belt PONTIAC VIBE 2007 Owner's Guide

Securing an Add-on Child Restraint in
the Vehicle
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in
a crash if the child restraint is not properly
secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child
restraint is properly installed in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that
came with that restraint, and also the
instructions in this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child
restraint must be secured in the vehicle. Child
restraint systems must be secured in vehicle seats
by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder
belt, or by the LATCH system.SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 49for more information. A child
can be endangered in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle.
When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to
the instructions that come with the restraint
which may be on the restraint itself or in a booklet,
or both, and to this manual. The child restraint
instructions are important, so if they are not
available, obtain a replacement copy from the
manufacturer.
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.
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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 installed
using only the top tether and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle,
you need a child restraint 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.Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the
vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each
LATCH seating position that will accommodate a
child restraint with lower attachments (B).
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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.
Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position 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 this position.
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 47for 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.
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{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.
{CAUTION:
Children can be seriously injured or
strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped
around their neck and the safety belt
continues to tighten.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
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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. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower
attachments on the child restraint to the
lower anchors.2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends
that the top tether be attached, attach and
tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor,
if equipped. Refer to the child restraint
instructions and the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. You may have to fold back the cargo
mat to access the top tether anchors.
2.3. Open the top tether anchor trim cover
to expose the anchor.
2.4. Route, attach, and tighten the top tether
according to your child restraint
instructions and the following
instructions:
If the position you are
using does not have a
head restraint and
you are using a single
tether, route the
tether over the
seatback.
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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 49.
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. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2. 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.3. Buckle the belt. If the buckle does not click,
check to be sure that you are using the
correct buckle. The buckle for the center
rear passenger position has the word
CENTER on it.
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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4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the lock.5. 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.
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6. If your child restraint manufacturer
recommends using a top tether, 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 49.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, if your child restraint
has a top tether, disconnect the top tether from
the top tether anchor. 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 the
Right Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a right front passenger’s airbag.
A rear seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. SeeWhere to Put
the Restraint on page 47.
In addition, your vehicle has the passenger
sensing system. The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag, seat-mounted side impact airbag (if
equipped), and the safety belt pretensioner,
when a child in a child restraint or booster seat is
detected. SeePassenger Sensing System on
page 74andPassenger Airbag Status Indicator on
page 163for more information about the
conditions that could affect the passenger sensing
system and other important safety information.
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If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 49.
There is no top tether anchor at the right front
seating position. Do not secure a child seat in this
position if a national or local law requires that
the top tether be anchored or if the instructions
that come with the child restraint say that the top
tether must be anchored. SeeLower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 49if
the child restraint has a top tether.
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. Your vehicle has airbags. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 74. We recommend
that rear-facing child restraints be secured
in a rear seat, even if the airbags are
off. If your child restraint is forward-facing,
move the seat as far back as it will go before
securing the child restraint in this seat.
SeeManual Seats on page 8.
When the passenger sensing system has
turned off the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag, seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped), and the safety belt pretensioner,
the OFF indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator should light and stay lit when
you turn the ignition to ON. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on page 163.
2. Put the child 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.
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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.
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