belt SATURN ION 2005 Owner's Guide

To assist you in locating the lower anchorages for this
child restraint system, each seating position with
the LATCH system has visible metal anchors in the seat
where the seatback meets the seat cushion.
{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
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 Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) on page 1-42.
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 1-39.
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 Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) on page 1-42. SeeTop Strap on
page 1-39if the child restraint has one.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system,
you will be using the lap-shoulder belt. 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.
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 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 nd 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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A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing
child restraint. If you need to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front seat, 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.
1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger
airbag, always move the seat as far back as it will
go before securing a forward-facing child restraint.
SeeManual Seats on page 1-2.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. 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.4. Buckle the belt. 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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5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.6. 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. You may nd it helpful
to use your knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
7. 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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Airbag System
Your vehicle has a frontal airbag for the driver and a
frontal airbag for the right front passenger. Your vehicle
may also have roof-mounted side impact airbags.
Roof-mounted side impact airbags are available for the
driver and the passenger seated directly behind the
driver and for the right front passenger and the
passenger seated directly behind that passenger.
If your vehicle has side impact airbags, the words
AIR BAG will appear on the airbag covering on the ceiling
near the driver’s and right front passenger’s window.
Frontal airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of
injury from the force of an inating frontal airbag.
But these airbags must inate very quickly to do their
job and comply with federal regulations.
Here are the most important things to know about the
airbag system:
{CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash
if you are not wearing your safety belt — even
if you have airbags. Wearing your safety belt
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
during a crash helps reduce your chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or being
ejected from it. Airbags are “supplemental
restraints” to the safety belts. All airbags are
designed to work with safety belts but do not
replace them.
Frontal airbags for the driver and right front
passenger are designed to deploy in moderate
to severe frontal and near frontal crashes.
They are not designed to inate in rollover,
rear or low-speed frontal crashes, or in many
side crashes. And, for some unrestrained
occupants, frontal airbags may provide less
protection in frontal crashes than more
forceful airbags have provided in the past.
Roof-mounted side impact airbags are designed
to inate in moderate to severe crashes where
something hits the side of your vehicle. They
are not designed to inate in frontal, in rollover
or in rear crashes. Everyone in your vehicle
should wear a safety belt properly — whether or
not there is an airbag for that person.
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{CAUTION:
Both frontal and side impact airbags inate
with great force, faster than the blink of an
eye. If you are too close to an inating airbag,
as you would be if you were leaning forward, it
could seriously injure you. Safety belts help
keep you in position for airbag ination before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt even with frontal airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible while still
maintaining control of the vehicle. Occupants
should not lean on or sleep against the door.
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither the
vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag
system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle. To read how,
seeOlder Children on page 1-30orInfants and
Young Children on page 1-32.
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How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including many
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. Airbags should never be
regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety
belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal airbags, and only in moderate to
severe side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s
and right front passenger’s side impact airbag.
What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After an airbag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the airbag
inated. Some components of the airbag module — the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s airbag, the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s bag or
the ceiling of your vehicle near the side windows — will
be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag that
come into contact with you may be warm, but not too
hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deated airbags. Airbag ination
does not prevent the driver from seeing or being able to
steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving
the vehicle.
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Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:If I add a luggage carrier or sunroof to the roof
of my vehicle, will it keep the roof-mounted side
impact airbags from working properly?
A:As long as the luggage carrier or sunroof is
properly installed so that the vehicle’s basic
structure is not changed, it is not likely to keep the
roof-mounted side impact airbags from working
properly in a crash.
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
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Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
{CAUTION:
A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle. A damaged restraint system may
not properly protect the person using it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash,
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If you have had a crash, do you need new belts or
LATCH system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if
worn during a more severe crash, then you need
new parts.
If the LATCH system was being used during a more
severe crash, you may need new LATCH system parts.If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have LATCH
system, safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the belt
or LATCH system was not being used at the time of
the collision.
If your seat adjuster will not work after a crash, the
special part of the safety belt that goes through the seat
to the adjuster may need to be replaced.
If an airbag inates, you will need to replace airbag
system parts. See the part about the airbag system
earlier in this manual.
If the frontal airbags inate you will need to replace the
driver’s and right front passengers safety belt retractor
assembly. Be sure to do so. Then the new retractor
assembly will be there to help protect you in a collision.
After a crash you may need to replace the driver and
front passenger’s safety belt retractor assemblies, even
if the frontal airbags have not deployed. The driver
and front passenger’s safety belt retractor assemblies
contain the safety belt pretensioners. Have your
safety belt pretensioners checked if your vehicle has
been in a collision, or if your airbag readiness light stays
on after you start your vehicle or while you are driving.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-28.
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