2003 Chevrolet Blazer Owners Manual

c

II

Canadian Owners

You can obtain a French copy of this manual from your dealer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207

How to Use This Manual

Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find that pictures and words work together to explain things.

Index

A good place to look for what you need is the Index in back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and the name BLAZER are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes after that time without further notice. For vehicles first solid in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in you vehicle, so it will be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it.

Litho in U.S.A. Part No. C2311 A First Edition

@Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/27/02 All Rights Reserved

ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols

You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning.

You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means “Don’t,’’ “Don’t do this” or “Don’t let this happen.”

These mean there is something h a t could hurt you or other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or others could be hurt.

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Vehicle Damage Warnings

Also, in this book you will find these notices:

Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. A notice will tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

Vehicle Symbols Your vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a specific component, control, message, gage or indicator. If you need help figuring out a specific name of a component, gage or indicator reference the followina topics:

Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1 Features and Controls in Section 2 Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3 Climate Controls in Section 3 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3 Audio System(s) in Section 3 Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5

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These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:

CAUTION

POSSIBLE p\

PROTECT

INJURY

EYES By SHIELDING

CAUSTIC BATTERY 4CID COULD CAUSE BURNS

AVO1 D

SPARKSOR

FLAMES @

SPARK OR

FLAME \\I!'

EXPLODE BATERY

FA=;

BELTS

DO NOT TWIST SAFETY BELT WHEN ATACHING

LATCH BOTH LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS TO

PROTECT OCCUPANT *&f @ \$!$ /z \,&

DO NOT INSTALL A REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING POSITION

DO NOT INSTALL A FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING POSITION

MOVE SEAT

FULLY REARWARD* SECURE CHILD SEAT

COMPLETELY THEN SECURE CHILD SEAT

POWER WINDOW

DOOR LOCK UNLOCK

LIGHTING -

MASTER SWITCH

8- / , \

ENGINE COOLANT TEMP

CHARGING I-1

BATTERY

SYSTEM

SIGTNUARL;

LAMPS P=-

ENGINE OIL PRESSURE W

$0

ANTI-LOCK (@)

LAMPS

BRAKES

FUSE BOX ACCESS

OWNERS MANUAL

SERVICE

SERVICE MANUAL

Model Reference This manual covers these models:

2-Door Utility

&Door Utility

vi

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Rear Seat

Operation ...................

Rear Seats ...................................

Front Seats ...................................................... 1-2 1-2 Manual Seats ................................................ Power Seats .................................................. 1-3 Manual Lumbar .............................................. 1-4 1-4 Power Lumbar ............................................... Heated Seats ................................................. 1-5 Reclining Seatbacks ........................................ 1-5 1-7 Head Restraints .......................................... ..... 1-8 ..... 1-8 Safety Belts ................................................... 1-10 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................ 1-10 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ...... 1-14 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................. 1-15 Driver Position .............................................. 1-1 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy .................. 1-22 Right Front Passenger Position (right) .............. 1-23 Center Front Passenger Position ..................... 1-23 .................................. 1-25 Rear Seat Passengers 1-28 Center Rear Passenger Position ..................... Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children

and Small Adults ....................................... 1-30 Safety Belt Extender ..................................... 1-32 Child Restraints ............................................. 1-33 Older Children .............................................. 1-33 Infants and Young Children ............................ 1-35

1-38 Child Restraint Systems ................................. Where to Put the Restraint ............................. 1-41 Top Strap .................................................... 1-42 Top Strap Anchor Location ............................. 1-43 Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for

Children (LATCH System) ........................... 1-44

Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the

1-46

1-46

LATCH System ......................................... Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position ............................................ Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position ............................................ Center Seat Positions .................................... Air Bag System ..............................................

1-49 1-51 1-52 Where Are the Air Bags? ............................... 1-53 When Should an Air Bag Inflate? .................... 1-55 What Makes an Air Bag Inflate? ..................... 1-55 How Does an Air Bag Restrain? ..................... 1-55 Inflates? .... 1-56 What Will You See After an Air Bag Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle ......... 1-57 Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-Equipped

Vehicle ....................................................

1-58 Restraint System Check .................................. 1-59 Checking Your Restraint Systems ................... 1-59 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a

Crash ...................................................... 1-59

1-1

Front Seats

Manual Seats

You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving.

1 -3

Move the lever located under the front of the manual seat up to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the lever. Try to move the seat with your body to make sure the seat is locked into place.

Power Seats If your vehicle has this feature, there will be a control pad on the outboard side of your seat.

Raise or lower the rear of the seat by raising or lowering the rear edge of the control. Move the seat forward or rearward by moving the whole control toward the front or the rear of the vehicle. Moving the whole control up or down raises or lowers the whole seat. Vertical Control: Move the reclining front seatback forward or rearward by moving the control toward the front or rear of the vehicle.

Horizontal Control: Raise or lower the front of the seat by raising or lowering the forward edge of the control.

1 -3

Manual Lumbar

Dower Lumbar

If your vehicle has this feature, there will be a knob on the outboard side of the driver’s bucket seat.

If your vehicle has this feature, the control is located on the outboard side of the seat(s).

Turn the knob counterclockwise to increase lumbar support and clockwise to decrease lumbar support.

Press and hold the front of the control until you have the desired lumbar support. To decrease lumbar support, press and hold the rear of the control.

1-4

Heated Seats

Reclining Seatbacks

If your vehicle has this feature, the controls are located on the outboard side of the front seats.

To adjust a manual seatback, lift the lever on the outboard side of the seat.

This feature will quickly heat the lower cushion and lower back of the driver’s and front passenger’s seats for added comfort. Press the lower part of the switch to turn the heater on low. Press the upper part of the switch to turn the heater on high. Put the switch in the center position to turn the heater off. The passenger’s safety belt must be engaged for the heated seat feature to work on the passenger’s seat.

Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it. To return the seat to an upright position, pull up on the lever without pushing on the seatback. If your vehicle is equipped with the vertical power seat control described in Power Seats on page 1-3, pressing it rearward allows the seatback to recline.

1 -5

Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can’t do their job when you’re reclined like this. The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it won’t 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. The lap belt can’t 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 your safety belt properly.

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.

1 -6

Head Restraints

Head restraints are fixed on some models and adjustable on others. Slide an adjustable head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

1 -7

Rear Seats

Rear Seat Operation

Your vehicle has folding rear seatbacks which allows for more cargo space.

To raise the seatbacks, lift up the seatbacks and push until they lock in the upright position. Push and pull on the seatbacks to check that the latches have locked in the upright position. If they haven't, see your dealer for service.

I ' .

To return the head restraints to the upright position, reach behind the seats and pull the head restraint up until it locks into position.

The rear seat release handles are located on the rear of the seatbacks. Push back on the seatbacks as you pull up on the handles. The head restraint will automatically fold out of the way when the seatback is folded down.

1 -8

On two-door models with an inside mounted spare tire, the driver’s side rear seat head restraint must be lifted and held upright as the seatback is raised. Otherwise, the head restraint will hit the spare tire and prevent the seatback from properly latching. Push and pull on the head restraints to check that they have locked in the upright position. If they haven’t, see your dealer for service.

If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked.

A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted won’t 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.

1 -9

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.

Safety Belts

Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone

This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts.

Don’t let ar., m e ride ... Jere he or she can’t wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You 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 passengers’ belts are fastened properly too.

1-10

Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-27.

Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.

In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work. You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person wouldn’t survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot!

Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on wheels.

1-1 1

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts

accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?

Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an A: You could be - whether you’re wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you’re upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted.

Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in

wear safety belts?

most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts - not instead of them. Every air bag system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions.

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’s why safety belts make such good sense.

1-14

home, why should I wear safety belts?

Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an accident - even one that isn’t your fault - you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn’t 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 part 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 babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 7-33 or lnfants and Young Children on page 1-35. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We’ll start with the driver position.

1-15

Driver Position This part describes the driver’s restraint system. Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it properly. 1. Close and lock the door. 2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see

how, see “Seats” in the Index.

1-16

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.

Don’t let it get twisted. The 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.

4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt isn't long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-32. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.

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'd be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even 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 safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.

1-17

Q: What’s wrong with this?

JSI,

You can be sei - -.. is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit against your body.

your

~ e l t

~ _ _

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly

as much protection this way.

1-18

Q: What's wrong with this?

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

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 at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.

1-19

Q: What’s wrong with this?

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 head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which aren’t as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen.

A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should

be worn over the shoulder at all times.

1 -20

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

:an

e s ously in- ed

by a twisted belt. Yo In a crash, you wouldn’t 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 to fix it.

1-21

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they don’t wear safety belts.

To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way. Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle.

1-22

A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.

Center Front Passenger Position Lap Belt

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly. Right Front Passenger Position To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety belt properly, see Driver Position on page 1-16. The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt - except for one thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again.

If your vehicle has front bench seat, someone can sit in the center position.

1-23

When you sit in the center front seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt.

To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug. Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn’t long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-32. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

1-24

Rear Seat Passengers It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions

Lap-Shoulder Belt The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder belts. Here’s how to wear one properly.

1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.

Don’t let it get twisted. The 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.

1-25

2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and start again. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-32. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

1-26

3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.

r

The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or a crash. The safety belt also locks if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.

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 fit against your body.

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’d be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even 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.

1-27

Center Rear Passenger Position Four Door Models

To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.

1-28

Lap Belt

When you sit in the center rear seating position, you have a lap safety belt which has a retractor. 1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.

Don’t let it get twisted.

2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.

3. Feed the lap belt into the retractor to tighten it.

4. Position and release it the same way as the lap

part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn’t long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-32. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

1-29

Here’s how to install a comfort guide and use the safety belt:

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults Four Door Models Your vehicle may have this feature already. If it doesn’t, you can get it from any GM dealer. This feature will provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for small adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the comfort guide better positions the belt away from the neck and head.

1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of the seatback and the interior body to remove the guide from its storage clip.

1 -30

Safety Belt Extender If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your dealer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be long enough for you. The extender will be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it to the regular safety belt.

4. Buckle, position and release the safety belt as

described in Rear Seat Passengers on page 7-25. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder.

To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the belt edges together so that you can take them out of the guides. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage clip, and then slide the guide onto the clip. Turn the guide and clip inward and in between the seatback and the interior body, leaving only the loop of the elastic cord exposed.

1-32

Child Restraints

Older Children

Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts? A: If possible, an older child should wear a

lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should fit snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash.

Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear seat. In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts properly.

Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts. If you have the choice, a child should sit next to a window so the child can wear a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide.

1-33

Q: What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt, but the child is so small that the shoulder belt is very close to the child’s face or neck? A: Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder, so that in a crash the child’s upper body would have the restraint that belts provide. If the child is sitting in a rear outside position of a four-door model, see Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults on page 1-30. If the child is so small that the shoulder belt is still very close to the child’s face or neck, you might want to place the child in a seat that has a lap belt, if your vehicle has one.

Never do this. Here two children are wearing the same belt. The belt can’t properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A belt must be used by only one person at a time.

1-34

,, .,re child wears th, aelt behind the CI,,,~. inthis way, in a crash the child might slide under the belt. The belt’s force would then be applied right on the child’s abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries.

Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic bones in a crash. Infants and Young Children Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate restraints. Young children should not use the vehicle’s adult safety belts alone, unless there is no other choice. Instead, they need to use a child restraint.

1-35

Never do this. Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is

CAUTION: (Continued)

it. For example, in a crash at o (40 km/h), a 12-lb. (5.5 kg) baby will suddenly become a 240-lb. (1 10 kg) force on a person’s arms. A baby should be secured in an appropriate restraint.

I 25 mph

a bab n their arms People should never while riding in a vehicle. A babydoesn’t weigh much -- until a crash. During a crash a baby will become so heavy it is not possible to hold CAUTION: (Continued)

1-36

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.

n infants need complete support, i g support for the head and neck. This

Nt inc is nt ,essary because a newborn infant's neck is weak and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into the restraint, so the crash forces can be distribllted across the strongest part of an infant', body, the back and shoulders. Infants always should be secured in appropriate infani restraints.

1-37

Q: What are the differ.::: % ~ ~ : W C . i:$ add-on child A: Add-on child restraint..:. $::i:.!,i

restraints?

are purchased by the

vehicle's owner, are avak4;tie in four basic types. Selection of a particuisr restraint should take into consideration not only the child's weight, height and age but also whe"7er or not the restraint will be compatible with tt- be used.

rlotor vehicle in which it will

I Child Restraint Systems

_ .

An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed to restrain or position a child on a continuous flat surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward the center of the vehicle.

The body str,......e of a yGullg Lllild is quite unlike that of an adult or older child, for whc the safety belts are designed. A young child ’S hip bones are still so small that the vehicle’? regular safety belt may not remain low on th hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settlr :he up around the child’s abdomen. In a crash, t belt would apply force on a body area that’s ne unprotected by any bony structure. This alol could cause serious or fatal injuries. Young children always should be secured in appropriate child restraints.

1-38

A rear-facing infant seat (B) 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 (C-E) provides restraint for the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields.

1-39

’..

”

A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system. Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner, and some high-back booster seats have a five-point harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window.

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Q: How do child restraints work? A: A child restraint system is any device designed for use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position children. A built-in child restraint system is a permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on child restraint system is a portable one, which is purchased by the vehicle’s owner. For many years, add-on child restraints have used the adult belt system in the vehicle. To help reduce the chance of injury, the child also has to be secured within the restraint. The vehicle’s belt system secures the add-on child restraint in the vehicle, and the add-on child restraint’s harness system holds the child in place within the restraint. One system, the three-point harness, has straps that come down over each of the infant’s shoulders and buckle together at the crotch. The five-point harness system has two shoulder straps, two hip straps and a crotch strap. A shield may take the place of hip straps. A T-shaped shield has shoulder straps that are attached to a flat pad which rests low against the child’s body. A shelf- or armrest-type shield has straps that are attached to a wide, shelf-like shield that swings up or to the side.

When choosing a child restraint, be sure the child restraint is designed to be used in a vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system in your vehicle, but the child also has to be secured within the restraint to help reduce the chance of personal injury. 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.

Where to Put the Restraint

Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. General Motors, therefore, recommends that child restraints be secured in a rear seat including an infant riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in a booster seat. Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat. Here’s why:

~~

A c Id in a rear-facing child restraint can seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s air bag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating air bag. Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat outside position. You may secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, but before you do, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. It’s better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat outside position.

Wherever you install it, 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 your vehicle - even when no child is in it.

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Top Strap

Some child restraints have a top strap, or “top tether.” It can help restrain the child restraint during a collision. For it to work, a top strap must be properly anchored to the vehicle. Some top strap-equipped child restraints are designed for use with or without the top strap being anchored. Others require the top strap always to be anchored. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for your child restraint. If yours requires that the top strap be anchored, don’t use the restraint unless it is anchored properly. If the child restraint does not have a top strap, one can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints. Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit is available.

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In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top strap, and that the strap be anchored. In the United States, some child restraints also have a top strap. If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be anchored. Anchor the top strap to one of the following anchor points. Be sure to use an anchor point located on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed. Raise the head restraint and route the top strap under it. See Head Restraints on page 1-7

Once you have the top strap anchored, you’ll be ready to secure the child restraint itself. Tighten the top strap when and as the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions say. Top Strap Anchor Location

Anchor brackets for the rear outside seat positions are located on the floor in the cargo area of your vehicle.

If your vehicle is equipped with the rear convenience system, there will be plugs covering the anchor brackets. To remove the plugs, grasp the edges of the plugs and pull them out. See “Rear Convenience System” the index for more information. Don’t use the rear set of tie-down brackets near the liftgate/endgate or the center tie-down bracket near the rear seats.

in

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Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Children (LATCH System)

If your vehicle is equipped with the LATCH System, it is available in the second row outboard seating positions. To assist you in locating the anchors for this child restraint system, place your hand in a palm-up position and reach up between the seat cushion and the seatback. In order to use the system, you need either a forward-facing child restraint that has attaching points (B) at its base and a top tether anchor (C), or a rear-facing child restraint that has attaching points (B), as shown here.

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With this system, use the LATCH system instead of the vehicle’s safety belts to secure a child restraint.

1 to

int isn’t attacl

If a LATCH-1- . e child res its anchorage points, the restraint won’t be able to protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be seriously injured or killed. Make sure that a LATCH-type child restraint is properly installed using the anchorage points, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint. See “Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System”, “Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position” or “Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position” in the Index for information on how to secure a child restraint in your vehicle.

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Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System 1. Find the anchors for the seating position you want

to use, where the bottom of the seatback meets the back of the seat cushion.

2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 3. Attach the anchor points on the child restraint to the

anchors in the vehicle. The child restraint instructions will show you how.

4. If the child restraint is forward-facing, attach the top

strap to the top strap anchor. See Top Strap on page 1-42. Tighten the top strap according to the child restraint instructions.

5. Push and pull the child restraint in different

directions to be sure it is secure.

To remove the child restraint, simply unhook the top strap from the top tether anchor and then disconnect the anchor points.

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Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position

If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Children (LATCH System) on page 1-44. You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part about the top strap if the child restraint has one. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say. 1. Put the restraint on the seat. 2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder

portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.

LP- 1

6. Push and pull the child restraint in different

directions to be sure it is secure.

To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger.

5. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into

the retractor while you push down on the child restraint. If you’re using a forward-facing child restraint, you may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.

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Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position

If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Children (LA TCU System) on page 1-44. Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag. Never put a rear-facing child restraint in this seat. Here’s why:

A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s air bag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating air bag. Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat.

Although a rear seat is a safer place, you can secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat. You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part about the top strap if the child restraint has one. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say. 1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger’s air bag, always move the seat as far back as it will go before securing a forward-facing child restraint. See Manual Seats on page 1-2 or Power Seats on page 1-3.

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2. Put the restraint on the seat. 3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder

portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.

5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of

the retractor to set the lock.

4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

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Center Seat Positions Four Door Models

6.

7.

To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor while you push down on the child restraint. You may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.

To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger.

Don’t use child restraints in these position. The restraints won’t work properly.

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Air Bag System This part explains the air bag system. Your vehicle has air bags - one air bag for the driver and another air bag for the right front passenger. Frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inflating air bag. But these air bags must inflate very quickly to do their job and comply with federal regulations. Here are the most important things to know about the air bag system:

They z-- -n’t designe- -0 inflate at all ___ roIlo--:, rear or low-speed frontal crashes, or in many side crashes. And, for some unrestrained occupants, air bags may provide less protection in frontal crashes than more forceful air bags have provided in the past. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly - whether or not there’s an air bag for that person.

You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if you aren’t wearing your safety belt - even if you have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during a crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air bags are designed to work with safety belts, but don’t replace them. Airbags are designed to deploy only in moderate to severe frontal and near frontal crashes.

CAUTION:

(Continued)

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t great forc-, faster than the

you’re too close to an

e\n Air bags blink of an eye. If inflating air bag, as you would be if you were leaning forward, it could seriously injure you. Safety belts help keep you in position before and during a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with air bags. The driver should sit as far back as possible while still maintaining control of the vehicle.

The system checks the air bag electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. See Air Bag Readiness Light on page 3-27. Where Are the Air Bags?

Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder belts offer the best protection for adults, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its air bag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide. Always secure children properly in your vehicle. To read how, see the parts of this manual called “Older Children” and “Infants and Young Children”.

There is a air bag readiness light on the instrument panel, which shows the air bag symbol.

The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel.

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If something is between an occupant and an air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into that person causing severe injury or even death. The path of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put anything between an occupant and an air bag, and don’t attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering.

The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument panel on the passenger’s side.

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When Should an Air Bag Inflate?

What Makes an Air Bag Inflate?

An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal crash. The air bag will inflate only if the impact speed is above the system’s designed ‘threshold level’. If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 16 mph (14 to 26 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts because inflation would not help the occupant. In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air bag should have inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or near-frontal impacts. The air bag system is designed to work properly under a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage. Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. See Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle on page 4-15 for more tips on off-road driving.

In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag, and related hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger.

How Does an Air Bag Restrain?

In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags would not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and many side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.

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What Will You See After an Air Bag Inflates? After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that some people may not even realize the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag module - the steering wheel hub for the driver’s air bag, or the instrument panel for the right front passenger’s bag - will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you may be warm, but