Hummer H3T User Manual

2009 HUMMER H3/H3T Owner Manual M

Seats and Restraint System

............................... 1-1

Head Restraints Front Seats Rear Seats Safety Belts Child Restraints Airbag System Restraint System

Check

.................... 1-3

.................... 1-7

.................. 1-11

...................... 1-60

.............. 1-2

............. 1-25

.............. 1-46

Features and Controls

Keys Doors and Locks Windows Theft-Deterrent

Starting and Operating Your Mirrors

Object Detection OnStar

............................. 2-2

........................ 2-9

Systems Vehicle

Systems

................... 2-11

..................... 2-15

......................... 2-33

................... 2-36

System

............ 2-39

............ 2-5

...... 2-1

Universal Home

Remote System Storage Areas Sunroof

Instrument Panel

Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages,

and Indicators Driver Information

Center (DIC) Audio System(s)

............... 2-47

........................ 2-50

............... 3-1

.................... 3-4

............ 3-19

............ 3-22

............. 3-34

............ 3-41

Driving Your Vehicle

Your Driving, the Road,

and the Vehicle Towing

........................ 4-40

Service and Appearance Care

Service Fuel Checking Things Under

the Hood Rear Axle

.......................... 5-3

.............................. 5-5

............... 5-1

.................... 5-9

..................... 5-38

......... 2-42

......... 4-1

........... 4-1

Four-Wheel Drive Front Axle Headlamp Aiming Bulb Replacement Windshield Wiper Blade

Replacement Tires Appearance Care Vehicle Identiﬁcation Electrical System Capacities and

........................... 5-44

Speciﬁcations

.......... 5-38

.................... 5-39

.......... 5-39

......... 5-41

............. 5-44

.......... 5-83

........... 5-91

............ 5-96

Maintenance Schedule

Customer Assistance Information

Customer Assistance and

Information Reporting Safety

Defects Vehicle Data Recording

and Privacy

Index

........................ 7-1

................. 7-1

..................... 7-14

............... 7-16

....................................i-1

...... 5-90

...... 6-1

..... 6-1

ii Preface

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, HUMMER, H3 and H3T are trademarks of General Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. GM reserves 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 HUMMER wherever it appears in this manual.

Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 15891522 A First Printing

This manual describes features that may or may not be on your speciﬁc vehicle.

Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols, and words work together to explain vehicle operation.

Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference.

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 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 helminc.com

Index

To quickly locate information about the vehicle use 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.

Preface iii

Safety Warnings and Symbols

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.”

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.

Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions.

A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle.

Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle.

Many times, this damage would not be covered by the vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage.

There are also warning labels on the vehicle which 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.

M : This symbol is shown when

you need to see your owner manual for additional instructions or information.

* : This symbol is shown when

you need to see a service manual for additional instructions or information.

iv Preface

Vehicle Symbol Chart

Here are some additional symbols that may be found on the vehicle and what they mean. For more information on the symbol, refer to the index.

9 : Airbag Readiness Light # : Air Conditioning ! : Antilock Brake System (ABS) g : Audio Steering Wheel Controls

or OnStar

$ : Brake System Warning Light " : Charging System

I : Cruise Control

B : Engine Coolant Temperature

O : Exterior Lamps

# : Fog Lamps

. : Fuel Gage

+ : Fuses

i : Headlamp High/Low-Beam

Changer

j : LATCH System Child Restraints

* : Malfunction Indicator Lamp : : Oil Pressure

} : Power

/ : Remote Vehicle Start

> : Safety Belt Reminders

7 : Tire Pressure Monitor F : Traction Control M : Windshield Washer Fluid

Seats and Restraint System 1-1

Seats and Restraint System

Head Restraints

Front Seats

Manual Seats Power Seats Manual Lumbar Power Lumbar Heated Seats Reclining Seatbacks

Rear Seats

60/40 Split Bench

Seat (H3)

60/40 Split Bench

Seat (H3T)

..................1-2

.....................1-3

.......................1-3

..................1-4

....................1-4

.....................1-4

...........1-5

..........................1-7

........................1-9

Safety Belts

Safety Belts: They Are for

Everyone

How to Wear Safety Belts

Properly Lap-Shoulder Belt Safety Belt Use During

Pregnancy Safety Belt Extender

.........................1-11

..........................1-14

.............1-20

.......................1-25

.........1-25

Child Restraints

Older Children Infants and Young

Children Child Restraint Systems Where to Put the

Restraint Lower Anchors and

Tethers for Children

(LATCH) Securing a Child

Restraint in a Rear

Outside Seat Position Securing a Child

Restraint in the Center

Rear Seat Position Securing a Child

Restraint in the Right

Front Seat Position

..................1-25

..........................1-28

.........................1-32

..........................1-34

..........1-43

.........1-43

....1-31

......1-41

Airbag System

Airbag System Where Are the Airbags? When Should an Airbag

Inﬂate?

What Makes an Airbag

Inﬂate?

How Does an Airbag

Restrain?

What Will You See After

an Airbag Inﬂates?

Passenger Sensing

System

Servicing Your

Airbag-Equipped Vehicle

Adding Equipment to

Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle

..................1-46

...1-49

............................1-50

............................1-52

........................1-52

..........1-52

............................1-54

..1-58

............................1-58

Restraint System Check

Checking the Restraint

Systems

Replacing Restraint

System Parts After a Crash

..........................1-60

..............................1-60

1-2 Seats and Restraint System

Head Restraints

The front seats have adjustable head restraints in the outboard seating positions.

{ CAUTION

With head restraints that are not installed and adjusted properly, there is a greater chance that occupants will suffer a neck/spinal injury in a crash. Do not drive until the head restraints for all occupants are installed and adjusted properly.

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.

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 restraint down.

Push down on the head restraint after the button is released to make sure that it is locked in place.

The head restraints are not designed to be removed.

Seats and Restraint System 1-3

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.

Power Seats

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:

• Move the seat forward or

rearward by sliding the control forward or rearward.

• Raise or lower the front or rear

part of the seat cushion by moving the front or rear of the control up or down.

• Raise or lower the entire seat

cushion by moving the control up or down.

1-4 Seats and Restraint System

Manual Lumbar

On vehicles with this feature, the knob is located on the outboard side of the seat.

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

Power Lumbar

On vehicles with this feature, the control is located on the outboard side of the seat(s).

To increase or decrease lumbar support, press and hold the front or rear of the control.

Heated Seats

This feature heats the cushion and seatbacks.

On vehicles with this feature the controls may be located on the outboard sides of the front seats.

Press the top of the switch to turn the heat to the high setting. Press the bottom of the switch to turn the heat to the low setting. Put the switch in the center position to turn the heat off.

Seats and Restraint System 1-5

The ignition must be on for the heated seat feature to work. The seat will heat to the last setting if the ignition has been turned off and then turned back on.

For the heated seat feature to work on the passenger seat the safety belt must be fastened.

If the controls are located on the center console, press the button to turn the heated seat and seatback on or off.

Each time the button is pressed, the temperature settings change from high, to low, to off. Indicator lights on the button show the level of heat selected: two for high, and one for low.

Reclining Seatbacks

{ CAUTION

If either seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

The seats have manual reclining seatbacks. The lever used to operate them is located on the outboard side of the seats.

To recline the seatback:

1. Lift the recline lever and move the seatback to the desired position, then release the lever to lock the seatback in place.

2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

1-6 Seats and Restraint System

To return the seatback to an upright position:

1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback.

2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

{ CAUTION

Sitting in a reclined position when the vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if when buckled up, the safety belts cannot do their job when reclined like this.

The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it will not be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.

(Continued)

CAUTION (Continued)

The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash, the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries.

For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear the safety belt properly.

Do not have a seatback reclined when the vehicle is moving.

Rear Seats

60/40 Split Bench Seat (H3)

The 60/40 split bench seats can be folded for more cargo space.

Folding the Seatbacks

There should be nothing on, under, or in front of the seat, and the front seats should be moved forward.

To fold the rear seatback(s):

1. Reach under the front of the seat and lift the cushion up while moving it forward.

Seats and Restraint System 1-7

2. Pull the seat cushion forward until it rests in the footwell.

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 latch on top of the seatback and pull the seatback forward. Fold the seatback down until it is nearly ﬂat.

4. If the seatback will not fold nearly ﬂat, try moving the front seat forward and/or moving the front seatback more upright.

5. Repeat the steps for the other half of the 60/40 split bench seat.

1-8 Seats and Restraint System

Returning the Seatbacks to an Upright Position

{ 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.

To return the seatback(s) to the upright position:

1. Lift the seatback up and push it all the way rearward.

2. Reach under the front seat and lift the cushion while moving it rearward until it latches.

3. Pull forward on the seatback and push down on the seat cushion to make sure the seat is securely in place.

Seats and Restraint System 1-9

60/40 Split Bench Seat (H3T)

To fold the rear seatback(s) forward:

1. Disconnect the rear center safety belt latch from the mini buckle by inserting the tip of the safety belt into the slot on the buckle. Let the belt retract.

2. Pull the loop, located on the outboard side of the seatback, forward until you hear a click.

3. Fold the seatback forward slightly so that the headrest can be removed.

1-10 Seats and Restraint System

4. Remove the headrest by pressing the button on the headrest post, at the top of the seatback, and lift to remove.

5. Lift the headrest off of the seatback and store on the back panel.

To return the seatback(s) to the upright position:

1. Lift the seatback partially and reinsert the headrest.

2. Lift the seatback completely and push it into place.

{ CAUTION

3. Make sure the seatback is locked by pushing and pulling on it.

{ CAUTION

4. Reconnect the center safety belt latch plate to the mini buckle. Make sure the safety belt is not twisted.

5. Push and pull on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.

When the seatback is not in use, it should be kept in the upright, locked position.

Seats and Restraint System 1-11

Safety Belts

Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone

This section of the manual describes how to use safety belts properly. It also describes some things not to do with safety belts.

{ CAUTION

Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passenger(s) are restrained properly too.

{ 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.

{ CAUTION

People riding on the tailgate (if equipped) can easily lose their balance and fall even when the vehicle is operated at low speeds. Falling from a moving vehicle may result in serious injuries or death.

This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-24.

In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:

You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.

A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without safety belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.

After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter... a lot!

1-12 Seats and Restraint System

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.

Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop.

Seats and Restraint System 1-13

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...

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.

1-14 Seats and Restraint System

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts

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.

Q: If I am a good driver, and I

never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: You may be an excellent driver,

but if you are in a crash — even one that is not your fault — you and your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good driver does not protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers.

Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h).

Safety belts are for everyone.

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

This section is only for people of adult size.

Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and infants. If a child will be riding in the vehicle, see Older Children on

page 1-25 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-28. 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.

Seats and Restraint System 1-15

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.

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose.

It will not give as much protection this way.

{ 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.

1-16 Seats and Restraint System

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not

give nearly as much protection this way.

{ CAUTION

Q: What is wrong with this?

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 belt is buckled in the wrong

buckle.

Seats and Restraint System 1-17

{ 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.

Q: What is wrong with this?

{ 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.

A: The belt is over an armrest.

1-18 Seats and Restraint System

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is worn under

the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times.

{ 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.

Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The belt is behind the body.

Seats and Restraint System 1-19

{ 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.

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.

1-20 Seats and Restraint System

Lap-Shoulder Belt

All seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt.

If you are using a rear seating position with a detachable safety belt and the safety belt is not attached, see 60/40 Split Bench

Seat (H3) on page 1-7 or 60/40 Split Bench Seat (H3T) on page 1-9 for

instruction on reconnecting the safety belt to the mini-buckle.

The following instructions explain 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 the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint locking feature may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again.

Engaging the child restraint locking feature in the right front seating position may affect the passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-54 for more information.

Seats and Restraint System 1-21

4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the height that is right for you. See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later in this section for instructions on use and important safety information.

3. 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 1-25.

Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.

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.

To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should return to its stowed position. Slide the latch plate up the safety belt webbing when the safety belt is not in use. The latch plate should rest on the stitching on the safety belt, near the guide loop on the side wall.

Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt, damage can occur to both the safety belt and the vehicle.

1-22 Seats and Restraint System

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster

The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger seating positions.

Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away from the face and neck, but not falling off of the shoulder. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.

To move it down, press the release button (A) and move the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move the height adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide.

After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to move it down without pushing the button to make sure it has locked into position.

Safety Belt Pretensioners

This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the front outboard occupants. Although the safety belt pretensioners cannot be seen, 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, for vehicles with 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 the pretensioners activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced, and probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety belt system. See

Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-60.

Seats and Restraint System 1-23

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 shoulder belt away from the neck and head.

There is one guide for each outboard passenger position in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort guide to the safety belt:

2. Place the guide over the belt and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.

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

1-24 Seats and Restraint System

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.

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

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 the safety belt can be removed from the guide. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage clip, and then slide the guide onto the clip. Turn the guide and clip inward and slide them in between the seatback and the interior body, leaving only the loop of the elastic cord exposed.

Seats and Restraint System 1-25

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.

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.

Safety Belt Extender

If the 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.

Child Restraints

Older Children

Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts.

1-26 Seats and Restraint System

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:

• 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.

• 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 1-20

for more information. If the shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the booster seat.

• Does the lap belt ﬁt low and snug

on the hips, touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.

• Can proper safety belt ﬁt be

maintained for the length of the trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat.

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 1-20.

According to accident statistics, children and infants are safer when properly restrained in a child restraint system or infant restraint system secured in a rear seating position.

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.

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