GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Your vehicle has the passenger sensing system. Your instrument panel has a passenger airbag status indicator.


Object Number: 1476529  Size: A1

When you start the vehicle, the passenger airbag status indicator will light the symbol for on and off for several seconds as a system check.

If you use remote start to start your vehicle from a distance, if your vehicle has this feature, you may not see the system check. Then, after several more seconds, the status indicator will light either the on or off symbol to let you know the status of the right front passenger's frontal and seat-mounted side impact airbags (if equipped).

If the on symbol is lit on the passenger airbag status indicator, it means that the right front passenger's frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag (if equipped) are enabled (may inflate).

Caution: If the on indicator comes on when you have a rear-facing child restraint installed in the right front passenger's seat, it means that the passenger sensing system has not turned off the passenger's frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag (if equipped). A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger's airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. Do not use a rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger's seat if the airbag is turned on.

Caution: Even though the passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the right front passenger's frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag (if equipped) if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be secured in a rear seat, even if the airbag is or airbags are off.

If the off symbol is lit on the airbag status indicator, it means that the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger's frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag (if equipped). See Passenger Sensing System for more on this, including important safety information.

If, after several seconds, both status indicator lights remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be a problem with the lights or the passenger sensing system. See your dealer/retailer for service.

Caution: If the airbag readiness light in the instrument panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it means that something may be wrong with the airbag system. If this ever happens, have the vehicle serviced promptly, because an adult-size person sitting in the right front passenger's seat may not have the protection of the airbag(s). See Airbag Readiness Light for more on this, including important safety information.