2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU child seat

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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.
Anchor the top strap to one of the following 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.
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.

1-44 Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
Your vehicle has the LATCH system. You'll find
anchors (A) in the rear outside seating positions.
To assist you in locating the lower anchors for this child
restraint system, each seating position with the LATCH
system will have a label sewn to the seatback at each
anchor position.
The labels are located
near the base of the
two rear outside
seating positions.
In order to use the system, you need either a
forward
-facing child restraint that has attaching
points (B) at its base and a top tether anchor (C), or a
rear
-facing child restraint that has attaching points (B),
as shown here.

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With this system, use the LATCH system instead of the
vehicle's safety belts to secure a child restraint.
CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint isn't attached to
its anchorage points, the restraint won't be able
to protect a child sitting there. In a crash, the
child could be seriously injured or killed. Make
sure that a LATCH
-type child restraint is
properly installed using the anchorage points,
or use the vehicle's safety belts to secure the
restraint. See ªSecuring a Child Restraint in a
Rear Outside Seat Positionº in the Index for
information on how to secure a child restraint in
your vehicle using the vehicle's safety belts.

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Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System
1. Find the anchors for the seating position you want to
use, where the bottom of the seatback meets the back
of the seat cushion.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Attach the anchor points on the child restraint to the
anchors in the vehicle. The child restraint
instructions will show you how.
4. If the child restraint is forward
-facing, attach the top
strap to the top strap anchor. See ªTop Strapº in the
Index. Tighten the top strap according to the child
restraint instructions.
5. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, simply unhook the top
strap from the top tether anchor and then disconnect
the anchor points.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, see ªLower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH)º in the Index.
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.

1-49 Securing a Child Restraint in the Center
Rear Seat Position
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.
1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling it along the belt.
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
3. Run the vehicle's safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.

1-51 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.
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.

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Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle's safety belts.
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.
Q:What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A:If possible, an older child should wear a
lap
-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a
shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt should
not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should fit
snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the
thighs. It should never be worn over the abdomen,
which could cause severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear seat.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can
strike other people who are buckled up, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to
use safety belts properly.

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CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt can't properly spread the impact forces. In a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured. A belt must be used by
only one person at a time.
Q:What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child's face or neck?
A:Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but
be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child's
shoulder, so that in a crash the child's upper body
would have the restraint that belts provide. If the
child is sitting in a rear seat outside position, see
ªRear Safety Belt Comfort Guidesº in the Index.
If the child is so small that the shoulder belt is still
very close to the child's face or neck, you might
want to place the child in the center seat position,
the one that has only a lap belt.