CHEVROLET ASTRO 1996 User Guide

Power Seats (Option)
If you have this feature, there will be a control pad on the
inboard side of
the driver and passenger bucket seats.
Reclining Seatbacks
There is a lever on the inside of the seat to adjust
the seatback.
The front control makes the front
of the seat go up
and down.
The rear control makes the rear
of the seat go up
and down.
The center control makes the whole seat go forward
and rearward.
You can adjust the seatback
by lifting
the lever. Release
the lever
to lock the seatback
where
you want it. Pull up
on the lever and the seat will
go to an upright position.
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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.
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Head Restraints
Head restraints are fixed on some models and adjustable
on others. Slide an adjustable 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.
Seatback Latches (Non-Touring
Bench Seats)
To fold your non-touring
seatback forward, pull up
on the latch release lever
while pulling the seatback
toward
you.
The lever is on the right rear
of your seat. unlock
the seat by pushing forward on the lever, while
pushing down
on the seat. Make sure the seatback is
locked when it is put back
in the upright position.
After the latch has been released, push the seatback
down until it locks
in place. To raise the seatback,
If the seatback isn't locked, it could move
forward
in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.
Rear Seats
A seat that isn't locked into place properly can
move around in
a collision or sudden stop. People
in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock
the seat into place properly when installing it.

1 A, CAUTION:
A safety belt that is twisted or not properly
attached won’t provide the protection needed in
a crash. The person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. After installing the seat, always
check to be sure that the safety belts are not
twisted and are properly attached.
Bucket Seats
If you have rear bucket seats in your vehicle, they will
recline and adjust the same way as the front manual
bucket seats. See “Reclining Seatbacks” earlier in this
section or in the Index.
Bench Seats
If you have bench seats in your vehicle, each seat can
carry up
to three passengers. They can also be removed
to increase storage space. The
center and rear bench seats
can be adjusted forward
or rearward by
the lever at the front of the seat.
Move the seat adjustment
lever at
the front of the seat
toward the passenger’s side
to unlock
it. Slide the seat to
where you want it. Then
release the lever and try to
move the’seat with your
body,
to make sure the seat
is locked into place.
The non-touring center bench seat has a pivoting
right armrest. The left armrest can also be used as
a
storage compartment.
The optional touring bench seats come with moveable
armrests, individual reclining seatbacks, adjustable
headrests and a fold-down center console.
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To adjust your seatback, pull up on the lever on the
lower outside
of the seat.
The center bench seatbacks will recline further back
than the rear bench seatbacks.
To raise or lower the center
console, press the button
between
the beverage
holders. Only sit in the
center seating position
when
the console is in
an upright position.
For details about headrests, see “Head Restraints” in
this section.
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Removing the Rear Seats
To remove the rear seats, do the following:
7-7 I TO DETACH
1 BELT FOR 1
I SEAT REMOVAL
I
I! + iI
1 ANDIUSH 11
1 . INSERT KEY
INTO HOLE
I I I
1. If you are removing the
center seat, remove the
right lap-shoulder belt.
To do this, press the tip
of a
key into the release
hole
of the safety belt
attachment while pulling
up on the safety belt.
2. If you have a safety belt
guide on your seat, pull
the safety belt all the way
out through
the guide.
3. Pull up on the seatback latch on the right rear of the
front seat. Push the seatback down until it locks in
place (non-touring bench seats only).
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4. Lift up on the seat release latch. The latches are near
the floor
on the rear legs of the seat. To relieve
pressure
on the latch, pull back on the seat.
5. Lift up on the rear of the seat to remove the seat
assembly from the rear latch pins. Then, pull back
and lift the seat
out of the vehicle.
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Replacing the Rear Seats
To replace the rear seats, do the following:
1. Lower the seat into position. Make sure the front
retainers are hooked onto the anchor pins.
2. Pull the seat down to latch the rear retainers. Make
sure the seat is locked in by pulling up and down on
the seat.
3. Raise the seatback by pushing forward on the latch at
the right rear
of the seat. Pull up on the seatback
until it
is locked securely in the up position.
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4. If you are replacing the center seat, connect the right
lap-shoulder belt to
the attachment on the seat
cushion. If you have a safety belt guide on your seat,
pull the belt through the guide before reattaching the
lap-shoulder belt to the side of the seat. The release
hole should be facing outward.
If you installed the safety belt with the release hole
facing inward (toward the seat), slide the plastic
cov’er up
so you can see the buckle. Disconnect the
seat belt. Slide the cover back down and reinstall the
belt correctly.
NOTICE:
Be sure to put the correct seats back in the proper
positions
so the safety belts will work properly.
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 Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (SIR),
or air bag system.
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.

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
25 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 whee\
ls.
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