2004 CADILLAC XLR Owners Manual

Top Strap
Some child restraints have a top strap, or ªtop tether,º
which can help hold the child restraint during a
crash. For it to work, a top strap must be properly
anchored to the vehicle. Some child restraints with a top
strap are designed to be used whether or not the top
strap is anchored. Others require that the top strap
be anchored. Also, a national or local law may require
that the top strap be anchored.
If your child restraint top strap must be anchored, then
don't use the restraint in this vehicle, because in it,
a top strap cannot be properly anchored.
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers
for Children (LATCH System)
Your vehicle has lower anchors (A) at the passenger
position that can be used to install a child seat.
A label on the seatback
shows where each lower
anchor is.
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You can use these lower anchors to install the child
seat instead of using the vehicle's safety belts if the child
seat has the necessary attachments (A, B).
However, your vehicle does not have a third anchor,
called a top strap, or tether, anchor (C). If the
instructions that come with the child seat say that it
must be secured at all three anchors, do not use that
child seat in this vehicle. See
Top Strap on page 1-27.
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{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached
to its anchorage points, the restraint will not
be able to protect the child correctly. 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, following the
instructions that came with that restraint, and
also the instructions in this manual.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed
for the LATCH System
Your vehicle has passenger air bags, There is an air
bag off switch in the glove box you can use to turn
off the passenger's air bags. See
Air Bag Off Switch on
page 1-44for more on this, including important safety
information. Your vehicle will either have the Canadian
switch design (A) or the United States switch
design (B).
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Unless the passenger's air bags have been turned off,neverput a rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle.
Here is why:
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the passenger's air
bag in¯ates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close
to the in¯ating air bag. Do not use a
rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle unless
the passenger's air bag has been turned off.
Even though the AIR BAG OFF switch is
designed to turn off the passenger's air bags
under certain conditions, no system is
fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an air
bag will not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is turned off. We,
therefore, recommend that rear-facing child
restraints be transported in vehicles with a
rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing
child restraint, whenever possible.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in
the passenger seat, always move the
passenger seat as far back as it will go.
{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.
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1. Find the anchors in the passenger seat. SeeLower
Anchorages and Top Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 1-27
.
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. See
Top Strap on
page 1-27if your child restraint has one.
4. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, disconnect the anchor
points.
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Passenger Seat Position
Your vehicle has passenger air bags. There is an air bag
off switch in the glove box you can use to turn off the
passenger's air bags. See
Air Bag Off Switch on
page 1-44for more on this, including important safety
information. Your vehicle will either have the Canadian
switch design (A) or the United States switch design (B).
1-31

Unless the passenger's air bags have been turned off,neverput a rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle.
Here is why:
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the passenger's air
bag in¯ates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close
to the in¯ating air bag. Do not use a
rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle unless
the passenger's air bag has been turned off.
Even though the AIR BAG OFF switch is
designed to turn off the passenger's air bags
under certain conditions, no system is
fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an air
bag will not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is turned off. We,
therefore, recommend that rear-facing child
restraints be transported in vehicles with a
rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing
child restraint, whenever possible.
If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in
the passenger seat, always move the
passenger seat as far back as it will go.
1-32

{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.
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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. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
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