CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 2004 User Guide

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
{CAUTION:
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. 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
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches
There is a latch located on
the lower back of the front
seat that enables the
front seatback to
fold forward.
This allows more room for entry and exit of rear seat
passengers.
To fold the locked seatback forward, push the seatback
toward the rear and lift the latch. The seatback will
fold forward. The latch must be down for the seat to
work properly.
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{CAUTION:
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.
Easy Entry Seat
The right front passenger seat is designed to make it
easy to get into and out of the rear seat.
1. Lift the latch on the back of the right front seat and
tilt the seatback forward. The seat can be pushed
and slid forward to allow someone to get into or out
of the rear seat area.
2. Return the seatback upright to lock it. Slide the seat
fully rearward to lock it into its original position.
3. The front passenger must try to slide the entire seat
back and forth to make sure the seat is locked into
place.
{CAUTION:
If the easy entry right front seat isn’t locked, it
can move. In a sudden stop or crash, the
person sitting there could be injured. After
you’ve used it, be sure to push rearward on an
easy entry seat to be sure it is locked.
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Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
You can fold either side or both sides of the seatback
down for more cargo space. Make sure the front
seat isn’t reclined. If it is, the rear seatback may not fold
down all the way.
To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. If your vehicle is
equipped with this
feature, remove
the rear center
lap-shoulder belt latch
by using a pointed
object to press
the release button.2. Pull forward on the
seatback tab located
on the outboard side
of the back seat
cushion to fold the
seatback down.
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This will allow you direct access to the trunk.
{CAUTION:
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.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.To raise the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Raise the seatback up and make sure it latches.
Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked in position.
2. Reconnect the center
safety belt latch plate
to the buckle.
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Make sure the safety belt label is pointing to the release
button, and that both are facing the front of the
vehicle. Make sure the belt is not twisted. Push and pull
on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.
{CAUTION:
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.
When the seat is not in use, the seatback should be
kept in the upright locked position.
Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are 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.
{CAUTION:
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.
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{CAUTION:
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 equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-32.
In most states and in all 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!
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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.Put someone on it.
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Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...
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or the instrument panel... 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.
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