2009 HUMMER H3 Owners Manual

{CAUTION
Never do this.
Children who are up against, or
very close to, any airbag when it
inates can be seriously injured or
killed. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front
seat. Secure a rear-facing child
restraint in a rear seat. It is also
better to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in a rear seat. If you
must secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger
seat as far back as it will go.
Seats and Restraint System 1-29

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
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.
1-30 Seats and Restraint System

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 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. (A) Rear-Facing Infant Seat
(B) Forward-Facing Child Seat(C) Booster Seats
Seats and Restraint System 1-31

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.
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 1-34for 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
1-32 Seats and Restraint System

seat; an older child riding in a booster
seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says, “Never
put a rear-facing child restraint 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.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
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.
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 1-54for additional
information.When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the
child restraint to make sure
it is compatible with this vehicle.
Wherever a child restraint is
installed, be sure to secure the
child restraint properly.
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.
Seats and Restraint System 1-33

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
the 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 the 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).Top Tether Anchor
A top tether (A, C) anchors the
top of the child restraint to the
vehicle. A top tether anchor is built
into the vehicle. The top tether
attachment (B) on the child restraint
connects to the top tether anchor in
the vehicle in order to reduce the
forward movement and rotation of
the child restraint during driving or
in a crash.
The child restraint may have a
single tether (A) or a dual
tether (C). Either will have a
single attachment (B) to secure
the top tether to the anchor.
1-34 Seats and Restraint System

Some child restraints that have a top
tether are designed for use with or
without the top tether being attached.
Others require the top tether always
to be attached. In Canada, the law
requires that forward-facing child
restraints have a top tether, and that
the tether be attached. Be sure to
read and follow the instructions for
the child restraint.
If the child restraint does not have a
top tether, one can be obtained,
in kit form, for many child restraints.
Ask the child restraint manufacturer
whether or not a kit is available.Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating positions
with two lower anchors.Each outboard seating position in
the rear seat has exposed metal
lower anchors in the crease between
the seatback and the seat cushion.
For H3T models, the top tether
anchor symbol is located near the
top tether anchors to assist you
in locating the top tether anchors.
Rear Seat
Seats and Restraint System 1-35

For H3T models, the top tether
anchors are located on the back
panel behind each rear seating
position. Be sure to use an anchor
located on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position where
the child restraint will be placed.For H3 models, the top tether
anchors are located on the back of
the rear seatbacks. Be sure to use
an anchor located on the same side
of the vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be
placed.
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 attached, or if the
instructions that come with the child
restraint say that the top tether must
be attached.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.
SeeWhere to Put the Restraint on
page 1-32for additional information.
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. H3TH3
1-36 Seats and Restraint System