Page 49 of 380
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.
1-37
ProCarManuals.com
Page 50 of 380
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.
1-38
ProCarManuals.com
Page 51 of 380
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 Ibs. (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 rea-facing
infant seat or a forward-facing child seat.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 52 of 380
A booster seat (F, Gj is designed for children who
are about 40 to 60 lbs. ( 18 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.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 53 of 380

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 a rear seat outside position.
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. 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 a rear seat outside position.
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 a rear
seat outside position.
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.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 54 of 380
Top Strap
If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be
anchored. Anchor brackets for the rear outside seat
positions are located on the floor
in the cargo area. Don’t use the front set
of tie-down brackets. Anchor the
top strap to the rearmost bracket on the same side of the
vehicle as the child restraint.
Once you have the top strap anchored, you’ll be ready to
secure the child restraint itself.
1-42
ProCarManuals.com
Page 55 of 380
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. Be sure
to follow
the instructions that came with the child
restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and
3. Buckle the belt. Make Sure the release button is
as the instructions say. positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
1. Put the restraint on the seat. safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
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.
If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or
neck, put
it behind the child restraint.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 56 of 380
4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock. 5. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder 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.
1-44
ProCarManuals.com