belt CHEVROLET VENTURE 1998 Workshop Manual

6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions
to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt. It will be ready to work
for an adult or larger
child passenger.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Seat Position (Bucket
Seat)
You’ll be using the lap belt. See the earlier part about
the top strap
if the child restraint has one. Be sure to
follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure
the child in the child restraint when and as the
instructions
say.
1. Put the restraint on the seat.
2. Pull the lap belt all the way out without stopping.
3. While holding it out, run the belt through or around
the child restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
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4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
5. To tighten the belt, feed it back into the retractor
while you push down on the child restraint.
If you’re
using a forward-facing child restraint, you may find
it helpful to use your knee to push down on
the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
directions to be sure
it is secure.
6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
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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.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a front passenger air bag. Never put a
rear-facing child restraint in this seat. Here’s why:
I
A child in a rearfacing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed
if the front passenger’s
air bag inflates, even though your vehicle has
reduced-force frontal air bags. This is because
the back of a rear-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating air bag.
If your vehicle
is a passenger van, always secure a rearfacing
child restraint in
a rear seat.
If your vehicle is a cargo van, 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 passenger seat
as far back
as it will go.
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You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one. Be sure
to follow the instructions that came with the child
restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and
as the instructions say.
1. Because your vehicle has a front passenger air bag,
always move the seat
as far back as it will go before
securing a forward-facing child restraint. (See
"Seats" in the Index.)
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
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.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child's face or
neck, put
it behind the child restraint. 4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if
you ever had to.
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5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
6. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the
retractor while you push down on
the child restraint.
You may find it helpful to use
your knee to push down
on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
directions to be sure it
is secure.
7. 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.
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I
Larger Children If you have the choice, a child should sit next to a
window so the child can wear a lap-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint
a shoulder belt can provide.
Accident statistics show that children are safer
if they
are restrained in the rear
seat. But they need to use the
safety belts properly.
Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in
Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other
a crash.
people who are.
Children who have outgrown child restraints should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
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.
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt can’t properly spread the impact forces.
In a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured.
A belt must be used by
only one person at a time.
What
if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is
so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child’s face or neck?
A: Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but
be sure that the shoulder belt still is
on the child’s
shoulder,
so that in a crash the child’s upper body
would have the restraint that belts provide.
If the
child is sitting in a rear seat outside position, see
“Rear Safety Belt
Comfort Guides” in the Index.
If the child is so small that the shoulder belt is still
very close to the child’s face or neck,
you might
want to place the child in a seat that has a lap belt,
if
your vehicle has one.
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I A CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here a child
is sitting in a seat that has a
lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part
is behind
the child.
If the child wears the belt in this way, in
a crash the child might slide under the belt. The
belt’s force would then be applied right on the
child’s abdomen. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries.
Wherever the child sits, the lap
portion of the belt
should be
worn low and snug on the hips, just touching
the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’\
s
pelvic bones in a crash.
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Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
dealer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you go
in
to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the
extender will be long enough for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that
you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and use it
only for the seat
it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages are working properly. If your vehicle has a
built-in child restraint, also periodically make sure the
harness straps, latch plates, buckle, clip, child head
restraint and anchorages are working properly. Look for
any other loose or damaged safety belt and built-in child
restraint system parts. If you see anything that might
keep
a safety belt or built-in child restraint system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
If your vehicle has the built-in child restraint, torn or
frayed harness straps can rip apart under impact forces
just like torn or frayed safety belts can. They may not
protect a child in a crash. If a harness strap is torn or
frayed, get a new harness right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
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Replacing Restraint System Parts
After
a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new safety belts or
built-in child restraint parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may
be necessary.
But if the safety belts or built-in child restraint harness
straps were stretched, as they would be
if worn during a
more severe crash, then you need new safety belts or
harness straps.
If the frontal air bags inflate, you’ll also need to replace
the driver’s and right front passenger’s safety belt
buckle assembly. Be sure to do
so. Then the new buckle
assembly will be there to help protect you in
a collision. If
safety belts or built-in child restraint harness straps
are cut
or damaged, replace them. Collision damage also
may mean you will need to have safety belt, built-in
child restraint or seat parts repaired
or replaced. New
parts and repairs may be necessary even if the safety belt
or built-in child restraint wasn’t being used at the time
of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
this section. in
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