BUICK CENTURY 1994 Owner's Guide

How To Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This section is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different rules for
smaller children and babies.
If a child will be riding in
your Buick, see the section after this one, called
“Children.” Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want
to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Vehicles First Sold In Canada
Was your Buick first sold, when new, in Canada? (If it
was, a sticker
on the driver’s door will say “conforms to
all applicable Canada motor vehicle...’’ etc.) If so, then
the rest
of Part 1 does not apply to your vehicle.
To learn how to use your safety belts, please read
the
Owner’s Manual Safety Belt Supplement. It comes with
every new Buick first sold
in Canada.
Driver Position
This section describes the driver’s restraint system.
u
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Automatic Lap-Shoulder Belt
E
This safety belt is called “automatic” because you don’t
have to buckle up when
you get into your vehicle. And you
don’t have to unbuckle when
you get out.
Just get into your vehicle. Then close and lock the door.
Adjust the seat
(to see how, see “Seats” in the Index) so
you can sit up straight.
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I I I I 1 I I 1 1 I I I 1
The lap belt should be worn as low on the hips as
possible. In a crash, this applies force
to the strong
pelvic bones. And you’d be less likely
to slide under the
lap belt. If
you slid under it, the belt would apply force
at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal
injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder
and across the chest. These parts of the body are best
able
to take belt restraining forces. The
safety belt locks
if there’s a sudden stop or a crash.
It’s possible that
an automatic belt could keep you from
fully opening a door. That can happen if the door was
slammed shut very hard. Just close the door all the way,
then slowly open it. If that doesn’t fix it, then your
Buick needs service.
We hope you’ll always keep your automatic belt
buckled. However,
you may need to unbuckle it in an
emergency. And you would need
to unbuckle it to let
someone get into the center front seat position,
if your
vehicle has one.
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To unbuckle the automatic belt, just push the button on
the buckle.
To reattach the automatic belt:
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see "Seats" in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Don't
let
it get twisted.
Pull up
on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
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Q: What’s wrong with this?
‘A
I I I I I I I
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly
as much protection this way.
I A CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is
too loose. In a crash you would move forward
too much, which could significantfy increase
injury.
The shoulder belt should fit against your
body.
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@' What's wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
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What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.
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&." What's wrong with this?
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
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Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This section explains the driver’s Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS), commonly referred to as an
alr
bag. Here are the most important things to know:
A CAUTION:
Even with an air bag, if you’re not wearing a
safety belt and you’re
in a crash, your injuries
may be much worse.
Air bags are not designed
to inflate
in rotlovers or in rear, side or low-speed
frontal crashes.
You need to wear your safety
belt to reduce the chance of
hitting things inside
the vehicle or being ejected from
it. Always wear
your safety belt, even with an air bag.
A CAUTION:
Air bags inflate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye. If you’re too close to an inflating
air bag,
it could seriously injure you. Safety belts
help keep you
in position for an air bag infiation
in a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even
with an air bag, and
sit as far back as you can
while
still maintaining control of your vehicle.
A CAUTION:
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with
a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle
should get out as soon as it is safe to do
so. If you have breathing problems but can’t get
out of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then
get fresh air by opening
a window or door.
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AIR BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to “Run”
or “Start.” Then the light
should go out, which means
the system is ready.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows
“AIRBAG.” The system checks for
electrical malfunctions, and the light tells
you if there is
a problem. Remember,
if the air bag readiness light doesn’t come
on when you start your vehicle, or stays
on, or comes on
when
you are driving, your air bag system may not work
properly. Have your vehicle serviced right away.
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