Page 40 of 276
Seats di Restraint  Systems 
38 
Securing  a Child  Restraint  in  the 
Center  Seat  Position 
You’ll  be using  the lap  belt.  See the 
:arlier  section  about  the  top  strap 
if the 
:hild  restraint  has  one. 
I. Put  the  restraint on the  seat.  Follow 
the  instructions  for the  child 
restraint. 
as  the  instructions  say. 
2. Secure  the child in the  child  restraint 
3. Pull the lap belt  all the  way  out 
4. While  holding  it out,  run  the  belt 
without 
stopping. 
through  or around  the child  restraint. 
The  child  restraint  instructions  will 
show  you  how. 
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. 
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6. To tighten the belt,  feed it back  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. 
I 
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 a crash. 
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Seats & Restraint  Systems 
40 
Children who  aren’t  buckled up can 
strike  other  people who are. 
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 
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 a seat  that  has a 
lap belt, if your  vehicle  has  one. 
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I  I 
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. 
I 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. 
I Checking Your Restraint 
Systems 
Now  and  then,  make  sure  all your  belts, 
buckles,  latch  plates,  retractors,  anchorages  and  reminder  systems are 
working  properly.  Look  for any loose 
parts  or  damage.  If 
you see anything 
that  might keep a  restraint system from 
doing  its  job,  have it repaired. 
Replacing  Safety  Belts  A@er 
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. 
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Index 
268 
Recommended Fluids and 
Lubricants 
....................................... 244 
Reminder  Light 
.................................. 75 
Remote  Lock Control 
......................... 48 
Removing  Rear Bucket  Seats 
............. 16 
Replacement Fuses 
........................... 220 
Replacement  Parts 
........................... 226 
Replacing Brake System  Parts ......... 203 
Replacing  Bulbs 
........................ 228,  229 
Replacing  Safety Belts 
........................ 41 
Replacing  Tires 
................................. 209 
Replacing  Windshield Wipers 
.......... 205 
Restraint, Head 
.................................. 14 
Restraints,  Child ................................. 35 
Roadside Assistance ......................... 253 
Replacement 
Bulbs 
.................. 228. 229 
Replacing  Rear  Bucket Seats 
............. 18 
Replacing  Wheels ............................. 2 11 
Roads, Hill and Mountain ............... 147 
Rocking  Your  Vehicle 
...................... 179 
Rotation,  Tire 
................................... 208 
S afety  Belts ....................................... 18 
Adults ............................................... 22 
Center  Passenger Position 
.............. 31 
Checking .......................................... 41 
Children 
...................................... 34, 39 
Child  Restraints ............................... 35 
Cleaning 
......................................... 2  14 
Driver Position 
................................ 22  Extender 
........................................... 41 
How to 
Wear .................................... 22 
Lap-Shoulder  Belt 
........................... 23 
Passenger  Belts 
................................ 30 
Pregnancy.  Use During 
................... 30 
Questions & Answers ... 21.24.  40. 42 
Rear  Safety  Belts 
............................. 30 
Reminder  Light 
................................ 22 
Replacement 
.................................... 41 
Right  Front.  Adult  Passenger 
.......... 30 
Smaller Children  and Babies 
........... 34 
Top  Strap 
......................................... 36 
Torn 
.................................................. 42 
Twisted 
............................................. 26 
Why 
You Should  Wear 
Safety  Belts 
................................... 18 
Safety  Belt Extender .......................... 41 
Safety  Belt Reminder Light 
................. 22 
Safety Defects, Reporting 
................ 252 
Scheduled Maintenance  Services 
.... 233 
Seat  Adjustment 
........................... 12, 17 
Seat  Belts  (see 
Safety  Belts) 
Seat Controls ...................................... 12 
Head  Restraint ................................. 14 
Manual  Front  Seat 
........................... 12 
Manual Reclining  Seatback ............. 13 
Manual Seat, Four-Way .................. 12 
Power  Seat, Six-Way 
....................... 13 
Rear Seats ........................................ 15 
Adjusting ....................................... 17  Removing 
...................................... 15 
Replacing ....................................... 18 
Third Row Entry ........................... 15 
Reclining 
Seatback .......................... 13 
“Service Engine Soon” Light ........... 106 
Service Information ......................... 182 
Service  Parts Identification Label 
... 218 
Service  Publications 
......................... 254 
Service  Station  Information 
............ 272 
Servicing Your  Air Bag-Equipped 
Oldsmobile 
........................................ 29 
Setting  the Clock 
.............................. 117 
Setting  the Trip  Odometer 
................. 99 
Shifting  Into 
P (Park) ........................ 66 
Shifting  the Automatic  Transaxle 
..... 62 
Signaling  Turns 
.......................... 71, 155 
Six-Way Power  Seat ........................... 13 
Skidding ............................................ 141 
Sliding  Door 
....................................... 51 
Sliding Door Ajar Warning  Light ..... 107 
Snowstorm, If You’re  Caught  in a ... 149 
Sound  Equipment,  Adding 
.............. 117 
Sound  Systems (see 
Audio Systems) 
Spare Tire, Compact ........................ 178 
Specifications 
& Capacities ............. 224 
Speed Control  (see 
Cruise Control) 
Speedometer & Odometer ................. 99 
Stains,  Removing 
............................. 213 
Starting  Your Engine 
......................... 58 
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