Page 10 of 258

k
Here you'll find information
about the seats in your
Geo and
how to use your safety belts
properly.
You can also learn
about some things you should
not do with safety belts.
Part 1
Seats & Restraint Systems
Seats and Seat Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Safety Belts: They're for Everyone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Why Safety Belts Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . , , . . . . . 16
Here Are Questions Many People Ask about Safety Belts - and the Answers . . I8
Safety Belt Reminder Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . , , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , , . . . . . . . . . 19
Children ......................................................... 26
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . 27
LargerChildren ................................................... 32
Safety BeltExtender ............................................... 33
Checking Your Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Replacing Safety Belts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
9 ..
ProCarManuals.com
Page 17 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go
as fast as it goes.
For example, if the bike is going 10 mph
( 16 km/h), so is the child.
. . .I6
When the bike hits the block, it stops. But
the child keeps going!
Fdke the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's
just a seat on wheels.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 27 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
0 To unlatch the belt, just push the
button on the buckle.
I
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
... 26
ProCarManuals.com
Page 28 of 258

1 Child Restraints
Be sure to follow the instructions for the
restraint. You may find these
instructions on the restraint itself or
in a
booklet, or both. These restraints
use the
belt system in your vehicle, but the child
also has to be secured
within the
restraint 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.
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. 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.
27 ...
ProCarManuals.com
Page 29 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
Top Strap
If your child restraint has a top strap, it
should be anchored.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Rear
Seat
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.
2. Secure the child in the child restraint
as the instructions say.
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.
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.
... 28
ProCarManuals.com
Page 30 of 258
1
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. 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.
29 ...
ProCarManuals.com
Page 31 of 258
Seats and Restraint Systems
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat
You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See
the earlier section
about the top strap if
the child restraint has one.
1. This is the only place in your vehicle
where
you can use a child restraint
with a top strap.
2. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow
the instructions for the child restraint.
3. Secure the child in the child restraint
as the instructions say.
4. 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.
5. 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.
... 30
ProCarManuals.com
Page 32 of 258
6. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the
way out of the retractor to set the lock.
L'
7. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor while
you
push down on the child restraint.
8. 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 anc
be ready to work for an adult or larger
child passenger.
31 ...
ProCarManuals.com