1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO Owners Manual

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your
vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly.
You
can also learn about some things you should not do with
air bags and safety belts.
Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust
them, take them
out and put them back in. It also tells
you about bucket and bench seats, power seats and
head restraints.
Manual Front Seat
A CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you,
or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle
is not moving.
1-1

2-Way Front Seat
The bucket seats can be
adjusted forward or
rearward by the lever at
the front
of the seat.
Manual Lumbar Support (Option)
Move the seat adjustment lever at the front of the seat
toward the driver’s door to unlock
it. Slide the seat to
where you want it. Then release the lever and try to
move the seat with your
body, to make sure the seat is
locked
into place.
If you have this feature, there will be a knob on the
inboard side
of the driver and passenger bucket seats.
Turn the knob toward
the front of the vehicle to increase
lumbar support. Turn the knob toward the rear of the
vehicle
to decrease lumbar support.
1-2

Power Seats (Option)
If you have this feature, there will be a control pad on the
inboard side of
the driver and passenger bucket seats.
Reclining Seatbacks
There is a lever on the inside of the seat to adjust
the seatback.
The front control makes the front
of the seat go up
and down.
The rear control makes the rear
of the seat go up
and down.
The center control makes the whole seat go forward
and rearward.
You can adjust the seatback
by lifting
the lever. Release
the lever
to lock the seatback
where
you want it. Pull up
on the lever and the seat will
go to an upright position.
1-3

J
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. Sitting in
a reclined position when
your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it
will be in
front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.
1-4

Head Restraints
Head restraints are fixed on some models and adjustable
on others. Slide an adjustable head restraint up or down
so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of
your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck
injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches (Non-Touring
Bench Seats)
To fold your non-touring
seatback forward, pull up
on the latch release lever
while pulling the seatback
toward
you.
The lever is on the right rear
of your seat. unlock
the seat by pushing forward on the lever, while
pushing down
on the seat. Make sure the seatback is
locked when it is put back
in the upright position.
After the latch has been released, push the seatback
down until it locks
in place. To raise the seatback,
If the seatback isn't locked, it could move
forward
in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.
Rear Seats
A seat that isn't locked into place properly can
move around in
a collision or sudden stop. People
in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock
the seat into place properly when installing it.

1 A, CAUTION:
A safety belt that is twisted or not properly
attached won’t provide the protection needed in
a crash. The person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. After installing the seat, always
check to be sure that the safety belts are not
twisted and are properly attached.
Bucket Seats
If you have rear bucket seats in your vehicle, they will
recline and adjust the same way as the front manual
bucket seats. See “Reclining Seatbacks” earlier in this
section or in the Index.
Bench Seats
If you have bench seats in your vehicle, each seat can
carry up
to three passengers. They can also be removed
to increase storage space. The
center and rear bench seats
can be adjusted forward
or rearward by
the lever at the front of the seat.
Move the seat adjustment
lever at
the front of the seat
toward the passenger’s side
to unlock
it. Slide the seat to
where you want it. Then
release the lever and try to
move the’seat with your
body,
to make sure the seat
is locked into place.
The non-touring center bench seat has a pivoting
right armrest. The left armrest can also be used as
a
storage compartment.
The optional touring bench seats come with moveable
armrests, individual reclining seatbacks, adjustable
headrests and a fold-down center console.
1-6

To adjust your seatback, pull up on the lever on the
lower outside
of the seat.
The center bench seatbacks will recline further back
than the rear bench seatbacks.
To raise or lower the center
console, press the button
between
the beverage
holders. Only sit in the
center seating position
when
the console is in
an upright position.
For details about headrests, see “Head Restraints” in
this section.
1-7

Removing the Rear Seats
To remove the rear seats, do the following:
7-7 I TO DETACH
1 BELT FOR 1
I SEAT REMOVAL
I
I! + iI
1 ANDIUSH 11
1 . INSERT KEY
INTO HOLE
I I I
1. If you are removing the
center seat, remove the
right lap-shoulder belt.
To do this, press the tip
of a
key into the release
hole
of the safety belt
attachment while pulling
up on the safety belt.
2. If you have a safety belt
guide on your seat, pull
the safety belt all the way
out through
the guide.
3. Pull up on the seatback latch on the right rear of the
front seat. Push the seatback down until it locks in
place (non-touring bench seats only).
1-8