2004 CHEVROLET ASTRO Owners Manual

Passenger Van Models
Bucket Seats:An anchoring point is located below the
rear of the seat cushion on the spacer bar. Anchor
the top strap through the two slots on the bar.Bench Seats:An anchor bracket is located at the rear
of the seat cushion near the top rear of the seat leg
for each outboard seating position of the second row.
For the third row, an anchor bracket is located at
the rear of the seat cushion near the top rear of the
seat leg for the right outboard seating position.
If you have adjustable head restraints, raise the head
restraint and route the top strap under it. Passenger Van Bucket Seats
Passenger Van Bench Seat (Second row)
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The third row has one anchor for the passenger side
outboard position only.
Do not use a child restraint with a top strap in the right
front passenger's position, the second or third row
center positions, or the third row driver side position
because there is no place to anchor the top strap.Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers
for Children (LATCH System)
If you have a passenger van it has the LATCH system.
It has two sets of anchors (A) in the second row of
seats. In a seven passenger van, the anchors are
located in each of the bucket seats in the second row.
In an eight passenger van, the anchors are located
in the driver and passenger side seating positions of the
second row bench seat.
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This system, designed to make installation of child
restraints easier, does not use the vehicle's safety belts.
Instead, it uses vehicle anchors (A, B) and child
restraint attachments to secure the restraints. Some
restraints also use another vehicle anchor to secure a
top tether strap (C).
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you
need a child restraint designed for that system.
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With this system, use the
LATCH system instead of
the vehicle's safety
belts to secure a child
restraint.
To assist you in locating the lower anchors for this child
restraint system, each seating position with the
LATCH system has a label on the seatback at each
lower anchor position. The labels are located on
the inboard and outboard positions of the rear seats.
{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.
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Securing a Child Restraint Designed
for the LATCH System
1. Find the LATCH anchorages for the seating
position you want to use, where the bottom of the
seatback meets the back of the seat cushion.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Attach and tighten the LATCH attachments on the
child restraint to the LATCH anchorages in the
vehicle. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
4. If the child restraint is forward-facing, attach and
tighten the top tether to the top tether anchorage.
The child restraint instructions will show you
how. Also see
Top Strap on page 1-48.
5. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, simply unhook the top
tether from the top tether anchorage and then
disconnect the LATCH attachments from the LATCH
anchorages.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on page 1-52in the Index.
SeeTop Strap on page 1-48if the child restraint
has one.
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There is no top strap anchor at the third row driver side
position. Do not secure a child seat in this position if
a national or local law requires that the top strap
be anchored, or if the instructions that came with the
child 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. Put the restraint on the seat.
2. 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.
3. 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.
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4. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. If you are using a
forward-facing child restraint, you may ®nd it helpful
to use your knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
5. 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.
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Securing a Child Restraint in a
Center Seat Position
Bench Seat
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on page 1-52. SeeTop Strap
on page 1-48if the child restraint has one.
There are no top strap anchors at the second and third
row center seating positions. Do not secure a child
seat in these positions if a national or local law requires
that the top strap be anchored, or if the instructions
that came with the child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system,
you'll be using the lap 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. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling it along the belt.
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