1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX seats

The 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains \
the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate \
your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road\
and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubrica\
nts to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Pontiac for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8-10.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
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v Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Pontiac and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
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Seats and Controls
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
Here
Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts--and the Answers
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Right Front Passenger Position
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Rear Seat Passengers
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1-33 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Children
Built-in Child Restraint (Option)
Child Restraints
Larger Children Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your
Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System
Parts
After a Crash

Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you how to adjust the seats and
explains
reclining seatbacks and head restraints.
2-Way Manu4 Drive-Tassenger Seat
I A CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want
to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving. Lift the lever under the front of the seat up, using a
twisting motion. This will unlock the seat. Slide the seat to
where
you want it and release the lever. Try to move the
seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place.
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Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you
some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS), or air bag system.
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can
be seriously
injured
or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if
you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.
A CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In
a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or
killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any
area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone
in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
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Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.
3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock
if you pull the belt across
you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back
slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you
more slowly.
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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 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. 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:
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A child in a rearfacing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s
air bag inflates, even though your
vehicle has reducedlforce frontal air bags. This is
because the back
of the 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.
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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