child restraint CHEVROLET MALIBU 1997 5.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 1 Seats and Seat Restraints
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Chevrol\
et and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should
not do with air bags and safety belts.
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1-12 1-15 Seats and Controls
Manual Seats
Power Seats
Reclining Front Seatbacks
Rear Seats
Why Safety Belts Work
Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster 1-20
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1-47 1-47 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Questions and Answers About Air Bags Safety Belt Comfort Guides
How to Use Child Restraints
Important Information for Buckling Children in Child Restraints
Child Restraint Top Straps
How to Obtain a Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Parts After a Crash
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
home, why should I wear safety belts?
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.
H,,, 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 children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If
a child will
be riding in your Chevrolet, 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or a crash,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
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A CAUTION:
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You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is
too loose. In a crash, you would move forward
too much, which could increase injury. The
shoulder belt should fit against your body.
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides will provide added
safety belt comfort for children who have outgrown
child restraints and for small adults. When installed
on a
shoulder belt, the comfort guide pulls the belt
away
from the neck and head,
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine There is one guide for each outside passenger position in
the rear seat. To provide added safety belt comfort for
children who have outgrown child restraints and for
smaller adults, the comfort guides may be installed on
the shoulder belts. Here’s how to install a comfort guide
and use the safety belt:
2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic
cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide
over the belt, and insert the two edges
of the belt into
the slots of the guide.
1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback and the interior body to remove the
guide from its storage clip.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until
the belt
is snug.
Buckle, position and release it the
‘SMe way as the lap
part
of a lap-shoulder belt. 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.
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! That includes
infants and all children smaller than adult size. In fact,
the law in every state in the United States and
in every
Canadian province says children up to some age must be
restrained while in a vehicle.
Smaller Childran snd Pa.bies
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A CAUTION:
Smaller children and babies should always be
restrained in
a child or infant restraint. The
instructions for the restraint will
say whether it is
the right type and size for your child.
A very
young child’s hip bones are so small that a
regular belt might not stay low on the hips,
as it
should. Instead, the belt will likely be over the
child’s abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply
force right on the child’s abdomen, which could
cause serious or fatal injuries.
So, be sure that
any child small enough for one
is always properly
restrained in a child or infant restraint.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Child Restraints r
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.
The instructions that come with the infant or child
restraint will show you how to do that.
Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. We at
General Motors therefore recommend that you put your
child restraint in the rear seat.
Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the front passenger seat. Here’s why:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s air
bag inflates. This is because the back of a
rearfacing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Always secure a rear-facing
child restraint in the rear seat.
You may, however, secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat. Before you secure
a forward-facing child restraint, always move the
front passenger seat as far back as
it will go. Or,
secure the child restraint in the 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Top Strap
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E
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored.
If you need to have an anchor installed, you
can ask your Chevrolet dealer to put it in for you.
If you
want to install an anchor yourself, your dealer can tell
you how to do it.
Canadian law requires that child restraints have a top strap, and that the strap be anchored.
If your child restraint has a top strap, your dealer can
obtain a kit with anchor hardware and installation
instructions specifically designed for this vehicle. The
dealer can then install the anchor for you. In Canada,
this work will be done for you free of charge.
Or, you
may install the anchor yourself using the instructions
provided in the kit.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position
l You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one.
1. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
2. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
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. Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt
if needed. If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind the child restraint.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly
if vou ever had to.
5. To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt while
6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it
go back all the way. The safety belt
will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult
or larger child passenger. you push down on the child restraint.
directions to be sure it is secure.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Rear Seat Position
U
You’ll be using the lap belt.
See the earlier part about the top strap if the child
restraint has one.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling it along the belt.
Put the restraint on the seat.
Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
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