1998 BUICK REGAL Owners Manual

Removing the Child from the Built-in
Child Restraint
2. Unlatch the harness by pushing the button on
the buckle.
1. Unfasten the shoulder harness clip. 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
Every time infants and young children ride in
vehicles, they should have protection provided by
appropriate restraints.
What are the different types of add-on
child restraints?
A: Add-on child restraints are available in four basic
types. When selecting a child restraint, take into consideration not only the child’s weight and size,
but
also whether or not the restraint will be
compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will
be used.
An infant car bed
(A) is a special bed made for use
in a motor vehicle. It’s an infant restraint system
designed to restrain or position a child on
a
continuous flat surface. With an infant car bed,
make sure that the infant’s head rests toward the
center of the vehicle.
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A rear-facing infant restraint (B) positions an infant
to face the rear of the vehicle. Rear-facing infant
restraints
are designed for infants of up to about
20 lbs. (9 kg) and about one year of age. This type
of restraint faces the rear so that the infant’s head,
neck and body can have the support they need in a
crash. Some infant seats come in two
parts -- the
base stays secured in the vehicle and the seat part
is removable.
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A forward-facing child restraint (C-E) positions a
child upright to face forward in the vehicle. These
forward-facing restraints are designed to help
protect children who are from
20 to 40 lbs.
(9 to 18 kg) and about 26 to 40 inches
(66
to 102 cm) in height, or up to around four years
of age. One type, a convertible restraint, is
designed
to be used either as a rear-facing infant
seat or a forward-facing child seat.
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A booster seat (F, G) is designed for children who
are about
40 to 60 lbs. (I 8 to 27 kg) and about four
to eight years of age. It’s designed to improve the
fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system. Booster seats
with shields use lap-only belts; however, booster
seats without shields use lap-shoulder belts.
Booster seats can
also help a child to see out
the window.
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When choosing a child restraint, 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. Both the owner’s
manual and the child restraint instructions are important,
so if either one of these is not available, obtain a
replacement copy from the manufacturer.
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 recommend that
you put your
child restraint in the rear seat. Never put 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, even though your vehicle has
reduced-force frontal air bags. This is because
the back of the 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 secure a forward-facing child restraint
in the right front seat, but before you do, always
move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. It’s better to secure the child restraint in
a rear seat.
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.
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Top Strap
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored. If you need to have an anchor installed, you
can ask your Buick dealer to put it in for you.
If you
want
to install an anchor yourself, your dealer can tell
you how to do
it.
Canadian law requires that child restraints have a top
strap, and that the strap be anchored. If
your child restraint has a top strap, your dealer can
obtain a kit with anchor hardware and installation
instructions specifically designed for this vehicle. The
dealer can then install the anchor
for you. In Canada,
this work will be done for you free of charge. Or, you
may install the anchor yourself using the instructions
provided in the
kit.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
U
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part
about the top strap if the child restraint has one. Be sure
to follow the instructions that came with the child
restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and
as the instructions say.
1. Put the restraint on the seat.
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