1997 PONTIAC PONTIAC Owners Manual

9. On both sides of the harness, pull up on the lap part a
little to be sure it’s locked.
If the harness isn’t locked, or if it becomes too tight,
unfasten the harness clip. Then unlatch the harness
by pushing the button
on the buckle, and let both
sides of the harness go all the way back
so they will
move freely again. Then, repeat Steps
4 through 8.
If the harness still doesn’t lock, don’t use the child
restraint. See your dealer to have the built-in child
restraint serviced. 10.
Adjust the position
of the harness on the child’s
shoulders by moving the clip up
or down along the
harness. On each side of the harness, the shoulder
part should be centered on the child’s shoulder. The
harness should be away from
the child’s face and
neck, but not falling
off the child’s shoulders.
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Removing the Child from the Built-in
Child Restraint
1. Unfasten the shoulder harness clip.
2. Unlatch the harness by pushing the button on the
buckle.
3. Move one side of the harness off the child’s
shoulder, and let the harness
go all the way back.
4. Move the other side of the harness off the child’s
shoulder, and let it
go all the way back.
5. Remove the child from the child restraint cushion.
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Storing the Built-in Child Restraint
Always properly store the built-in child restraint before
using the vehicle’s lap belt in the center rear seat position.
1. Buckle
the harness and fasten the harness clip.
2. Fold the child restraint cushion and leg rest up
into the seatback.
3. Press the child restraint cushion firmly into
the seatback.
4. Then press the leg rest firmly into the seatback, and
secure it by pressing the upper corners against the
fastener strips
on the seatback.
Just like the other restraint systems in your vehicle, your
built-in child restraint needs
to be periodically checked
and may need
to have parts replaced after a crash. See
“Checking Your Restraint Systems” and “Replacing Seat
and Restraint System Parts After a Crash” in the Index.
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Child Restraints
Be sure the child restraint is designeld 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 dol that.
Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front
seat. We at
General Motors therefore recommen'd that
you put your
child restraint in the rear seat.
Never gut a rear-facing
child restraint in the front passenger seat. Here's
why:
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 the 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 the rear seat.
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A child in a child restraint in the center front seat
can be badly injured by the right front passenger
air bag
if it inflates. Never secure a child restraint
in the center front seat.
It’s always better to
secure a child restraint in the rear seat. You may,
however, secure a forward-facing child restraint
in the right front passenger seat, but only
with
th’e seat moved all the way back.
Wherever you install it, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
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.
Top Strap
I
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored. If you need to have an anchor installed, you
can ask your Pontiac dealer to put it in for you.
If you
want to install an anchor yourself, your dealer can tell
you how to
do it.
For cars first sold in Canada, child restraints with a top
strap must be anchored according to Canadian law.
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Your dealer can obtain the hardware kit and install it for
you, or
you may install it yourself using the instructions
provi’ded in
the kit.
Use the tether hardware kit available from the dealer.
The hardware and installation instructions were
specifically designed
for this vehicle.
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
2. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
for the child restraint.
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.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or
neck, put it behind
the child restraint.
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.
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5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
6. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor while you push down
on the
child restraint.
7. 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 the Center
Rear Seat Position
You'll be using the 1aD belt.
-
A CN JTION:
See the earlier part about the top strap if the child
restraint
has one.
~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~
A child in a child restraint in the center front seat
can
be badly injured by the right front passenger
air bag
if it inflates. Never secure a child restraint
in the center front seat. It's always better to
secure a
child restraint in the rear seat. You may,
however,
secure a forward-facing child restraint
in the right front passenger
seat, but only with
the seat moved all the way back.
1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate
and pulling it along the belt.
2. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions
for the child restraint.
3. Secure the child in the child restraint as the
instructions say.
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