Operation Manual

Front passenger air bag and status
light
WARNING
The front passenger air bag is designed to au-
tomatically turn OFF under some conditions.
Read this section carefully to learn how it oper-
ates. Proper use of the seat, seat belt and child
restraints is necessary for most effective pro-
tection. Failure to follow all instructions in this
manual concerning the use of seats, seat belts
and child restraints can increase the risk or
severity of injury in an accident.
Status light :
The front passenger air bag status light
is located under the climate controls. After the
ignition switch is placed in the ON position, the
front passenger air bag status light illuminates
for about 7 seconds and then turns off or
illuminates depending on the front passenger
occupied status. The light operates as follows:
● Unoccupied passenger seat: The
is
OFF and the front passenger air bag is OFF
and will not inflate in a crash.
● Passenger seat occupied by a small adult,
child or child restraint as outlined in this
section: The
illuminates to indicate
that the front passenger air bag is OFF and
will not inflate in a crash.
● Occupied passenger seat and the passenger
meets the conditions outlined in this sec-
tion: The light
is OFF to indicate that
the front passenger air bag is operational.
Front passenger air bag :
The front passenger air bag is designed to
automatically turn OFF when the vehicle is
operated under some conditions as described
below as permitted by U.S. regulations. If the
front passenger air bag is OFF, it will not inflate
in a crash. The driver air bag and other air bags
in your vehicle are not part of this system.
The purpose of the regulation is to help reduce
the risk of injury or death from an inflating air
bag to certain front passenger seat occupants,
such as children, by requiring the air bag to be
automatically turned OFF.
The occupant classification sensor (pattern sen-
sor) is in the front passenger seat cushion and
is designed to detect an occupant and objects
on the seat. For example, if a child is in the front
passenger seat, the Advanced Air Bag System is
designed to turn the passenger air bag OFF in
accordance with the regulations. Also, if a child
restraint of the type specified in the regulations
is on the seat, the occupant classification sen-
sor can detect it and cause the air bag to turn
OFF.
Front passenger seat adult occupants who are
properly seated and using the seat belt as
outlined in this manual should not cause the
passenger air bag to be automatically turned
OFF. For small adults it may be turned OFF,
however, if the occupant does not sit in the seat
properly (for example, by not sitting upright, by
sitting on an edge of the seat, or by otherwise
being out of position), this could cause the
sensor to turn the air bag OFF. Always be sure to
be seated and wearing the seat belt properly for
the most effective protection by the seat belt
and supplemental air bag.
Front passenger air bag status light
SSS0676
1-44 Safety — Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system