1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Owners Manual

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.
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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
5. Rotate the head restraint forward and push it all the
Just like the other restraint systems in your vehicle, paur
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.
way
down. be
used.
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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. (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.
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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 a 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
or killed 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
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.
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. A child restraint with a top strap should only
be used in the second row. Anchor brackets for the
second row outside positions
are located just above the
place where the third row lap-shoulder belts meet
the floor. There's
a vinyl sleeve there; to get to the bracket, push
this vinyl sleeve aside slightly. You may need to remove
the staple in the sleeve to
do this. Anchor the top strap to
the bracket. If you need to have an anchor bracket
installed for the center bucket seat in the second row, or
for the right-hand side of a
60/40 bench seat, you can
ask
your Oldsmobile retailer to put it in for you. If you
want to install an anchor bracket yourself, your retailer
can tell you how to
do it.
Once you have the top strap anchored, you'll be ready to
secure the child restraint itself.
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