2007 GMC ACADIA Owner's Manual

If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt
Extender on page 47.
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.
3. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the
shoulder part.
It may be necessary to pull stitching on the
safety belt through the latch plate to fully
tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants.The lap part of the belt should be worn low and
snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In
a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic
bones. And you would be less likely to slide under
the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would
apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder
belt should go over the shoulder and across the
chest. These parts of the body are best able
to take belt restraining forces.
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The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or
a crash.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder
belt is too loose. In a crash, you would
move forward too much, which could
increase injury. The shoulder belt should
t against your body.
To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle.
For outboard seating positions, when the safety
belt is not in use, slide the latch plate up the safety
belt webbing. The latch plate should rest on the
stitching on the safety belt, near the guide loop on
the side wall.
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Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide
added safety belt comfort for older children
who have outgrown booster seats and for some
adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the
comfort guide positions the belt away from
the neck and head.
There is a guide for each outboard passenger
positions in the second row seat and all passenger
positions in the third row.Here is how to install a comfort guide to the
safety belt:
1. For the outboard positions, remove the guide
from its storage clip on the interior body.
Outboard Positions
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For the third row center
position, locate the
comfort guide which is
located in a storage
pocket, at the top of the
seat, under the
headrest on the driver’s
side of the vehicle.To access the comfort guide, you will rst
need to move the headrest forward by pulling
on the handle behind the seatback. The
comfort guide will now be accessible. Pull the
comfort guide out of its storage location
and then return the headrest to its upright
position.
The elastic cord on the comfort guide is
adjustable. You can make it longer or shorter
by squeezing the both ends of the plastic
adjuster.
Third Row Center
Position
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2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The
elastic cord must be under the belt. Then,
place the guide over the belt, and insert the
two edges of the belt into the slots of the
guide.3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies
at. The elastic cord must be under the belt
and the guide on top.
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{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is not properly worn may
not provide the protection needed in a
crash. The person wearing the belt could
be seriously injured. The shoulder belt
should go over the shoulder and across
the chest. These parts of the body are best
able to take belt restraining forces.
4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt
as described inRear Seat Passengers on
page 40. Make sure that the shoulder
belt crosses the shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze
the belt edges together so that you can take
them out of the guide. Slide the guide into
its storage location or on its storage clip.
46

Safety Belt Pretensioners
Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the
driver and right front passenger. Although you
cannot see them, they are part of the safety belt
assembly. They help tighten the safety belts during
the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal,
near frontal or side crash or a rollover if the
threshold conditions for pretensioner activation
are met.
Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a
crash, you will need to get new ones, and
probably other new parts for your safety belt
system. SeeReplacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash on page 93.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you,
you should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your
dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When
you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will
wear, so the extender will be long enough for
you. To help avoid personal injury, do not
let someone else use it, and use it only for the
seat it is made to t. The extender has been
designed for adults. Never use it for securing child
seats. To wear it, attach it to the regular safety
belt. For more information, see the instruction
sheet that comes with the extender.
47

Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats
should wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
Q:What is the proper way to wear safety
belts?
A:An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt
and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt
can provide. The shoulder belt should not
cross the face or neck. The lap belt should t
snugly below the hips, just touching the
top of the thighs. It should never be worn over
the abdomen, which could cause severe or
even fatal internal injuries in a crash.
According to accident statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seating positions.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can
strike other people who are buckled up, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need
to use safety belts properly.
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