seats SATURN OUTLOOK 2009 Workshop Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: SATURN, Model Year: 2009, Model line: OUTLOOK, Model: SATURN OUTLOOK 2009Pages: 432, PDF Size: 2.48 MB
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The right front passenger frontal
airbag is in the instrument panel on
the passenger 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.The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
right front passenger, passengers
behind the driver and right front
passenger, and the third row
outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows.Driver Side shown, Passenger
Side similarDriver Side shown, Passenger
Side similar
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{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.
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.
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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. See
Airbag System on page 1-47.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags are intended
to in ate in moderate to severe side
crashes. In addition, these roof-rail
airbags are intended to in ate during
a rollover or in a severe frontal
impact. 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 airbags
are not intended to in ate in
frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts. Roof-rail
airbags are not intended to in ate in
rear impacts. A seat-mounted
side impact airbag is intended to
deploy on the side of the vehicle that
is struck. Both roof-rail airbags
will deploy when either side of the
vehicle is struck, or if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle
is about to roll over, or in a severe
frontal impact.
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.
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. Ina rollover event, roof-rail airbag
deployment is determined by
the direction of the roll.
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.
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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.Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help contain the head
and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
rst, second, and third 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 1-51for 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 1-52.
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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
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CAUTION (Continued)
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 7-16
andEvent Data Recorders on
page 7-17.
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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.
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 3-34.The passenger sensing system turns
off the right front passenger frontal
airbag under certain conditions. The
driver airbag, seat-mounted side
impact 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
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.
United States
Canada
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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 in ates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
in ating airbag. A child in a
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CAUTION (Continued)
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
right front passenger airbag
in ates and the passenger seat is
in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the airbag is
off. If you secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger
seat as far back as it will go. It is
better to secure the child restraint
in a rear seat.The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag if:The right front passenger seat is
unoccupied.
The system determines that an
infant is present in a child
restraint.
A right front passenger takes
his/her weight off of the seat
for a period of time.
Or, if there is a critical problem
with the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, the off
indicator will light and stay lit
to remind you that the airbag is off.
SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 3-34.
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The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on (may in ate) 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, including
children in 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.
{CAUTION
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong with
the airbag system. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have
the vehicle serviced right away.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 3-33for more information,
including important safety
information.
If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items
from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint
following the directions provided
by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position on
page 1-45.
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5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then
slightly recline the vehicle
seatback and adjust the seat
cushion, if adjustable, to
make sure that the vehicle
seatback is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child restraint
is not trapped under the vehicle
head restraint. If this happens,
adjust the head restraint.
SeeHead Restraints on
page 1-2.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbag for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s seating posture and body
build. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat.If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
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, use the following
steps to allow the system to detect
that person and enable the right front
passenger frontal airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully
upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the
seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the
on indicator is lit.
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Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
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.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion, or
aftermarket equipment such as seat
covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your speci c
vehicle. SeeAdding Equipment
to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-60for more information
about modi cations that can affect
how the system operates.A wet seat can affect the
performance of the passenger
sensing system. Here is how:The passenger sensing system
may turn off the passenger airbag
when liquid is soaked into the
seat. If this happens, the off
indicator will be lit, and the airbag
readiness light on the instrument
panel will also be lit.
Liquid pooled on the seat that has
not soaked in may make it more
likely that the passenger sensing
system will enable (turn on) the
passenger airbag while a child
restraint or child occupant is on
the seat. If the passenger airbag
is turned on, the on indicator will
be lit.
If the passenger seat gets wet, dry
the seat immediately. If the airbag
readiness light is lit, do not install a
child restraint or allow anyone to
occupy the seat. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 3-33for
important safety information.The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop or
other electronic device, is put on an
unoccupied seat. If this is not desired
remove the object from the seat.
{CAUTION
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
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