2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE Owners Manual

If your vehicle has this option in a bucket seat, each
bucket seat that has the built-in child restraint ®ts in only
one location in your vehicle. To ®nd out where a
bucket seat that has a built-in child restraint must be
located in your vehicle see
Rear Seat Operation
on page 1-7. If your vehicle has this option in a 60/40
bench seat, this bench seat will only ®t in the second
row of your vehicle. In both types of seats, the built-in
child restraint works the same way.
This child restraint system conforms to all applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Each child restraint is designed for use only by children
who weigh between 22 and 40 pounds (10 and 18 kg)
and whose height is between 33.5 and 40 inches
(850 and 1 016 mm) and who are capable of sitting
upright alone.
The child should also be at least one year old. It is
important to use a rear-facing infant restraint until the
child is about a year old. A rear-facing restraint gives the
infant's head, neck and body the support they would
need in a crash. See
Older Children on page 1-55orInfants and Young Children on page 1-58.
Q:What if the top of my child's shoulders is above
the shoulder belt slots for the ®ve-point child
restraint harness system?
A:A child whose shoulders are above the shoulder
belt slots for the ®ve point child restraint harness
system shouldn't use this child restraint. Instead,
the child should sit on the vehicle's regular
seat cushion and use the vehicle's adult
safety belts.
{CAUTION:
BEFORE YOU USE THIS CHILD RESTRAINT,
BE SURE THE TOP OF THE CHILD'S
SHOULDERS IS BELOW THE SLOTS THAT
THE HARNESS GOES THROUGH. A CHILD
WHOSE SHOULDERS ARE ABOVE THOSE
SLOTS COULD BE INJURED DURING A
SUDDEN STOP OR CRASH. IF THE TOP OF
THE CHILD'S SHOULDERS IS ABOVE THE
SLOTS, DON'T USE THIS CHILD RESTRAINT
WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
1-83

Securing a Child in the Built-In Child
Restraint
1. Raise the head restraint until the lower edge of the
head restraint is even with the top of the seatback.2. Rotate the head restraint rearward until it touches
the top of the seatback. Make sure there is no gap
between the lower edge of the head restraint
and the top of the seatback.
1-84

3. Lower the child restraint cushion.You'll be using the child restraint's harness (A)
to secure your child. Don't use the vehicle's
safety belts.
1-85

{CAUTION:
Using the vehicle's regular safety belts on a
child seated on the child restraint cushion can
cause serious injury to the child in a sudden
stop or crash. If a child is the proper size for
the built-in child restraint, secure the child
using the child restraint's harness. But
children who are too large for the built-in child
restraint should sit on the vehicle's regular
seat and use the vehicle's adult safety belts.
Warning:Failure to follow the manufacturer's
instructions on the use of this child restraint system can
result in your child striking the vehicle's interior during
a sudden stop or crash. Snugly adjust the belts provided
with this child restraint around your child.4. Before placing the child in the child restraint, add
slack to the shoulder harness. Pull the black
shoulder harness release strap ®rmly. At the same
time pull both shoulder harness straps through
the slots in the seatback as shown.
5. Place the child on the child restraint cushion.
1-86

6. Select only one side of the harness. Place the
harness over the child's shoulder.
7. Push the latch plate (B) into the buckle until it
clicks.
Be sure the buckle is free of any foreign objects
that may prevent you from securing the latch plates.
If you can't secure a latch plate, see your dealer
for service before using the child restraint.8. Place the other side of the harness over the child's
shoulder.
9. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
10. Pull up on the latch plates to make sure they are
secure.
1-87

11. Now fasten the left and right halves of the shoulder
harness clip together. The purpose of this clip is to
help keep the harness positioned on the child's
shoulders.
{CAUTION:
An unfastened shoulder harness clip won't
help keep the harness in place on the child's
shoulders. If the harness isn't on the child's
shoulders, it won't be able to restrain the
child's upper body in a sudden stop or crash.
The child could be seriously injured. Make
sure the harness clip is properly fastened.
1-88

12. Pull the shoulder harness adjustment strap (C)
®rmly until the harness is snugly adjusted around
the child. You should not be able to put more than
two ®ngers between the harness and the child's
chest. Make sure the harness and buckle strap are
not twisted.13. Adjust the position of the harness on the child's
shoulder by moving the clip along the harness
until it is level with the child's armpits. On each side
of the harness, the shoulder part should be
centered on the child's shoulder. The harness
should be away from the child's face and neck, but
not falling from the child's shoulders.
If you expect that the child will sleep while riding,
you can recline the seatback. See
Split Bench Seats
on page 1-8,Bucket Seats on page 1-15.
1-89

Removing the Child from the Built-In
Child Restraint
1. Unfasten the shoulder harness clip.2. Unlatch the harness by pushing the button on the
buckle.
3. Move one side of the harness off the child's
shoulder.
4. Move the other side of the harness off the child's
shoulder.
5. Remove the child from the child restraint cushion.
1-90