A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the ®t of the vehicle's safety belt system. Some
booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner, and
some high-back booster seats have a ®ve-point harness.
A booster seat can also help a child to see out the
window.
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 ®ve-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 ¯at 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.
1-25
{CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light ever comes on
when you have turned off the air bags, it
means that something may be wrong with the
air bag system. The passenger's air bags
could in¯ate even though the switch is off. If
this ever happens, do not let anyone whom the
national government has identi®ed as a
member of a passenger air bag risk group sit
in the passenger's position (for example, do
not secure a rear-facing child restraint in your
vehicle) until you have your vehicle serviced.
See
Air Bag Off Switch on page 1-44.
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, see
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on page 1-27. SeeTop Strap
on page 1-27if the child restraint has one.There are no top strap anchors in this vehicle. Do not
secure a child seat in this vehicle if a national or
local law requires that the top strap be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the restraint say that the
top strap must be anchored.
If your child restraint does not have the latch system,
you will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child
restraint in this position. 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. Your vehicle has passenger's air bags. If you need
to use a rear-facing child restraint in this seat, make
sure the air bags are turned off. See
Air Bag Off
Switch on page 1-44. If your child restraint is
forward-facing, always move the seat as far back
as it will go before securing it in this seat. See
Eight-Way Power Seats on page 1-2.
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.
1-33
When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?
The drivers and passenger's frontal air bags are
designed to in¯ate in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to in¯ate
only if the impact speed is above the system's designed
ªthreshold level.º
In addition, your vehicle has ªdual stageº frontal air
bags, which adjust the amount of restraint according to
crash severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these
air bags in¯ate at a level less than full deployment. For
more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that
does not move or deform, the threshold level for the
reduced deployment is about 12 to 16 mph (19 to
26 km/h), and the threshold level for a full deployment is
about 18 to 24 mph (29 to 38.5 km/h).
The threshold level can vary, however, with speci®c
vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above
or below this range.
If your vehicle strikes something that will move or
deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be
higher. The driver's and passenger's frontal air bags
are not designed to in¯ate in rollovers, rear impacts, or
in many side impacts because in¯ation would not
help the occupant.Vehicles with dual stage air bags are also equipped with
seat position sensors which enable the sensing
system to monitor the position of the driver's and
passenger's seats. The seat position sensor provides
information which is used to determine if the air
bags should deploy at a reduced level or at full
deployment.
The side impact air bags are designed to in¯ate in
moderate to severe side crashes. A side impact air bag
will in¯ate if the crash severity is above the system's
designed ªthreshold level.º The threshold level can vary
with speci®c vehicle design. Side impact air bags are
not designed to in¯ate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts, because in¯ation would not
help the occupant. A side impact air bag will only deploy
on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have in¯ated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, in¯ation is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, in¯ation is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
1-41
Storage Areas
Glove Box
The glove box is located in front of the passenger's seat
on the instrument panel. To lock the glove box door,
insert the key into the lock cylinder and turn it clockwise.
Turn the key counterclockwise to unlock the door.
Cupholder(s)
The cupholders are located under a lid in the front
console to the right of the shift lever. Press the left side
of the lid and it will open automatically.
Center Console Storage Area
There is a center console storage area located between
the seats. To open this storage area, pull up the lid
on the front edge of the console and swing it rearward.
There is also an upright center console storage area
between the seatbacks. To open the storage area, press
and release the button near the top so it extends out.
Then, turn the button in either direction to unlatch the lid
and pull the console lid down. After you close the lid,
press the release button back in.
2-41
Outlet Adjustment
Use the thumbwheel to open or close the outlets.
Operation Tips
·
Clear away any ice, snow or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the windshield that may
block the ¯ow of air into your vehicle.
·Use of non-GM approved hood de¯ectors may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
·Keep the area around the base of the instrument
panel console and air path under the seats clear
of objects to help circulate the air inside of
your vehicle more effectively.
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
The passenger compartment air ®lter removes certain
odor and particles from the air including pollen and dust
particles. Reductions in air¯ow, which may occur
more often in dusty areas, indicate that the ®lter may
need to be replaced early.
The ®lter should be replaced as part of the routine
scheduled maintenance. See
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4for more information.
The passenger compartment air ®lter is located on the
passenger's side of the engine compartment near
the battery. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for more information on location.
To check or replace the air ®lter, do the following:
1. With the hood open, unlatch and remove the access
panel.
2. Pull the old ®lter out of the housing.
3. Insert the new ®lter into the housing. The ®lter
should be fully inserted with the arrows pointing up.
4. Reinstall the air ®lter access panel.
3-38
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it
out. Do not carry more than 100 lbs. (45 kg) in your
rear area.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
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.
Notice:Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not overload your vehicle.
If you put things inside your vehicle ± like suitcases,
tools, packages or anything else ± they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly,
or if there is a crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
·Put things in the rear 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.
·Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
·When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Towing a Trailer
Your XLR is neither designed nor intended to tow a
trailer.
4-37
(A) P-Metric Tire:The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The letter ªPº as the
®rst character in the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to standards set by the U. S.
Tire and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width:The three-digit number indicates the
tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio:A two-digit number that indicates
the tire height-to-width measurements. For example, if
the tire size aspect ratio is ª70,º as shown in item ªCº of
the illustration, it would mean that the tire's sidewall is
70% as high as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The letter
ªRº means radial ply construction; the letter ªDº means
diagonal or bias ply construction; and the letter ªBº
means belted-bias ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description:These characters represent
the load range and the speed rating of a tire. The
load range represents the load carrying capacity a tire is
certi®ed to carry. The load index can range from 1 to
279. The speed rating is the maximum speed a tire
is certi®ed to carry a load. Speed ratings range
from ªAº to ªZº.Tire Terminology and De®nitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air pressure
is expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) or
kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:This means the combined weight
of optional accessories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio:The relationship of a tire's height to
its width.
Belt:A rubber coated layer of cords that is located
between the plies and the tread. Cords may be made
from steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead:The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped by
steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the plies are
laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Cold In¯ation Pressure:The amount of air pressure in
a tire, measured in pounds per square inch (psi)
before a tire has built up heat from driving. See
In¯ation - Tire Pressure on page 5-57.
5-53
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice:Don't add anything electrical to your
vehicle unless you check with your dealer ®rst.
Some electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as they
should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to add anything electrical to your vehicle, see
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-48.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by an internal
circuit breaker. If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow, the wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
A fuse powers the wiper motor. If the fuse blows, there
is an electrical problem. Be sure to have it ®xed.
Power Windows and Other
Power Options
Circuit breakers protect the power windows and power
seats. When the current load is too heavy, the circuit
breaker opens and closes, protecting the circuit until the
problem is ®xed or goes away.
5-84