{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it
will not be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash, you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt cannot do its job either.
In a crash, the belt could go up over your
abdomen. The belt forces would be there,
not at your pelvic bones. This could cause
serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety belt
properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
Head Restraints
Your front seats may have adjustable head restraints.
If your vehicle has rear seats, they may have adjustable
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.
1-7
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in your vehicle have a lap-shoulder
belt except for the center front passenger position
(if equipped), which has a lap belt. SeeLap Belt on
page 1-31for more information.
Here is how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can
sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-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.
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of a passenger
belt out all the way, you may engage the child
restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let
the belt go back all the way and start again.
Engaging the child restraint locking feature
may affect the passenger sensing system.
SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-69.3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt
Extender on page 1-32.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if necessary.
4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster,
move it to the height that is right for you. Improper
shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce
the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later in
this section.
1-25
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
Your vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the
driver and right front passenger position.
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.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce
the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
To move it up or down,
squeeze the release
buttons (A) together and
move the height adjuster
to the desired position.
After you move the height adjuster to where you want it,
try to move it down without squeezing the release
buttons to make sure it has locked into position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front
outboard occupants. Although you cannot see them,
they are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help
tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a
moderate to severe frontal or near frontal crash 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 1-76.
1-27
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.The manufacturer’s instructions that come with the
booster seat, state the weight and height limitations for
that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder
belt until the child passes the below t test:
Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the knees bend
at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no, return to
the booster seat.
Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder belt
rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try using
the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear Safety
Belt Comfort Guides” underLap-Shoulder Belt on
page 1-25for more information. If the shoulder belt
still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the
booster seat.
Does the lap belt t low and snug on the hips,
touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to
the booster seat.
Can proper safety belt t be maintained for length of
trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.
If you have the choice, a child should sit in a position
with a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a
shoulder belt can provide.
1-33
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.
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 should always be
secured in appropriate infant restraints.
1-38
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer/retailer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle
and the airbag system. To purchase a service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-15.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition is turned
off and the battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still in ate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an airbag when
it in ates. Avoid yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the airbag system. Be sure to
follow proper service procedures, and make
sure the person performing work for you is
quali ed to do so.
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:Is there anything I might add to or change
about 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. Changing or moving any parts
of the front seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing
and diagnostic module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules, ceiling headliner
or pillar garnish trim, front sensors, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system.
In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger’s position,
which includes sensors that are part of the
passenger’s seat. The passenger sensing
system may not operate properly if the original
seat trim is replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery or trim, or with GM covers, upholstery
or trim designed for a different vehicle.
1-74
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer/retailer if the brake pedal does not
return to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase
in pedal travel. This could be a sign that brake
service might be required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, the brakes
adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your vehicle
was designed and tested with top-quality brake parts.
When you replace parts of the braking system — for
example, when the brake linings wear down and you
need new ones put in — be sure you get new approved
replacement parts. If you do not, the brakes might not
work properly. For example, if someone puts in brake
linings that are wrong for your vehicle, the balance
between the front and rear brakes can change — for
the worse. The braking performance you have come to
expect can change in many other ways if someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When
it is time for a new battery, see your dealer/retailer
for one that has the replacement number shown on
the original battery’s label. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12for battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
5-41
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into
its sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare
tire sidewall.
(A) Tire Size
:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to de ne a particular
tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction type
and service description. See the “Tire Size”
illustration later in this section for more detail.(B) TPC Spec (Tire Performance Criteria
Speci cation)
:Original equipment tires designed
to GM’s speci c tire performance criteria have
a TPC speci cation code molded onto the sidewall.
GM’s TPC speci cations meet or exceed all
federal safety guidelines.
(C) DOT (Department of Transportation)
:The Department of Transportation (DOT) code
indicates that the tire is in compliance with the
U.S. Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards.
(D) Tire Identi cation Number (TIN)
:The letters
and numbers following DOT code are the Tire
Identi cation Number (TIN). The TIN shows the
manufacturer and plant code, tire size, and date the
tire was manufactured. The TIN is molded onto both
sides of the tire, although only one side may have
the date of manufacture.
(E) Tire Ply Material
:The type of cord and number
of plies in the sidewall and under the tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
:Tire
manufacturers are required to grade tires based
on three performance factors: treadwear, traction
and temperature resistance. For more information
seeUniform Tire Quality Grading on page 5-74.
(G) Maximum Cold In ation Load Limit
:Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
Passenger Vehicle Tire Example
5-57