2009 Chevrolet Express Owners Manual

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2009 Chevrolet Express Owner Manual M Keys Doors and Locks Windows Theft-Deterrent Systems Starting and Operating Your Vehicle Mirrors Storage Areas Seats and Restraint System ............................. 1-1 Front Seats ............................................... 1-2 Rear Seats ............................................... 1-5 Safety Belts ............................................. 1-10 Child Restraints ....................................... 1-29 Airbag System ......................................... 1-56 Restraint System Check ............................ 1-75 Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1 ........................................................ 2-2 ....................................... 2-6 ................................................. 2-13 ............................ 2-16 ........... 2-19 .................................................... 2-33 ......................................... 2-35 Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1 .......................... 3-4 ...................................... 3-18 ........ 3-23 .................. 3-41 ....................................... 3-64 Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1 ....... 4-2 ................................................... 4-24 Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators Driver Information Center (DIC) Audio System(s) Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle Towing Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1 Service ..................................................... 5-3 Fuel ......................................................... 5-5 Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-12 All-Wheel Drive ........................................ 5-45 Rear Axle ............................................... 5-46 Front Axle ............................................... 5-47 Noise Control System ............................... 5-48 Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-49 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-54 Tires ...................................................... 5-55 Appearance Care ..................................... 5-99 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ............................... 5-106 Electrical System .................................... 5-107 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ................... 5-114 Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1 ................................ 6-2 Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1 ........... 7-2 ........................... 7-15 ........... 7-17 Index ................................................................ 1 Customer Assistance and Information Reporting Safety Defects Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy Maintenance Schedule Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols, and words work together to explain vehicle operation. Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference. Canadian Owners A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer/retailer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 1-800-551-4123 www.helminc.com Propriétaires Canadiens On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 1-800-551-4123 www.helminc.com GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and the name CHEVY EXPRESS are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. GM reserves the right to make changes after that time without further notice. For vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division wherever it appears in this manual. This manual describes features that may or may not be on your speciﬁc vehicle. If the vehicle has the DURAMAX® Diesel engine, refer to the DURAMAX® Diesel supplement for additional and speciﬁc information on this engine. Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 25780708 B Second Printing ©2008 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved. ii Index To quickly locate information about the vehicle, use the index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the page number where it can be found. Safety Warnings and Symbols A circle with a slash through it is a safety symbol which means “Do Not,” “Do not do this,” or “Do not let this happen.” A box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the warning. { CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions. A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by the vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage. There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use the same words, CAUTION or Notice. Vehicle Symbols The vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a speciﬁc component, control, message, gage, or indicator. M : This symbol is shown when you need to see your owner manual for additional instructions or information. * : This symbol is shown when you need to see a service manual for additional instructions or information. iii Vehicle Symbol Chart Here are some additional symbols that may be found on the vehicle and what they mean. For more information on the symbol, refer to the index. 9 : Airbag Readiness Light # : Air Conditioning ! : Antilock Brake System (ABS) g : Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar® $ : Brake System Warning Light " : Charging System I : Cruise Control B : Engine Coolant Temperature O : Exterior Lamps # : Fog Lamps . : Fuel Gage + : Fuses i : Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer j : LATCH System Child Restraints * : Malfunction Indicator Lamp : : Oil Pressure } : Power / : Remote Vehicle Start > : Safety Belt Reminders 7 : Tire Pressure Monitor _ : Tow/Haul Mode F : Traction Control M : Windshield Washer Fluid iv Section 1 Seats and Restraint System Front Seats ......................................................1-2 Manual Seats ................................................1-2 Power Seat ...................................................1-3 Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-3 Rear Seats .......................................................1-5 Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-5 Safety Belts ...................................................1-10 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-10 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-15 Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-23 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-28 Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-28 Child Restraints .............................................1-29 Older Children ..............................................1-29 Infants and Young Children ............................1-32 Child Restraint Systems .................................1-35 Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-37 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) ......................................1-39 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position ....................................1-45 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) ...............1-48 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag On-Off Switch) ........................1-52 Airbag System ...............................................1-56 Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-58 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .....................1-61 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? .......................1-63 How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-63 What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? .....1-64 Airbag Off Switch ..........................................1-65 Passenger Sensing System ............................1-68 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-73 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .............................1-74 Restraint System Check ..................................1-75 Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-75 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ............................................1-76 1-1 Front Seats Manual Seats { CAUTION: If the vehicle has a manual seat, it can be moved forward or rearward. 1. Lift the bar to unlock the seat. 2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the bar. You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. 1-2 Power Seat Reclining Seatbacks { CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. { CAUTION: If either seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they are locked. The seats have manual reclining seatbacks. The lever used to operate them is located on the inboard side of the seats. 1-3 If the vehicle has front power seat(s), the controls are located at the front center of the seat cushion. To raise or lower the seat, move the center knob up or down. To move the seat forward or rearward, move the center knob toward the right or left. To raise or lower the front of the seat cushion, move the right lever up or down. To raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion, move the left lever up or down. To return the seatback to an upright position: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback and the seatback will return to the upright position. 2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. To recline the seatback: 1. Lift the recline lever. 2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then release the lever to lock the seatback in place. 3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. 1-4 { CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when the vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if when buckled up, the safety belts cannot do their job when reclined like this. The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it will not be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash, the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear the safety belt properly. Do not have a seatback reclined if the vehicle is moving. Rear Seats Rear Seat Operation Removing the Rear Seat Disconnect the quick release latch plates for the lap-shoulder belts on the bench seat to be removed. 1. To do this, press the tip of a key into the release hole of the safety belt buckle while pulling up on the safety belt. 2. Locate the pins. On a three passenger seat there are two pins located on the inboard sides of the rear seats. 1-5 Three Passenger Seat Shown Three Passenger Seat Shown The driver side pin has a gray cap with a black “L” marked on it. The passenger side pin has a black cap with a white “R” marked on it. On a four passenger seat, each half of the seat has a set of pins. The driver side has a set marked “L”, and the passenger side has a set marked “R”. If the vehicle has ﬂoor mats, the pins will be located under a ﬂap that has been cut into the mat. 1-6 3. Pull the pin handle up to disengage the pin from the retaining clip, then pull the pin out. 4. Repeat this procedure for the other pins. 5. Pull the seat rearward about 2 inches (5 cm) and then lift the seat from the ﬂoor rails. 6. Remove the seat from the vehicle. 7. For the ﬁrst row rear seat, stow the safety belt latch by attaching the clip on the safety belt latch to the trim just inside the side door. For the remaining rear seats, stow the safety belt latch plate on the clip at the window trim. Replacing the Rear Seats { CAUTION: A seat that is not locked into place properly can move around in a collision or sudden stop. People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock the seat into place properly when installing it. { CAUTION: A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted will not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted. 1. Position the seat into the open slots in both rails. Push the seat forward in the rail, hooking both seat bases onto the pins inside of the rails. 1-7 2. Locate the hole in the rail to install the locking pins at the rear of the seat base. If the vehicle has ﬂoor mats, pull the ﬂap that has been cut into the mat. 3. Insert the locking pins into the seat base and push the seat to line up the pins with the base. On a three passenger seat, the pin with the black cap marked “R” must be installed on the passenger side and the pin with the gray cap marked “L” on the driver side. On a four passenger seat, the pins marked “R” must be installed on the half of the seat on the passenger side. The pins marked “L” must be installed on the half of the seat on the driver side. 1-8 Three Passenger Seat Shown 4. Push the pin(s) marked “R” down until they are in the retaining clip. Three Passenger Seat Shown 5. Push the pin(s) marked “L” down until they are in the retaining clip. 6. If the vehicle has a ﬂoor mat, put the ﬂap back to its original position. 7. Repeat this procedure for the other seat base. 8. Connect the quick-release latch plates for the lap-shoulder belts by inserting the latch plates into the buckles attached at the outboard positions of the bench seat. Do not twist the belt. 9. Check that all locking pins are locked into place before operating the vehicle. 1-9 Safety Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This section of the manual describes how to use safety belts properly. It also describes some things not to do with safety belts. { CAUTION: Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passenger(s) are restrained properly too. 1-10 { CAUTION: It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly. This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-26 for additional information. In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why: You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without safety belts, they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter... a lot! Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. Put someone on it. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels. 1-11 Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... 1-12 or the instrument panel... or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense. 1-13 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 a crash — even one that is not your fault — you and your passenger(s) 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. Questions and Answers About Safety Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash if I am wearing a safety belt? A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety belt or not. But your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down. Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety belts? A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants 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. 1-14 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly This section 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 infants. If a child will be riding in the vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-29 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-32. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. It is very important for all occupants to buckle up. Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety belt, there is important information you should know. Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the ﬂoor in front of you. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones and you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash. 1-15 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt snugly against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as much protection this way. 1-16 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your lap belt is too loose. In a crash, you could slide under the lap belt and apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The lap belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way. 1-17 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not on the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you. A: The belt is buckled in the wrong buckle. 1-18 Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is over an armrest. { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied on the abdomen, not on the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests. 1-19 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. 1-20 Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is behind the body. { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, you would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. Your body could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. You 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. 1-21 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer/retailer to ﬁx it. A: The belt is twisted across the body. 1-22 Lap-Shoulder Belt All seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt. If you are using a rear seating position with a detachable safety belt and the safety belt is not attached, see Rear Seat Operation on page 1-5 for instruction on reconnecting the safety belt to the mini-buckle. The following instructions explain how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index. 2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. If the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint locking feature may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again. 3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-28. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the height that is right for you. See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later in this section for instructions on use and important safety information. 1-23 5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt. It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants. To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should return to its stowed position. Slide the latch plate up the safety belt webbing when the safety belt is not in use. The latch plate should rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near the guide loop on the side wall. Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt, damage can occur to both the safety belt and the vehicle. 1-24 Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger positions. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away from the face and neck, but not falling off of the shoulder. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. To move it down, pull on the center adjuster control labeled PULL. You can move the height adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide. Safety Belt Pretensioners If the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of the vehicle is below 8,500 lb (3 855 kg) then the vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the front outboard occupants. See Loading the Vehicle on page 4-19 to locate the certiﬁcation label which contains the GVWR. Although the safety belt pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal, or rear crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. And, if the vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash or a rollover event. Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced, and probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-76. After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to move it down without pushing in to make sure it has locked into position. 1-25 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the shoulder belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide for each outboard passenger position in the rear seats. Here is how to install a comfort guide to the safety belt: 1. Locate the guide in a pocket on the side of the seatback. 1-26 2. Place the guide over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies ﬂat. The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top. { CAUTION: A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. 4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described in previously in this section. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that the safety belt can be removed from the guide. Slide the guide into its storage pocket on the side of the seatback. 1-27 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts. The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly. Safety Belt Extender If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer/ retailer will order you an extender. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be long enough for you. To help avoid personal injury, do not let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat it is made to ﬁt. The extender has been designed for adults. Never use it for securing child seats. To wear it, attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender. A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy. 1-28 Child Restraints Older Children Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts. 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 ﬁt 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, try using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-23 for more information. If the shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the booster seat. • Does the lap belt ﬁt low and snug on the hips, touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. • Can proper safety belt ﬁt be maintained for the length of the trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. • If you have the choice, a child should sit in a position with a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. 1-29 { 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. 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 ﬁt 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. Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-23. 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 be thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts properly. 1-30 { 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. 1-31 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. 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. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate child restraints. Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. { CAUTION: Never do this. Never hold an infant or a child while riding in a vehicle. Due to crash forces, an infant or a child will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it during a crash. For example, in a crash at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) infant will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force on a person’s arms. An infant should be secured in an appropriate restraint. 1-32 CAUTION: (Continued) restraint in a rear seat. It is also better to secure a forward-facing child restraint in a rear seat. If you must secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. { CAUTION: Never do this. Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inﬂates can be seriously injured or killed. Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the right front seat. Secure a rear-facing child CAUTION: (Continued) 1-33 { 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. 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. In addition, there are many kinds of restraints available for children with special needs. 1-34 { 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. 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. 1-35 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. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for more information. A child can be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. A booster seat (C-D) is a child restraint designed to improve the ﬁt of the vehicle’s safety belt system. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window. 1-36 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; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children, who are large enough, using safety belts. If a child restraint is secured in the right front passenger seat, there may be a switch on the instrument panel to manually turn off the right front passenger airbag. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-65 and Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) on page 1-48 or Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag On-Off Switch) on page 1-52 for more information, including important safety information. 1-37 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: (Continued) { CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inﬂates and the passenger seat is in a forward position. Even if the passenger sensing system or airbag switch 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 it is turned off. CAUTION: (Continued) 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. When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with the child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, a rear-facing child restraint should not be installed in the vehicle, even if the airbag is off. Wherever a child restraint is installed, be sure to secure the child restraint properly. 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. 1-38 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) The LATCH system holds a child restraint during driving or in a crash. This system is designed to make installation of a child restraint easier. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint that are made for use with the LATCH system. Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual. When installing a child restraint with a top tether, you must also use either the lower anchors or the safety belts to properly secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed using only the top tether strap and anchor. In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you need a child restraint that has LATCH attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child restraint and its attachments. The following explains how to attach a child restraint with these attachments in your vehicle. Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors and attachments. Lower Anchors Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position that will accommodate a child restraint with lower attachments (B). 1-39 Top Tether Anchor A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child restraint to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into the vehicle. The top tether attachment (B) on the child restraint connects to the top tether anchor in the vehicle in order to reduce the forward movement and rotation of the child restraint during driving or in a crash. Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or a dual tether (C). Either will have a single attachment (B) to secure the top tether to the anchor. 1-40 Some child restraints that have a top tether are designed for use with or without the top tether being attached. Others require the top tether always to be attached. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for your child restraint. If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints. Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit is available. Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor Locations i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. j (Lower Anchor): Seating positions with two lower anchors. Second, Third and Fourth Row with Three Passenger Seat See the information following for installing a child restraint with a top tether in the second, third and fourth row center positions. Do not install three child restraints in the same row at the same time and never install two top tethers using the same top tether anchor. i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. Front Passenger Position The second, third and fourth row with three passenger seats have exposed metal lower anchors located in the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion. Second, Third and Fourth Row with Three Passenger Seat — Passenger Van There are two top tether anchors in the second, third and fourth rows. To install a child restraint in the rear driver side seating positions, use anchor point (A). To install a child restraint in the rear passenger side seating positions, use anchor point (B). To install a child restraint in the rear center seating positions, use anchor point (B). Never install two top tethers using the same top tether anchor. 1-41 Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-37 for additional information. Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System { CAUTION: If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to anchors, the child restraint will not be able to protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be seriously injured or killed. Install a LATCH-type child restraint properly using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with the child restraint and the instructions in this manual. Front Passenger Position There is a top tether anchor for the front passenger position with a front passenger seat. The anchor is located at the rear of the seat cushion on the right front passenger’s seat. Do not secure a child restraint in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be attached, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be attached. 1-42 { CAUTION: Do not attach more than one child restraint to a single anchor. Attaching more than one child restraint to a single anchor could cause the anchor or attachment to come loose or even break during a crash. A child or others could be injured. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash, attach only one child restraint per anchor. { CAUTION: Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle any unused safety belts behind the child restraint so children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock, if your vehicle has one, after the child restraint has been installed. Notice: Do not let the LATCH attachments rub against the vehicle’s safety belts. This may damage these parts. If necessary, move buckled safety belts to avoid rubbing the LATCH attachments. Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt buckled. This could damage the safety belt or the seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its stowed position, before folding the seat. 1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have lower attachments or the desired seating position does not have lower anchors, secure the child restraint with the top tether and the safety belts. Refer to your child restraint manufacturer instructions and the instructions in this manual. 1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating position. 1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child restraint to the lower anchors. 1-43 If the position you are using does not have a headrest or head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether over the seatback. If the position you are using has an integrated headrest or head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether around the headrest or head restraint. 2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped. Refer to the child restraint instructions and the following steps: 2.1. Find the top tether anchor. 2.2. For the second, third and fourth row with three passenger seats only, in the rear driver side seating positions, use anchor point (A). For the rear passenger side seating positions, use anchor point (B). For the center seating positions, use anchor point (B). Never install two top tethers using the same top tether anchor. 2.3. Route and tighten the top tether according to your child restraint instructions and the following instructions: If the position you are using does not have a headrest or head restraint and you are using a single tether, route the tether over the seatback. 1-44 If the position you are using has an integrated headrest or head restraint and you are using a single tether, route the tether over the headrest or head restraint. 3. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with the child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured in the vehicle using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. 1-45 If the child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the safety belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say. If more than one child restraint needs to be installed in the rear seat, be sure to read Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-37. 1. Put the child restraint on the seat. 2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 1-46 3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 5. 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. 1-47 6. If the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for more information. 7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it. Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) Your vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-37. In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing system which is designed to turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-68 and Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-29 for more information, including important safety information. 1-48 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 inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inﬂates 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 it is turned off. CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued) 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. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-68 for additional information. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, a rear-facing child restraint should not be installed in the vehicle, even if the airbag is off. If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. 1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint. When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator on the passenger airbag status indicator should light and stay lit when the vehicle is started. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-29. 2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 1-49 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 1-50 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. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat and the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for more information. 8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. If the airbag is off, the off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator will come on and stay on when the vehicle is started. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. 1-51 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag On-Off Switch) The vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-37. There is a switch on the instrument panel that you can use to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-65 for more information, including important safety information. 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 inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inﬂates and the passenger seat is in a forward position. Even if the airbag switch 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 it 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. 1-52 { CAUTION: If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and stays on, it means that something may be wrong with the airbag system. For example, the right front passenger airbag could inﬂate even though the airbag on-off switch is turned off. To help avoid injury to yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right away. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-27 for more information, including important safety information. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, a rear-facing child restraint should not be installed in the vehicle, even if the airbag is off. If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. 1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint. If you have no other choice but to install a rear-facing child restraint in this seat, make sure the airbag is off once the child restraint has been installed. When the airbag off switch has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator in the airbag off light should light and stay lit when the vehicle is started. See Airbag Off Light on page 3-28. 2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 1-53 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 1-54 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. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat and the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-39 for more information. 8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. If you turned the airbag off with the switch, turn on the right front passenger airbag when you remove the child restraint from the vehicle unless the person who will be sitting there is a member of a passenger airbag risk group. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-65 for more information, including important safety information. 1-55 Airbag System The vehicle has the following airbag: • A frontal airbag for the driver. The vehicle may have the following airbags: • A frontal airbag for the right front passenger. • A roof-rail airbag for the driver (cargo van). • A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger position (cargo or passenger van equipped with a sliding door). If you have a passenger van with a right front passenger roof-rail airbag and a sliding door, you will also have a separate roof-rail airbag for the passenger seated directly behind the right front passenger and the third row outboard passenger position. • A roof-rail airbag for the driver, passenger seated directly behind the driver, and the third row outboard passenger position (passenger van equipped with a sliding or hinged door). • A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger, passenger seated directly behind the right front passenger, and the third row outboard passenger position (passenger van equipped with a hinged door). All of the airbags in the 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 roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear along the headliner or trim. 1-56 Here are the most important things to know about the airbag system: { CAUTION: { 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 1-61. 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. Airbags inﬂate with great force, 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 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 roof-rail airbags. 1-57 Where Are the Airbags? The driver frontal airbag is in the middle of the steering wheel. { CAUTION: Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inﬂates 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, see Older Children on page 1-29 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-32. There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument panel, 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 3-27 for more information. 1-58 If the vehicle has one, the right front passenger airbag is in the instrument panel on the passenger side. Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar If the vehicle is a cargo or passenger van with a sliding door and it has a roof-rail airbag for the driver and right front passenger position, the roof-rail airbags are in the ceiling above the side window. 1-59 For passenger vans with a sliding door, on the passenger side of the vehicle, you will have a separate roof-rail airbag for the passenger seated directly behind the right front passenger and the third row outboard passenger position. { CAUTION: 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 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. 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. Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar If the vehicle has roof-rail airbags for the driver, right front passenger, passengers behind the driver and right front passenger, and the third row outboard passengers, the roof-rail airbags are in the ceiling above the side windows. On the driver side of the vehicle, there is one single roof-rail airbag for either vehicles with a hinged door or a sliding door. 1-60 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? Frontal airbags are designed to inﬂate 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 inﬂate 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 inﬂate and help restrain the occupants. Whether the frontal airbags will or should deploy is not based on how fast the vehicle is traveling. It depends largely on what you hit, the direction of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down. Frontal airbags may inﬂate at different crash speeds. For example: • If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags could inﬂate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle hits a moving object. • If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the airbags could inﬂate 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 inﬂate 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 inﬂate at a different crash speed than if the vehicle goes straight into the object. Thresholds can also vary with speciﬁc vehicle design. Frontal airbags are not intended to inﬂate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts. 1-61 Single Stage vs. Dual Stage Airbags Depending on the weight of the vehicle, you will have either “Single Stage Airbags” or “Dual Stage Airbags.” Vehicles that have a passenger sensing system also have dual stage airbags. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-29 or Passenger Sensing System on page 1-68. If the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of the vehicle is 8,500 lb (3 855 kg) or above, the vehicle may have single stage airbags. If the GVWR is below 8,500 lb (3 855 kg) then the vehicle may have dual stage airbags. You can ﬁnd the GVWR on the certiﬁcation label on the rear edge of the driver door. See Loading the Vehicle on page 4-19 for more information. In addition, the vehicle may have 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 inﬂate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. The vehicle may or may not have roof-rail airbags. See Airbag System on page 1-56. Roof-rail airbags are intended to inﬂate in moderate to severe side crashes. In addition, these roof-rail airbags are intended to inﬂate during a rollover. Roof-rail airbags will inﬂate if the crash severity is above the system’s designed threshold level. The threshold level can vary with speciﬁc vehicle design. Roof-rail airbags are not intended to inﬂate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts, or rear impacts. All roof-rail airbags will deploy when either side of the vehicle is struck. In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag should have inﬂated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For frontal airbags, inﬂation is determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down. For roof-rail airbags, deployment is determined by the location and severity of the side impact. 1-62 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the inﬂator. Gas from the inﬂator ﬁlls the airbag causing the bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inﬂator, 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 roof-rail airbags, there are airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows for the ﬁrst, second, and third rows (if equipped). See Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-58 for more information. 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. 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 ﬁrst, second, and third rows, if equipped. 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. See When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? on page 1-61 for more information. Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts. 1-63 What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? After the frontal airbags inﬂate, they quickly deﬂate, so quickly that some people may not even realize an airbag inﬂated. Roof-rail airbags may still be at least partially inﬂated for some time after they deploy. Some components of the airbag module may be hot for several minutes. For location of the airbag modules, see What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? on page 1-63. 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 deﬂated airbags. Airbag inﬂation 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 inﬂates, 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 inﬂates, 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 (if equipped with power door locks), turn the interior lamps on, and turn the hazard warning ﬂashers on when the airbags inﬂate. You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off, and turn the hazard warning ﬂashers off by using the controls for those features. 1-64 In many crashes severe enough to inﬂate the airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger airbag. • Airbags are designed to inﬂate only once. After an airbag inﬂates, 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 the vehicle covers the need to replace other parts. • The vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic module which records information after a crash. See Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy on page 7-17 and Event Data Recorders on page 7-18. • Let only qualiﬁed technicians work on the airbag systems. Improper service can mean that an airbag system will not work properly. See your dealer/ retailer for service. Airbag Off Switch If the instrument panel has one of the switches pictured in the following illustrations, the vehicle has an airbag on-off switch that you can use to manually turn on or off the right front passenger airbag. United States Canada If the vehicle does not have an airbag on-off switch, it may have a passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-68. 1-65 This switch should only be turned to the off position if the person in the right front passenger position is a member of a passenger risk group identiﬁed by the national government as follows: Infant. An infant (less than 1 year old) must ride in the front seat because: • My vehicle has no rear seat; • My vehicle has a rear seat too small to accommodate a rear-facing infant seat; or • The infant has a medical condition which, according to the infant’s physician, makes it necessary for the infant to ride in the front seat so that the driver can constantly monitor the child’s condition. Child age 1 to 12. A child age 1 to 12 must ride in the front seat because: • My vehicle has no rear seat; • Although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear seat(s) whenever possible, children ages 1 to 12 sometimes must ride in the front because no space is available in the rear seat(s) of my vehicle; or • The child has a medical condition which, according to the child’s physician, makes it necessary for the child to ride in the front seat so that the driver can constantly monitor the child’s condition. 1-66 Medical Condition. A passenger has a medical condition which, according to his or her physician: • Causes the passenger airbag to pose a special risk for the passenger; and • Makes the potential harm from the passenger airbag in a crash greater than the potential harm from turning off the airbag and allowing the passenger, even if belted, to hit the dashboard or windshield in a crash. { CAUTION: If the right front passenger’s airbag is turned off for a person who is not in a risk group identiﬁed by the national government, that person will not have the extra protection of an airbag. In a crash, the airbag will not be able to inﬂate and help protect the person sitting there. Do not turn off the passenger’s airbag unless the person sitting there is in a risk group. United States Canada To turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag, insert the ignition key into the switch, push in, and move the switch to the off position. The airbag off light will come on to let you know that the right front passenger airbag is off. The airbag off light will stay on to remind you that the airbag is off. See Airbag Off Light on page 3-28. The airbag off light will stay on to remind you that the airbag is off. The right front passenger airbag will remain off until you turn it back on again. { CAUTION: If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and stays on, it means that something may be wrong with the airbag system. For example, the right front passenger airbag could inﬂate even though the airbag on-off switch is turned off. To help avoid injury to yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right away. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-27 for more information, including important safety information. 1-67 Passenger Sensing System If the instrument panel has one of the indicators pictured in the following illustrations, the vehicle has a passenger sensing system unless there is an airbag off switch located on the instrument panel. If there is an airbag off switch, the vehicle does not have a passenger sensing system. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-65 for more information. United States Canada 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, will be visible during 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. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-29. The passenger sensing system will turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions. The driver airbag and roof-rail airbags, if equipped, are not part of the passenger sensing system. United States Canada To turn the right front passenger airbag on again, insert the ignition key into the switch, push in, and move the switch to the on position. The right front passenger frontal airbag is now enabled (may inﬂate). See Airbag Off Light on page 3-28 or more information. 1-68 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 inﬂate) 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 inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued) inﬂating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inﬂates 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. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, a rear-facing child restraint should not be installed in the vehicle, even if the airbag is off. 1-69 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 rear-facing infant seat. • The system determines that a small child is present in a child restraint. • The system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat. • A right front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of time. • The right front passenger seat is occupied by a smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown child restraints. • 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. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-29. The passenger sensing system is designed to turn on (may inﬂate) 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. 1-70 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 those in child restraints, and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system

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2009 Chevrolet Express Owners Manual