2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA Owners Manual

1-45
Q:How do child restraints work?
A:A child restraint system is any device designed for
use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position
children. A built
-in child restraint system is a
permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add
-on
child restraint system is a portable one, which is
purchased by the vehicle's owner.
For many years, add
-on child restraints have
used the adult belt system in the vehicle. To help
reduce the chance of injury, the child also has to
be secured within the restraint. The vehicle's belt
system secures the add
-on child restraint in the
vehicle, and the add
-on child restraint's harness
system holds the child in place within the restraint.
One system, the three
-point harness, has straps
that come down over each of the infant's shoulders
and buckle together at the crotch. The five
-point
harness system has two shoulder straps, two hip
straps and a crotch strap. A shield may take the
place of hip straps. A T
-shaped shield has shoulder
straps that are attached to a flat pad which rests low
against the child's body. A shelf
- or armrest-type
shield has straps that are attached to a wide,
shelf
-like shield that swings up or to the side.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.
When securing an add
-on child restraint, refer to the
instructions that come with the restraint which may be
on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this
manual. The child restraint instructions are important,
so if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy
from the manufacturer.

1-46 Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
General Motors, therefore, recommends that child
restraints be secured in the rear seat including an infant
riding in a rear
-facing infant seat, a child riding in a
forward
-facing child seat and an older child riding in a
booster seat. Never put a rear
-facing child restraint in
the front passenger 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 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.
CAUTION:
A child in a child restraint in the center front seat
can be badly injured or killed by the right front
passenger air bag if it inflates. Never secure a
child restraint in the center front seat. It's always
better to secure a child restraint in the rear seat.
You may secure a forward
-facing child restraint
in the right front passenger 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.

1-47 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.
Your vehicle has top strap anchors already installed for
the rear seating positions. You'll find them behind the
rear seat on the filler panel.

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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.
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.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position
CAUTION:
A child in a child restraint in the center front seat
can be badly injured or killed by the right front
passenger air bag if it inflates. Never secure a
child restraint in the center front seat. It's always
better to secure a child restraint in the rear seat.
You may secure a forward
-facing child restraint
in the right front passenger 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 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. 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.

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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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4. Some vehicles have a child restraint locking feature
on the shoulder belt retractor. You can tell if your
vehicle has this feature by pulling the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor. Then, let the belt go
back a few inches, and try to pull the belt out again.
If you can't pull the belt out because it has locked,
it means the retractor has the child restraint locking
feature. If the belt doesn't lock and you can pull the
belt out of the retractor again, it means your vehicle
doesn't have the child restraint locking feature on the
shoulder belt retractor.
If your vehicle has the child restraint locking
feature on the shoulder belt retractor, pull the rest
of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor
to set the lock.
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.

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If your vehicle doesn't have the child restraint
locking feature on the shoulder belt retractor,
tighten the belt by pulling 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.
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag. 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. 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 ªSeatsº in the Index.

1-52
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.
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.