PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2005 User Guide

But do not have a seatback reclined if the vehicle
is moving.
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can not do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can not do its job because it
will not be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can not do its job either. In a
crash the belt could go up over your abdomen.
The belt forces would be there, not at your
pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
1-5

Head Restraints
Push the release button, located under the head
restraint to slide it up or down. Adjust the head restraint
so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of
the occupant’s head in each front seat. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Passenger Folding Seatback
{CAUTION:
If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer
objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo
is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inating
airbag might force that object toward a person.
This could cause severe injury or even death.
Secure objects away from the area in which
an airbag would inate. For more information,
seeWhere Are the Airbags? on page 1-50and
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-33.
1-6

{CAUTION:
Things you put on this seatback can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash. Remove or secure all items
before driving.
If the vehicle has this feature, the front passenger seat
can be folded at for more cargo space. Used with
the split folding rear seat, additional cargo space
is gained. SeeSplit Folding Rear Seat on page 1-8.
To fold the front passenger seat at, pull up on the lever
located in the middle of the seatback. Lift up on the
seatback and push it forward to lock it in place.
To unlock the seat and return it to the normal seating
position, pull the lever in the middle of the seatback
and raise the seatback.
Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.
1-7

Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
Both sides of the rear seatback can be folded down in
the vehicle. Make sure the front seat is not reclined.
If it is, the rear seatback may not fold down all the way.
To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Disconnect the rear center lap-shoulder belt latch
by using a pointed object to press the release
button.2. Pull forward on the
seatback tab located
on the outboard
side of the rear seat
cushion to fold
the seatback down.
This gives direct access to the trunk.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it
is locked.
1-8

{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
To raise the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Raise the seatback up and make sure it latches.
Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked in position.2. Reconnect the center
safety belt latch plate
to the buckle.
Make sure the safety belt label is pointing to the
release button, and that both are facing the front of
the vehicle. Make sure the belt is not twisted. Push
and pull on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.
When the seat is not in use, the seatback should be
kept in the upright, locked position.
1-9

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she can
not wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up.
SeeSafety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-38.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here is why:They work.
1-10

You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do
have a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be
so serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many
of them, people who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have
been badly hurt or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up
does matter...a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat
on wheels.
1-11

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop.
1-12

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...or the instrument panel...
1-13

or the safety belts!With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
1-14