belt BUICK REGAL 2011 Owner's Guide

Black plate (22,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
3-22 Seats and Restraints
2. Attach the adjustable comfortguide to the anchor loop by
threading the hook through
the loop.3. Place the guide over the belt,and insert the two edges of the
belt into the slots of the guide.4. Be sure that the belt is nottwisted and it lies flat. The
elastic cord must be under the
belt and the guide on top.
5. The elastic cord on the comfort guide is adjustable. You can
make it longer or shorter by
squeezing both ends of the
plastic adjuster and pulling on
the elastic cord or the guide.

Black plate (23,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-23
6. Adjust the guide so the shoulderportion of the belt is on the
shoulder and not falling off of it.
The belt should be close to, but
not contacting, the neck.
Improper comfort guide
adjustment could reduce the
effectiveness of the safety belt in
a crash.
{WARNING
A safety belt that is not properly
worn may not provide the
protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. 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.7. Buckle, position, and release
the safety belt as described
previously in this section. Make
sure that the shoulder belt
crosses the shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort
guide, squeeze the belt edges
together so that the safety belt
can be removed from the guide.
Un-hook the guide from the loop
on the seat. Store the guide in a
convenient place like the glove box
for the next time it is needed. Sewn‐in Safety Belt Comfort
Guide
On vehicles with the sewn‐in
comfort guide, there is one guide for
each outboard passenger position in
the rear seat.

Black plate (24,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
3-24 Seats and Restraints
To install a comfort guide to the
safety belt:
1. Remove the guide from itsstorage pocket on the side of
the seat.
2. Place the guide over the belt,and insert the two edges of the
belt into the slots of the guide.
3. Be sure that the belt is nottwisted and it lies flat. The
elastic cord must be under the
belt and the guide on top.
{WARNING
A safety belt that is not properly
worn may not provide the
protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. The shoulder
belt should go over the shoulder
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
and across the chest. These parts
of the body are best able to take
belt restraining forces.
4. Buckle, position, and releasethe safety belt as described
previously in this section. Make
sure the shoulder portion of the
belt is on the shoulder and not
falling off of it. The belt should
be close to, but not contacting,
the neck.

Black plate (25,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-25
To remove and store the comfort
guide, squeeze the belt edges
together so that the safety belt can
be removed from the guide. Store
the guide in its storage pocket on
the side of the seatback.
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone,
including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they do not
wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a
lap-shoulder belt, and the lap
portion should be worn as low as
possible, below the rounding,
throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is
to protect the mother. When a safety
belt is worn properly, it is more likely
that the fetus will not be hurt in a
crash. For pregnant women, as for
anyone, the key to making safety
belts effective is wearing them
properly.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fasten
around you, you should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long
enough, your dealer will order you
an extender. When you go in to
order it, take the heaviest coat you
will wear, so the extender will be
long enough for you. To help avoid
personal injury, do not let someone
else use it, and use it only for the
seat it is made to fit. The extender
has been designed for adults. Never
use it for securing child seats. To
wear it, attach it to the regular safety
belt. For more information, see the
instruction sheet that comes with
the extender.

Black plate (26,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
3-26 Seats and Restraints
Safety System Check
Now and then, check that the safety
belt reminder light, safety belts,
buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts
that might keep a safety belt system
from doing its job. See your dealer
to 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.
Make sure the safety belt reminder
light is working. SeeSafety Belt
Reminders on page 5‑11 for more
information.
Keep safety belts clean and dry.
See Safety Belt Care on page 3‑26.
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{WARNING
Do not bleach or dye safety belts.
It may severely weaken them. In
a crash, they might not be able to
provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.

Black plate (27,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-27
After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑11.Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver.
.A frontal airbag for the right front
passenger.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the right front
passenger.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated
directly behind the driver.
.A roof-rail airbag for the right
front passenger and the
passenger seated directly
behind the right front passenger. The vehicle may have the following
airbags:
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the rear seat
passenger seated directly
behind the driver.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the rear seat
passenger seated directly
behind the right front passenger.
All of the airbags in the vehicle will
have the word AIRBAG embossed
in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the middle
part of the steering wheel for the
driver and on the instrument panel
for the right front passenger.
With seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG will
appear on the side of the seatback
closest to the door.
With roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear along the
headliner or trim.

Black plate (28,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
3-28 Seats and Restraints
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{WARNING
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing a safety belt—even with
airbags. Airbags are designed to
work with safety belts, not replace
them. Also, airbags are not
designed to inflate in every crash.
In some crashes safety belts are
the only restraint. See When
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑30.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Wearing a safety belt 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. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly —whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{WARNING
Airbags inflate with great force,
faster than the blink of an eye.
Anyone who is up against, or
very close to, any airbag when it
inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily
close to any airbag, as you would
be if sitting on the edge of the
seat or leaning forward. Safety
belts help keep you in position
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
before and during a crash.
Always wear a safety belt, even
with 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 or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.
{WARNING
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag
when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer protection
for adults and older children, but
not for young children and infants.(Continued)

Black plate (29,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-29
WARNING (Continued)
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 the
vehicle. To read how, seeOlder
Children on page 3‑40 orInfants
and Young Children on
page 3‑43.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument panel cluster,
which shows the airbag symbol. The
system checks the airbag electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See
Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑11 for more
information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
middle of the steering wheel.
The right front passenger frontal
airbag is in the instrument panel on
the passenger side.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger
Side Similar
The seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the driver and right front
passenger are in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the door.
The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
right front passenger, and second
row outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows.

Black plate (32,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
3-32 Seats and Restraints
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are
all part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located
inside the steering wheel and
instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags,
there are airbag modules in the side
of the front seatbacks closest to the
door. For vehicles with roof-rail
airbags, there are airbag modules in
the ceiling of the vehicle, near the
side windows that have occupant
seating positions.
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.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags distribute the force
of the impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body.
But airbags would not help in
many types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. SeeWhen
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑30 for more information. Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal airbags and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize an airbag inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they deploy. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbag modules, see
What Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑32.
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of

Black plate (34,1)Buick Regal Owner Manual - 2011
3-34 Seats and Restraints
.Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.
Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the right front
passenger position. The passenger
airbag status indicator will be visible
on the instrument panel when the
vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF will be
visible during the system check.
When the system check is
complete, either the word ONor the word OFF will be visible. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑12.
The passenger sensing system
turns off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat‐mounted
side impact airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbags and
the roof‐rail airbags are not affected
by the passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the right front passenger seat. The
sensors are designed to detect the
presence of a properly seated
occupant and determine if the right
front passenger frontal airbag and
seat‐mounted side impact airbag
should be enabled (may inflate)
or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.
We recommend that children be
secured in a rear seat, including: an
infant or a child riding in a
rear-facing child restraint; a child
riding in a forward-facing child seat;
an older child riding in a booster
seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
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
(Continued)