2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO 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.
6.
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.
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.
1-56

Securing a Child Restraint in a
Center Seat Position
Bench Seat
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 Top Strap on page 1-48 if the child restraint has one.
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
on page 1-52.
1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
plate
and pulling it along the belt.
1-57

3. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how. 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.
directions
to be sure it is secure.
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.
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.
1-58

Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right
Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a front passenger air bag. Never put
a rear facing child restr;
’ t in this seat. Here’s why:
.
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, see
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH
System) on page 1-52.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed
if the 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.
If your vehicle is a passenger van, always
secure a rear-facing child restraint
in a rear
seat. If your vehicle
is a cargo van, do not use
a rear-facing child restraint in
this vehicle.
If a forward-facing child restraint
is suitable
for your child, always move the passenger seat
as far back as
it will go.
L
Although a rear seat is a safer place, you can secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat.
1-59

You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See Top Strap on
page 1-48, 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 safely 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.
1-60

All bags ,,,,late with ,;eat force, faster rllan
the blink of
an eye. If you’re too close to an
inflating air bag, as you would be if you were
leaning forward,
it could seriously injure you.
Safety belts help keep you
in position before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with air bags. The driver should sit
as far back as possible while
still maintaining
control of the vehicle. Anl,,le
who is up against, or very close
.a,
any air bag when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed.
Air bags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither the
vehicle’s safety belt system nor its air bag
system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle. To read how,
see the parts of this manual called “Older
Children” and “Infants and Young Children.”
1-63

The Certificationnire label also tells you the maximum Notice: Your warranty does not cover parts or
weights for the front and rear axles, called Gross components that fail because of overloading.
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
To find out the actual loads
on your front and rear axles, you need to go to a
If you put things inside of your vehicle - like suitcases,
weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can tools, packages, or anything else
- they will go as
help you with this. Be sure to spread out your load fast as the vehicle goes.
If you have to stop or turn
equally on both sides of the centerline. ciiickly qr if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the GAWR
for either the front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it out.
-3 not load your e any heavier Ian _..e
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, and
it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose
control and crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
Using heavier suspension components to get added
durability might not change your weight ratings. Ask your
dealer to help you load your vehicle the right way. Things you put inside your vehicle can
srlI6e
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down unless
you need
to.
4-30

Checking Brake Fluid .................................. 5-43
Checking Coolant ............................................ 5-29
Checking Engine Oil ........................................ 5-15
Checking Things Under the Hood ...................... 5-1 1
Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................... 1-71
Chemical Paint Spotting ................................... 5-89
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems
............................... 1-44
Infants and Young Children ........................... 1-38
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
.......................... 1-52
Older Children ............................................. 1-35
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
................................ 1-54
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Seat Position
....................................... 1-57
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
............................... 1-54
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position
................................... 1-59
Top Strap ................................................... 1-48
Top Strap Anchor Location ............................ 1-50
Where to Put the Restraint ........................... 1-47
Cigarette Lighter ............................................. 3-1 7
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle
.................................. 5-83
Outside of Your Vehicle ................................ 5-86
Underbody Maintenance ............................... 5-89
Weatherstrips .............................................. 5-86
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses ....................... 5-86
Climate Control System ................................... 3-18
Rear .......................................................... 3-21
Rear Heating System ................................... 3-19
Compact Disc Messages .................................. 3-45
Compact Spare Tire ........................................ 5-82
Composite Headlamps ..................................... 5-56
Control of a Vehicle .......................................... 4-6
Convenience Net ............................................ 2-45
Coolant
Engine Temperature Gage
............................ 3-30
Heater, Engine ............................................ 2-22
Cooling System .............................................. 5-33
Cruise Control ................................................ 3-10
Current and Past Model Order Forms ................ 7-12
Customer Assistance Information
Customer Assistance for Text
Customer Assistance
Off ices ........................... 7-4
Customer Satisfaction Procedure ..................... 7-2
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities
................................................ 7-5
Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors ....... 7-11
Reporting Safety Defects to the
Canadian Government
.............................. 7-11
Reporting Safety Defects to the United States Government
......................... 7-10
Roadside Assistance Program ......................... 7-6
Service Publications Ordering Information ........ 7-11
Rear Air Conditioning System ........................ 3-20
Courtesy Transportation ......... ...... 7-8
Telephone (TTY) Users ............................... 7-4
3