2008 SATURN ASTRA belt

If a person of adult-size is sitting
in the right front passenger’s seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. If this happens,
turn the vehicle off, remove any
additional material from the seat,
such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters or seat
massagers and ask the person
to place the seatback in the fully
upright position, then sit upright
in the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with the person’s legs
comfortably extended. Restart the
vehicle and have the person remain
in this position for two to three
minutes. This will allow the system
to detect that person and then enable
the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag and seat-mounted side
impact airbag.Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the
seat during vehicle maneuvers
and braking, which helps the
passenger sensing system maintain
the passenger airbag status.
See “Safety Belts” and “Child
Restraints” in the Index for
additional information about
the importance of proper
restraint use.{CAUTION
If the airbag readiness light in
the instrument panel cluster
ever comes on and stays on, it
means that something may be
wrong with the airbag system.
If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly,
because an adult-size person
sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have
the protection of the airbag(s).
SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 4-14for more on this,
including important safety
information.
A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion, or
aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates.
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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 the 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, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger 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. Any object, such
as an aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the
seat fabric, could also interfere
with the operation of the
passenger sensing system.
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system
from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System
on page 1-30.
If you have any questions about
this, you should contact Customer
Assistance before you modify
your vehicle. The phone numbersand addresses for Customer
Assistance are in Step Two of the
Customer Satisfaction Procedure
in this manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure on
page 11-1.
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: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.
SeeCustomer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 11-1.
In addition, your dealer/retailer and
the service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module and airbag wiring.
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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,
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 the length of the
trip? If yes, continue. If no, return
to the booster seat.
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. This applies belt
force to the child’s pelvic bones in
a crash. 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 and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system
secured in a rear seating position.
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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{CAUTION
Never do this.
Never allow two children to
wear the same safety belt.
The safety belt can not properly
spread the impact forces. In a
crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously
injured. A safety belt must be
used by only one person at
a time.
{CAUTION
Never do this.
Never allow a child to wear the
safety belt with the shoulder belt
behind their back. A child can be
seriously injured by not wearing
the lap-shoulder belt properly.
In a crash, the child would not
be restrained by the shoulder
belt. The child could move too
far forward increasing the
chance of head and neck injury.
The child might also slide under
the lap belt. The belt force would
then be applied right on the
abdomen. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. The
shoulder belt should go over the
shoulder and across the chest.
Infants and Young
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs
protection! This includes infants
and all other children. Neither the
distance traveled nor the age and
size of the traveler changes the
need, for everyone, to use safety
restraints. In fact, the law in every
state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says
children up to some age must be
restrained while in a vehicle.
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{CAUTION
Children can be seriously
injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around
their neck and the safety belt
continues to tighten. Never
leave children unattended in a
vehicle and never allow children
to play with the safety belts.
Every time infants and young
children ride in vehicles, they should
have the protection provided by
appropriate restraints. Children who
are not restrained properly can strike
other people, or can be thrown out
of the vehicle. In addition, young
children should not use the vehicle’s
adult safety belts alone; they need
to use a child restraint.
{CAUTION
Never do this.
Never hold an infant or a child
while riding in a vehicle. Due to
crash forces, an infant or a child
will become so heavy it is not
possible to hold it during a
crash. For example, in a crash at
only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb
(5.5 kg) infant will suddenly
become a 240 lb (110 kg) force
on a person’s arms. An infant
should be secured in an
appropriate restraint.
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{CAUTION
To reduce the risk of neck and
head injury during a crash,
infants need complete support.
This is because an infant’s neck
is not fully developed and its
head weighs so much compared
with the rest of its body. In a
crash, an infant in a rear-facing
child restraint 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 rear-facing child
restraints.
{CAUTION
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. To reduce the risk
of serious or fatal injuries
during a crash, young children
should always be secured in
appropriate child restraints.
Child Restraint Systems
A rear-facing infant seat (A) 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) Rear-Facing Infant Seat
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A forward-facing child seat (B)
provides restraint for the child’s body
with the harness.A booster seat (C) is a child
restraint designed to improve the t
of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
A booster seat can also help a child
to see out the window.
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. Secure the child
restraint properly in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt or
LATCH system, following the
instructions that came with
that child restraint and the
instructions in this manual. (B) Forward-Facing Child Seat
(C) Booster Seats
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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, or by the LATCH
system. SeeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-45for more information.
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 the vehicle — even when no child
is in it.
Securing the Child Within the
Child Restraint
{CAUTION
A child can be seriously injured
or killed in a crash if the child
is not properly secured in the
child restraint. Secure the
child properly following the
instructions that came with
that child restraint.
Where to Put the
Restraint
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child restraint
system or infant restraint system
secured in a rear seating position.
We recommend that children and
child restraints be secured in a rear
seat, including: an infant or a child
riding in a rear-facing child restraint;
a child riding in a forward-facing child
seat; an older child riding in a booster
seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
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