2007 SATURN ION Owners Manual

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 40.
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 31.6. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the
shoulder belt.
25
ProCarManuals.com

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.
The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or
crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the
retractor.
26
ProCarManuals.com

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give
nearly as much protection this way.
{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.
27
ProCarManuals.com

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is buckled in the wrong place.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt is
buckled in the wrong place like this. In a
crash, the belt would go up over your
abdomen. The belt forces would be there,
not at the pelvic bones. This could cause
serious internal injuries. Always buckle
your belt into the buckle nearest you.
28
ProCarManuals.com

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It
should be worn over the shoulder at all times.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if you wear
the shoulder belt under your arm. In a
crash, your body would move too far
forward, which would increase the chance
of head and neck injury. Also, the belt
would apply too much force to the ribs,
which are not as strong as shoulder
bones. You could also severely injure
internal organs like your liver or spleen.
29
ProCarManuals.com

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is twisted across the body.
{CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured by a twisted
belt. In a crash, you would not have the
full width of the belt to spread impact
forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight
so it can work properly, or ask your
retailer to x it.
30
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 down, press
the release button (A)
and move the height
adjuster to the desired
position. You can
move the height
adjuster up just by
pushing up on
the shoulder belt guide.
After you move the height adjuster to where you
want it, try to move it down without pressing
the release button to make sure it has locked into
position.
31
ProCarManuals.com

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely
to be seriously injured if they do not wear
safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder
belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as
possible, below the rounding, throughout the
pregnancy.The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it
is more likely that the fetus will not be hurt
in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone,
the key to making safety belts effective is wearing
them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s
safety belt properly, seeDriver Position on
page 24.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the
same way as the driver’s safety belt — except
for one thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion
of the belt out all the way, you will engage the
child restraint locking feature which may turn off
the passenger’s frontal airbag. If this happens, just
let the belt go back all the way and start again.
32
ProCarManuals.com