1996 GMC SAVANA Owners Manual

Securing a Child Restraint in a
Center Seat Position
You’ll be using the lap belt.
See the earlier part about the top strap
if the child
restraint has one.
1.
2.
3.
Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling it along the belt.
Put
the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for
the child restraint. 9
Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say,
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4. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the
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.
6. To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you push
down on the child restraint.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure
it is secure. If it isn’t, secure the
restraint
in B 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
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If your vehicle has a front passenger air bag, never put a
rear-facing child restraint in this seat. Here’s why:
A CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint 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.
2.
3.
4.
If 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.)
Put the restraint
on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
Secure the child
in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
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.
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.* i
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. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
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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
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. directions to be sure it
is secure.
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.
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Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained
in the rear seat. But they need to use the
safety belts properly.
0 Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in
a crash.
0 Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other
people who are. Never
do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt can’t properly spread the impact forces. In
a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured.
A belt must be used by
only one person at a time.
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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Never do this.
Here
a child is sitting in a seat that has a
lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind
the child.
If’ the child wears the belt in this way, in
a crash the child might slide under the belt. The
belt’s force would then be applied right on the.
child’s abdomen. That could cause serious
or
fatal injuries.
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.
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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.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all
your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts.
If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system
from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you
in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also
look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After 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.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in
this section.
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