2008 SATURN ASTRA belt

Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH)
The LATCH system holds a child
restraint during driving or in a crash.
This system is designed to make
installation of a child restraint easier.
The LATCH system uses anchors
in the vehicle and attachments
on the child restraint that are made
for use with the LATCH system.
Make sure that a LATCH-compatible
child restraint is properly installed
using the anchors, or use the
vehicle’s safety belts to secure the
restraint, following the instructions
that came with that restraint, and
also the instructions in this manual.When installing a child restraint with
a top tether, you must also use either
the lower anchors or the safety belts
to properly secure the child restraint.
A child restraint must never be
installed using only the top tether
and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system
in your vehicle, you need a child
restraint that has LATCH
attachments. The child restraint
manufacturer will provide you with
instructions on how to use the child
restraint and its attachments. The
following explains how to attach a
child restraint with these attachments
in your vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions
or child restraints have lower
anchors and attachments or top
tether anchors and attachments.
Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal
bars built into the vehicle. There
are two lower anchors for each
LATCH seating position that will
accommodate a child restraint with
lower attachments (B).
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Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{CAUTION
If a LATCH-type child restraint
is not attached to anchors, the
child restraint will not be able
to protect the child correctly.
In a crash, the child could be
seriously injured or killed. Install
a LATCH-type child restraint
properly using the anchors, or
use the vehicle’s safety belts to
secure the restraint, following
the instructions that came with
the child restraint and the
instructions in this manual.
{CAUTION
Do not attach more than
one child restraint to a single
anchor. Attaching more than
one child restraint to a single
anchor could cause the anchor
or attachment to come loose
or even break during a crash.
A child or others could be
injured. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during
a crash, attach only one child
restraint per anchor.
{CAUTION
Children can be seriously
injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped
around their neck and the
safety belt continues to tighten.
Buckle any unused safety belts
behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them.
Pull the shoulder belt all the
way out of the retractor to set
the lock, if your vehicle has
one, after the child restraint
has been installed.
Notice:Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’s safety belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled safety belts to avoid
rubbing the LATCH attachments.
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Do not fold the empty rear seat
with a safety belt buckled. This
could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the
safety belt to its stowed position.
1. Attach and tighten the lower
attachments to the lower anchors.
If the child restraint does not have
lower attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and
the safety belts. Refer to your
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions
in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for
the desired seating position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the
lower attachments on the
child restraint to the lower
anchors.2. If the child restraint manufacturer
recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if equipped. Refer to the
child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. If the anchor is covered,
open the cover to expose
the anchor.
2.3. Route, attach, and tighten
the top tether according
to your child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:If the position you are using
has an adjustable headrest
or head restraint and you are
using a dual tether, route the
tether around the headrest or
head restraint.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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