1998 PONTIAC GRAND AM Owners Manual

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 rearfacing 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 rearfacing
child restraint in the rear seat.
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 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.
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Top Strap If your child restraint has a top strap, your dealer can
obtain a kit with anchor hardware and installation
instructions specifically designed
for this vehicle. The
dealer 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 Pontiac dealer to put it in for you.
If you
want to install
an anchor yourself, your dealer 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.
-
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.
3. 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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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
U
4. 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.
directions
to be sure it is secure.
5. Ish and pull the child restraint in different 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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1.
2.
3.
Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling
it along the belt.
Put the restraint on the seat.
Run the vehicle's safety belt
through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
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.
5. To tighten the belt, pull its free end 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.
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6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt. It
will be ready to work for an adult or larger
child passenger.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
directions to be sure it is secure.
Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag. Never
put a rear-facing child restraint in this seat. Here’s why:
r
A child in a rearfacing child restraint can be
seriously injured
if the right front passenger’s air
bag inflates. This is because the back of a
rearfacing child
restraint would be very close to
the inflating air bag. Always secure a rearfacing
child restraint in the rear seat.
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. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger air
bag, always move the seat as far back as it will go
before securing a forward-facing child restraint. (See
“Seats” in the Index.)
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
3. 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.
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A
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.
6.
To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt while
you push down on
the child restraint. You may find it
helpful to use your knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.
Larger Children
Children who have outgrown child restraints should
wear the vehicle's safety belts.
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 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.
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