a crash, the child
would not be restrained by the
shoulder belt. The child could
move too far forward increasing
the chance of head and neck
injury. The child might also
slide under the lap belt. The
belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen.
That could cause serious or
fatal injuries. The shoulder belt
should go over the shoulder
and across the chest.
Infants and Young
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs
protection! This includes infants and
all other children. Neither the
distance traveled nor the age and
size of the traveler changes the
need, for everyone, to use safety
restraints. In fact, the law in
every state in the United States and
in every Canadian province says
children up to some age must
be restrained while in a vehicle.
{CAUTION
Children can be seriously
injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped
around their neck and the
safety belt continues to tighten.
Never leave children
unattended in a vehicle and
never allow children to play
with the safety belts.
Every time infants and young
children ride in vehicles, they should
have the protection provided by
appropriate restraints. Children who
are not restrained properly can
strike other people, or can be thrown
out of the vehicle. In addition,
young children should not use the
vehicle’s adult safety belts alone;
they need to use a child restraint.
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Q:What are the different types of
add-on child restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are
purchased by the vehicle’s
owner, are available in four basic
types. Selection of a particular
restraint should take into
consideration not only the child’s
weight, height, and age but also
whether or not the restraint will be
compatible with the motor vehicle
in which it will be used.
For most basic types of child
restraints, there are many
different models available. When
purchasing a child restraint,
be sure it is designed to be used
in a motor vehicle. If it is, the
restraint will have a label saying
that it meets federal motor
vehicle safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer’s
instructions that come with the
restraint state the weight
and height limitations for a
particular child restraint. Inaddition, there are many kinds of
restraints available for children
with special needs.
{CAUTION
To reduce the risk of neck and
head injury during a crash,
infants need complete support.
This is because an infant’s
neck is not fully developed and
its head weighs so much
compared with the rest of its
body. In a crash, an infant in a
rear-facing child restraint
settles into the restraint, so the
crash forces can be distributed
across the strongest part of an
infant’s body, the back and
shoulders. Infants should
always be secured in
rear-facing child restraints.
{CAUTION
A young child’s hip bones are
still so small that the vehicle’s
regular safety belt may not
remain low on the hip bones,
as it should. Instead, it may
settle up around the child’s
abdomen. In a crash, the belt
would apply force on a body
area that is unprotected by any
bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal
injuries. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during
a crash, young children should
always be secured in
appropriate child restraints.
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Child Restraint Systems
A rear-facing infant seat (A) provides
restraint with the seating surface
against the back of the infant.
The harness system holds the infant
in place and, in a crash, acts to
keep the infant positioned in
the restraint.A forward-facing child seat (B)
provides restraint for the child’s body
with the harness.A booster seat (C) is a child
restraint designed to improve the t
of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
A booster seat can also help a child
to see out the window. (A) Rear-Facing Infant Seat
(B) Forward-Facing Child Seat(C) Booster Seats
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Securing an Add-On Child
Restraint in the Vehicle
{CAUTION
A child can be seriously injured
or killed in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly secured
in the vehicle. Secure the child
restraint properly in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt or
LATCH system, following the
instructions that came with that
child restraint and the
instructions in this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury,
the child restraint must be secured in
the vehicle. Child restraint systems
must be secured in vehicle seats by
lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. SeeLower Anchors andTethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-40for more information. A
child can be endangered in a crash if
the child restraint is not properly
secured in the vehicle.
When securing an add-on child
restraint, refer to the instructions that
come with the restraint which may
be on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both, and to this manual.
The child restraint instructions are
important, so if they are not
available, obtain a replacement
copy from the manufacturer.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and
injure people in the vehicle. Be sure
to properly secure any child
restraint in the vehicle — even
when no child is in it.
Securing the Child Within the
Child Restraint
{CAUTION
A child can be seriously injured
or killed in a crash if the child
is not properly secured in the
child restraint. Secure the child
properly following the
instructions that came with that
child restraint.
Where to Put the
Restraint
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system
secured in a rear seating position.
We recommend that children and
child restraints 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;
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