2009 PONTIAC VIBE fold seats

Seats and
Restraints
Front Seats
Manual Seats.....................1-2
Seat Height Adjuster...........1-2
Reclining Seatbacks...........1-3
Passenger Folding
Seatback...........................1-4
Head Restraints..................1-6
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation...........1-7
Safety Belts
Safety Belts........................1-8
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly..........................1-11
Lap-Shoulder Belt.............1-16
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy.......................1-19
Safety Belt Extender.........1-19
Safety Belt Check.............1-20
Care of Safety Belts.........1-20
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts After a
Crash
..............................1-20
Airbag System
Airbag System..................1-21
Where Are the Airbags?. . . .1-23
When Should an Airbag
Inate?............................1-24
What Makes an Airbag
Inate?............................1-26
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?........................1-26
What Will You See After
an Airbag Inates?..........1-26
Passenger Sensing
System............................1-28
Servicing Your
Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
............................1-33
Adding Equipment to
Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
............................1-34
Airbag System Check.......1-35
Replacing Airbag System
Parts After a Crash.........1-35
Child Restraints
Older Children..................1-36
Infants and Young
Children..........................1-38
Child Restraint Systems. . . .1-41
Where to Put the
Restraint.........................1-43
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH)
..........................1-44
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash.........1-49
Securing Child Restraints
(Right Front Seat)...........1-50
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seats)...................1-53
Seats and Restraints 1-1
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

On vehicles with manual reclining
seatbacks the lever used to operate
them is located on the outboard
side of the seat.
To recline the seatback:
1. Lift the recline lever.
2. Move the seatback to the desired
position, then release the lever to
lock the seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked.To return the seatback to an upright
position:
1. Lift the lever fully, without
applying pressure to the
seatback, and the seatback will
return to the upright position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked.Passenger Folding
Seatback
{CAUTION
If you fold the seatback forward to
carry longer objects, such as skis,
be sure any such cargo is not
near an airbag. In a crash, an
inating airbag might force that
object toward a person. This
could cause severe injury or even
death. Secure objects away from
the area in which an airbag would
inate. For more information, see
Where Are the Airbags? on
page 1-23andLoading the
Vehicle on page 8-32.
1-4 Seats and Restraints
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

{CAUTION
Things you put on this seatback
can strike and injure people in a
sudden stop or turn, or in a crash.
Remove or secure all items
before driving.
On vehicles with this feature, the
seatback folds down to allow
for more cargo space. When the
area is not being used for more
cargo space or as a temporary table,
put the seatback in the locked,
upright position. Only adjust the seat
when the vehicle is not moving.To fold the seatback down:
1. Move the seat rearward.
2. Lower the head restraint to the
lowest position and make sure
the seatback is at the most
upright position and locked.
3. Pull up on one of the levers
located on either side of the back
of the passenger seatback.
4. Fold the seatback down.To raise the seatback:
1. Pull up on one of the levers
located on either side of the back
of the passenger’s seatback.
2. Pull the seatback up and push it
back to lock it into place. Make
sure the safety belt is not twisted
or caught in the seatback.
3. Push and pull the top of the
seatback to be sure it is
locked into position.
4. Use the reclining front seatback
lever to adjust the seatback to a
comfortable position.
Seats and Restraints 1-5
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Push down on the head restraint
after the button is released to make
sure that it is locked in place.
The head restraints are not
designed to be removed.
Always raise the rear center head
rest at least one position when there
is a passenger seated there.
Active Head Restraint System
The vehicle has an active head
restraint system in the front seating
positions. These automatically tilt
forward to reduce the risk of
neck injury if the vehicle is hit
from behind.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
You can fold either side of the
seatback down. The rear right side
seatback can also be used as a
temporary table while the vehicle is
stopped.
{CAUTION
A rear seatback folded forward, or
any other object contacting or
pressing the front seatback may
affect the proper functioning of the
passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 1-28.
To fold either seatback down:
1. Move the front seat forward and
the seatback to the upright
position.
2. Move the headrests all the
way down.3. Pull up on the lock release knob,
located on the top outboard side
of the seatback.
Notice:Folding a rear seat with
the safety belts still fastened may
cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the
safety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
4. Fold the seatback down.
Seats and Restraints 1-7
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

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.
To assist you in locating the top
tether anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol is located on the cover.The top tether anchors are located
on the oor of the rear cargo area.
Open the cover to access the
anchors. If the vehicle has a cargo
mat, you may need to fold it back
to access the top tether anchors.
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.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 1-43for 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.
1-46 Seats and Restraints
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner 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.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 the 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.
Seats and Restraints 1-47
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

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 vehicle has a cargo
mat, you may need to fold
it back to access the
top tether anchors.
2.3. Open the top tether anchor
cover to expose the anchor.2.4. Route, attach, and tighten
the top tether according
to the child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and
you are using a single
tether, route the tether
over the seatback.If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and
you are using a dual tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.
1-48 Seats and Restraints
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual

Storage
Storage
Glove Box..........................3-1
Cupholders.........................3-1
Overhead Console..............3-2
Center Console Storage.....3-2
Luggage Carrier..................3-2
Driver Storage
Compartment....................3-3
Floor Mats..........................3-3
Hooks.................................3-3
Cargo Cover.......................3-4
Cargo Tie Downs...............3-6
Cargo Management
System.............................3-6
Storage
Glove Box
Lift up on the glovebox lever to
open it.
Cupholders
There are cupholders located in
the console area between the
front seats.
The cupholder size can be adjusted
by changing the location of the
provided insert.There are also cupholders that fold
out from the back of the center
console.
There are also molded bottle
holders located in the front and
rear doors.
Storage 3-1
2009 - Pontiac Vibe Owner Manual