2005 CHEVROLET KODIAK Owners Manual

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 five-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 flat 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.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
find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt 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.
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.
1-35

Where to Put the Restraint
(Regular Cab Models)
If your vehicle is a regular cab model with an
air-suspension seat in the right front passenger’s
position, there is no place in your vehicle to secure a
child restraint. The only answer is to have smaller
children make the trip in another vehicle, where they
can get the protection they need.
{CAUTION:
A child restraint cannot be secured properly in
an air-suspension type seat. This is because
an air-suspension seat is designed to move up
and down for an adult passenger. Do not use a
child restraint in an air-suspension seat.If your vehicle is a regular cab model with a static seat
in the right front passenger’s position, or if it has a
bench seat, the child restraint must be secured properly
in the right front passenger’s seat. If your vehicle has
airbags and you need to secure a child restraint in
the right front passenger’s seat, there is a switch on
the instrument panel that you can use to turn off
the passenger’s airbag. SeeAirbag Off Switch on
page 1-56andSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position on page 1-44for more on this,
including important safety information.
1-36

Unless the passenger’s airbag has been turned off,
never put 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
airbag inates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close
to the inating airbag. Do not use a rear-facing
child restraint in this vehicle unless the
passenger’s airbag has been turned off.
Even though the airbag off switch is designed
to turn off the passenger’s frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
that an airbag will not deploy under some
unusual circumstance, even though it is turned
off. We 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 need to secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front static seat or the
right front bench seat, always move the
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 — even when no child is in it.
1-37

Where to Put the Restraint
(Crew Cab Models)
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
We recommend that child restraints be secured in a rear
seat position, including an infant riding in a rear-racing
infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child
seat and an older child riding in a booster seat.
If your vehicle has airbags and you need to secure a
child restraint in the right front passenger’s seat, there is
a switch on the instrument panel that you can use to
turn off the passenger’s airbag. SeeAirbag Off Switch
on page 1-56andSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position on page 1-44for more on this,
including important safety information.Unless the passenger’s airbag has been turned off,
never put 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 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.
Be sure to turn off the airbag before using a
rear-facing child restraint in the right front
seat position.
Even though the airbag off switch is designed
to turn off the passenger’s airbag, no system
is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an
airbag will not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is turned off.
We recommend that rear-facing child restraints
be secured in the rear seat, even if the airbag
is off.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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CAUTION: (Continued)
If you need to secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front static seat or right
front bench 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.
If your vehicle has an air-suspension seat in the right
front passenger’s position, do not secure a child restraint
there. Here is why:
{CAUTION:
A child restraint cannot be secured properly in
an air-suspension type seat. This is because
an air-suspension seat is designed to move up
and down for an adult passenger. Do not use a
child restraint in an air-suspension seat.Wherever you install a child restraint, 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 — even when no child is in it.
Top Strap
Some child restraints have a top strap, or “top tether,”
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
do not use the restraint in this vehicle, because in
it, a top strap cannot be properly anchored.
1-39

Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Outside Seat Position
(Crew Cab Models)
There are no top strap anchors in the rear outside seat
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 come with the
child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored.
You will be using the lap-shoulder belt. SeeTop
Strap on page 1-39if the child restraint has one.
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.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.
1-40

4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.5. 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 find it helpful
to use your knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
6. 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.
1-41

Securing a Child Restraint in the
Center Rear Seat Position
(Crew Cab) or Center Front Position
There are no top strap anchors in these 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 come with the child restraint say
that the top strap must be anchored.
You will be using the lap belt.
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. But do not use the
center front passenger position if your vehicle has
airbags, or if the child restraint interferes with
shifting gears.
{CAUTION:
A child in a child restraint in the center front
seat can be badly injured or killed by the right
front passenger airbag if it inates. If your
vehicle has airbags, never secure a child
restraint in the center front seat. It is always
better to secure a child restraint in the rear
seat if your vehicle has one. You may secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front
passenger static seat, but before you do,
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.
1-42