1998 GMC SIERRA belt

5. Pull the rest of the lap belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock. 6. To tighten the belt, feed the lap belt back into the
retractor while you push down on the child restraint.
If you’re using a forward-facing child restraint, you
may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on
the child restraint as
you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
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~ ~~ ~~~~ ~ ~
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~ ~. ,
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.
If your vehicle has air bags, turn on the right front
passenger’s air bag when you remove the rear-facing
child restraint.
To turn the air bag on again, insert your ignition key into the
switch, push in, and move the switch to the
ON position.
If the right front passenger’s air bag is turned
off, the person sitting there won’t have the extra
protection of an
air bag. In a crash, the air bag
wouldn’t be able to inflate and help protect the
person sitting there. Make sure the air bag is
turned on unless you are using
a rear-facing child
restraint in the right front seat position.
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Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child restraints should wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
If you have the choice, a child should sit next to a
window so the child can wear a lap-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint
a shoulder belt can provide. 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.
Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other
people who are.
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Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt 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.
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 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 a seat that has a lap belt,
if your vehicle has one.
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A CAUTION:
Never do this.
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. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If
you see
anything that might keep
a safety belt 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.
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.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts?
After
a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during
a more severe crash, then you need new belts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need
to have safety belt
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs
may be necessary even
if the belt wasn’t being used at
the time
of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part
on the air bag system earlier in
this section.
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Door Locks
A CAUTION:
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.
There are several cc.ays to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside. use your key or the Keyless Entry
System.
if your \:ellick has this option.
To lock the door from the
inside, slide
the lever on
your door down.
To unlock the door. slide the lever up.
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Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something
is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others
from injury.
Warning lights come on when there
miiy be or is a
problem with
one of your vehicle’s functions. As you
will see
in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working.
If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is
a problem
with one
of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle. When
one
of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one
of the gages shows
there
may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to
do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous. So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re
a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone will
come
on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about 20 seconds, then it
will flash for about 55
seconds. If the driver’s belt
is already buckled, neither
the tone nor the light will
come on.
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