2003 PONTIAC VIBE Owners Manual

1-3 Driver's Seat Height Adjuster
Turn the knob located on
the outboard side of the
driver's seat cushion to
adjust the height of the
driver's seat. It is easier to
use the adjuster when the
seat is unoccupied. Make
sure the ignition is off and
the vehicle is in PARK (P)
before adjusting the seat.
Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever located on the
outboard side of the seat. Release the lever to lock the
seatback where you want it. Push on the seat to make
sure it's locked into position. Pull up on the lever
without pushing on the seatback, and the seat will go to
its original upright position.

1-4
But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can't do their job when
you're reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can't do its job because it
won't be against your body. Instead, it will be in
front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can't do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.

1-5 Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces
the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Press the release button near the base of the restraint to
lower and raise the restraint to a comfortable position.

1-6 Rear Seats
Rear Folding Seatback
You can fold either side of the seatback down for more
cargo space. The rear right side seatback can also be
used as a temporary table when the vehicle is stopped.
Make sure the front seatback isn't reclined or in the
rearward most position. If it is, the rear seatback won't
fold down all the way.
CAUTION:
If the seatback isn't locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it
is locked.
CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won't provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person wearing
the belt could be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check to be sure that
the safety belts are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.

1-7
To fold either seatback down, do the following:
1. Pull up on the lock
release knob, located on
the top of the seatbacks.
2. Fold the seatback down. Each seatback can be
folded separately.
To raise the seatback, do the following:
1. Pull the seatback up and push it back to lock it into
place. Make sure the safety belts are not twisted or
caught in the seatback.
2. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is
locked into position.
Front Passenger Folding Seatback
CAUTION:
If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer
objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo is not
near an air bag. In a crash, an inflating air bag
might force that object toward a person. This
could cause severe injury or even death. Secure
objects away from the area in which an air bag
would inflate. For more information, see ªHow
the Air Bag System Worksº and ªLoading Your
Vehicle,º in the Index.
You can also fold the front passenger's seatback down to
allow for more cargo space or as a temporary table when
the vehicle is stopped.

1-8
To fold the seatback down, do the following:
1. Lower the head restraint to the lowest position and
make sure the seatback is at the most upright
position and locked.
2. Pull up on one of the
recliner levers located
on either side of the
back of the passenger's
seatback.
3. Fold the seatback down.
4. Lift the recliner lever to make sure the seatback is
completely flat.
To raise the seatback, do the following:
1. Pull the seatback up and push it back to lock it into
place. Make sure the safety belt is not twisted or
caught in the seatback.
2. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is
locked into position.
3. Use the recliner lever to adjust the seatback to a
comfortable position.

1-9
Safety Belts: They're for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS), or air bag system.
CAUTION:
Don't let anyone ride where he or she can't wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you're not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers' belts
are fastened properly too.
CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. See ªSafety
Belt Reminder Lightº in
the Index.

1-10
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here's why: They work.
You never know if you'll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don't know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn't survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat
on wheels.