1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO Owners Manual

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CAUTION: (Continued) .. .. .I . . . .. .I. . ,.
heavy you can’t hold it, For example, in a crash
at only 25 mph (40
km/h), a 12-1b. (5.5 kg) baby
will suddenly become a 2404b. (110 kg) force on
your arms, The baby would be almost impossible
to hold.
Child Restraints
Be sure the child restraint is designed to be used in a
vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it meets
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Then 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
(Except Cargo Vans)
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
a rear seat. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the front passenger seat. Here’s why:
I
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured if the right front passenger’s
air bag inflates. This is because the back of a
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Always secure a rear-facing
child restraint in a rear seat.
You may, however, secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat. Before you secure
a forward-facing child restraint, always move the
front passenger seat as far back as
it will go, Or,
secure the child restraint
in a rear seat.
Wherever
you install it, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
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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.
Where to Put the Restraint (Cargo Vans)
The child restraint must be secured properly in the
passenger seat.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in
this vehicle. Here’s why:
A CAUTION:
the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child
restraint
in your vehicle -- even when no child is in it.
Top Strap
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured
if the passenger’s air bag
inflates. This is because the back
of a rear-facing
child restraint would be very close to the inflating
air bag.
Do not use a rear-facing child restraint in
this vehicle.
If a forward-facing child restraint
is suitable for
your child, always move the passenger seat as far
back
as it will go.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move
around in a collision
or sudden stop and injure people in
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored.
If you need to have an anchor installed, you
can ask your GM dealer to put it in for you. If you want
to install an anchor yourself, your dealer can tell you
how to do it.
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Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
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. Tilt
the
latch plate to adjust the belt if needed. If the
shoulder belt goes in front of the child's face or neck,
put it behind the child restraint.
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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. To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt while
you push down on the child restraint.
6. 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.
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Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Seat
Position (Bench Seat)
You’ll be using the lap belt.
See the earlier part about the top strap if the child
restraint has
one.
1.. .
1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
2. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
plate and pulling
it along the belt.
for the child restraint.
3. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
4. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
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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.
6. To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you push
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
down
on the child restraint.
directions to be sure it is secure. If it isn’t, secure
the restraint in
a different place in the vehicle and
contact the child restraint maker for their advice
about how to attach the child restraint properly.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt. It will 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 front passenger air bag. Never put a
rear-facing child restraint in this seat. Here’s why:
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A ch 1 a rear-fac lg child ;traint can be
seriously injured
if the front passenger’s air bag
inflates. This is because the back of a rear-facing
child restraint would be very close to the inflating
air bag.
If your vehicle is a passenger van, always
secure a rear-facing child restraint in
a rear seat.
If your vehicle is a cargo van, do not use a
rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle.
If a
forward-facing child restraint is suitable for your
child, always move the passenger seat as far back
as it will go.
You’ll be using
the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one.
1. Because your vehicle has a front passenger air bag,
always move
the seat as far back as it will go before
securing a forward-facing child restraint. (See
“Seats”
in the Index.)
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.
2. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
3. Secure the child in the child restraint as the positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
for
the child restraint.
5. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
instructions say. safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
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6. Pull the rest of the lap belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock.
.a.
7. To tighten the belt, feed the lap belt back into the
8. Push and pull the child restraint in different
retractor while
you push
down on the child restraint.
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.
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