2001 CADILLAC SEVILLE Owners Manual

1-45 Top Strap
Some child restraints have a top strap, or ªtop tether.º
It can help restrain the child restraint during a collision.
For it to work, a top strap must be properly anchored
to the vehicle.
If the child restraint does not have a top strap, one
can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints.
Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a
kit is available.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing
child restraints have a top strap, and that the strap be
anchored. In the United States, some child restraints also
have a top strap. If your child restraint has a top strap,
it should be anchored.

1-46
Your vehicle has top strap anchors already installed
for the rear seating positions. You'll find the two rear
outboard anchors behind the rear seat on the filler panel.
In order to get to one of these brackets, you'll have to
open the trim cover. When using a top strap
-equipped
child restraint in a rear outboard position, be sure to
route the top strap under the head restraint.
The top strap anchor for the center rear seating position
is located at the top of the seat. In order to get to this
bracket, you'll have to unzip the seat cover.
Anchor the top strap to one of these anchor points.
Be sure to use an anchor point located on the same
side of the vehicle as the seating position where the
child restraint will be placed. Raise the head restraint
and route the top strap under it.
Once you have the top strap anchored, you'll be
ready to secure the child restraint itself. Tighten the
top strap when and as the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions say.

1-47 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
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 as the instructions say.
1. Put the restraint on the seat.
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.

1-48
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.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.
5. 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.

1-49 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag. Unless
your vehicle has the Automatic Occupant Sensor (AOS)
system, never put a rear
-facing child restraint in this
seat. Here's why:
CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger's air bag inflates. 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 the rear seat.
Although a rear seat is a safer place, you can secure a
forward
-facing child restraint in the right front 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. Your vehicle has a right front passenger's air bag.
If your vehicle has the Automatic Occupant Sensor
(AOS) system and you're using a rear
-facing child
restraint in this seat, make sure the air bag is turned
off by looking at the status indicator in the rearview
mirror before you drive. See ªAutomatic Occupant
Sensor (AOS) Systemº in the Index for more on
this, including important safety information. If your
vehicle doesn't have the AOS system and you're
using a forward
-facing child restraint, always move
the seat as far back as it will go before securing it in
this seat. See ªSeatsº in the Index.
2. Put the restraint on the seat.

1-50
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.
5. Pull the rest of the lap belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock.

1-51
6. To tighten the belt, feed the lap belt back into the
retractor 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.7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
8. If your vehicle has the Automatic Occupant Sensor
(AOS) system, before you begin to drive, check to
be sure the right front passenger's frontal and side
impact air bags are off if you're using a rear
-facing
infant restraint. If the air bags are off, the word OFF
will appear in the rearview mirror.
If the word ON appears in the rearview mirror, the
frontal and side impact air bags have not been turned
off. If this ever happens, unbuckle the safety belt and
perform the steps to install the rear
-facing restraint
again. If the air bags still don't turn off, install the
infant restraint in a rear seat position and have your
vehicle serviced as soon as possible.

1-52
CAUTION:
If the ON light comes on when you have a child
restraint installed in the right front passenger
seat, it means that the AOS system has not
turned off the right front passenger's frontal
and side impact air bags. If this ever happens
and you're using a rear
-facing infant restraint,
perform the steps to install the restraint again.
See ªSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Positionº in the Index. If the air bags
still don't turn off, install the infant restraint in a
rear seat position and have your vehicle serviced
as soon as possible. Don't use a rear
-facing infant
restraint in the right front passenger's seat unless
the air bags have been turned off.
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.
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle's safety belts.