2007 CHEVROLET KODIAK Owners Manual

{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.
We know securing a child can present real
problems in a medium-duty vehicle like yours.
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.Child Restraint Systems
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use
in a motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system
designed to restrain or position a child on a
continuous flat surface. Make sure that the infant’s
head rests toward the center of the vehicle.
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A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint
with the seating surface against the back of the
infant. The harness system holds the infant
in place and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant
positioned in the restraint.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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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. See
Airbag Off Switch on page 76andSecuring a
Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position
on page 63for 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
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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CAUTION: (Continued)
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 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.
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-facing 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 76andSecuring a Child Restraint in
the Right Front Seat Position on page 63for more
on this, including important safety information.
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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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
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.
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