child restraint CHEVROLET AVEO 2005 1.G User Guide

A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields.A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner,
and some high-back booster seats have a five-point
harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see
out the window.
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Q:How do child restraints work?
A:A child restraint system is any device designed for
use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position
children. A built-in child restraint system is a
permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on
child restraint system is a portable one, which
is purchased by the vehicle’s owner.
For many years, add-on child restraints have
used the adult belt system in the vehicle. To help
reduce the chance of injury, the child also has to
be secured within the restraint. The vehicle’s
belt system secures the add-on child restraint in the
vehicle, and the add-on child restraint’s harness
system holds the child in place within the restraint.
One system, the three-point harness, has
straps that come down over each of the infant’s
shoulders and buckle together at the crotch.
The five-point harness system has two shoulder
straps, two hip straps and a crotch strap.A shield may take the place of hip straps. A
T-shaped shield has shoulder straps that are
attached to a flat pad which rests low against
the child’s body. A shelf- or armrest-type shield
has straps that are attached to a wide, shelf-like
shield that swings up or to the side.
When choosing a child restraint, be sure the child
restraint is designed to be used in a vehicle. If it is,
it will have a label saying that it meets federal motor
vehicle safety standards.
Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may
find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system or
the LATCH system in your vehicle, but the child also
has to be secured within the restraint to help reduce the
chance of personal injury. When securing an add-on
child restraint, refer to the instructions that come with the
restraint which may be on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both, and to this manual. The child restraint
instructions are important, so if they are not available,
obtain a replacement copy from the manufacturer.
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Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
We, therefore, recommend that child restraints be
secured in a rear seat, including an infant riding in a
rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing
child seat and an older child riding in a booster seat.
Neverput a rear-facing child restraint in the front
passenger seat. Here is why:
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inating airbag. Always secure
a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat.
If you need to secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far back as it will
go. It is better to secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.There are a couple of things you need to know about
using child restraints in your rear seat:
If you use a child
restraint in the center
rear seating position, the
safety belts and the
child restraint LATCH
anchors for the rear
outside seating positions
will not be accessible.
Therefore, you will not be able to secure child restraints
or have passengers ride in the rear outside seating
positions.
If you use two child
restraints in the rear
outside seating positions,
the safety belt for the
center rear seat position
will not be accessible.
Therefore, you will not be able to secure a child
restraint or have a passenger ride in the center
rear seating position.
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Wherever you install it, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no
child is in it.
Top Strap
Some child restraints have a top strap, or “top tether.”
It can help restrain the child restraint during a collision.
For it to work, a top strap must be properly anchored
to the vehicle. Some top strap-equipped child restraints
are designed for use with or without the top strap
being anchored. Others require the top strap always
to be anchored. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for your child restraint. If yours requires
that the top strap be anchored, do not use the restraint
unless it is anchored properly.
If the child restraint does not have a top strap, one
can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints.
Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not
a kit is available.In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child
restraints have a top strap, and that the strap be
anchored. In the United States, some child restraints
also have a top strap. If your child restraint has a
top strap, it should be anchored.
If the position you are using has an adjustable head
restraint, raise the head restraint and route the top strap
under it. SeeHead Restraints on page 1-5.
If your vehicle is a hatchback, remove the cargo cover.
The cargo cover should remain off while the top
strap anchor is in use.
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In order to access the top strap anchor, remove the
anchor’s plastic cover by squeezing and pulling the front
part of the cover in the direction shown by the arrow.
The plastic cover should remain off while the top
strap anchor is in use.
Anchor the top strap to an anchor point specified in
Top Strap Anchor Location on page 1-38. Be sure to
use an anchor point located on the same side of
the vehicle as the seating position where the child
restraint will be placed.
{CAUTION:
Each top tether bracket is designed to anchor
only one child restraint. Attaching more than
one child restraint to a single bracket could
cause the anchor to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others could be
injured if this happens. To help prevent injury
to people and damage to your vehicle, attach
only one child restraint per bracket.
Once you have the top strap anchored, you will be
ready to secure the child restraint itself. Tighten the top
strap when and as the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions say.
Top Strap Anchor Location
Your vehicle has top strap anchors for the rear seating
positions.
Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position if a national or local law requires
that the top strap be anchored, or if the instructions that
come with the child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored. There is no place to anchor the top
strap in this position.
You will find the three anchors on your sedan behind
the rear seat on the filler panel.Sedan
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You will find the three anchors (B) on your hatchback in
the rear cargo area, attached to the back wall (A) of
the vehicle. Remove the cargo cover before installing
the top strap. The cargo cover should remain off
while the top strap anchor is in use.
Each top strap anchor is covered by a plastic cover
when not in use.The plastic cover has
a child restraint anchor
on it as shown.
Squeeze and pull the front part of the plastic cover in
the direction shown by the arrow in order to access the
top strap anchors.
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers
for Children (LATCH System)
Your vehicle has the LATCH system. There are anchors
for the rear outside seating positions.
There is not room for three child restraints in the rear
seat, but you can install two child restraints, one in each
rear outside seat position. If you need to install two
child restraints in the rear seat, seeWhere to Put the
Restraint on page 1-36. Hatchback
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This system, designed to make installation of child
restraints easier, does not use the vehicle’s safety belts.
Instead, it uses vehicle anchors and child restraint
attachments to secure the restraints. Some restraints
also use another vehicle anchor to secure a top
tether strap.
A. Lower Anchorage
B. Lower Anchorage
C. Top TetherA. Lower Anchorage
B. Lower Anchorage
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you
need a child restraint designed for that system.
To assist you in locating the
lower anchors for this child
restraint system, each
seating position with the
LATCH system has a label
on the seatback at each
lower anchor position.
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The labels are located near the base of the rear outside
seating positions.
Your vehicle may have zippers over the lower anchor
areas. If so, unzip the seat cover below the labels
to access each lower anchor.
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached
to its anchorage points, the restraint will not
be able to protect the child correctly. In a
crash, the child could be seriously injured or
killed. Make sure that a LATCH-type child
restraint is properly installed using the
anchorage points, or use the vehicle’s safety
belts to secure the restraint, following the
instructions that came with that restraint,
and also the instructions in this manual.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed
for the LATCH System
There is not room for three child restraints in the rear
seat, but you can install two child restraints, one in
each rear outside seating position. If you need to install
two child restraints in the rear seat, seeWhere to
Put the Restraint on page 1-36.
1. Find the LATCH anchorages for the seating
position you want to use, where the bottom of
the seatback meets the back of the seat cushion.
SeeLower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on page 1-39.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Attach and tighten the LATCH attachments on
the child restraint to the LATCH anchorages in
the vehicle. The child restraint instructions will
show you how.
4. If the child restraint is forward-facing, attach and
tighten the top tether to the top tether anchorage.
The child restraint instructions will show you
how. Also seeTop Strap on page 1-37.
5. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, simply unhook the
top tether from the top tether anchorage and then
disconnect the LATCH attachments from the
LATCH anchorages.
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Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on page 1-39. SeeTop Strap
on page 1-37if the child restraint has one.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system,
you will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the
child restraint. Be sure to follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in
the child restraint when and as the instructions say.
If you need to install more than one child restraint in the
rear seat, be sure to readWhere to Put the Restraint
on page 1-36. There is not room for three child restraints
in the rear seat, but you can install two child restraints,
one in each rear outside seating position.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.3. Buckle the belt. Be sure the latch plate clicks when
you put it into the buckle. This means you are using
the correct buckle. Also, make sure the release
button is positioned so you would be able to
unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
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4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.5. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. If you are using a
forward-facing child restraint, you may find it helpful
to use your knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety
belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an
adult or larger child passenger.
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