belt CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1995 Owner's Manual

Q: What's wrong with this?
I I I 1 I 1 I I 1 I I
A: The belt is twisted across the body.
To unlatch the belt,
just push the button
on
the buckle. The belt
should
go back out of
the way.
Before you close the
door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the
door on
it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle.
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When should an air bag inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
crashes. The air bag
will inflate only if the impact speed is above the system’s
designed “threshold level.” If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn’t
move or deform, the threshold level is about 12 to 16 mph (19 to 26
km/h).
The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it
can be somewhat above or below
this range. If your vehicle strikes something
that will move or deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be
higher. The air bag is not designed to inflate
in rollovers, side impacts, or rear
impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air bag should have
inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the
repair costs were. Inflation is determined
by the angle of the impact and the
vehicle’s deceleration. Vehicle damage is only one indication of this.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under a wide range
of
conditions, including off-road usage. Observe safe driving speeds,
especially on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See
“Off-Road Driving”
in the Index for more tips on off-road driving.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is suddenly stopping as a result
of a crash.
The sensing system triggers a chemical reaction of the sodium azide sealed
in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which inflates the air
bag. The inflator, air bag, and related hardware are all part of the air bag
module packed inside the steering wheel.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering wheel. The air bag supplements the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping the occupant
more gradually. But air bags would not help you in many types
of collisions,
including rollovers and rear and side impacts, primarily because an
occupant’s motion is not toward the air bag. Air bags should never be
regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only
in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs so quickly that some
people may not even realize
the air bag inflated. Some components of the air
bag module in the steering wheel hub will be hot for a short time, but the part
of the bag that comes into contact with you will not be hot
to the touch. There
will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated air bag. Air
bag inflation
will not prevent the driver from seeing or from being able to
steer the vehicle, nor
will it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
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0
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The air bag is designed to inflate only once. After it inflates, you’ll
need some new parts for your air bag system. If you don’t get them, the
air bag system won’t be there to help protect
you in another crash. A
new system will include the air bag module and possibly other parts.
The service manual for your vehicle covers the need
to replace other
parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a diagnostic module, which records
information about the air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness
of the system, when the sensors are activated and
driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag system. Improper
service can mean that your air bag system won’t work properly. See
your dealer for service.
I NOTICE:
If you damage the cover for the driver’s air bag, it may not work
properly.
You may have to replace the air bag module. Do not
open or break the air bag cover.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
The air bag affects how your vehicle should be serviced. There are parts of
the air bag system in several places around your vehicle. You don’t want the
system to inflate while someone is working
on your vehicle. Your GM
dealer and the 1995 GM Service Manual have information about servicing
your vehicle and the air bag system. To purchase
a service manual, see
“Service Publications”
in the Index. The air bag system does not need
regular maintenance.
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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 don’t wear
safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion
should be worn as low as possible throughout the pregnancy.
.... .
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt
is worn properly, it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in
a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is
wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s
safety belt. See “Driver Position,” earlier in this section.
When the lap portion
of the belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it
does, let it
go back all the way and start again.
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Center Passenger Position
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has front and rear bench seats, someone can sit in the center
positions.
When you sit in a center seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which
has no retractor.
To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along
the belt.
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug.
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Buckle, position and release it the same 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.
Rear Seat Passengers
It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics
show that unbelted people
in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes
than those who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted can be thrown
out of the vehicle in
a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety
belts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
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Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder belts. Here’s how to
wear one properly.
1. Pick up the latch
plate and pull the belt across you. Don’t let it get
twisted.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. If the belt stops
before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling until
you can buckle it.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not 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.
3. To make the lap
part tight, pull down on the
buckle end of the
belt as you pull
up on the
shoulder part.
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The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs. In
a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones.
And you’d be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at
your abdomen. This could cause serious or even
fatal injuries. 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.
The safety belt locks
if there’s a sudden stop or a crash.
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Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster (4-Door Utility Models)
Move the shoulder belt adjuster to the height that is right for you.
To move it down, push in at the word PRESS and move the height adjuster
to the desired position.
You can move the adjuster up just by pushing up on
the shoulder belt guide. After you move the adjuster to where you want it,
try to move it down without pushing in to make sure it has locked into
position.
Adjust the height
so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your
shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling
off your shoulder.
To unlatch the belt,
just push the button
on
the buckle.
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Child Restraints
Be sure to 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 unless the child is an infant
and you’re the only adult in the vehicle.
In that case, you might want to
secure the restraint in the front seat where you can keep an eye on the baby.
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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