OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1994 Owner's Guide

To make the belt shorter, pull its free
end as shown until the belt is snug.
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.
Male 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 Children and Babies
n
25
ProCarManuals.com

Seats & Restraint Systems
I Child Restraints
Be sure to follow the instructions for
+he restraint. You may find these
atructions on the restraint itself or in
I a booklet, or both. These restraints use
he belt system in your vehicle, but the
hild
also has to be secured within the
estraint 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.
ProCarManuals.com

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.
l 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.
fop Strap
If your child restraint has a top strap, it
should be anchored.
If you need to have an anchor installed,
you can ask your Oldsmobile dealer to
put it in for
you. If you want to install
an anchor yourself, your dealer can tell
you how to do
it.
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Outside Position
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt.
See the earlier section about the top
strap
if the child restraint has one.
1. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow
the instructions for the child
restraint.
as the instructions say.
2. Secure the child in the child restraint
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.
27
ProCarManuals.com

Seats & Restraint Systems
28
L-
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. 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 into the retractor while
you push
down on the child restraint.
ProCarManuals.com

7. 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 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 a
Center Seat Position
When you secure a child restraint in a
center seating position, you’ll be using
the lap belt. But don’t use the rear
center seat, unless the base of the child
restraint is small enough to let you
reach the buclde and latch plate easily.
See the earlier section about the top
strap
if the child restraint has one.
-
1
2
3
. Male 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.
as the instructions say.
1. Secure the child in the child restraint
29
ProCarManuals.com

Seats & Restraint Systems
30
4. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through
or around the restraint. The child
restraint instructions will show you
how.
release button is positioned
so you
would be able to unbuckle the safety
belt quickly if you ever had to.
6. To tighten the belt, pull its free end
while you push down on the child
restraint.
5. Buckle the belt. Make sure the
7. Push and pull the child restraint in
different directions to be sure it is
secure.
If the child restraint isn’t
secure, turn the latch plate over and
buckle it again. Then see
if it is
secure. If it isn’t, secure the restraint
in a different place in the vehicle and
contact the child restraint maker for
their advice about
how to attach the
child restraint properly.
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
?ight Front Seat
tou‘ll be using the lap-shoulder belt.
See the earlier section about the top
strap
if the child restraint has one.
1. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow
the instructions for the child
restraint.
as the instructions say.
2. Secure the child in the child restraint
ProCarManuals.com

f
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.
release button is positioned
so you
would be able to unbuckle the safety
belt quickly
if you ever had to.
4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the
I
5. Pull the rest of the lap belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the lock. 6. To tighten the belt, feed the lap belt
back into the retractor while you
push down on the child restraint.
L
31
ProCarManuals.com

Seats & Restraint Systems
7. Push and pull the child restraint in
different directions to be sure it
is
secure. Adjust the bucket seat
forward until the lap portion of the
safety belt holds the restraint firmly.
But don't move it any more than
needed to tighten the lap belt.
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.
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child
restraints should wear the vehicle's
safety belts.
If you have the choice, a child should si1
next to a window
so the child can wear
a lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder belt can
provide.
Children who aren't buckled up can
Children who aren't buckled up can
be
thrown out in a crash.
strike other people who are.
ProCarManuals.com

Q: 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
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.
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.
33
ProCarManuals.com

Seats & Restraint Systems
34
I Safety Belt Edender
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.
I Checking Your Restraint
Systems
Now and then, make sure all your belts,
buckles, latch plates, retractors,
anchorages and reminder systems are
working properly. Look for any loose
parts
or damage. If you see anything
that might keep a restraint system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
I Replacing Safety Belts A#er
a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new
belts?
After a very minor collision, nothing
may be necessary. But if the belts were
stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you
need new belts.
If you ever see a label on a right front
safety belt that says to replace the belt,
be sure to
do so. Then the new belt will
be there to help protect you in an
accident.
You would see this label on
the belt near the door opening. If
belts are cut or damaged, replace
them. Collision damage also may mean
you will need
to have safety belt or seat
parts repaired or replaced. New parts
and repairs may be necessary even if the
belt wasn’t being used at the time of the
collision.
ProCarManuals.com