2010 PONTIAC VIBE Owners Manual

{CAUTION
Sitting in a reclined position when
the vehicle is in motion can be
dangerous. Even when buckled
up, the safety belts cannot do
their job when reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its
job because it will not be against
your body. Instead, it will be in
front of you. In a crash, you could
go into it, receiving neck or other
injuries.(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
The lap belt cannot do its job
either. In a crash, the belt could
go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not
at your pelvic bones. This could
cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the
vehicle is in motion, have the
seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear the
safety belt properly.
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.
Seats and Restraints 2-5

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 inflating
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 inflate.
For more information, seeWhere
Are the Airbags? on page 2-24 .
{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.
2-6 Seats and Restraints

To raise the seatback:
1. Pull up on one of the leverslocated 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.Rear Seats
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 2-29.
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 2-7

To raise the seatback:
1. Pull the seatback up andpush it back to lock it into place.
The safety belts should not be
twisted or caught in the seatback.
{CAUTION
A safety belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash.
The person wearing the belt could
be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are
properly routed and attached, and
are not twisted.
2. Push and pull the top of the seatback to check that it is locked
into position.
{CAUTION
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they are
locked.
Safety Belts
This section of the manual describes
how to use safety belts properly.
It also describes some things not
to do with safety belts.
{CAUTION
Do not let anyone ride where
a safety belt cannot be worn
properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing
safety belts, the injuries can be
much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be
ejected from the vehicle. You and
your passenger(s) can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash,
you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your
passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
2-8 Seats and Restraints

{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.
See Safety Belt Reminders on
page 4-11 for 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 Restraints 2-9

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...
2-10 Seats and Restraints

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:You could be — whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not. But
your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so
you canunbuckle and get out, is
much greater 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 work with
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 Restraints 2-11

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,
see Older Children on page 2-37
or Infants and Young Children on
page 2-38. 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 floor 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.
2-12 Seats and Restraints