1997 BUICK CENTURY child restraint

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Buick 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.
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1-9
1-10
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1-19
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1-25 Seats
and Seat Controls
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Right Front Passenger Position
Air Bag System
Center Passenger Position 1-26
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1-60
1-60
1-61 Rear
Seat Passengers
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Children Built-in Child Restramt
Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash
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e.’ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
home, why should I wear safety belts?
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.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different rules for
smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in
your Buick, see the part of this manual called “Children.”
Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
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Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides will provide added
safety belt comfort for children who have outgrown
child restraints and for small adults. When installed
on
a shoulder belt, the comfort guide pulls the belt away
from the neck and head.
There is one guide for each outside passenger position in
the rear seat.
To provide added safety belt comfort for
children who have outgrown child restraints and for
smaller adults, the comfort guides may be installed
on
the shoulder belts. Here’s how to install a comfort guide
and use the safety belt:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback and the interior body to remove
the
guide from its storage clip.
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Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! That includes
infants and all children smaller than adult size.
In fact,
the law in every state in the United States and in
every
Canadian province says children up to some age must
be restrained while in a vehicle.
Smaller Children and Babies
LA CAUTION:
Smaller children and babies should always be
restrained in a child
or infant restraint. The
instructions
for the restraint will say whether it
is the right type and size for your child.
A very
young child’s hip bones are
so small that a
regular belt might
not stay low on the hips, as it
should. Instead, the belt will likely be over the
child’s abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply
force right on the child’s abdomen, which could
cause serious or fatal injuries.
So, be sure that
any child small enough for one is always properly
restrained in a child or infant restraint.
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Built-in Child Restraint (Option) If your vehicle has this option, there’s a built-in child
restraint in the center rear seat position. This chld
restraint system conforms
to all applicable Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
This child restraint is designed for use only by children
who weigh between
22 and 60 pounds (10 and 27 kg)
and whose height is between 33.5 and 5 1 inches
(850 and 1 295 mm) and who are capable of sitting
upright alone.
The child should also be at least one year old. It is
important
to use a rear-facing infant restraint until the
child is
about a year old. A rear-facing restraint gives
the infant’s head, neck and body the support they would
need in
a crash. See “Child Restraints’’ later in this
section for more information.
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e.' Which slots should I use for my child?
A: With the child seated on the child restraint cushion,
use the pair
of slots that is at or just above the top
of the child's shoulders.
With this built-in child restraint, you can adjust the
height
of the harness. Depending on the seated height
of the child, you can route it through the upper pair of
slots (A), the middle pair of slots (B) or the lower pair
of slots (C).
For the child shown here, the harness should go through
the middle pair
of slots (B).
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@ What if the top of my child’s shoulders is above
A: A child whose shoulders are above the highest slots
the highest pair of slots?
shouldn’t use this child restraint. Instead, the child
should sit on the vehicle’s seat cushion and use the
vehicle’s safety belts.
MAKE SURE THE TOP OF THE CHILD’S
SHOULDERS
IS BELOW THE SLOTS THAT
THE HARNESS GOES THROUGH.
A CHILD
WHOSE SHOULDERS ARE ABOVE THOSE
SLOTS COULD BE INJURED DURING
A
SUDDEN STOP OR CRASH.’IF THE TOP
OF THE CHILD’S SHOULDERS IS ABOVE
THE SLOTS, DON’T
USE THIS CHILD
RESTRAINT. INSTEAD, THE CHILD SHOULD
SIT
ON THE VEHICLE’S REGULAR SEAT
AND USE THE REGULAR SAFETY BELTS.
Adjusting the Harness Height
1. Lower the child restraint cushion.
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9. Twist the harness slightly to route it through the correct slot.
10. Pull on the harness. Make sure it is properly routed
and isn’t twisted or flipped over.
1 1. Repeat Steps 5 through 10 for the other side of the
harness. Be sure both sides are adjusted to the same
height.
seatback. Make sure the harness goes through the
slots
in the pad that match the height adjustment
slots being used.
12. Move the pad back against the child restraint
13. Press the upper edge of the pad against the
fastener strip.
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