1994 PONTIAC GRAND-AM seats

Seats & Restraint Systems
Here Are Questions
Many People
Ask
About Safety Belts --
and the Answers (CONT.)
Q: Why don’t they just put in air bags
so people won’t have to wear safety
belts?
A: Air bags, or Supplemental Restraint
Systems, are
in some vehicles today
and
will be in more of them in the
future. But they are supplemental
systems only
-- so they work with
safety belts, not instead of them.
Every air bag system ever offered for
sale has required the use of safety
belts. Even
if you’re in a vehicle that
has air bags, you
still have to buckle
up to get the most protection. That’s
true not only
in frontal collisions, but
especially
in side and other collisions.
Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never
drive far from home, why should I
wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if
you’re in an accident -- even one that
isn’t your fault
-- you and your
passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver doesn’t protect you from things
beyond your control, such as bad
drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles
(40 km) of home. And the greatest number
of serious injuries and deaths occur at
speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
Safety Belt Warning Light
When the key is turned to “Run” or
“Start”, a chime
will come on for about
eight seconds to remind people to fasten
their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is already buckled. The safety
belt
light will also come on and stay on
for 20 seconds, then it will flash for an
additional
55 seconds. If the driver’s belt
is already buckled, neither the chime nor
the light will come on.
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Seats & Restraint Systems
automatic Lap-Shoulder
3elt
’his safety belt is called “automatic”
lecause you don’t have to buckle up
vhen you get into your vehicle.
P
Y
J1
SI
md you don’t have to unbuckle when
ou get out.
ust get into your vehicle. Then close and
Ick the door. Adjust the seat (to see how,
ee “Seats” in the Index) so you can sit up
traight.
‘
’he lap belt should be worn as low on the
ips as possible. In a crash, this applies
xce to the strong pelvic bones. And
ou’d be less likely to slide under the lap
elt. If you slid under it, the belt would
pply force at your abdomen. This could
ause serious or even fatal injuries. The
houlder belt should
go over the shoulder
nd across the chest. These parts
of the
ody are best able to take belt restraining
xces.
. . . 18
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The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden
;top or a crash.
[t’s possible that an automatic belt could
keep you from fully opening a door. That
:an happen
if the door was slammed shut
very hard. Just close the door all the way,
;hen slowly open it.
If that doesn’t fix it,
:hen your Pontiac needs service.
We hope you’ll always keep your
mtomatic belt buckled. However, you
nay need to unbuckle
it in an emergency.
To unbuckle the automatic belt, just push
the button
on the buckle.
To reattach the automatic belt:
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see
“Seats” in the Index) so you can sit up
straight.
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the
belt across you. Don’t let it get
twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle
until it clicks. Pull up
on the latch
plate to make sure it is secure.
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Seats & Restraint Systems
automatic Lap-Shoulder
3elt (CONT.)
3: What’s wrong with this?
k The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t
give nearly as much protection this
way.
8
Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The belt is buckled in the wrong
place.
Q: What’s wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is worn under the
arm. It
should be worn over the
shoulder at all times.
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Seats & Restraint Systems
Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS)
(CONE)
AIR BAG
9ir Bag Readiness Light
:here is an air bag readiness light on the
nstrument panel, which shows “Air Bag”
’he system checks for electrical
nalfunctions, and the light tells you
if
here is a problem.
lou will see this light flash for a few
seconds when
you turn your ignition to
‘Run” or “Start.” Then the light should g
)ut, which means the system is ready.
Remember, if the air bag readiness light
ioesn’t come on when you start your
vehicle, or stays on,
or comes on when
you are driving, your air bag system may
not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
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Seats & Restraint Systems
How The Air Bag System
Works (CONT)
What will you see after an air bag
inflation?
After the air bag has inflated, it will then
quickly deflate, This occurs
so quickly
that some people may not even realize
that the air bag inflated. Some
components of the air bag module
in the
steering wheel hub may be hot for a short
time, but the portion of the bag that comes
into contact with you will not be hot to
the touch. There will be small amounts of
smoke and dust coming from vents in the
deflated air bag. The air bag will
not
impede the driver’s vision or ability to
steer the vehicle, nor will it hinder the
occupants from exiting the vehicle.
0 The air bag is designed to inflate only
once. After it inflates, you’ll need
some new parts for your air bag
system. If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there to help
protect you in another crash.
A new
system will include the air bag module
and possibly other parts. The service
manual has information about the
need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a
diagnostic module, which records
information about the air bag system
if the air bag deploys during a crash.
The module records information about
the readiness .of the system, which
sensors activated the deployment, and
whether the driver’s safety belt was in
use.
Let only qualified technicians work on
your air bag system. Improper service
can mean that your air bag system
won’t work properly. See your dealer
for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the cover for the
driver’s air bag, it may not work
properly. You may have to replace
the air bag on the steering wheel.
Do not open or break the air bag
cover.
Is the smoke from an air bag inflation
harmful?
The particles emitted during air bag
inflation are not harmful to most people.
Some people with respiratory ailments
may experience difficulty breathing if
they’stay in the vehicle with the windows
closed’after air bag inflation.
So, if your
air bag inflates, you and any passengers
should exit the vehicle if and when it is
safe’to do
so. If you or your passengers
can’t get out of the vehicle, try to get
fresh air by opening a window, turning on
the fan, or opening
a door.
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Seats & Restraint Systems
U
I Right Front Passenger
Position
:he right front passenger’s safety belt
vorks the same way as the driver’s safety
)elt. See “Driver Position”, earlier
in this
)art.
Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in
the Index) so you can sit up straight.
Move your seat far enough forward that
your feet touch the part of the car that is
called the “toeboard” (A). That way you’d
be less likely
to slide under the lap belt in
a crash.
I Rear Seat Passengers
It’s very important for rear seat
passengers
to buckle up! Accident
statistics show that unbelted people
in the
rear seat are
hurt more often in crashes
than those who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted
can be thrown out of the vehicle
in a
crash. And they can strike others
in the
vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
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Seats & Restraint Systems
U
Pear Seat Outside
Dassenger Positions
,ap-Shoulder Belt
’he positions next to the windows have
sp-shoulder belts. Here’s how to wear
me properly.
1, Pick up the latch plate and pull the
belt across you. Don’t let
it get
twisted.
2. Push the latch plate into the buckle
until it clicks.
I
If the belt stops before it reaches the
buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep
pulling until you can buckle
it.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure
it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, see
“Safety Belt Extender” at the end of
this section. Make sure the release
button
on the buckle is positioned so
you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
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