PONTIAC G5 2009 Owner's Manual

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as
much protection this way.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your lap belt is too
loose. In a crash, you could slide under the lap
belt and apply force on your abdomen. This could
cause serious or even fatal injuries. The lap belt
should be worn low and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs.
1-17

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is buckled in the wrong buckle.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled
in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt
would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces
would be there, not on the pelvic bones. This
could cause serious internal injuries. Always
buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.
1-18

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is over an armrest.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over
an armrest like this. The belt would be much too
high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt.
The belt force would then be applied on the
abdomen, not on the pelvic bones, and that
could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure
the belt goes under the armrests.
1-19

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should
be worn over the shoulder at all times.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if you wear the
shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your
body would move too far forward, which would
increase the chance of head and neck injury.
Also, the belt would apply too much force to the
ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones.
You could also severely injure internal organs like
your liver or spleen. The shoulder belt should go
over the shoulder and across the chest.
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Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is behind the body.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured by not wearing the
lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, you would
not be restrained by the shoulder belt. Your body
could move too far forward increasing the chance
of head and neck injury. You might also slide
under the lap belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should
go over the shoulder and across the chest.
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Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is twisted across the body.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a
crash, you would not have the full width of the belt
to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make
it straight so it can work properly, or ask your
dealer/retailer to x it.
1-22

Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle have a
lap-shoulder belt.
The following instructions explain how to wear a
lap-shoulder belt properly.
1. If the seat has a safety belt guide, and the safety
belt is not routed through the guide, slide the edge
of the belt webbing through the opening on the
guide. Be sure the belt is not twisted.
2. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can
sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
Engaging the child restraint locking feature may
affect the passenger sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-59for more information.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt
Extender on page 1-28.
Position the release button on the buckle so that
the safety belt could be quickly if necessary.
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5. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster,
move it to the height that is right for you.
See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later
in this section for instructions on use and
important safety information.
6. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the
shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety
belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the
lap belt on smaller occupants.To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle.
The belt should return to its stowed position.
Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of
the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt,
damage can occur to both the belt and the vehicle.
1-24

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
(Sedan Only)
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the
driver and right front passenger position.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt
is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away
from the face and neck, but not falling off the shoulder.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
Press the release
button (A) and move
the height adjuster to
the desired position.
The adjuster can be moved
up by pushing up on the
shoulder belt guide.
After the height adjuster is set to the desired position,
try to move it down without pressing the release
button to make sure it has locked into position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for
front outboard occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the
safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe
frontal or near frontal crash if the threshold conditions for
pretensioner activation are met. And, if the vehicle has
side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help
tighten the safety belts in a side crash.
Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners
activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced,
and probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety
belt system. SeeReplacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash on page 1-67.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added
safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults. When installed on
a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt
away from the neck and head.
1-25

There is one guide for each outboard passenger
position in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort
guide to the safety belt:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback and the interior body to remove the
guide from its storage clip.2. Place the guide over the belt and insert the two
edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.
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