2008 SATURN ASTRA child restraint

If the position you are using
has an adjustable headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
raise the headrest or head
restraint and route the tether
under the headrest or head
restraint and in between the
headrest or head restraint
posts.
3. Push and pull the child restraint
in different directions to be sure
it is secure.
Replacing LATCH
System Parts After
a Crash
{CAUTION
A crash can damage the
LATCH system in the vehicle.
A damaged LATCH system may
not properly secure the child
restraint, resulting in serious
injury or even death in a crash.
To help make sure the LATCH
system is working properly
after a crash, see your dealer/
retailer to have the system
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon
as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a crash,
new LATCH system parts may be
needed.New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at
the time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat)
When securing a child restraint in
a rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with your child
restraint to make sure it is compatible
with this vehicle.
If your child restraint has the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-45for how to install your child
restraint using LATCH. If you secure
a child restraint using a safety belt
and it uses a top tether, seeLower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-45for top tether
anchor locations.
1-50 Seats and Restraints
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Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor if
a national or local law requires that
the top tether be anchored, or if the
instructions that come with the child
restraint say that the top strap must
be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether
be attached.
If your child restraint does not have
the LATCH system, you will be using
the safety belt to secure the child
restraint in this position. Be sure to
follow the instructions that came with
the child restraint. Secure the child in
the child restraint when and as the
instructions say.If you need to install more than
one child restraint in the rear seat,
be sure to readWhere to Put
the Restraint on page 1-43.
1. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run
the lap and shoulder portions of
the vehicle’s safety belt through
or around the restraint. The child
restraint instructions will show
you how.
3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
Make sure the release button
is positioned so you would
be able to unbuckle the safety
belt quickly if necessary.
Seats and Restraints 1-51
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4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to
set the lock.5. To tighten the belt, push down
on the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt,
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. If you are using
a forward-facing child restraint,
you may nd it helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.6. If your child restraint has a top
tether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. SeeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-45for more information.
7. Push and pull the child restraint
in different directions to be sure
it is secure.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt
and let it go back all the way.
If the top tether is attached to
a top tether anchor, disconnect it.
1-52 Seats and Restraints
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Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat)
Your vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint.
SeeWhere to Put the Restraint
on page 1-43.
In addition, your vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which
is designed to turn off the right
front passenger’s frontal and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
under certain conditions. See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 1-30andPassenger Airbag
Status Indicator on page 4-15for
more information on this, including
important safety information.
A label on your sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat
in the front.” This is because the risk
to the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right
front passenger airbag inates.
This is because the back of
the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the
inating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint
can be seriously injured or
killed if the right front passenger
airbag inates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag,
no system is fail-safe. No one
can guarantee that an airbag will
not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Secure rear-facing child
restraints in a rear seat, even if
the airbag is off. If you secure
a forward-facing child restraint
in the right front 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.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 1-30for additional
information.
If your child restraint has the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-45for how to install your child
restraint using LATCH. If you secure
a child restraint using a safety belt
and it uses a top tether, seeLower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-45for top tether
anchor locations.
Seats and Restraints 1-53
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Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored,
or if the instructions that come with
the child restraint say that the
top strap must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether
be attached.
You will be using the lap-shoulder
belt to secure the child restraint in
this position. Follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
1. Move the seat as far back as it
will go before securing the
forward-facing child restraint.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger’s frontal and
seat-mounted side impact airbag,
the off indicator on the passenger
airbag status indicator should
light and stay lit when you startthe vehicle. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator on
page 4-15.
2. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run
the lap and shoulder portions
of the vehicle’s safety belt
through or around the restraint.
The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
4. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able
to unbuckle the safety belt quickly
if necessary.
5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to
set the lock.
1-54 Seats and Restraints
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6. To tighten the belt, push down
on the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. If you are using
a forward-facing child restraint,
you may nd it helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint
in different directions to be sure
it is secure.If the airbags are off, the off
indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator will come on
and stay on when the vehicle
is started.
If a child restraint has been
installed and the on indicator is lit,
turn the vehicle off. Remove the
child restraint from the vehicle and
reinstall the child restraint.
If, after reinstalling the child restraint
and restarting the vehicle, the on
indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is
not pressing the child restraint into
the seat cushion. If this happens,
slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback
and adjust the seat cushion if
possible. Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under the
vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.Remove any additional material from
the seat such as blankets, cushions,
seat covers, seat heaters or seat
massagers before reinstalling or
securing the child restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure
the child in the child restraint in
a rear seat position in the vehicle
and check with your dealer/retailer.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt
and let it go back all the way.
Seats and Restraints 1-55
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If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
are enabled (may inate).
{CAUTION
If the on indicator comes on
when you have a rear-facing
child restraint installed in the
right front passenger’s seat,
it means that the passenger
sensing system has not turned
off the passenger’s frontal
airbag and seat-mounted side
impact airbag (if equipped).
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inates.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
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 the right front
passenger’s seat if the airbag is
turned on.
{CAUTION
Even though the passenger
sensing system is designed
to turn off the right front
passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact
airbag (if equipped) if the
system detects a rear-facing
child restraint, no system is
fail-safe, and no one can
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
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 a rear seat, even if
the airbag is or airbags are off.
If the word OFF or the off symbol
is lit on the passenger airbag
status indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has
turned off the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag and seat-mounted
side impact airbag. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-30for
more on this, including important
safety information.
4-16 Instruments and Controls
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The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel, and cargo. Never exceed
the GVWR for your vehicle,
or the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy
load, you should spread it out.
See “Steps for Determining
Correct Load Limit” earlier in
this section.
{CAUTION
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
If you do, parts on the
vehicle can break, and it can
change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause
you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading
can shorten the life of the
vehicle.
If you put things inside your
vehicle — like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything
else — they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have
to stop or turn quickly, or if
there is a crash, they will
keep going.{CAUTION
Things you put inside the
vehicle can strike and injure
people in a sudden stop or
turn, or in a crash.
Put things in the trunk of
your vehicle. In a trunk,
put them as far forward as
you can. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
When you carry
something inside the
vehicle, secure it
whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded
down unless you need to.
8-34 Driving and Operating
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