2004 GMC SAFARI ECU

Where to Put the Restraint
Except Cargo Vans
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
General Motors, therefore, recommends that child
restraints be secured in a rear seat including an infant
riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in a
booster seat.Neverput a rear-facing child restraint
in the front passenger seat. Here is why:
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s air bag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inating air bag.
Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in a
rear seat.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move the front
passenger seat as far back as it will go.
It is better to secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
Wherever you install it, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle – even when no child
is in it.
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Cargo Vans
The child restraint must be secured properly in the
passenger seat.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 inates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close
to the inating air bag. Do not use a
rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle.
If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in
the front passenger position, always move the
front passenger seat as far back as it will go.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle – even when no child
is in it.
Top Strap
Some child restraints have a top strap, or “top tether.” It
can help restrain the child restraint during a collision.
For it to work, a top strap must be properly anchored to
the vehicle. Some top strap-equipped child restraints
are designed for use with or without the top strap being
anchored. Others require the top strap always to be
anchored. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
your child restraint. If yours requires that the top strap
be anchored, do not use the restraint unless it is
anchored properly.
If the child restraint does not have a top strap, one can
be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints.
Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit
is available.
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In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child
restraints have a top strap, and that the strap be
anchored. In the United States, some child restraints
also have a top strap. If your child restraint has a
top strap, it should be anchored.
Anchor the top strap to one of the following anchor
points. Be sure to use an anchor point located on the
same side of the vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be placed.
If you have an adjustable head restraint, route the top
strap under it.
{CAUTION:
Each top tether bracket is designed to anchor
only one child restraint. Attaching more than
one child restraint to a single bracket could
cause the anchor to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others could be
injured if this happens. To help prevent injury
to people and damage to your vehicle, attach
only one child restraint per bracket.
Once you have the top strap anchored, you will be
ready to secure the child restraint itself. Tighten the top
strap when and as the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions say.
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Top Strap Anchor Location
Cargo Van Models
If your vehicle is a cargo van, the anchoring point for a
top strap is located at the rear of the seat cushion
on the right front passenger’s seat spacer bar. Anchor
the top strap through the two slots.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the passenger’s air
bag inates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close
to the inating air bag. Do not use a
rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle.
If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in
the front passenger position, always move the
front passenger seat as far back as it will go.Cargo Van Models
1-50

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.
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).
1-52

In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you
need a child restraint designed for that system.
With this system, use the
LATCH system instead of
the vehicle’s safety
belts to secure a child
restraint.
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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.
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 seeTop 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.
1-54

Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat PositionIf 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.
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.
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