ECU GMC ACADIA 2007 User Guide

Securing the Child Within the Child
Restraint
There are several systems for securing the child
within the child 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 ve-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 at 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.
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed
in a crash if the child is not properly
secured in the child restraint. Make sure
the child is properly secured, following
the instructions that came with that
restraint.
Because there are different systems, it is important
to refer to the instructions that come with the
restraint. A child can be endangered in a crash if
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
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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 recommend that children be secured in a rear
seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a
rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a
booster seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
A label on your sun visor says, “Never put a
rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is because
the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the
airbag deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inating airbag.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
right front passenger’s frontal and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) if the system detects a
rear-facing child restraint, no system is
fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that
an airbag will not deploy under some
unusual circumstance, even though it is
turned off. We recommend that rear-facing
child restraints be secured in a rear seat,
even if the airbag(s) are off.
If you need to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger seat as
far back as it will go. It is better to secure
the child restraint in a rear seat.
Wherever you install a child restraint, be sure to
secure the child restraint properly.
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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.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)
The LATCH system holds a child restraint during
driving or in a crash. This system is designed
to make installation of a child restraint easier. The
LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and
attachments on the child restraint that are made for
use with the LATCH system.Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint
is properly installed using the anchors, or use
the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that came with that
restraint, and also the instructions in this manual.
When installing a child restraint with a top
tether, you must also use either the lower anchors
or the safety belts to properly secure the child
restraint. A child restraint must never be attached
using only the top tether and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle,
you need a child restraint that has LATCH
attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will
provide you with instructions on how to use
the child restraint and its attachments. The
following explains how to attach a child restraint
with these attachments in your vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints
have lower anchors and attachments or top
tether anchors and attachments.
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Your child restraint may have a single tether (A)
or a dual tether (C). Either will have a single
attachment (B) to secure the top tether to
the anchor.
Some child restraints with top tethers are designed
for use with or without the top tether being
attached. Others require the top tether always to
be attached. In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have a top tether,
and that the tether be attached. In the United
States, some child restraints also have a
top tether. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for your child restraint.
If the child restraint does not have a top tether,
one can be obtained, in kit form, for many
child restraints. Ask the child restraint
manufacturer whether or not a kit is available.Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor
Locations
i(Top Tether Anchor):
Seating positions with
top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor):
Seating positions with
two lower anchors.
Second Row — Bucket
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The top tether anchors are located at the bottom
rear of the seatback for each seating position
in the second row. Open the trim cover to access
the anchors. Be sure to use an anchor located
on the same side of the vehicle as the seating
position where the child restraint will be placed.The third row has one top tether anchor located at
the bottom rear of the center seatback. This
anchor should be used for the center seating
position only. Never install two top tethers using
the same top tether anchor.
Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger position or the third row outboard
seating positions, if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if the
instructions that come with the child restraint say
that the top tether must be attached. There is
no place to attach the top tether in these positions.
Second Row — Bucket Shown, Bench SimilarThird Row Seat
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Accident statistics show that children are safer if
they are restrained in the rear rather than the front
seat. SeeWhere to Put the Restraint on page 60
for additional information.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not
attached to anchors, the restraint will not
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 anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety
belts to secure the restraint, following the
instructions that came with that restraint,
and also the instructions in this manual.
{CAUTION:
Each top tether anchor and lower anchor
in the vehicle is designed to hold only one
child restraint. Attaching more than one
child restraint to a single anchor could
cause the anchor or attachment to come
loose or even break during a crash. A
child or others could be injured if this
happens. To help prevent injury to people
and damage to your vehicle, attach only
one child restraint per anchor.
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{CAUTION:
Children can be seriously injured or
strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped
around their neck and the safety belt
continues to tighten. Secure any unused
safety belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull the
shoulder belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock, if your vehicle has
one, after the child restraint has been
installed. Be sure to follow the instructions
of the child restraint manufacturer.
Notice:Contact between the child restraint or
the LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s
safety belt assembly may cause damage to
these parts. Make sure when securing unused
safety belts behind the child restraint that
there is no contact between the child restraint
or the LATCH attachment parts and the
vehicle’s safety belt assembly.Folding an empty rear seat with the safety
belts secured may cause damage to the safety
belt or the seat. When removing the child
restraint, always remember to return the safety
belts to their normal, stowed position before
folding the rear seat.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to
the lower anchors. If the child restraint does
not have lower attachments or the desired
seating position does not have lower anchors,
secure the child restraint with the top tether
and the safety belts. Refer to your child
restraint manufacturer instructions and the
instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired
seating position.
1.2. Recline the seatback to the full reclined
position.
Make sure the second row bench
seatbacks are aligned at the same
angle before placing the child restraint
on the seat. Make sure the third
row bench seatbacks are both upright
before placing the child restraint on
the seat.
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If the position you are
using has a xed head
rest/restraint and
you are using a dual
tether, route the
tether around the head
rest/restraint.
If the position you are
using has a xed head
rest/restraint and
you are using a single
tether, route the
tether over the head
rest/restraint.
3. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position
If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 61.
There are no top tether anchors in the third row
outboard seating positions. Do not secure a
child restraint in these positions if a national or
local law requires that a top tether be anchored or
if the instructions that come with the restraint
say that the top tether must be anchored.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH
system, you will be using the lap-shoulder
belt to secure the child restraint in this position. 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. Recline the seatback to the full reclined
position to prevent the child seat from
contacting the head restraint. See Reclining
the Seatbacks underRear Seat Operation on
page 18.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
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6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child
restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt
to tighten the lap portion of the belt and
feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor.
If you are using a forward-facing child
restraint, you may nd it helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child restraint
as you tighten the belt.7. If your child restraint has a top tether, and the
position that you are using has a top tether
anchor, attach and tighten the top tether to the
top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions
that came with the child restraint and toLower
Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 61.
8. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, 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.
When the safety belt is not in use, slide the latch
plate up the safety belt webbing. The latch
plate should rest on the stitching on the safety
belt, near the guide loop on the side wall.
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Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a right front passenger airbag.
A rear seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. SeeWhere to Put
the Restraint on page 60.
In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing
system. The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag
when an infant in a rear-facing infant seat or a
small child in a forward-facing child restraint
or booster seat is detected. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 85andPassenger Airbag
Status Indicator on page 218for more information
on this, including important safety information.
A label on your sun visor says, “Never put
a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is
because the risk to the rear-facing child is so
great, if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger’s airbag inates. This is
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
inating airbag.
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the right
front passenger’s frontal and
seat-mounted side impact airbag if the
system detects a rear-facing child
restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no
one can guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual circumstance,
even though it is turned off. We
recommend that rear-facing child
restraints be secured in the rear seat,
even if the airbags are off.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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