2009 BUICK ENCLAVE Owner's Manual

{CAUTION
It is extremely dangerous to ride
in a cargo area, inside or outside
of a vehicle. In a collision, people
riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or
killed. Do not allow people to ride
in any area of your vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and
safety belts. Be sure everyone in
your vehicle is in a seat and using
a safety belt properly.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the safety belts.
SeeSafety Belt Reminders on
page 3-30for additional information.In most states and in all Canadian
provinces, the law requires
wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be
in a crash. If you do have a crash,
you do not know if it will be a
serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some
crashes can be so serious that even
buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are
in between. In many of them, people
who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without
safety belts they could have been
badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 years of safety
belts in vehicles, the facts are clear.
In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything,
you go as fast as it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose
it is just a seat on wheels.
Seats and Restraint System 1-13

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the
vehicle. The rider does not stop.The person keeps going until
stopped by something. In a real
vehicle, it could be the windshield...
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or the instrument panel...
or the safety belts!With safety belts, you slow down as
the vehicle does. You get more
time to stop. You stop over more
distance, and your strongest bones
take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers
About Safety Belts
Q:
Will I be trapped in the vehicle
after a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe — whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not. But
your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident,
so youcanunbuckle and get out,
ismuchgreater if you are
belted. And you can unbuckle a
safety belt, even if you are
upside down.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why
should I have to wear safety
belts?
A:Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they workwith
safety belts — not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag
is provided, all occupants
still have to buckle up to get the
most protection. That is true
not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other
collisions.
Seats and Restraint System 1-15

Q:If I am a good driver, and I
never drive far from home,
why should I wear safety
belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver,
but if you are in a crash — even
one that is not your fault — you
and your passenger(s) can be
hurt. Being a good driver does not
protect you from things beyond
your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of home. And
the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at
speeds of less than 40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
Be aware that there are special
things to know about safety
belts and children. And there are
different rules for smaller children
and infants. If a child will be riding in
the vehicle, seeOlder Children on
page 1-26orInfants and Young
Children on page 1-28. Follow those
rules for everyone’s protection.
It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled up
can be thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are
wearing safety belts.First, before you or your
passenger(s) wear a safety belt,
there is important information
you should know.
Sit up straight and always keep your
feet on the oor in front of you.
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 on your abdomen. This
could cause serious or even
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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 shoulder belt locks if there is a
sudden stop or crash.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The shoulder belt is too loose. It
will not give 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
snugly against your body.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The lap belt is too loose. It will
not give nearly as much
protection this way.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously hurt if your
lap belt is too loose. In a crash,
you could slide under the lap belt
and apply force on your abdomen.
This could cause serious or even
fatal injuries. The lap belt should
be worn low and snug on the
hips, just touching the thighs.
Seats and Restraint System 1-17

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is buckled in the wrong
buckle.
{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 on the pelvic bones. This
could cause serious internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt
into the buckle nearest you.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is over an armrest.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured if
your belt goes over an armrest
like this. The belt would be much
too high. In a crash, you can slide
under the belt. The belt force
would then be applied on the
abdomen, not on the pelvic
bones, and that could cause
serious or fatal injuries. Be sure
the belt goes under the armrests.
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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
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
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.
The shoulder belt should go over
the shoulder and across the
chest.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is behind the body.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously injured by
not wearing the lap-shoulder belt
properly. In a crash, you would
not be restrained by the shoulder
belt. Your body could move too
far forward increasing the chance
of head and neck injury. You
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.
Seats and Restraint System 1-19

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
dealer/retailer to x it.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt.
If you are using a rear seating
position with a detachable safety
belt and the safety belt is not
attached, seeThird Row Seats on
page 1-10for instruction on
reconnecting the safety belt to the
mini-buckle.
The following instructions explain
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 the shoulder portion of a
passenger belt is pulled out all
the way, the child restraint
locking feature may be engaged.
If this happens, let the belt go
back all the way and start again.
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