WARNING: Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the headliner at the siderail that may come into contact with a deploying Safety Canopy . Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.

WARNING: Do not lean your head on the door. The Safety Canopy could injure you as it deploys from the headliner.

WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Safety Canopy System, its fuses, the A, B, C or D pillar trim, or the headliner on a vehicle containing a Safety Canopy . See your authorized dealer.

WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle including the driver should always wear their safety belts even when an airbag SRS and Safety Canopy System is provided.

WARNING: To reduce risk of injury, do not obstruct or place objects in the deployment path of the inflatable Safety Canopy .

How does the Safety Canopy System work?

The design and development of the Safety Canopy system included recommended testing procedures that were developed by a group of automotive safety experts known as the Side Airbag Technical Working Group. These recommended testing procedures help reduce the risk of injuries related to the deployment of side airbags (including the Safety Canopy ).

The Safety Canopy system consists of the following:

• An inflatable curtain with a gas generator concealed behind the headliner and above the doors (one on each side of vehicle).
• A headliner designed to flex open above the side doors to allow Safety Canopy deployment.
• The same warning light, electronic control and diagnostic unit as used for the front airbags.
• Crash sensors mounted in each front door.
• Two crash sensors located at the C-pillar behind the rear doors (one on each side of the vehicle).
• Rollover sensor in the restraints control module (RCM).

The Safety Canopy system, in combination with safety belts, can help reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact collision or rollover event.

Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in the second or third row seats. The Safety Canopy will not interfere with children restrained using a properly installed child or booster seat because it is designed to inflate downward from the headliner above the doors along the side window opening.

The Safety Canopy system is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral deceleration sufficient to cause the side crash sensor to close an electrical circuit that initiates Safety Canopy inflation or when a certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.

The Safety Canopy is mounted to roof side-rail sheet metal, behind the headliner, above each row of seats. In certain lateral collisions or rollover events, the Safety Canopy system will be activated, regardless of which seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy is designed to inflate between the side window area and occupants to further enhance protection provided in side impact collisions and rollover events.

The fact that the Safety Canopy did not activate in a collision does not mean that something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the forces were not of the type sufficient to cause activation. The Safety Canopy is designed to inflate in certain side impact collisions or rollover events, not in rear impact, frontal or near-frontal collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration or rollover likelihood.

WARNING: If the Safety Canopy system has deployed, the Safety Canopy will not function again unless replaced.

The Safety Canopy system (including the A, B, C, and D pillar trim and headliner) must be inspected and serviced by an authorized dealer. If the Safety Canopy is not replaced, it will not function again, which will increase the risk of injury in a future collision.

Determining if the system is operational

The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer to Warning lights and chimes in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the airbag is not required.

Any difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:

• The readiness light (same light as for front airbag system) will either flash or stay lit.
• The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is turned on.
• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat periodically until the problem and light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced at your authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a collision or rollover event.