Buick Enclave: How Does an Airbag Restrain?. What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates?. Passenger Sensing System

How Does an Airbag Restrain?

In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even occupants who are wearing safety belts can move forward far enough to contact the steering wheel or instrument panel.

In moderate to severe side collisions, even properly belted occupants can move toward the inside surfaces of the vehicle.

Airbags are designed to supplement the protection provided by safety belts by helping spread crash forces more evenly across the occupant's body.

Rollover-capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help protect and contain the head and chest area of occupants seated in the outboard positions of the first, second, and third rows.

These rollover-capable roof-rail airbags are also designed to help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection during rollover events, although no safety system can prevent every possible ejection.

Airbags will not help in many types of collisions, mainly because the occupant's movement may not be toward the airbag that would provide protection.

See When Should an Airbag Inflate? for more information.

Airbags in the Buick Enclave should always be understood as supplemental restraints. They are designed to work with safety belts, not take the place of them.

What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates?

After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact airbags inflate, they deflate very quickly. In some cases, occupants may not even realize that an airbag deployed.

Roof-rail airbags may remain at least partially inflated for a period of time after deployment. Some parts of the airbag module may stay hot for several minutes. For airbag locations, see Where Are the Airbags?

The parts of the airbag that touch an occupant may feel warm, but they should not be too hot to touch. Smoke and dust may come from the vents of the deflated airbags. Airbag deployment does not prevent the driver from seeing through the windshield or steering the vehicle, and it does not prevent occupants from exiting the vehicle.

WARNING
When an airbag inflates, dust may be released into the air. This dust can cause breathing problems for people with a history of asthma or other respiratory conditions.

To help avoid breathing problems, everyone in the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have breathing difficulty but cannot exit the vehicle after an airbag inflates, get fresh air by opening a window or door. If breathing problems occur after an airbag deployment, seek medical attention.

The vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock the doors, turn on the interior lamps and hazard warning flashers, and shut off the fuel system after the airbags inflate.

You can lock the doors and turn off the interior lamps and hazard warning flashers by using the normal controls for those features.

WARNING
A crash severe enough to inflate the airbags may also damage important vehicle systems, including the fuel system, brakes, steering, and related components. Even if the vehicle appears to be drivable after a moderate crash, hidden damage may make it difficult or unsafe to operate.

Use caution if you attempt to restart the engine after a crash has occurred.

In many crashes severe enough to deploy an airbag, the windshield may break because of vehicle deformation.

Additional windshield breakage can also occur from deployment of the front outboard passenger airbag.

► Airbags are designed to inflate only one time. After an airbag inflates, new parts will be required for the airbag system.

If these parts are not replaced, the airbag system will not be available to help protect occupants in another crash. A new system will include airbag modules and may also include other related components. The service manual for the Buick Enclave explains which additional parts may need to be replaced.

► The vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic module that records information after a crash. See Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy and Event Data Recorders.

► Only qualified technicians should work on the airbag systems.

Improper service can cause an airbag system to operate incorrectly or fail to operate when needed. See your dealer for service.

After any Buick Enclave airbag deployment, the safest approach is to have the vehicle inspected professionally before it is driven again. Even when the exterior damage looks limited, the restraint system and hidden structural or electrical components may require attention.

Passenger Sensing System

The vehicle is equipped with a passenger sensing system for the front outboard passenger seating position.

The passenger airbag status indicator illuminates on the instrument panel when the vehicle is started.

United States

Canada and Mexico

The words ON and OFF, or the symbols for on and off, appear during the system check. If the vehicle is started with remote start, if equipped, the system check may not be visible. When the check is complete, either ON or OFF, or the corresponding on or off symbol, remains visible. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator.

The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the front outboard passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions. This system does not affect any other airbag in the Buick Enclave.

The passenger sensing system works with sensors built into the front outboard passenger seat.

These sensors are designed to detect whether a properly seated occupant is present and to determine whether the front outboard passenger frontal airbag should be allowed to inflate.

According to accident statistics, children are safer when they are properly secured in a rear seat using the correct child restraint for their weight and size.

Children should be secured in a rear seat whenever possible, including:

an infant or child riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; an older child using a booster seat; and children who are large enough to use safety belts correctly.

Never place a rear-facing child seat in the front passenger position. The risk to a rear-facing child is extremely high if the passenger frontal airbag inflates.

WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the passenger frontal airbag inflates. The back of a rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can also be seriously injured or killed if the passenger frontal airbag inflates and the passenger seat is positioned too far forward.

Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the passenger frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not inflate under unusual circumstances, even when the airbag is shown as off.

Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear seat, even when the airbag is off. If a forward-facing child restraint must be secured in the front outboard passenger seat, always move the 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 front outboard passenger frontal airbag if:

► The front outboard passenger seat is unoccupied.

► The system determines that an infant is present in a child restraint.

► A front outboard passenger removes his or her weight from the seat for a period of time.

► A critical problem exists with the airbag system or the passenger sensing system.

When the passenger sensing system has turned off the front outboard passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator illuminates and remains lit as a reminder that the airbag is off. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator.

The passenger sensing system is designed to turn on the front outboard passenger frontal airbag whenever it senses that an adult-sized person is sitting properly in the front outboard passenger seat.

When the system allows the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator illuminates and stays lit as a reminder 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 front outboard passenger frontal airbag. This depends on the person’s body build and seating posture. Everyone in the Buick Enclave who has outgrown child restraints should wear a safety belt properly, whether or not there is an airbag for that seating position.

WARNING
If the airbag readiness light comes on and stays on, there may be a problem 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.

Before each trip, make sure the passenger airbag status indicator matches the seating situation. In the Buick Enclave, correct posture, proper safety belt use, and placing children in the rear seats help the passenger sensing system and restraint systems work as intended.

If the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child Restraint

If a child restraint has been installed in the front outboard passenger seat of the Buick Enclave and the on indicator remains lit, follow the steps below to help the passenger sensing system evaluate the seat correctly.

1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat, including blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, seat massagers, or any other material that could affect how the seat sensor reads weight and pressure.
4. Reinstall the child restraint according to the instructions provided by the child restraint manufacturer. Also refer to Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat) or Securing Child Restraints (Right Front Passenger Seat).
5. If the on indicator is still lit after the child restraint has been reinstalled and the vehicle has been restarted, turn the vehicle off again.

Then slightly recline the vehicle seatback and adjust the seat cushion, if adjustable, so the seatback is not pressing the child restraint down into the seat cushion.

Also make sure the child restraint is not caught under, pushed against, or restricted by the vehicle head restraint.

If this happens, adjust the head restraint as needed. See Head Restraints.

6. Restart the vehicle.

The passenger sensing system in the Buick Enclave may or may not turn off the passenger airbag for a child in a child restraint. This can depend on the child’s seating posture, body size, restraint position, and how the restraint contacts the seat cushion. For improved protection, it is better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat whenever possible.

If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an Adult-Size Occupant

If an adult-size person is sitting in the front outboard passenger seat, but the off indicator is lit, the passenger sensing system may not be detecting the occupant properly. This can happen when the person is not sitting correctly or when extra material on the seat interferes with the system.

Use the following steps to help the system detect the occupant and enable the front outboard passenger frontal airbag when appropriate:

1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, seat massagers, or other accessories placed on the seat cushion.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with their back against the seatback and their 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.

Correct seating position is important because the system uses the occupant’s position and weight distribution to help determine whether the passenger frontal airbag should be enabled. In the Buick Enclave, even small changes in posture or seat contact can affect how the system interprets occupancy.

Additional Factors Affecting System Operation

Safety belts help keep the passenger properly positioned on the seat during driving, braking, and vehicle maneuvers. This helps the passenger sensing system maintain accurate passenger airbag status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child Restraints” in the Index for additional information about proper restraint use.

► A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or cushion, can affect how well the passenger sensing system operates. Aftermarket equipment, including seat covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers, may also interfere with proper system operation.

It is recommended not to use seat covers or other aftermarket equipment unless they are approved by GM for the specific vehicle.

See Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle for more information about modifications and accessories that can affect how the system operates.

► A wet seat can affect the performance of the passenger sensing system. Moisture on or inside the Buick Enclave seat cushion may change how the system interprets seat occupancy.

► If liquid soaks into the seat, the passenger sensing system may turn off the passenger airbag. If this happens, the off indicator will be lit, and the airbag readiness light on the instrument panel may also be lit.

► Liquid pooled on the seat that has not soaked in may make it more likely that the passenger sensing system will 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 and thoroughly. 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 also be lit if an object is placed on an unoccupied passenger seat. Items such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery bag, laptop, tablet, backpack, or other electronic device may be detected by the system. For proper Buick Enclave passenger sensing system operation, remove these items from the seat when they are not needed.

WARNING
Stowing articles under the passenger seat or placing items between the passenger seat cushion and seatback may interfere with the proper operation of the passenger sensing system.