2004 SATURN ION Owners Manual

Driver Seat Height Adjuster
If your vehicle has this feature, the driver’s seat height
adjuster is located on the left side of the seat.
To raise the seat, ratchet the lever upward until the seat
is at the desired height. To lower the seat, ratchet the
lever downward until the seat is at the desired height.
Reclining Seatbacks
Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move the
seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock
the seatback in place. Press rearward on the seatback
to be sure it is locked into place.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not 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.
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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 not do their job
when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can not do its job because it
will not 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 not 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.
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Head Restraints
Press the button on the side of the head restraint to
adjust it.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.
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Passenger Folding Seatback
The front passenger’s seatback may fold at. To fold
the seatback, do the following:
1. Lift the bar under the seat to unlock it.
2. Slide the seat as far back as it will go and release
the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to
make sure it is locked into place.
3. Lift the recliner lever, located on the outside of the
seat, and fold the seat forward until the seatback
disengages. Continue to fold the seat forward until it
locks in the folded position. Pull up on the seatback
to be sure it is locked.
{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 inating
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 inate. For more
information, see “Where Are the Air Bags?”
and “Loading Your Vehicle,” in the Index.
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Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
You can fold either side of the rear seatback down for
more cargo space.
To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. If you have a sedan and it is equipped with this
feature, open the trunk and pull one or both of
the small handles located in the center of the trunk.2. Once the handle is pulled, the seatback can be
pushed open through the trunk, or pulled open
from the inside of the vehicle.
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To raise the rear seatback, lift it up and rearward until
you hear a click. Push and pull on the seat back to
be sure it is locked into place.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
pull forward on the top of the seatback at the
area of the latch to be sure it is locked.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not 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.
Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are 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.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she can not
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are 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.
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{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.
SeeSafety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-30.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!
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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.Put someone on it.
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