1998 Oldsmobile Aurora Owner's Manuals

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.

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. (1 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 CAUTION:
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
the 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.

Top Strap If your child restraint has a top strap, your retailer can
obtain
a kit with anchor hardware and installation
instructions specifically designed for this vehicle. The
retailer 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
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored.
If you need to have an anchor installed, you
can
ask your Aurora retailer to put it in for you. If you
want to install
an anchor yourself, your retailer can tell
you how
to do it.
Canadian law requires that child restraints have a top
strap, and that the strap be anchored. 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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2. 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.
3. Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed.
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. To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt 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.
6. 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.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Rear Seat Position
You'll be using the lap belt. 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.
See the earlier
part about the top strap if the child
restraint has one.
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