2006 SATURN ION height

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Manual Seats................................................1-2
Driver Seat Height Adjuster..............................1-3
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-3
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-4
Head Restraints.............................................1-6
Passenger Folding Seatback............................1-7
Rear Seats.......................................................1-9
Split Folding Rear Seat...................................1-9
Safety Belts...................................................1-11
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-11
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-15
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-16
Driver Position..............................................1-16
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment (Sedan).........1-23
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-24
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-24
Rear Seat Passengers..................................1-24
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides....................1-28
Safety Belt Pretensioners...............................1-31
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-31
Child Restraints.............................................1-32
Older Children..............................................1-32
Infants and Young Children............................1-34Child Restraint Systems.................................1-38
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-42
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH)..................................................1-43
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position....................................1-49
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position............................................1-51
Airbag System...............................................1-54
Where Are the Airbags?................................1-56
When Should an Airbag Inate?.....................1-59
What Makes an Airbag Inate?.......................1-60
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.......................1-60
What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?.........................................1-61
Passenger Sensing System............................1-62
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle...........1-66
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................1-67
Restraint System Check..................................1-68
Checking the Restraint Systems......................1-68
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash............................................1-69
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1
ProCarManuals.com

Driver Seat Height Adjuster
The driver’s seat height adjuster is located on the
outboard side of the seat.
To raise the seat, move the lever upward repeatedly
until the seat is at the desired height. To lower the seat,
move the lever downward repeatedly until the seat is
at the desired height.
Manual Lumbar
If your vehicle has this
feature, the knob is
located on the front of the
driver seat lower cushion
on the inboard side.
Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase
or decrease the lumbar support.
1-3
ProCarManuals.com

Head Restraints
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is at the same height as the top of the occupant’s
head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury
in a crash.Pull the head restraint
up to raise it. To lower
the head restraint,
press the button,
located on the top of
the seatback, and push
the restraint down.
1-6
ProCarManuals.com

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the
belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, let it
go back all the way and start again.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt
Extender on page 1-31.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
5. If your vehicle is a sedan, move the shoulder belt
height adjuster to the height that is right for you.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in
a crash. SeeShoulder Belt Height Adjustment
(Sedan) on page 1-23.
1-17
ProCarManuals.com

To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
The belt should go back out of the way.
Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the
way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the
belt and your vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment
(Sedan)
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt height
adjuster to the height that is right for you.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the
belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should
be away from your face and neck, but not falling off
your shoulder. Incorrect positioning of the shoulder belt
can reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt.
To move it up or down,
press the square button (A)
in the center of the
height adjuster knob and
move the height adjuster to
the desired position.
After you move the height adjuster to where you want it,
try to move it up and down without touching the
square button to make sure it has locked into position.
1-23
ProCarManuals.com

{CAUTION:
Children who are up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts
offer protection for adults and older children,
but not for young children and infants. Neither
the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag
system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide.
Q:What are the different types of add-on child
restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the
vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types.
Selection of a particular restraint should take
into consideration not only the child’s weight, height
and age but also whether or not the restraint will
be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it
will be used.
1-36
ProCarManuals.com

For most basic types of child restraints, there are
many different models available. When purchasing
a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be
used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will
have a label saying that it meets federal motor
vehicle safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come
with the restraint, state the weight and height
limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints available for
children with special needs.
{CAUTION:
Newborn infants need complete support,
including support for the head and neck. This is
necessary because a newborn infant’s neck is
weak and its head weighs so much compared
with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in
a rear-facing seat settles into the restraint, so
the crash forces can be distributed across the
strongest part of an infant’s body, the back and
shoulders. Infants always should be secured
in appropriate infant restraints.
{CAUTION:
The body structure of a young child is quite
unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom
the safety belts are designed. A young child’s
hip bones are still so small that the vehicle’s
regular safety belt may not remain low on the
hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settle
up around the child’s abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a body area that
is unprotected by any bony structure. This
alone could cause serious or fatal injuries.
Young children always should be secured in
appropriate child restraints.
1-37
ProCarManuals.com

Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to the front or
sides of the vehicle that could keep the
airbags from working properly?
A:Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, height, front end or side
sheet metal, they may keep the airbag system from
working properly. Also, the airbag system may
not work properly if you relocate any of the airbag
sensors. If you have any questions about this,
you should contact Customer Assistance before
you modify your vehicle. The phone numbers
and addresses for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer Satisfaction Procedure
in this manual. SeeCustomer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 7-2.
Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get my
vehicle modied. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, steering wheel, instrument panel,
ceiling headliner, ceiling and pillar garnish trim,
roof-mounted airbag modules, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
If you have questions, call Customer Assistance.
The phone numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this manual. See
Customer Satisfaction Procedure on page 7-2.
1-67
ProCarManuals.com