The passenger occupant classification sensor can automatically turn off
the passenger front air bag and side air bag (if equipped). The system is
designed to help protect small (child size) occupants from air bag
deployments when they are improperly seated or restrained in the front
passenger seat contrary to proper child-seating or restraint usage
recommendations. Even with this technology, parents are STRONGLY
encouraged to always properly restrain children in the rear seat. The
sensor also turns off the air bag(s) when the passenger seat is empty to
prevent unnecessary replacement of the air bag(s) after a collision.
Front safety belt usage sensors
The front safety belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger safety belts are fastened. This information
allows your Personal Safety System to tailor the air bag deployment and
safety belt pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage.
Refer to Safety Belts section in this chapter.
Front safety belt pretensioners
The safety belt pretensioners are designed to tighten the safety belts
firmly against the occupant’s body during a collision. This maximizes the
effectiveness of the safety belts and helps properly position the occupant
relative to the air bag to improve protection. The safety belt
pretensioners can be either activated alone or, if the collision is of
sufficient severity, together with the air bags.
Front safety belt energy management retractors
The front safety belt energy management retractors allow webbing to be
pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and controlled manner in
response to the occupant’s forward momentum. This helps reduce the
risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s chest by limiting the load
on the occupant. Refer to Safety Belts section in this chapter.
Determining if the Personal Safety System is operational
The Personal Safety System uses a warning light in the instrument
cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer
to the Restraints Warning Light section in the Instrumentation
chapter. Routine maintenance of the Personal Safety System is not
required.
Seating and safety restraints
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