1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer side of
the seat. Release the lever to
lock the seatback where
you want it. Push on
the seat to make sure it’s locked
into position. Pull
up on the lever, and the seat will go
to its original upright position. But don’t have
a seatback reclined
if your vehicle is moving
A CAUTION:
I-
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even
if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it
will be in
front of you. In
a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do
its job either. In a crash the
belt could
go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back
in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.
’
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top
of your ears. This position
reduces the chance
of a neck injury in a crash.
Pull up to raise the restraint. To lower it, push the
release button and push down.
Make sure the head restraint is locked in place after
you adjust it.
---ts
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If a head restraint is not installed on the seatback
or stored in the vehicle properly, it could be
thrown about the vehicle in
a crash or sudden
maneuver. People in the vehicle could be injured.
Remove the head restraints only when you need
to fold the seat, and be sure that the head
restraints are stored securely in the trunk. When
the seat
is returned to the passenger position, be
sure the head restraints are installed properly.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear Head Restraint Removal
To remove the rear head restraints:
1. Press the release button located under the left side
of the head restraint.
2. Lift the head restraint upward.
3. Secure the head restraints in the trunk using the
tie-down straps located
on each side of the
trunk floor.
To reinstall the rear head restraints:
1. Remove the head restraints from the trunk.
2. Press and hold the release button on the seat back
while inserting the head restraint.
3. Push the head restraint down. After releasing
the button, pull on the head restraint to make sure
it is secure.
Rear Folding Seatback (If Equipped)
You can fold either side of the seatback down in your
vehicle for more cargo space. On vehicles with
a built-in
child restraint system, only the driver’s side rear
passenger seatback can be folded down. Make sure the
front seat isn’t reclined. If it is, the rear seatback won’t
fold down all the way.
A safety belt that is twisted or not properly
attached won’t provide the protection needed
in a crash.
A person wearing a twisted or not
properly attached belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check to
be sure that the safety belt is not twisted and is
properly attached.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To fold either seatback down:
1. Remove the head restraints. See “Rear Head
Restraint Removal” earlier in this section.
2. Remove the rear center lap-shoulder belt latch by
using a key to press the release button.
3. Pull the release on the
driver’s side in the
trunk. (Repeat the
procedure for the other
side if
you do not have a
built-in child restraint.)
4. Fold the seatback down.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To raise the seatback:
1. Pull the seatback up and push it back to lock it into
place. Make sure the safety belts are not twisted or
caught in the seatback.
2. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is
locked into position.
3. Reconnect the center seat belt.
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly.
It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
/1 CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly.
If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and
check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine c-
It is extremely ( lgerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside
or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these
areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed.
Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that
is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle
is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that
comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash,
you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between.
In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt or killed.
After more
than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
I
I I
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat
on wheels. Put
someone on it.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop. The
person keeps going until stopped by something.
In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
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