2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Owners Manual

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2008 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban Owner Manual M Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1 Front Seats ............................................... 1-2 Rear Seats .............................................. 1-11 Safety Belts ............................................. 1-30 Child Restraints ....................................... 1-51 Airbag System ......................................... 1-76 Restraint System Check ............................ 1-92 Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1 Keys ........................................................ 2-3 Doors and Locks ...................................... 2-10 Windows ................................................. 2-19 Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-22 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-26 Mirrors .................................................... 2-49 Object Detection Systems .......................... 2-58 OnStar® System ...................................... 2-60 Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-64 Storage Areas ......................................... 2-71 Sunroof .................................................. 2-74 Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1 .......................... 3-4 ...................................... 3-23 ........ 3-37 .................. 3-55 ....................................... 3-82 Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators Driver Information Center (DIC) Audio System(s) Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Towing Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1 ..... 4-2 ................................................... 4-45 Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1 Service ..................................................... 5-3 Fuel ......................................................... 5-5 Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-12 Rear Axle ............................................... 5-51 Four-Wheel Drive ..................................... 5-52 Front Axle ............................................... 5-53 Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-55 Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-58 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-61 Tires ...................................................... 5-63 Appearance Care ................................... 5-106 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ............................... 5-115 Electrical System .................................... 5-116 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ................... 5-124 Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1 ................................ 6-2 Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1 ........... 7-2 ........................... 7-14 ........... 7-16 Index ................................................................ 1 Customer Assistance and Information Reporting Safety Defects Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy Maintenance Schedule Canadian Owners A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer/retailer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 1-800-551-4123 www.helminc.com Propriétaires Canadiens On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français auprès de concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante: Helm Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 1-800-551-4123 www.helminc.com GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, and the names TAHOE, SUBURBAN, and Z71 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 in the product after that time without notice. For vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division wherever it appears in this manual. This manual describes features that may be available in this model, but your vehicle may not have all of them. For example, more than one entertainment system may be offered or your vehicle may have been ordered without a front passenger or rear seats. Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference. Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 15854806 A First Printing ©2007 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved. ii Using this Manual Many people read the owner manual from beginning to end when they ﬁrst receive their new vehicle to learn about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures and words work together to explain things. If your vehicle is a Two-mode Hybrid, see the Two-mode Hybrid manual for more information. Index A good place to quickly locate information about the vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the page number where it can be found. Safety Warnings and Symbols There are a number of safety cautions in this book. A box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the warning. {CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. We tell you what the hazard is and what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not, you or others could be hurt. A circle with a slash through it is a safety symbol which means “Do Not,” “Do Not do this” or “Do Not let this happen.” iii Vehicle Symbols The vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a speciﬁc component, control, message, gage, or indicator. Vehicle Damage Warnings You will also ﬁnd notices in this manual. Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice tells 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. There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. iv Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Front Seats ......................................................1-2 Manual Seats ................................................1-2 Power Seats ..................................................1-3 Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-4 Power Lumbar ...............................................1-4 Heated Seats .................................................1-5 Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals ....................1-6 Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-8 Head Restraints ............................................1-10 Center Seat .................................................1-11 Rear Seats .....................................................1-11 Heated Seats ...............................................1-11 60/40 Split Bench Seat (Second Row) .............1-12 Bucket Seats (Second Row) ...........................1-18 Third Row Seat ............................................1-25 Safety Belts ...................................................1-30 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-30 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-35 Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-43 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-49 Lap Belt ......................................................1-49 Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-50 Child Restraints .............................................1-51 Older Children ..............................................1-51 Infants and Young Children ............................1-54 Child Restraint Systems .................................1-57 Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-60 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) ..................................................1-61 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position ....................................1-70 Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position ..........................1-72 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position ............................1-72 Airbag System ...............................................1-76 Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-79 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .....................1-82 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? .......................1-83 How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-84 What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? .....1-84 Passenger Sensing System ............................1-86 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-90 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ....................................................1-91 Restraint System Check ..................................1-92 Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-92 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ............................................1-93 1-1 Front Seats Manual Seats {CAUTION: 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 do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. To move a manual seat forward or rearward: 1. Lift the bar to unlock the seat. 2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. 1-2 Power Seats Driver’s Seat with Power Seat Control, Power Recline, and Power Lumbar shown On a vehicle with power seats, the controls used to operate them are located on the outboard side of the seats. To adjust the seat, do any of the following: (cid:129) Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the control forward or rearward. (cid:129) Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion by moving the front of the control up or down. (cid:129) Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion by moving the rear of the control up or down. (cid:129) Raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire control up or down. On seats with power reclining seatbacks, the control is located behind the power seat control on the outboard side of the seats. See “Power Reclining Seatbacks” under Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-8. A vehicle with a memory function allows seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals on page 1-6 for more information. 1-3 Manual Lumbar Power Lumbar On vehicles with this feature, turn the knob forward or rearward to increase or decrease lumbar support. If the seats have power lumbar, the controls used to operate this feature are located on the outboard side of the seats. To increase lumbar support, press and hold the front of the control. To decrease lumbar support, press and hold the rear of the control. 1-4 (cid:129) (cid:129) To raise the height of the lumbar support, press and hold the top of the control. To lower the height of the lumbar support, press and hold the bottom of the control. Release the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of lumbar support. Your vehicle may have a memory function which allows seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals on page 1-6 for more information. Keep in mind that as your seating position changes, as it may during long trips, so should the position of your lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed. Heated Seats On vehicles with heated front seats, the controls are located on the driver’s and passenger’s doors. I (Heated Seatback): Press to turn on the heated seatback. J (Heated Seat and Seatback): Press to turn on the heated seat and seatback. The light on the button will come on to indicate that the feature is working. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the heat to the seat off. Indicator lights will show the level of heat selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. The heated seats will be canceled ten seconds after the ignition is turned off. To use the heated seat feature after restarting your vehicle, press the heated seat or seatback button again. 1-5 (cid:129) (cid:129) Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals Your vehicle may have the memory package. The controls for this feature are located on the driver’s door panel, and are used to program and recall memory settings for the driver’s seat, outside mirrors, and the adjustable throttle and brake pedal. To save your positions in memory, do the following: 1. Adjust the driver’s seat, including the seatback recliner and lumbar, both outside mirrors, and the throttle and brake pedals to a comfortable position. See Outside Power Mirrors on page 2-55 and Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal on page 2-29 for more information. Not all mirrors will have the ability to save and recall their positions. Not all adjustable throttles and brake pedals will have the ability to save and recall their positions. 2. Press and hold button 1 until two beeps are heard indicating that the position has been stored. A second seating, mirror, and throttle and brake pedal position can be programmed by repeating the above steps and pressing button 2. 1-6 To recall the memory positions, the vehicle must be in PARK (P). Press and release either button 1 or button 2 corresponding to the desired driving position. The seat, outside mirrors, and adjustable throttle and brake pedals will move to the position previously stored. You will hear a single beep. If you use the remote keyless entry transmitter to enter your vehicle and the remote recall memory feature is on, automatic seat, adjustable mirror, and adjustable pedal movements will occur. See “MEMORY SEAT RECALL” under DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-73 for more information. To stop recall movement of the memory function at any time, press one of the power seat controls, memory buttons, power mirror buttons, or adjustable pedal switch. If something has blocked the driver’s seat and/or the adjustable pedals while recalling a memory position, the driver’s seat and/or the adjustable pedals recall may stop working. If this happens, remove the obstruction and press the appropriate control for the area that is not responding for two seconds. Try recalling the memory position again by pressing the appropriate memory button. If the memory position is still not recalling, see your dealer for service. Easy Exit Seat The control for this feature is located on the driver’s door panel between buttons 1 and 2. With the vehicle in PARK (P), the driver’s seat exit position can be recalled by pressing the exit button. You will hear a single beep, and the driver’s seat will move back. If the easy exit seat feature is programmed in the Driver Information Center (DIC), automatic seat movement will occur when the key is removed from the ignition. See “EASY EXIT SEAT” under DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-73 for more information. The memory seat and easy exit features can also be programmed using the DIC. For programming information, see DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-73. 1-7 Reclining Seatbacks Manual Reclining Seatbacks {CAUTION: 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 do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 1-8 {CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their job when you are reclined like this. CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued) The shoulder belt cannot do its job. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. 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 your safety belt properly. On seats with manual reclining seatbacks, the lever used to operate them is located on the outboard side of the seat(s). 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, do the following: 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. 1-9 Power Reclining Seatbacks Head Restraints If the seats have power reclining seatbacks, the control used to recline them is located on the outboard side of the seat behind the power seat control. To recline the seatback, tilt the top of the control rearward. To bring the seatback forward, tilt the top of the control forward. Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 1-10 Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint is at the same height as the top of the occupant’s head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. (cid:129) (cid:129) Pull the head restraint up to raise it. To lower the head restraint, press the release button (A), located on the top of the seatback, while you push the head restraint down. Center Seat Your vehicle may have a front center seat. The seatback doubles as an armrest and cupholder/storage area for the driver and passenger when the center seat is not used. Do not use it as a seating position when the seatback is folded down. Rear Seats Heated Seats The front seats may have head restraints that also tilt forward and rearward. To tilt the head restraint, grasp the top of the restraint while pressing the button (B), located on the inboard side of the head restraint, and move it forward or rearward until the desired locking position is reached. Try to move the head restraint after the button is released to make sure that it is locked in place. The second row seats may have head rests that can be adjusted up and down, but they do not tilt. If the rear seats have the heated seat feature, the buttons used to control this feature are located on the Rear Seat Audio (RSA) panel. Driver’s Side RSA Heated Seat Button Only shown M (Heated Seat): To heat the seat cushion, press the button with the heated seat symbol. 1-11 A heated seat symbol will be shown in the RSA display to indicate that the feature is on. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low, and to turn it off. Indicator bars next to the symbol will designate the level of heat selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. The heated seats are off when the ignition is off. 60/40 Split Bench Seat (Second Row) If your vehicle has a 60/40 split bench, the seat(s) can be folded for additional cargo space or folded and tumbled for easy entry and exit to the third row seats, if your vehicle has them. These seats will have either the manual fold and tumble feature or the automatic seat release fold and tumble feature. Manual Fold and Tumble Feature Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s) To fold and tumble the seat, do the following: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat. 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. 1-12 2. Lift the lever, located on the outboard side of the seat, to release the seatback. The seatback will fold forward automatically. Leaving the seatback in this position creates a ﬂat load ﬂoor. If the seatback cannot fold ﬂat, try moving the front seat forward and/or put the front seatback in the upright position. 3. Lift the same lever again to release the rear of the seat from the ﬂoor. The seat will tumble forward. 1-13 Returning the Seat(s) to the Sitting Position To return the seat to the sitting position, do the following: 1. Pull the seat down until it latches to the ﬂoor. The seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched to the ﬂoor. {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 2. Lift the seatback and push it rearward. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. {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. 3. Make sure the safety belt in the center seating position is not caught between the two seats and is not twisted. 1-14 Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s) from the Third Row Seats {CAUTION: Using the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place. To fold and tumble the seat from the third rows, if your vehicle has them, do the following: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat. 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. 2. Lift the lever(s), located on the bottom rear of the second row seat(s) on the inboard side, to release the seatback. The seatback will fold forward. 3. Lift the same lever again to release the rear of the seat from the ﬂoor. The seat will tumble forward automatically. 1-15 2. From the front seats, press one of the automatic seat release buttons located on the overhead console. Overhead Console Buttons shown, Panel Button similar When accessing the third row seats, if your vehicle has them, from the outside of the vehicle, press the button on the panel behind either rear door. One press of the button automatically folds the seatback ﬂat and tumbles the seat forward. There will be a slight delay between the folding of the seatback and the tumbling of the seat. Automatic Release Fold and Tumble Feature The transmission must be in PARK (P) for this feature to work. Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s) {CAUTION: Automatically folding and tumbling the seat when someone is sitting in the seat, could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always make sure there is no one sitting in the seat before pressing the automatic seat release button. To fold and tumble the seat, do the following: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat. 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. 1-16 Returning the Seat(s) to the Sitting Position To return the seat to the sitting position, do the following: 1. Pull the seat down until it latches to the ﬂoor. The seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched to the ﬂoor. {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 2. Lift the seatback and push it rearward. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. {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. 3. Make sure that the safety belt in the center seating position is not caught between the two seats and is not twisted. 1-17 Folding and Tumbling the Second Row Seat(s) from the Third Row Seats or Outside {CAUTION: Using the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place. To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seats, if your vehicle has them, do the following: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat. 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. 1-18 2. Press the automatic seat release button located on the panel behind the rear doors. Driver’s Side Rear Panel Button shown One press of the button automatically folds the seatback ﬂat and tumbles the seat forward. There will be a slight delay between the folding of the seatback and the tumbling of the seat. Bucket Seats (Second Row) If your vehicle has bucket seats, the seatbacks can be reclined, the seats can be folded for additional cargo space, or folded and tumbled for easy entry and exit to the third row seats, if your vehicle has them. These seats will have either the manual fold and tumble feature or the automatic seat release fold and tumble feature. Reclining Seatbacks To recline the seatback, do the following: 1. Lift the lever located on the outboard side of the seat. 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, do the following: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback and the seatback will return to the upright position. {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. 1-19 Manual Fold and Tumble Feature Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s) To fold and tumble the seat, do the following: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat. 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. 2. Lift the lever, located on the outboard side of the seat, to release the seatback. 1-20 The seatback will fold forward. Leaving the seatback in this position creates a ﬂat load ﬂoor. If the seatback cannot fold ﬂat, try moving the front seat forward and/or put the front seatback in the upright position. 3. Lift the lever again to release the rear of the seat from the ﬂoor. The seat will tumble forward. Returning the Seat(s) to the Sitting Position To return the seat to the sitting position, do the following: 1. Pull the seat down until it latches to the ﬂoor. The seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched to the ﬂoor. {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 2. Lift the seatback and push it rearward. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. 1-21 2. Lift the lever, located on the bottom rear of the second row seat on the inboard side, to release the seatback. The seatback will fold forward. 3. Lift the lever again to release the rear of the seat from the ﬂoor. The seat will tumble forward. Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s) from the Third Row Seats {CAUTION: Using the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place. To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seats, if your vehicle has them, do the following: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat. 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. 1-22 Automatic Release Fold and Tumble Feature The transmission must be in PARK (P) for this feature to work. Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s) {CAUTION: Automatically folding and tumbling the seat when someone is sitting in the seat, could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always make sure there is no one sitting in the seat before pressing the automatic seat release button. To fold and tumble the seat, do the following: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat. 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. 2. From the front seats, press one of the automatic seat release buttons located on the overhead console. Overhead Console Buttons shown When accessing the third row seats, if your vehicle has them, from the outside of the vehicle, press the button on the panel behind either rear door. One press of the button automatically folds the seatback ﬂat and tumbles the seat forward. There will be a slight delay between the folding of the seatback and the tumbling of the seat. 1-23 Returning the Seat(s) to the Sitting Position To return the seat to the sitting position, do the following: Folding and Tumbling the Second Row Seat(s) from the Third Row Seats or Outside 1. Pull the seat down until it latches to the ﬂoor. The seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched to the ﬂoor. {CAUTION: {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 2. Lift the seatback and push it rearward. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. Using the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place. To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seats, if your vehicle has them, do the following: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat. 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. 1-24 2. Press the automatic seat release button located on the panel behind the rear doors. Driver’s Side Rear Panel Button shown One press of the button automatically folds the seatback ﬂat and tumbles the seat forward. There will be a slight delay between the folding of the seatback and the tumbling of the seat. Third Row Seat If the vehicle has a third row seat, the seatback(s) can be folded and the entire seat can be tumbled, or removed from the vehicle. Folding the Seatback(s) To fold the seatback, do the following: 1. Open the liftgate to access the controls for the seat. 2. Remove all items on the seat cushion. 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. 3. Lift the release lever, located on the bottom rear of the seatback on the outboard side of the seat, and the seatback will fold forward. 1-25 Unfolding the Seatback(s) To return the seatback to the upright position, do the following: 1. Open the liftgate to access the controls for the seat. 2. Pull up on the seatback until it locks into the upright position. {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. Tumbling the Third Row Seat The seat can be tumbled forward for additional cargo space. To tumble the seat, do the following: 1. Open the liftgate to access the controls for the seat. 2. Make sure the head rests are completely lowered, there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat, and all items are removed from the cupholder and storage bin, if the seat is a two-passenger seat. 3. Fold the seatbacks forward using the instructions previously listed under “Folding the Seatbacks”. You will not be able to unlatch the seat from the ﬂoor unless the seatback is folded down. 4. Unlatch the seat from the ﬂoor by lifting the lever located next to the carrying handle on the rear of the seat near the bottom. 1-26 5. Lift the rear of the seat up from the ﬂoor. 6. Tilt the seat fully forward to lock it into place. 7. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked. Put the seat in this position only when necessary for additional cargo space. Returning the Third Row Seat from a Tumbled Position To return the seat to the normal seating position, do the following: 1. Open the liftgate to access the controls for the seat. 2. Make sure there is nothing that could become trapped under the seat. 3. Release the seat from the tumbled position by lifting the lever located next to the carrying handle at the bottom rear of the seat. 4. Pull the seat down until it latches to the ﬂoor. The seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched to the ﬂoor. 5. Pull up on the seatback until it locks into the upright position. {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 6. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. 1-27 Removing the Third Row Seat To remove the seat, do the following: 1. Open the liftgate to access the controls for the seat. 2. Fold the seatback forward using the instructions listed under “Folding the Seatbacks” previously. The seat cannot be removed unless the seatback is folded. 3. Unlatch the seat from the ﬂoor by pulling the carrying handle, located at the rear of the seat, rearward. 4. Roll the seat out of the vehicle. There is a track in the ﬂoor to guide the seat wheels out of the vehicle. Installing the Third Row Seat To install the seat, do the following: 1. Open the liftgate to access the rear of the vehicle. 2. Slide the front outboard seat wheels into the track on the ﬂoor and roll the seat forward. The front latches should lock into place. If the latches do not lock, try tilting the rear of the seat upward slightly. 3. Lower the rear of the seat and push down on the seat to engage the rear ﬂoor latches. {CAUTION: A seat that is not locked into place properly can move around in a collision or sudden stop. People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock the seat into place properly when installing it. 1-28 4. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place. The seatback cannot be raised to the upright position unless the seat is secured to the ﬂoor. 5. Pull up on the seatback until it locks into the upright position. {CAUTION: If the 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 seatback to be sure it is locked. 6. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. {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. 7. Make sure the safety belts are returned to the original position over the seatbacks. 1-29 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. {CAUTION: Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you are not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from it and 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. 1-30 {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. Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-39. 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 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. Put someone on it. 1-31 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... 1-32 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. 1-33 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. 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 can unbuckle 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. 1-34 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 babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-51 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-54. 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. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force on 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 shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash. 1-35 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: 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 snugly against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as much protection this way. 1-36 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your lap belt is too loose. In a crash, you could slide under the lap belt and apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The lap belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way. 1-37 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: 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 on the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you. A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place. 1-38 Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is over an armrest. {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied on the abdomen, not on the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests. 1-39 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: 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 are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. 1-40 Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is behind the body. {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, you would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. Your body could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. You might also slide under the lap belt. The belt force would then be applied right on the abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. 1-41 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not 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/retailer to ﬁx it. A: The belt is twisted across the body. 1-42 Lap-Shoulder Belt All seating positions in your vehicle have a lap-shoulder except for the center front passenger position, if your vehicle has one, which has a lap belt. See Lap Belt on page 1-49 for more information. Here is how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index. 2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. The lap-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. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of a passenger belt out all the way, you may engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again. Engaging the child restraint locking feature may affect the passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-86. 3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. If you ﬁnd that the latch plate will not go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-50. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary. 1-43 4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the height that is right for you. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later in this section. 5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt. It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants. 1-44 To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way. Before you close a 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. Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster Your vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger position. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. To move it down, squeeze the buttons (A) on the sides of the height adjuster and move the height adjuster to the desired position. Safety Belt Pretensioners Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front outboard occupants. Although you cannot see them, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal, or rear crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. And, if your vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash or a rollover event. Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a crash, you will need to get new ones, and probably other new parts for your safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-93. You can move the adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide. After you move the adjuster to where you want it, try to move it down without squeezing the buttons to make sure it has locked into position. 1-45 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide for each outside passenger position in the second row seat and the third row, if your vehicle has one. Here is how to install a comfort guide to the safety belt: Second Row 1. For the second row, remove the guide from its storage clip on the interior body. 1-46 Third Row If your vehicle has a third row, remove the guide from its storage pocket on the side of the seat. 2. Place the guide over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies ﬂat. The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top. 1-47 {CAUTION: A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. 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. 1-48 4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described previously in this section. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that you can take them out of the guide. Slide the guide into its storage clip on the interior body or storage pocket on the side of the seat. 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 do not wear safety belts. Lap Belt This part is only for the lap belt. To learn how to wear a lap-shoulder belt, see Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-43. You vehicle may have a center seating position. When you sit in the center front seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. 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. The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt. Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap-shoulder belt. 1-49 Safety Belt Extender If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be long enough for you. To help avoid personal injury, do not let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat it is made to ﬁt. The extender has been designed for adults. Never use it for securing child seats. To wear it, attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender. To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-50. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary. If you ﬁnd that the latch plate will not go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be sure that the latch plate clicks when inserted into the buckle. 1-50 Child Restraints Older Children Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts. The manufacturer’s instructions that come with the booster seat, state the weight and height limitations for that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until the child passes the below ﬁt test: (cid:129) Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the knees bend at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. (cid:129) Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder belt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-43 for more information. If the shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the booster seat. (cid:129) Does the lap belt ﬁt low and snug on the hips, touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. (cid:129) Can proper safety belt ﬁt be maintained for length of trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. If you have the choice, a child should sit in a position with a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. 1-51 {CAUTION: Never do this. Here two children are wearing the same belt. The belt cannot 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. Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts? A: 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. This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic bones in a crash. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash. Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-43. According to accident statistics, children and infants are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating positions. 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. 1-52 {CAUTION: Never do this. Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind the child. In a crash, the child would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. The child might slide under the lap belt. The belt force would then be applied right on the abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. The child could also move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. 1-53 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. {CAUTION: Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Never leave children unattended in a vehicle and never allow children to play with the safety belts. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate restraints. Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. In addition, young children should not use the vehicle’s adult safety belts alone; they need to use a child restraint. {CAUTION: People should never hold an infant in their arms while riding in a vehicle. An infant does not weigh much — until a crash. During a crash an infant will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it. 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. 1-54 CAUTION: (Continued) children, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide. 1-55 {CAUTION: Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inﬂates can be seriously injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer protection for adults and older CAUTION: (Continued) {CAUTION: Newborn infants need complete support, including support for the head and neck. This is necessary 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 distributed across the strongest part of an infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants should always be secured in appropriate infant restraints. 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. 1-56 {CAUTION: The body structure of a young child is quite unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom the safety belts are designed. 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. Young children should always be secured in appropriate child 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. 1-57 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. Make sure the child restraint is properly installed in the vehicle using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH system, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual. A booster seat (C-D) is a child restraint designed to improve the ﬁt of the vehicle’s safety belt system. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window. 1-58 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. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-61 for 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 your 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. Because there are different systems, it is important to refer to the instructions that come with the restraint. Make sure the child is properly secured, following the instructions that came with that restraint. 1-59 Where to Put the Restraint Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. 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 your sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys. 1-60 {CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. Even though the passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be secured 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. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-86 for additional information. {CAUTION: A child in a child restraint in the center front seat can be badly injured or killed by the frontal airbags if they inﬂate. Never secure a child restraint in the center front seat. It is always better to secure a child restraint in a rear seat. Do not use child restraints in the center front seat position. When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with your child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. Wherever you install a child restraint, 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. 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 attached 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. 1-61 Lower Anchors Top Tether Anchor 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). 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. 1-62 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 Second Row — 60/40 j (Lower Anchor): Seating positions with two lower anchors. i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. j (Lower Anchor): Seating positions with two lower anchors. i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. Second Row — Bucket 1-63 i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. Third Row — Two Passenger i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. For models with a three passenger third row seat, see the information following for installing a child restraint with a top tether in the third row, if your vehicle has one. Never install two top tethers using the same top tether anchor. For models with 60/40 second row seating, the rear right side passenger and center seating positions have exposed metal anchors located in the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion. For models with second row bucket seats, both rear seating positions have exposed metal anchors located in the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion. Third Row — Three Passenger 1-64 Second Row Seat — Bucket Second Row Seat — 60/40 For models with bucket second row seating, the top tether anchors are located at the bottom rear of the seat cushion for each seating position in the second row. 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 models with 60/40 second row seating, the top tether anchors are located at the bottom rear of the seat cushion for each seating position in the second row. 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. 1-65 For vehicles with a three passenger third row seat, there is one top tether anchor located at the bottom rear of the seat cushion that can be used for either the third row center or driver side seating position. Never install two top tethers using the same top tether anchor. 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. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-60 for additional information. Third Row Seat — Two or Three Passenger For vehicles with a two passenger third row seat, there is one top tether anchor located at the bottom rear of the seat cushion that can be used for the rear driver side seating position in the third row. Never install two top tethers using the same top tether anchor. 1-66 Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System {CAUTION: {CAUTION: If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to anchors, the restraint will not 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 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. Each top tether anchor and lower anchor in the vehicle is designed to hold only one child restraint. 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 if this happens. To help prevent injury to people and damage to your vehicle, attach only one child restraint per anchor. 1-67 {CAUTION: Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Secure 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. Be sure to follow the instructions of the child restraint manufacturer. Notice: Contact between the child restraint LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety belt assembly may cause damage to these parts. Make sure when securing unused safety belts behind the child restraint that there is no contact between the child restraint LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety belt assembly. 1-68 Folding an empty rear seat with the safety belts secured may cause damage to the safety belt or the seat. When removing the child restraint, always remember to return the safety belts to their normal, stowed position before folding the rear seat. 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 your 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. 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 the vehicle has one. Refer to the child restraint instructions and the following steps: 2.1. Find the top tether anchor. 2.2. Route, attach and tighten the top tether according to your 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. If the position you are using has an adjustable headrest or head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether around the headrest or head restraint. If the position you are using has an adjustable headrest or head restraint and you are using a single tether, raise the headrest or head restraint and route the tether under the headrest or head restraint and in between the headrest or head restraint posts. 3. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. 1-69 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with your child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-61 for how to install your child restraint using LATCH. If you secure a child restraint using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-61 for top tether anchor locations. 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 anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the safety belt to secure the child restraint in this position. 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. 1-70 If you need to install more than one child restraint in the rear seat, be sure to read Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-60. 1. Put the child 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. 3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary. 4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 5. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt, and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are 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. 6. If your child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-61 for more information. 7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. 1-71 To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it. Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position {CAUTION: A child in a child restraint in the center front seat can be badly injured or killed by the frontal airbags if they inﬂate. Never secure a child restraint in the center front seat. It is always better to secure a child restraint in a rear seat. Do not use child restraints in the center front seat position.

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2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Owners Manual