BUICK LACROSSE 2013 Owners Manual

Black plate (41,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Seats and Restraints 3-41
The child restraint may have a
single tether (3) or a dual tether (4).
Either will have a single
attachment (2) to secure the top
tether to the anchor.
Some child restraints that have a
top tether are designed for use with
or without the top tether being
attached. Others require the top
tether always to be attached. In
Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the child
restraint.Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
Rear Seat
I(Top Tether Anchor):Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
H(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower anchors.
To assist in locating the lower
anchors, each rear anchor position
has a label, near the crease
between the seatback and the seat
cushion.
To assist in locating the top tether
anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol is on the cover.

Black plate (42,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
3-42 Seats and Restraints
The top tether anchors are under
the covers, behind the rear seat, on
the filler panel. Be sure to use an
anchor on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be
placed.
Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached.According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position. See
Where to Put the
Restraint on page 3‑38 for
additional information.
Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{WARNING
If a LATCH-type child restraint is
not attached to anchors, the child
restraint will not be able to protect
the child correctly. In a crash, the
child could be seriously injured or
killed. Install a LATCH-type child
restraint properly using the
anchors, or use the vehicle safety
belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.
{WARNING
Do not attach more than one child
restraint to a single anchor.
Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could
cause the anchor or attachment
to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others
could be injured. To reduce the
risk of serious or fatal injuries
during a crash, attach only one
child restraint per anchor.
{WARNING
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to
tighten. Buckle any unused safety
belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull
the shoulder belt all the way out
(Continued)

Black plate (43,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Seats and Restraints 3-43
WARNING (Continued)
of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the
child restraint has been installed.
Notice: Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’ s safety belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled safety belts to
avoid rubbing the LATCH
attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat
with a safety belt buckled. This
could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the
safety belt to its stowed position,
before folding the seat.
If you need to secure more than one
child restraint in the rear seat, see
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑38.
You cannot secure three child
restraints using the LATCH anchors
in the rear seat at the same time, but you can install two of them.
If you want to do this, install one
LATCH child restraint in the right
rear seating position, and install the
other one either in the left rear
seating position or in the center
seating position. If you need to
install child restraints in both the
center and left rear seating
positions, the one in the center
seating position will need to be
secured using the vehicle safety
belts instead of the LATCH anchors.
Refer to the following illustration to
learn which anchors to use.
There are five lower LATCH anchors
in the rear seat.
.Use anchors 1 and 2 when
installing a child restraint using
LATCH in the right rear seating
position.
.Use anchors 3 and 4 when
installing a child restraint using
LATCH in the center rear seating
position.
.Use anchors 4 and 5 when
installing a child restraint using
LATCH in the left rear seating
position.
Installing child restraints using
LATCH in the center and left rear
seating positions at the same time is
prohibited.
Make sure to attach the child
restraint at the proper anchor
location.

Black plate (44,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
3-44 Seats and Restraints
This system is designed to make
installation of child restraints easier.
When using lower anchors, do not
use the vehicle's safety belts.
Instead use the vehicle's anchors
and child restraint attachments to
secure the restraints. Some
restraints also use another vehicle
anchor to secure a top tether.
1. Attach and tighten the lowerattachments to the lower
anchors. If the child restraint
does not have lower
attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and
the safety belts. Refer to the
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions
in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating
position. 1.2. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
If the head restraint
interferes with the proper
installation of the child
restraint, the head restraint
may be removed. See
“Head Restraint Removal
and Reinstallation” at the
end of this section.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child
restraint to the lower
anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if equipped. Refer to the
child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
Open the cover to expose
the anchor. 2.2. Route, attach, and tighten
the top tether according to
the child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint, or the
headrest or head restraint
has been removed, and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.

Black plate (45,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Seats and Restraints 3-45
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint, or the
headrest or head restraint
has been removed, and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.
If the position you are using
has an adjustable headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether under the
headrest or head restraint
and in between the
headrest or head restraint
posts.
If the position you are using
has an adjustable headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether around the
headrest or head restraint.3. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
LATCH path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. There should be no
more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement, for proper
installation.
Head Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation
The rear outboard head restraints
can be removed if they interfere with
the proper installation of the child
restraint.
To remove the head restraint:
1. Partially fold the seatback
forward. See Rear Seats on
page 3‑10 for additional
information.

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3-46 Seats and Restraints
2. Press both buttons on the headrestraint posts at the same time,
and pull up on the head
restraint.
3. Store the head restraint in the trunk of the vehicle.
4. When the child restraint is removed, reinstall the head
restraint before the seating
position is used.
{WARNING
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly,
there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/
spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for
all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To reinstall the head restraint:
1. Insert the head restraint posts into the holes in the top of the
seatback. The notches on the
posts must face the driver side
of the vehicle.
2. Push the head restraint down.
If necessary, press the height
adjustment release button to
further lower the head restraint.
See Head Restraints on
page 3‑2.
3. Try to move the head restraint to make sure that it is locked in
place.

Black plate (47,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Seats and Restraints 3-47
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the LATCH
system in the vehicle. A damaged
LATCH system may not properly
secure the child restraint,
resulting in serious injury or even
death in a crash. To help make
sure the LATCH system is
working properly after a crash,
see your dealer to have the
system inspected and any
necessary replacements made as
soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat)
When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑39 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured in the vehicle using a
safety belt and it uses a top tether,
see Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑39 for top tether anchor
locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored. If the child restraint does not have
the LATCH system, you will be
using the safety belt to secure the
child restraint in this position. 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 more than one child restraint
needs to be installed in the rear
seat, be sure to read
Where to Put
the Restraint on page 3‑38.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
If the head restraint interferes
with the proper installation of the
child restraint, the head restraint
may be removed. See “Head
Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation” underLower
Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑39.

Black plate (48,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
3-48 Seats and Restraints
2. Pick up the latch plate, and runthe lap and shoulder portions of
the vehicle's safety belt through
or around the restraint. The child
restraint instructions will show
you how.
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. Pull the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the
lock. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened but
not pulled out of the retractor.5. To tighten the belt, push downon 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. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint, it
may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 4 and 5.

Black plate (49,1)Buick LaCrosse Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 9/7/12
Seats and Restraints 3-49
6. If the child restraint has a toptether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑39 for more
information.
7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it. If the
head restraint was removed,
reinstall it before the seating
position is used. See “Head
Restraint Removal and Reinstallation”
underLower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑39 for additional
information on installing the head
restraint properly.
Securing Child Restraints
(Front Passenger Seat)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑38.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and seat‐
mounted side impact airbag under
certain conditions. See Passenger
Sensing System on page 3‑26 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑15 for more information,
including important safety
information. A label on the sun visor says,
“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 deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger 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 right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
(Continued)

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3-50 Seats and Restraints
WARNING (Continued)
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the airbag
is off. If you 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.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑26 for additional
information.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑39 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured using a safety belt and it
uses a top tether, see LowerAnchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) on page 3‑39
for
top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.
You will be using the lap-shoulder
belt to secure the child restraint in
this position. Follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the
forward-facing child restraint.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag
and seat‐mounted side airbag,
the off indicator on the passenger airbag status
indicator should light and stay lit
when you start the vehicle. See
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5‑15.
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.