BUICK REGAL 1998 User Guide

6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped)
You may have a six-way power driver’s seat and a
six-way power passenger’s seat (if equipped). This
switch is designed to imitate the movements of
your seat cushion. The driver’s switch is located on the
left side of the driver’s seat cushion. The passenger’s
switch
is located on the right side of the passenger’s seat
cushion.
To move the seat forward or rearward, push the
switch forward or rearward. To raise or lower the entire
seat, push the switch up
or down. To raise or lower the
front portion
of your seat, push the front of the switch
up or down. To raise or lower the rear portion
of your
seat, push the rear
of the switch up or down.
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Reclining Front Seatbacks
If your vehicle is equipped with heated seats, the
driver’s side and passenger’s side three-position
switches
are located on the center console, just behind
your automatic transaxle shift lever. Press
LO to warm
the seat at a lower temperature. Press
HI to warm the
seat at a higher temperature.
To turn this feature off,
return the switch to its center position. The button
directly in
the middle of the heated seat switches is used
for traction control (see “Traction Control System”
or
“Enhanced Traction System” in the Index). Lift the
lever to release the seatback, then move the
seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to
lock the seatback
in place. Pull up on the lever
without pushing on the seatback and the seatback will
move forward.
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But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving. Sitting in
a reclined position when your vehicle
is
in motion can be dangerous. Even
if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t 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’t 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.
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint
is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance
of a neck injury in a crash.
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Safety Belts: They’re 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.
And it explains the air
bag system.
-
I I
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re 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.
b
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
1 equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using
a
safety belt properly.
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Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t 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 wouldn’t 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’s just a seat
on wheels.
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I
Put someone on it. Get it up
to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.
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The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle,
it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...
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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's why
safety belts make such good sense.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Q." Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I'm wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you're upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q." If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only;
so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you're in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That's true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially
in side and other collisions.
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Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should
I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number
of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds
of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about safety
belts and chddren. And there are different rules for smaller
children and babies.
If a child will be riding in your
vehicle, see the part
of this manual 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.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it
properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
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3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across
you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back
slightly to unlock
it. Then pull the belt across you
more slowly.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull
up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If
the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender’’ at the end
of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.
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