User manual SAAB 9-7X

2007 Saab 9-7X Owner Manual Seats and Restraint Systems ....................... 7 Front Seats .............................................. 9 Rear Seats ............................................. 16 Safety Belts ............................................ 18 Child Restraints ...................................... 38 Airbag System ........................................ 64 Restraint System Check ......................... 82 Features and Controls ................................ 85 Keys ....................................................... 87 Doors and Locks .................................... 92 Windows ................................................ 99 Theft-Deterrent Systems ....................... 101 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ..... 106 Mirrors .................................................. 121 OnStar® System ................................... 125 M Universal Home Remote System .......... 128 Storage Areas ...................................... 139 Moonroof .............................................. 144 Instrument Panel ....................................... Instrument Panel Overview ................... Climate Controls ................................... Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators .......................................... Driver Information Center (DIC) ............ Audio System(s) ................................... 145 148 167 174 194 212 Driving Your Vehicle ................................. 263 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..................................... 264 Towing ................................................. 302 1 Service and Appearance Care .................. Service ................................................. Fuel ...................................................... Checking Things Under the Hood ......... All-Wheel Drive ..................................... Rear Axle ............................................. Front Axle ............................................ Headlamp Aiming ................................. Bulb Replacement ................................ Windshield Replacement ....................... Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ..................................... Tires ..................................................... 319 322 324 329 368 369 370 371 371 377 377 380 Appearance Care .................................. Vehicle Identification ............................. Electrical System .................................. Capacities and Specifications ................ 423 433 434 445 Maintenance Schedule .............................. 447 Maintenance Schedule .......................... 448 Customer Assistance Information ............. 465 Customer Assistance and Information ..... 466 Reporting Safety Defects ...................... 479 Index .......................................................... 483 2 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. Saab Automobile, Saab Cars USA, SAAB, Saab 9-7X, 9-7X and the Saab Emblem are registered trademarks of Saab Automobile, AB. 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 sold in Canada, substitute the name "General Motors of Canada Limited" for Saab Automobile, AB whenever it appears in this manual. Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is sold, leave this manual in the vehicle. Canadian Owners A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 15863676 A First Printing © 2006 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved. 3 How to Use This Manual Many people read the owner manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this is done, it can help you learn about the features and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work together in the owner manual to explain things. {CAUTION: These mean there is something that 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 do not, you or others could be hurt. You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means "Do Not," "Do Not do this" or "Do Not let this happen." 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. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. 4 Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this manual you will find these notices: 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. But the notice will tell 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. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. 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. If you need help figuring out a specific name of a component, gage, or indicator, reference the following 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 5 These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle: 6 Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Rear Seat Passengers ................................ 32 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ................ 35 Safety Belt Pretensioners ............................ 37 Safety Belt Extender ................................... 37 Child Restraints ............................................ 38 Older Children ............................................. 38 Infants and Young Children ......................... 40 Child Restraint Systems .............................. 44 Where to Put the Restraint .......................... 48 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) .................................... 50 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position ...................... 57 Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Rear Seat Position ....................... 59 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position ......................... 60 Front Seats ..................................................... 9 Power Seats ................................................. 9 Power Lumbar .............................................. 9 Heated Seats .............................................. 10 Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals .............. 11 Power Reclining Seatbacks ......................... 13 Head Restraints .......................................... 15 Rear Seats .................................................... 16 Rear Seat Operation ................................... 16 Safety Belts .................................................. 18 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ........... 18 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ................................... 22 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ............. 23 Driver Position ............................................. 24 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy .............. 31 Right Front Passenger Position ................... 32 7 Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...... 80 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .......................... 81 Restraint System Check ............................... 82 Checking the Restraint Systems .................. 82 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ........................................... 83 Airbag System .............................................. 64 Where Are the Airbags? .............................. 67 When Should an Airbag Inflate? .................. 70 What Makes an Airbag Inflate? ................... 72 How Does an Airbag Restrain? ................... 72 What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? ........................................ 73 Passenger Sensing System ......................... 74 8 Front Seats Power Seats The power seat controls are located on the outboard side of the seat cushions. · Raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire horizontal control up or down. · Use the vertical control to recline the seatback. See Power Reclining Seatbacks on page 13. Power Lumbar Your vehicle has power lumbar on the driver's and front passenger's seats. The seatback lumbar support can be adjusted by moving the control located on the outboard side of the seat cushions. · Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the horizontal control forward or rearward. · Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion by moving the front of the horizontal control up or down. · Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion by moving the rear of the horizontal control up or down. To increase or decrease support, hold the control forward or rearward. 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. 9 Heated Seats Your vehicle has heated front seats. The buttons used to control this feature are located on the front door armrests. The engine must be running for the heated seat feature to work. The indicator lights above the button will come on to designate the level of heat selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. The low setting warms the seatback and seat cushion until the seat temperature is near body temperature. The medium and high settings heat the seatback and seat cushion to a slightly higher temperature. You will be able to feel heat in about two minutes. To heat only the seatback, press the vertical button with the heated seatback symbol. An indicator light on the button will come on to designate that only the seatback is being heated. Additional presses will cycle through the heat levels for the seatback only. The feature will shut off automatically when the ignition is turned off. To heat the entire seat, press the horizontal button with the heated seat and seatback symbol. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the heated seat off. 10 Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals The controls for the memory function are located on the driver's door. To store the memory settings, do the following: 1. Adjust the driver's seat, including the seatback recliner and lumbar, both of the outside mirrors, and the adjustable pedals, if equipped, to the desired position. See Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal on page 110 for more information. 2. Press and hold the 1 or 2 button of the memory control for three seconds. A double chime will sound to let you know that the position has been stored. To repeat the procedure for a second driver, follow the preceding steps, but press the other numbered memory control button. These buttons are used to program and recall memory settings for the driver's seating position, both outside mirror positions, and the adjustable pedals, if equipped. The settings for these features can be saved for up to two drivers. 11 To recall the memory settings, do one of the following: · Press and release button 1 or 2 while the vehicle is in PARK (P). A single chime will sound and the memory position will be recalled. · If programmed to do so through the Driver Information Center (DIC), pressing the unlock button on the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter will recall the preset driver's memory seat, mirrors, and adjustable pedals position. · If programmed to do so through the DIC, placing the key in the ignition will recall the driver's memory seat, mirrors, and adjustable pedals positions. See "Seat Recall" under DIC Vehicle Customization on page 205 for more information. To stop recall movement of the memory seat feature at any time, press one of the memory buttons or power seat controls. Easy Exit Seat The control for the easy exit seat function is located on the driver's door below the memory buttons 1 and 2. The easy exit seat button is used to program and recall the desired driver's seat position when exiting or entering the vehicle. The mirrors, power lumbar, recline, and adjustable pedals, if equipped, positions will not be stored or recalled when using the easy exit seat function. The seat position can be saved for up to two drivers. To store the easy exit seat position, do the following: 1. Press and release the 1 or 2 button of the memory control for less than three seconds. The seat will move to the stored memory position. 2. Adjust the seat to the desired exit position. 3. Press and hold the easy exit seat button for more than three seconds. A double chime will sound to let you know that the position has been stored for the selected button 1 or 2. To repeat the procedure for a second driver, follow the preceding steps, but press the other numbered memory control button. 12 To recall the easy exit seat position, do one of the following: · Press the easy exit seat button on the memory control while the vehicle is in PARK (P). The seat will move to the stored exit position. · Or, if the easy exit seat feature is activated in the Driver Information Center (DIC), removing the key from the ignition will move the seat to the exit position. See "Easy Exit Seat" under DIC Vehicle Customization on page 205 for more information on activating this feature in the DIC. If an easy exit seat position has not been stored, the default position is all the way rearward. Power Reclining Seatbacks The front seats have power reclining seatbacks. Use the vertical power seat control located on the outboard side of the seat to operate them. · To recline the seatback, press the control toward the rear of the vehicle. · To raise the seatback, press the control toward the front of the vehicle. 13 {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. 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. Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 14 Head Restraints Pull the head restraint up to raise it. To lower the head restraint, press the button, located on the top of the seatback, and push the head restraint down. 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. 15 Rear Seats Rear Seat Operation Your vehicle has flip and fold second row seats which provide additional cargo space. To flip and fold the seat(s), do the following: 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 seatback, and fold the seatback forward. The head restraint will automatically fold out of the way as the seatback is folded down. 1. Pull up on the loop located where the seat cushion meets the seatback and flip the seat cushion forward. 16 To return the seat(s) to the original position, do the following: {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. Lift the seatback until it locks into the upright position. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. 2. Return the head restraints to the upright position by reaching behind the seat and pulling it forward until it locks into place. Push and pull on the head restraint to make sure that it is locked. 3. Flip the seat cushion back into place. 17 Safety Belts {CAUTION: 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. 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 to remind you and your passengers to buckle your safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 177 and Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 177. In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work. 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 bad one. {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 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. 18 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. 19 Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop. 20 The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel... 21 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I am wearing a safety belt? A: You could be -- whether you are wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are 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 airbags, why should I have to wear safety belts? 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. A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts -- not instead of them. Every airbag system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has airbags, you 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. 22 Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? 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 38 or Infants and Young Children on page 40. Follow those rules for everyone's protection. First, you will want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We will start with the driver position. A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an accident -- even one that is not your fault -- you and your passengers 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. 23 Driver Position Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is 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. 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. 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 is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 37. 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. 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. 24 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. 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 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 is a sudden stop or crash. 25 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 against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way. 26 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 at 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. 27 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 at 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. 28 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. A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. 29 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 to fix it. A: The belt is twisted across the body. 30 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. To unlatch the belt, 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. 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. 31 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. Rear Seat Passengers It is 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 are not 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. Right Front Passenger Position To learn how to wear the right front passenger's safety belt properly, see Driver Position on page 24. 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, let the belt go back all the way and start again. 32 Lap-Shoulder Belt All rear seat positions have lap-shoulder belts. Here is how to wear one properly. 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 37. 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. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not 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. 2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. 3. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder part. 33 {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 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 would 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 is a sudden stop or a crash. 34 To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. 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 rear seat. Here is how to install the comfort guide to the shoulder belt: 1. Slide the guide off of its storage clip located between the interior body and the seatback. 2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide over the belt and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 35 CAUTION: (Continued) 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. 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. {CAUTION: A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could CAUTION: (Continued) 4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described in Rear Seat Passengers on page 32. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. 36 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 back onto its storage clip located between the interior body and the seatback. 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 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, just attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender. Safety Belt Pretensioners Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger. Although you cannot see them, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal or side crash or a rollover if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. 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 83. 37 Child Restraints Older Children 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. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash. According to accident statistics, children 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. Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle's safety belts. 38 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: If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window, move the child toward the center of the vehicle. Also see Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides on page 35. If the child is sitting in the center rear seat passenger position, move the child toward the safety belt buckle. In either case, 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. {CAUTION: Never do this. Here two children are wearing the same belt. The belt can not 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. 39 CAUTION: (Continued) 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 {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. If the child wears the belt in this way, in a crash the child might slide CAUTION: (Continued) 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. 40 {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. 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. CAUTION: (Continued) During a crash a baby 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) baby will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force on a person's arms. A baby should be secured in an appropriate restraint. {CAUTION: People should never hold a baby in their arms while riding in a vehicle. A baby does not weigh much -- until a crash. CAUTION: (Continued) 41 {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 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. 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. 42 When purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. The restraint manufacturer's instructions that come with the restraint state the weight and height limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition, there are many kinds of restraints available for children with special needs. {CAUTION: 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 always should be secured in appropriate child restraints. {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 always should be secured in appropriate infant restraints. 43 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. 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. 44 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. 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. 45 Q: How Should I Use a Child Restraint? 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. To help reduce injuries, an add-on child restraint must be secured in the vehicle. With built-in or add-on child restraints, the child has to be secured within the child restraint. When choosing an add-on 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. 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. 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 50 for more information. A child can be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. 46 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. 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. {CAUTION: A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Make sure the child is properly secured, following the instructions that came with that restraint. Because there are different systems, it is important to refer to the instructions that come with the restraint. A child can be endangered in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Securing the Child Within the Child Restraint There are several systems for securing the child within the child 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. 47 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 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. If your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, 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. CAUTION: (Continued) 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 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 the rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If you need to 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. {CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger's airbag inflates. CAUTION: (Continued) 48 If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, never put a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat unless the passenger airbag status indicator shows off and the airbag is off. Here is why: CAUTION: (Continued) {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. Be sure the airbag is off before using a rear-facing child restraint in the right front seat position. Even though the passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the passenger's frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, CAUTION: (Continued) 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 transported in vehicles with a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, whenever possible. If you need to 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. 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. 49 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) The LATCH system holds a child restraint during driving or in a crash. This system is designed to make installation of a child restraint easier. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint that are made for use with the LATCH system Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle's safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual. When installing a child restraint with a top tether, you must also use either the lower anchors or the safety belts to properly secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed using only the top tether and anchor. In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you need a child restraint that has LATCH attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child restraint and its attachments. The following explains how to attach a child restraint with these attachments in your vehicle. 50 Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors and attachments. Lower Anchors Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position that will accommodate a child restraint with lower attachments (B).