child restraint CHEVROLET SPARK 2021 User Guide

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
36 Seats and Restraints
But if a seat belt is not long enough, your
dealer will order you an extender. When
you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat
you will wear, so the extender will be long
enough for you. To help avoid personal
injury, do not let someone else use it, and
use it only for the seat it is made to fit. The
extender has been designed for adults.
Never use it for securing child restraints. For
more information on the proper use and fit
of seat belt extenders see the instruction
sheet that comes with the extender.
Safety System Check
Periodically check the seat belt reminder,
seat belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors,
shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped),
and seat belt anchorages to make sure they
are all in working order. Look for any other
loose or damaged seat belt system parts
that might keep a seat belt system from
performing properly. See your dealer to
have it repaired. Torn, frayed, or twisted
seat belts may not protect you in a crash.
Torn or frayed seat belts can rip apart under
impact forces. If a belt is torn or frayed,
have it replaced immediately. If a belt is
twisted, it may be possible to untwist byreversing the latch plate on the webbing.
If the twist cannot be corrected, ask your
dealer to fix it.
Make sure the seat belt reminder light is
working. See
Seat Belt Reminders 073.
Keep seat belts clean and dry. See Seat Belt
Care 036.
Seat Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
Seat belts should be properly cared for and
maintained.
Seat belt hardware should be kept dry and
free of dust or debris. As necessary, exterior
hard surfaces and seat belt webbing may be
lightly cleaned with mild soap and water.
Ensure there is not excessive dust or debris
in the mechanism. If dust or debris exists in
the system please see the dealer. Parts may
need to be replaced to ensure proper
functionality of the system.
{Warning
Do not bleach or dye seat belt webbing.
It may severely weaken the webbing. In
a crash, they might not be able to
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
provide adequate protection. Clean and
rinse seat belt webbing only with mild
soap and lukewarm water. Allow the
webbing to dry.
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts
after a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the seat belt system
in the vehicle. A damaged seat belt
system may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in serious injury
or even death in a crash. To help make
sure the seat belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
After a minor crash, replacement of seat
belts may not be necessary. But the seat
belt assemblies that were used during any
crash may have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the seat belt
assemblies inspected or replaced.

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
38 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
unnecessarily close to any airbag, as you
would be if sitting on the edge of the
seat or leaning forward. Seat belts help
keep you in position before and during a
crash. Always wear a seat belt, even with
airbags. The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control
of the vehicle. The seat belts and the
front outboard passenger airbags are
most effective when you are sitting well
back and upright in the seat with both
feet on the floor.
Occupants should not lean on or sleep
against the door or side windows in
seating positions with seat-mounted side
impact airbags and/or roof-rail airbags.
{Warning
Children who are up against, or very
close to, any airbag when it inflates can
be seriously injured or killed. Always
secure children properly in the vehicle. To
read how, seeOlder Children 047 or
Infants and Young Children 048.
There is an airbag readiness light on the
instrument cluster, which shows the airbag
symbol. The system checks the airbag
electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem.
See Airbag Readiness Light 074.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the center of
the steering wheel. The front outboard passenger frontal airbag
is in the passenger side instrument panel.
The driver knee airbag is below the steering
column. The front outboard passenger knee
airbag is below the glove box.

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
42 Seats and Restraints
include airbag modules and possibly other
parts. The service manual for the vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records
information after a crash. SeeVehicle
Data Recording and Privacy 0249 and
Event Data Recorders 0250.
.Let only qualified technicians work on the
airbag system. Improper service can mean
that an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system
for the front outboard passenger position.
The passenger airbag status indicator will
light on the overhead console when the
vehicle is started.
United States
Canada
The words ON and OFF, or the symbols for
on and off, will be visible during the system
check. When the system check is complete,
either the word ON or OFF, or the symbol
for on or off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 074.
The passenger sensing system turns off the
front outboard passenger frontal airbag and
knee airbag under certain conditions. No
other airbag is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with
sensors that are part of the front outboard
passenger seat and seat belt. The sensors
are designed to detect the presence of a
properly seated occupant and determine if
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag should be allowed to inflate
or not. According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly secured in a rear seat
in the correct child restraint for their weight
and size.
Whenever possible, children aged 12 and
under should be secured in a rear seating
position.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front. This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag
inflates.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
passenger frontal airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
inflating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the passenger
frontal airbag inflates and the passenger
seat is in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
airbag(s), no system is fail-safe. No one
(Continued)

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 43
Warning (Continued)
can guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual circumstance,
even though the airbag(s) are off.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat, even if the airbag is off.
If securing a forward-facing child restraint
in the front outboard passenger seat,
always move the seat as far back as it
will go. It is better to secure child
restraints in the rear seat. Consider using
another vehicle to transport the child
when a rear seat is not available.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag if:
.The front outboard passenger seat is
unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant is
present in a child restraint.
.A front outboard passenger takes his/her
weight off of the seat for a period
of time.
.There is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system. When the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag, the OFF
indicator will light and stay lit as a reminder
that the airbags are off. See
Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 074.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn on the front outboard passenger frontal
airbag and knee airbag anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is sitting
properly in the front outboard passenger
seat. When the passenger sensing system
has allowed the airbags to be enabled, the
ON indicator will light and stay lit as a
reminder that the airbags are 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 and knee airbag, depending
upon the person's seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should wear a seat
belt properly —whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever comes
on and stays on, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag
system. To help avoid injury to yourself
or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness Light 074 for
more information, including important
safety information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child
Restraint
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag if the system
determines that an infant is present in a
child restraint. If a child restraint has been
installed and the ON indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers.

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
44 Seats and Restraints
4. Reinstall the child restraint following thedirections provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear
Seat) 060 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Front Seat) 062.
5. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the ON
indicator is still lit, turn the vehicle off.
Then slightly recline the vehicle seatback
and adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that the
vehicle seatback is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. Also
make sure the child restraint is not
trapped under the vehicle head restraint.
If this happens, adjust the head restraint.
See Head Restraints 025.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system may or may
not turn off the airbags for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the child’s size.
It is better to secure the child restraint in a
rear seat. Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if the ON
indicator is not lit.If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in the
front outboard passenger seat, but the OFF
indicator is lit, it could be because that
person is not sitting properly in the seat or
that the child restraint locking feature is
engaged. Use the following steps to allow
the system to detect that person and enable
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag: 1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers. 3. Place the seatback in the fully upright
position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with legs
comfortably extended.
5. If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint
locking feature will be engaged. This
may unintentionally cause the passenger
sensing system to turn the airbag off for
some adult-sized occupants. If this
happens, unbuckle the belt and let the
belt go back all the way, and then
buckle the belt again without pulling the
belt out all the way.
6. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for two to
three minutes after the ON indicator
is lit.
{Warning
If the front outboard passenger airbag is
turned off for an adult-sized occupant,
the airbag will not be able to inflate and
help protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of serious
injury or even death. An adult-sized
(Continued)

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 45
Warning (Continued)
occupant should not ride in the front
outboard passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag OFF indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
Seat belts help keep the passenger in
position on the seat during vehicle
maneuvers and braking, which helps the
passenger sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See“Seat Belts”
and “Child Restraints” in the Index for
additional information about the importance
of proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material, such as
a blanket or cushion, or aftermarket
equipment such as seat covers, seat heaters,
and seat massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. We
recommend that you not use seat covers or
other aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific vehicle.
See Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 045 for more
information about modifications that can
affect how the system operates. The ON indicator may be lit if an object,
such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery bag,
laptop, or other electronic device, is put on
an unoccupied seat. If this is not desired,
remove the object from the seat.
{Warning
Stowing articles under the passenger seat
or between the passenger seat cushion
and seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle should be
serviced. There are parts of the airbag
system in several places around the vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the vehicle and
the airbag system. To purchase a service
manual, see
Publication Ordering
Information 0247.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the vehicle is
turned off and the battery is
disconnected, an airbag can still inflate
during improper service. You can be
injured if you are close to an airbag
when it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the airbag
system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualified to
do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the vehicle's
frame, bumper system, height, front end,
or side sheet metal may keep the airbag
system from working properly.
The operation of the airbag system can also
be affected by changing, including
improperly repairing or replacing, any parts
of the following:
.Airbag system, including airbag modules,
front or side impact sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, or airbag wiring

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 47
If the airbag readiness light stays on after
the vehicle is started or comes on when you
are driving, the airbag system may not work
properly. Have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness Light 074.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster
seats should wear the vehicle’s seat belts. The manufacturer instructions that come
with the booster seat state the weight and
height limitations for that booster. Use a
booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until
the child passes the fit test below:
.Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the
knees bend at the seat edge? If yes,
continue. If no, return to the booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the
shoulder belt rest on the shoulder? If yes,
continue. If no, try using the rear seat
belt comfort guide, if available. See
“Rear
Seat Belt Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt 033. If a comfort guide
is not available, or if the shoulder belt
still does not rest on the shoulder, then
return to the booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and snug on the
hips, touching the thighs? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the booster seat.
.Can proper seat belt fit be maintained for
the length of the trip? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the booster seat.
Q: What is the proper way to wear seat belts?
A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder
belt and get the additional restraint a
shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should fit snugly below the
hips, just touching the top of the thighs.
This applies belt force to the child's
pelvic bones in a crash. It should never
be worn over the abdomen, which could
cause severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
Also see “Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides”
under Lap-Shoulder Belt 033.
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in a rear
seating position.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up
can strike other people who are buckled up,
or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older
children need to use seat belts properly.
{Warning
Never allow more than one child to wear
the same seat belt. The seat belt cannot
properly spread the impact forces. In a
crash, they can be crushed together and
seriously injured. A seat belt must be
used by only one person at a time.

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
48 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
Never allow a child to wear the seat belt
shoulder belt under both arms or behind
their back. A child can be seriously
injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder
belt properly. In a crash, the child would
not be restrained by the shoulder belt.
The child could move too far forward
increasing the chance of head and neck
injury. The child might also slide under
the lap belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen. That could
cause serious or fatal injuries. The
shoulder belt should go over the shoulder
and across the chest.
Infants and Young Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This
includes infants and all other children.
Neither the distance traveled nor the age
and size of the traveler changes the need,
for everyone, to use safety restraints. In
fact, the law in every state in the United
States and in every Canadian province says
children up to some age must be restrained
while in a vehicle.
{Warning
Children can be seriously injured or
strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped
around their neck. The shoulder belt can(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
tighten but cannot be loosened if it is
locked. The shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the retractor.
It unlocks when the shoulder belt is
allowed to go all the way back into the
retractor, but it cannot do this if it is
wrapped around a child’s neck. If the
shoulder belt is locked and tightened
around a child’s neck, the only way to
loosen the belt is to cut it.
Never leave children unattended in a
vehicle and never allow children to play
with the seat belts.
Every time infants and young children ride
in vehicles, they should have the protection
provided by appropriate child restraints.
Neither the vehicle's seat belt system nor its
airbag system is designed for them.
Children who are not restrained properly can
strike other people, or can be thrown out of
the vehicle.

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 49
{Warning
Never hold an infant or a child while
riding in a vehicle. Due to crash forces, an
infant or a child will become so heavy it
is not possible to hold it during a crash.
For example, in a crash at only
40 km/h (25 mph), a 5.5 kg (12 lb) infant
will suddenly become a 110 kg (240 lb)
force on a person's arms. An infant or
child should be secured in an appropriate
child restraint.
{Warning
Children who are up against, or very
close to, any airbag when it inflates can
be seriously injured or killed. Never put a
rear-facing child restraint in the front
outboard seat. Secure a rear-facing child
restraint in a rear seat. It is also better to
secure a forward-facing child restraint in
a rear seat. If you must secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the front
outboard seat, always move the front
passenger seat as far back as it will go.
Child restraints are devices used to restrain,
seat, or position children in the vehicle and
are sometimes called child seats or car seats.There are three basic types of child
restraints:
.Forward-facing child restraints
.Rear-facing child restraints
.Belt-positioning booster seats
The proper child restraint for your child
depends on their size, weight, and age, and
also on whether the child restraint is
compatible with the vehicle in which it will
be used.
For each type of child restraint, there are
many different models available. When
purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is
designed to be used in a motor vehicle. If it
is, the child restraint will have a label saying
that it meets federal motor vehicle safety
standards.
The instruction manual that is provided with
the child restraint states the weight and
height limitations for that particular child
restraint. In addition, there are many kinds
of child restraints available for children with
special needs.

Chevrolet Spark Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14622955) -
2021 - CRC - 8/17/20
50 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
To reduce the risk of neck and head
injury in a crash, infants and toddlers
should be secured in a rear-facing child
restraint until age two, or until they
reach the maximum height and weight
limits of their child restraint.
{Warning
A young child's hip bones are still so
small that the vehicle seat belt may not
remain low on the hip bones, as it
should. Instead, it may settle up around
the child's abdomen. In a crash, the belt
would apply force on a body area that is
unprotected by any bony structure. This
alone could cause serious or fatal injuries.
To reduce the risk of serious or fatal
injuries during a crash, young children
should always be secured in an
appropriate child restraint.
Child Restraint Systems
Rear-Facing Infant Restraint
A rear-facing child restraint provides
restraint with the seating surface against
the back of the infant.
The harness system holds the infant in place
and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant
positioned in the restraint.
Forward-Facing Child Restraint
A forward-facing child restraint provides
restraint for the child's body with the
harness.