PONTIAC PONTIAC 1996 Repair Manual

To use a child restraint here, you will need a special
infantkbild seat attaching belt and
the hardware that
goes with it. See the earlier part about the top strap if the
child restraint has one.
Your dealer can order the belt and attaching hardware
and install the hardware for
you. It’s free. The special
belt
is GM Part No. 12340286. Your dealer can find the
past number for
the correct attaching hardware in the
accessory section
of the GM Parts Catalog.
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A CAUTION:
Don’t use the special infadchild seat attaching
hardware in another vehicle.
If you do, it may not
work well and the child may not be protected
properly in
a crash. The special hardware is for
your vehicle only.
Also, don’t
use the special belt for anything but
securing a child restraint in the right front seat.
If an adult or older child uses it, the belt won’t
provide protection
and may even increase injury
in a crash.
Once the special hardware is installed, please follow the
instructions with it and these steps:
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1. Unbuckle the automatic lap-shoulder belt by pushing
the button on the buckle. It will stay
on the door, ready
to be rebuckled for use by adults or older children.
2. 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
‘‘Seats” in the Index.)
3. Snap one hook of the infantkhild. seat attaching belt
near the floor at the door side of the seat.
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4. Put the belt’s special latch plate into the vehicle’s
safety belt buckle.
5. You can make the belt longer by tilting the buckle
and pulling it along the belt.
5. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
7. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions
say.
8. Run the belt through or around the child restraint.
The child restraint instructions will show you how.
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9. Put the hook on the free end through the slot in the
latch plate. 10.
11. To make
it tight, pull the belt while you push down
on the child restraint. If the belt won’t stay tight,
switch it end for end.
Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to
be sure it is secure.
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Removing the Child Seat Restraint 3. Put the belt away in a safe place in your vehicle, so
1. Push the button on the safety belt buckle and remove it won’t fly around in a crash and injure someone.
the
special latch plate. Leave the latch plate on the
special belt.
4. Remember to reattach the automatic belt again,
once the
child restraint is removed. Be sure it
isn’t twisted.
2. Push the spring on the hook near the door and
remove the special belt.
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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.
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.
I
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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
A: Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but
very close to the child’s face or neck?
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 si.tting in a rear outside position of a
four-door model, 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, YQU might want to place the child in the center
seat
positio~ the one that has only a lap belt.
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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 yaur 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 cwt,or damaged, replace them. Collision’
damage
also may mean you. will need to have safety belt
or seat
parts repaired ar replaced. New pats 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 blag system earlier in
this section.
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Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and
optional features on your Pontiac, and information on
starting, shifting and braking. Also explained are the
instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if
everything
is worlung properly -- and what to do if you
have
a problem.
Keys
A CAUTION:
Leaving young 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 power windows or other controls or even make the vehicle move. Don’t
leave the keys in a vehicle with young children.
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