Chevrolet Cobalt Owners Manual: Passenger Sensing System (Without Turbo Engine)

If the vehicle has one of the passenger airbag status indicators pictured in the following illustrations, then the vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the right front passenger position. If equipped, the passenger airbag status indicator is visible on the instrument panel when the vehicle is started.

In addition, if the vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the right front passenger position, the label on the vehicle's sun visors refer to “ADVANCED AIRBAGS”.

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The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off, will be visible during the system check. If you are using remote start to start the vehicle from a distance, if equipped, you may not see the system check.

When the system check is complete, either the word ON or the word OFF, or the symbol for on or off, will be visible. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator.

The passenger sensing system will turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions.

The driver airbag and 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 inflate) 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.

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.

WARNING:
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 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.

See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator.

The passenger sensing system is designed 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. 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.

WARNING:
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. See Airbag Readiness Light for 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.

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. See Head Restraints.

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.

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 specific vehicle. See Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle for more information about modifications 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. See Airbag Readiness Light for 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.

WARNING:
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.