airbag off PONTIAC GTO 2006 Owners Manual

Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q:Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident
if I am wearing a safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe Ð whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you are upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so you
canunbuckle and get out, ismuchgreater if
you are belted.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A:Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work
with
safety belts Ð not instead of them. Every airbag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has
airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
Q:If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an
accident Ð even one that is not your fault Ð you
and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, see
Older Children on page 1-25orInfants and Young Children on page 1-28. Follow
those rules for everyone's protection.
First, you will want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We will start with the driver position.
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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.
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{CAUTION:
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 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.
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it in¯ates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither the
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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,
see
Older Children on page 1-25andInfants
and Young Children on page 1-28
.
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. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-25for more information.
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{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
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.
Your vehicle has a feature that may automatically
unlock the doors, turn off the engine, turn off the fuel
pump, and turn the interior lamps on when the airbags
in¯ate (if battery power is available). You can operate
these features by switching the ignition off and then on.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. See
Vehicle 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 an
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer for service.
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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. You do not want the system to
in¯ate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-14.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still in¯ate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it in¯ates. Avoid yellow wires,
wires wrapped with yellow tape or 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 quali®ed to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front of the
vehicle that could keep the airbags from
working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle's
frame, bumper system, front end sheet metal or
height, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Also, the airbag system may not
work properly if you relocate any of the airbag
sensors. If you have any questions about this, you
should contact Customer Assistance before you
modify your vehicle. The phone numbers and
addresses for Customer Assistance are in Step Two
of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on
page 7-2
.
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2006 - Pontiac GTO Owner Manual

Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you
will want to use the proper service manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your vehicle than
this manual can. To order the proper service manual,
see
Service Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-14.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-52.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See
Maintenance Record on page 6-15.
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
·Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
·Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts, and
other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
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