PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 2000 Repair Manual

1-49 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag. Never
put a rear
-facing child restraint in this seat. Here's why:
CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger's air bag inflates. This is because the
back of the rear
-facing child restraint would be
very close to the inflating air bag. Always secure
a rear
-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
Although a rear seat is a safer place, you can secure a
forward
-facing child restraint in the right front seat.
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 right front passenger air
bag, always move the seat as far back as it will go
before securing a forward
-facing child restraint.
(See ªSeatsº 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.

1-50
Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed.
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. Some vehicles have a child restraint locking feature
on the shoulder belt retractor. You can tell if your
vehicle has this feature by pulling the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor. Then, let the belt go
back a few inches, and try to pull the belt out again.
If you can't pull the belt out because it has locked, it
means the retractor has the child restraint locking
feature. If the belt doesn't lock and you can pull the
belt out of the retractor again, it means your vehicle
doesn't have the child restraint locking feature on the
shoulder belt retractor.

1-52
Tw o-Door ModelsFour-Door Models

1-53

If your vehicle has the child restraint locking
feature on the shoulder belt retractor, pull the rest
of the shoulder belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock.
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.

If your vehicle doesn't have the child restraint
locking feature on the shoulder belt retractor,
tighten the belt by pulling up on the shoulder belt
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.
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 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 sit next to a
window so the child can wear a lap
-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide.

1-54
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
a crash.

Children who aren't buckled up can strike other
people who are.
CAUTION:
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.
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 sitting in a rear seat outside position, see
ªRear Safety Belt Comfort Guidesº 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 the center seat position,
the one that has only a lap belt.

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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.

1-56
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. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt 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.
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.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After 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 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.
If an air bag inflates, you'll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier in
this section.

2-
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2
-4 Door Locks
2
-7 Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
2
-12 Multifunction Alarm Locks and
Lighting Choices
2
-23 Trunk
2
-24 Theft
2
-25 Content Theft-Deterrent (If Equipped)
2
-27 PASS-Key
III
2
-29 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-29 Ignition Positions
2
-30 Starting Your Engine
2
-33 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-34 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
-39 Parking Brake
2
-40 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-42 Shifting Out of PARK (P)2
-43 Parking Over Things That Burn
2
-44 Engine Exhaust
2
-44 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
2
-45 Power Windows
2
-47 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-52 Exterior Lamps
2
-54 Interior Lamps
2
-57 Mirrors
2
-59 Storage Compartments
2
-64 OnStar
System (If Equipped)
2
-65 Sunroof (If Equipped)
2
-66 The Instrument Panel -- Your
Information System
2
-70 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2
-84 Head-Up Display (Option)
2
-88 Driver Information Center (DIC)
(If Equipped)
2
-90 Trip Computer (If Equipped)

2-2
Keys
CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate controls or even make the
vehicle move. Don't leave the keys in a vehicle
with children.