2009 PONTIAC G8 Owners Manual

{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.
{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.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
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 Restraints 1-37

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.
1-38 Seats and 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 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 Restraints 1-39

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 1-42for 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.
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.
1-40 Seats and Restraints

{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 1-27for 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 Restraints 1-41

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 LATCHseating 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.
1-42 Seats and Restraints

Your 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.
Some child restraints with top
tethers 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 your
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.To assist you in locating the lower
anchors, each seating position
with lower anchors has two labels,
near the crease between the
seatback and the seat cushion.
Rear Seat
Seats and Restraints 1-43

The top tether anchors are located
on the rear seatback ller panel.
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.
There is no place to attach the top
tether in this position.
Accident statistics show that
children are safer if they are
restrained in the rear rather than the
front seat. SeeWhere to Put the
Restraint on page 1-40for 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.
1-44 Seats and Restraints