1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC belt

Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear seat. But they need to use the
safety belts properly.
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
b’elt 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.
Q.” 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 sitting in a rear seat outside position, see
“Rear Safety Belt
Comfort Guides” in the Index. If
the child is sitting in a rear outside position of a
four-door model, see “Rear Safety Belt
Comfort
Guides” in the Index. 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 the center
seat position, the one that has only
a lap belt.
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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.
If your vehicle has a
built-in child restraint, also periodically make sure the
harness straps, latch plates, buckle, clip, retractors and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt and built-in child restraint
system parts. If you see anything that might keep a
safety belt or built-in child restraint 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.
If your vehicle has the built-in child restraint, torn or
frayed harness straps can rip apart under impact forces
just like torn or frayed safety belts can. They may not
protect a child in a crash.
If a harness strap is torn or
frayed, get a new harness 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.)
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Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new safety belts or
built-in child restraint parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the safety belts
or built-in child restraint harness
straps were stretched,
as they would be if worn during a
more severe crash, then you need new safety belts or
harness
straps.
If safety belts or built-in child restraint harness straps
are cut
or darnaged, replace them. Collision damage also
may mean you will need to have safety belt, built-in
child restraint or seat parts repaired or replaced. New
parts and repairs may be necessary even if the safety belt
or built-in child restraint wasn’t beine used at the time
of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace ais bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in this section.
ProCarManuals.com

Door Locks Front Door
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall
out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open
it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not
be so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown
out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belt:
properly, lock your
doors, and you will be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
To unlock either front door from outside the vehicle
with your key, insert it fully into the door key cylinder
and turn it toward the front.
You can lock either front door from outside the vehicle
with your key by inserting it fully into the rear door key
cylinder and turning it toward the rear.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
To unlock either front door from inside the vehicle,
rotate the lock
lever back.
To lock either front door from inside the vehicle, slide
the
lock lever forward.
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Last Door Closed Locking
The Last Door Closed Locking makes it more
convenient €or you to use your power door lo’cks to lock
all doors when leaving your vehicle. When any door
is
open, the first time you attempt to lock the doors using
the power
door lock switch or key chain transmitter will
result in three chimes to signal that Last
Door Closed
Locking is being used. All doors can be opened for any
reason for five seconds from the time the last door has
been closed. Five seconds after the last door is closed,
all doors will lock. You can lock the doors immediately
by using the power door lock switch or the key chain
transmitter
to lock again.
The Last Door Closed
Locking feature will not
occur and d’oors will not
be locked as a result of this
feature when
the ignition switch is in the RUN or
ACCESSORY position. The Last Door Closed Locking
feature
is not enabled from the factory.
Automatic Door Locks
I
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers -- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When
a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open
it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This
may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash
if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will
be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
To turn the Last Door Closed Locking feature on or off,
see “Locks and Lighting Choices” in the Index. All of the
doors will lock automatically when you move
your shift lever
out of PARK (P). All doors will. unl’ock
automatically when the ignition
is turned off while the
shift lever
is in PARK (P). If you prefer to have your
doors unlocked automatically at any time, see “Locks
and Lighting Choices” in the Index.
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Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps come on. These
lamps are courtesy lamps. They make
it easy for you to
enter and leave your vehicle at night. You can also turn
these lamps
on by turning the interior lamps dial all the
way to the right.
Illuminated Entry
The Illuminated Entry feature will illuminate the interior
so that you can see the inside of your vehicle before you
enter at night. The interior lamps will come on for
40
seconds when you unlock your doors using the key
chain transmitter (if equipped) and the ignition is in the
LOCK or
OFF position. After 40 seconds have elapsed,
the interior lamps will slowly fade out. The lamps will
fade out before
40 seconds have elapsed if you:
Lock all doors using your key chain transmitter.
Lock the doors using the power door lock switch.
When any door is opened, illuminated entry is canceled.
The interior lamps will stay on while any door is opened
and slowly fade out when all doors are closed. The
interior lamps may stay on for up to
25 seconds after
all
doors have been closed if they have not been locked.
See “Delayed Illumination” later in this section.
Delayed Illumination
The Delayed Illumination feature will continue to
illuminate the interior for
25 seconds after all the doors
have been closed so that you can find the ignition and
buckle your seat belt at night. Delayed Illumination will
not occur while the ignition is in RUN or ACCESSORY
position. After
25 seconds have elapsed, the interior
lamps will slowly fade out. The lamps will fade out
before the
25 seconds have elapsed if you:
0 Turn the ignition to the RUN or
Lock all doors using your key chain transmitter
Lock the doors using the power door lock switch.
To turn Delayed Illumination feature off or on. See
“Locks and Lighting Choices” in the Index.
ACCESSORY
position.
(if equipped).
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To change the factory setting while in the programming
mode do the following:
1. Tun the interior lamps dial all the way to the right
and then back slightly
to the left.
2. Count the number of chimes you hear. The number
of chimes tells you which mode your vlehide is set
for. You change the mode by turning the interior
lamps dial all
the way to the right and then back
slightly
to the left.
3. Repeat step 2 until you hear the number of chimes
Mode 1: Both Off (The interior lamps will turn on OF off
at the same instant that a door is opened or closed).
Mode 2: Delayed Illumination Only (The interior lamps
will
stay on for about 25 seconds after all the doors are
closed, or until you lock the doors).
that matches the mode you want.
Mode 3: Exit Lighting Only (The interim lamps will
come on whenever you remwe
the key from the ignition
and stay on for about 25 seconds, or until you lock
the doors).
Mode 4: Both On (This combines modes 2 and 3).
Automatic Door Locks
A CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers-especially children-can easily fall
out. When
a door is locked, the inside handle
won’t open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may
not be so obvious: You increase the
chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash
if the doors aren’t locked, Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
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