CHEVROLET ASTRO 2003 Workshop Manual

Child Restraint Systems
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a
motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed
to restrain or position
a child on a continuous flat
surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward
the center of the vehicle.
A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with
the seating surface against the back of the infant.
The harness system holds the infant in place and,
in a crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in
the restraint.
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A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child's body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T-shaped
or shelf-like shields.
A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the fit of the vehicle's safety belt system.
Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner,
and some high-back booster seats have a five-point
harness.
A booster seat can also help a child to see
out the window.
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Q: How do child restraints work?
A: A child restraint system is any device designed for
use
in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position
children.
A built-in child restraint system is a
permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on
child restraint system is a portable one, which
is purchased by the vehicle’s owner.
For many years, add-on child restraints have used
the adult belt system in the vehicle.
To help
reduce the chance of injury, the child also has to
be secured within the restraint. The vehicle’s
belt system secures the add-on child restraint in the
vehicle, and the add-on child restraint’s harness
system holds the child in place within the restraint.
One system, the three-point harness, has straps that
come down over each of the infant’s shoulders and
buckle together at the crotch. The five-point harness
system has two shoulder straps, two hip straps and
a crotch strap. A shield may take the place of hip
straps. A T-shaped shield has shoulder straps that
are attached to a flat pad which rests low against the
child’s body.
A shelf- or armrest-type shield has
straps that are attached to a wide, shelf-like shield
that swings up or to the side. When
choosing a child restraint, be sure the child
restraint is designed to be used in a vehicle.
If it is,
it will have a label saying that it meets federal motor
vehicle safety standards.
Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may
find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system
in your vehicle, but the child also has to be secured
within the restraint to help reduce the chance of personal
injury. When securing an add-on child restraint, refer
to the instructions that come with the restraint which may
be on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and
to this manual. The child restraint instructions are
important,
so if they are not available, obtain a
replacement copy from the manufacturer.
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Where to Put the Restraint
Except Cargo Vans
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
General Motors, therefore, recommends that child
restraints be secured in a rear seat including an infant
riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in a
booster seat.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint
in the fro
’ passenger seat. Here’s why:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s air bag inflates. This
is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inflating air bag. Always secure a rear-facing child restraint
in
a rear seat.
CAUTION: (Continued)
You may secure a forward-facing child restraint
in the right front seat, but before you do, always
move the front passenger seat as far back as it
will go. It’s better to secure the child restraint in
a rear seat.
Wherever you install it, be sure
to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle
- even when no
child is in it.
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Cargo Vans Top Strap
The child restraint must be secured properly in the
passenger seat.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint
in this vehicle. Here’s why:
A child in a r- r-fa 1g child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the passenger’s
air bag inflates. This
is because the back of
the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating air bag.
Do not use a
rear-facing child restraint
in this vehicle.
If a forward-facing child restraint is suitable for
your child, always move the front passenger
seat as far back as
it will go.
Keep
in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people
in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle
- even when no
child is in it. Some
child restraints have a top strap, or “top tether.”
It can help restrain the child restraint during a collision.
For it to work, a top strap must be properly anchored
to the vehicle. Some top strap-equipped child restraints
are designed for use with or without the top strap
being anchored. Others require the top strap always
to be anchored. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for your child restraint.
If yours requires
that the top strap be anchored, don’t use the restraint
unless it is anchored properly.
If the child restraint does not have a top strap, one can
be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints.
Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit
is available.
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In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child
restraints have a top strap, and that the strap be
anchored. In the United States, some child restraints
also have a top strap.
If your child restraint has a
top strap, it should be anchored.
Anchor the top strap to one of the following anchor
points. Be sure to use an anchor point located on the
same side
of the vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be placed.
If you have an adjustable head restraint, route the top
strap under it.
Once you have the top strap anchored, you’ll be ready
to secure the child restraint itself. Tighten the top
strap when and as the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions say.
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Top Strap Anchor Location
If your vehicle is a cargo van, the anchoring point for
a top strap is located at the rear
of the seat cushion
on the right front passsenger's seat spacer bar.
Anchor the top strap through the two slots.
If your vehicle is a passenger van with rear seats, it is
recommended that you secure a child restraint with a top
strap only in the outboard positions of the second row.
Bucket Seats: An anchoring point is located below
the rear of the seat cushion on the spacer bar.
Anchor the top strap through the two slots on the bar.
Cargo Van Models
Passenger Van Bucket Seats
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Bench Seats: An anchor bracket is located at the rear
of the seat cushion near the top rear of the seat leg
for each outboard seating position
of the second row.
For the third row, an anchor bracket
is located at
the rear of the seat cushion near the top rear of the
seat leg for the right outboard seating position.
If you have adjustable head restraints, raise the head
restraint and route the top strap under it.
Passenger Van Bench Seat (Second row)
The third row has one anchor for the passenger side
outboard position only.
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Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers
for Children
(LATCH System)
If you have a passenger van it has the LATCH system.
It has two sets of anchors (A) in the second row of
seats. In a seven passenger van, the anchors are
located in each
of the bucket seats in the second row.
In an eight passenger van, the anchors are located
in the driver and passenger side seating positions
of the
second row bench seat. In
order to use the system, you need either a
forward-facing child restraint that has attaching
points
(B) at its base and a top tether anchor (C), or a
rear-facing child restraint that has attaching points
(B),
as shown here.
n
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With this system, use the LATCH system instead of the
vehicle’s safety belts to secure a child restraint. If a LATCH-type
child restraint isn’t attached t~
its anchorage points, the restraint won’t be
able to protect the child correctly.
In a crash,
the child could be seriously injured or killed.
Make sure that a LATCH-type child restraint
is
properly installed using the anchorage points,
or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure
the restraint. See “Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH System”, “Securing
a Child Restraint
in a Rear Outside Seat
Position”, “Securing a Child Restraint
in a
Center Seat Position”, or “Securing a Child
Restraint
in a Right Front Seat Position” in the
Index for information on how
to secure a child
restraint
in your vehicle.
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