2006 CHEVROLET EPICA Owners Manual

A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields.A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner,
and some high-back booster seats have a five-point
harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see
out the window.
1-35

Q:How Should I Use a Child Restraint?
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. To help reduce
injuries, an add-on child restraint must be secured
in the vehicle. With built-in or add-on child
restraints, the child has to be secured within the
child restraint.
When choosing an add-on 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.
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 or LATCH
system, 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, or by the LATCH
system. SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-39for more information. A child can
be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.
1-36

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 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.
{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.
1-37

Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
General Motors 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.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sun visor
says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child
is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Even though the passenger sensing system
is designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal
airbag and side airbag (if equipped) if the
system detects a rear-facing child restraint, 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. General Motors recommends that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in the
rear seat, even if the airbag or airbags are off.
If you need to 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 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. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no
child is in it.
1-38

Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)
Your vehicle has the LATCH system. The LATCH
system holds a child restraint during driving or in a
crash. This system is designed to make installation of
a child restraint easier. The LATCH system uses
anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child
restraint that are made for use with the LATCH system
Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint
is properly installed using the anchors, 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. When installing a
child restraint with a top tether, you must also use
either the lower anchors or the safety belts to properly
secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never
be installed using only the top tether and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle,
you need a child restraint equipped with LATCH
attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will
provide you with instructions on how to use the child
restraint and its attachments. The following explains
how to attach a child restraint with these attachments
in your vehicle.Your vehicle has lower anchors and top tether anchors.
Your child restraint may have lower attachments and
a top tether.
Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have
lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors
and attachments.
Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle.
There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating
position that will accommodate a child restraint with
lower attachments (B).
1-39

Top Tether Anchor
A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child restraint
to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into the
vehicle. The top tether attachment (B) on the child
restraint connects to the top tether anchor in the vehicle
in order to reduce the forward movement and rotation
of the child restraint during driving or in a crash.Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or a
dual tether (C). Either will have a single attachment (B)
to secure the top tether to the anchor.
Some top tether-equipped child restraints are designed
for use with or without the top tether being attached.
Others require the top tether always to be attached.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing
child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be
attached. In the United States, some child restraints
also have a top tether. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for your child restraint.
If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one
can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints.
Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not
a kit is available.
1-40

Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor
Locations
i(Top Tether Anchor):
Seating positions with
top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor):
Seating positions with
two lower anchors.
To assist you in locating
the lower anchors, each
seating position with lower
anchors has two labels,
near the crease between
the seatback and the seat
cushion, showing where
the anchors are located.To assist you in locating the
top tether anchors, the top
tether anchor symbol is
located on the trim cover.
The top tether anchors are located under the trim covers
behind the rear seats on the filler panel. Squeeze and
pull the front part of the trim cover to access the anchors.
Be sure to use an anchor located on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint
will be placed. Rear Seat
1-41

Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if the instructions that
come with the child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached. There is no place to attach the top
tether in this position.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
SeeWhere to Put the Restraint on page 1-38for
additional information.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached
to anchors, 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 anchors, 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.
{CAUTION:
Each top tether anchor and lower anchor in
the vehicle is designed to hold only one child
restraint. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause the
anchor or attachment 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 anchor.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the
lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have
lower attachments or the desired seating position
does not have lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and the safety belts.
Refer to your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired
seating position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments
on the child restraint to the lower anchors.
1-42