
Securing an Add-on Child Restraint
in the Vehicle
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in
a crash if the child restraint is not properly
secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child
restraint is properly installed in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt, following the
instructions that came with that restraint,
and also the instructions in this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint
must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems
must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt. A child can
be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.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.
Securing the Child Within the
Child Restraint
There are several systems for securing the child
within the child 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.
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{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a
crash if the child is not properly secured in the
child restraint. Make sure the child is properly
secured, following the instructions that came
with that restraint.
Because there are different systems, it is important to
refer to the instructions that come with the restraint.
A child can be endangered in a crash if the child is
not properly secured in the child restraint.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)
Some child restraints have a LATCH system. As part
of the LATCH system, your child restraint may have
lower attachments and/or a top tether. The LATCH
system can help hold the child restraint in place during
driving or in a crash. Some vehicles have lower
and/or top tether anchors designed to secure a child
restraint with lower attachments and/or a top tether.Some child restraints with a top tether are designed
to be used whether the top tether is anchored or
not. Other child restraints require that the top tether
be anchored. A national or local law may require that
the top tether be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child
restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.
Your vehicle does not have lower anchors or top tether
anchors to secure a child restraint with the LATCH
system. If a national or local law requires that your
top tether be anchored, do not use a child restraint in
this vehicle because a top tether cannot be properly
anchored. You must use the safety belts to secure
your child restraint in this vehicle, unless a national or
local law requires that the top tether be anchored.
Refer to your child restraint instructions and instructions
in this manual for securing a child restraint using the
vehicle’s safety belts.
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If you need to secure a forward-facing child restraint in
the passenger’s position, move the seat as far back
as it will go before securing the forward-facing
child restraint. SeePower Seats on page 1-2.
There is no top tether anchor at the passenger’s seating
position. Do not secure a child seat in this position if
a national or local law requires that the top tether
be anchored or if the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether must be anchored.
SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 1-27.
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. Your vehicle has a right front passenger’s frontal
airbag. SeePassenger Sensing System on
page 1-40. General Motors recommends that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in a rear seat,
even if the airbag is off. If your child restraint is
forward-facing, move the seat as far back as it
will go before securing the child restraint in this seat.
SeePower Seats on page 1-2.
When the passenger sensing system has turned off
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, the off
indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator
should light and stay lit when the vehicle is started.
SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on
page 3-52.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. 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.
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Vehicles with dual stage airbags are also equipped
with seat position sensors which enable the sensing
system to monitor the position of the driver’s and
passenger’s seats. The seat position sensor provides
information which is used to determine if the airbags
should deploy at a reduced level or at full deployment.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an airbag
should have in ated simply because of the damage to
a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal airbags, in ation is determined by what the
vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the
vehicle slows down. For side impact airbags, in ation is
determined by the location and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag In ate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
in ator, which in ates the airbag. The in ator, the airbag
and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules
inside the steering wheel, the instrument panel, and
the side of the front seatbacks closest to the door.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal airbags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including many
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward those airbags. Airbags should never
be regarded as anything more than a supplement to
safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal collisions for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal airbags, and only in moderate
to severe side collisions for side impact airbags.
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