2005 BUICK CENTURY Owner's Manual

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.
1-35

When choosing a child restraint, be sure the child
restraint is designed to be used in a vehicle. If it is, it will
have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle
safety standards.
Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may
nd these instructions on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system or
the LATCH system in your vehicle, but the child also
has to be secured within the restraint to help reduce the
chance of personal injury. When securing an add-on
child restraint, refer to the instructions that come with the
restraint which may be on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both, and to this manual. The child restraint
instructions are important, so if they are not available,
obtain a replacement copy from the manufacturer.Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. We,
therefore, recommend 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 airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inating airbag.
Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in
a rear seat.
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.
1-36

{CAUTION:
A child in a child restraint in the center front
seat can be badly injured or killed by the right
front passenger’s airbag if it inates. Never
secure a child restraint in the center front seat.
It is always better to secure a child restraint in
the rear seat.
If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in
the right front passenger 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.
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.
1-37

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 an anchor point specied in
Top Strap Anchor Location on page 1-39. 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.
{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.
1-38

Top Strap Anchor Location
The vehicle has top strap anchors installed for the rear
seating positions.
They are located under trim covers on the rear seatback
ller panel.Do not secure a child restraint with a top strap in the
right front passenger’s position if a national or local law
requires that the top strap be anchored, or if the
instructions that come with the child restraint say that
the top strap must be anchored. There is no place
to anchor the top strap in this position.
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, see “Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)” following.
1-39

Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers
for Children (LATCH System)
The vehicle has the LATCH system. You will nd
anchors in all three rear seating positions.
This system, designed to make installation of child
restraints easier, does not use the vehicle’s safety belts.
Instead it uses vehicles anchors and child restraint
attachments to secure the restraints. Some restraints
also use another vehicle anchor to secure a top
tether strap.
A. Lower Anchorage
B. Lower Anchorage
C. Top Tether
1-40

A. Lower Anchorage
B. Lower Anchorage
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle,
you need a child restraint designed for that system.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 near the base of all three rear
seating positions.
{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.
1-41

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.
SeeLower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on page 1-40.
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 1-37.
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 1-40.
SeeTop Strap on page 1-37if the child restraint
has one.
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 child 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.
Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed.
1-42