Buick LaCrosse: Child Restraints

Buick LaCrosse: Child Restraints

• Older Children
• Infants and Young Children
• Child Restraint Systems
• Where to Put the Restraint
• Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System)
• Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash
• Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat)
• Securing Child Restraints (Front Passenger Seat)

Older Children

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:

• 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, 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.

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.

WARNING!
Never do this.
Never allow two children to wear the same safety belt. The safety belt cannot properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A safety belt must be used by only one person at a time.

WARNING!
Never do this.
Never allow a child to wear the safety belt with the shoulder belt behind their back. A child can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, the child would not be restrained by the shoulder belt.
The child could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. The child 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.

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.

WARNING!
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.

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. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate child restraints.

Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle.

WARNING!
Never do this.
Never hold an infant or a child while riding in a vehicle. Due to crash forces, an infant or a child will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it during a crash.
For example, in a crash at only 40 km/h (25 mph), a 5.5 kg (12 lb) infant will suddenly become a 110 kg (240 lb) force on a person's arms. An infant should be secured in an appropriate restraint.

WARNING!
Never do this.
Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the right front seat. Secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat. It is also better to secure a forward-facing child restraint in a rear seat. If you must secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go.

Q: What are the different types of add-on child restraints?

A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the vehicle 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.

WARNING!
To reduce the risk of neck and head injury during a crash, infants need complete support. This is because an infant's neck is not fully developed and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing child restraint 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 rear-facing child restraints.

WARNING!
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. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash, young children should always be secured in appropriate child restraints.

Child Restraint Systems

(A) Rear-Facing Infant Seat

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.

(B) Forward-Facing Child Seat

A forward-facing child seat (B) provides restraint for the child's body with the harness.

(C) Booster Seats

A booster seat (C) 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.

Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in the Vehicle

WARNING!
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. Secure the child restraint properly in the vehicle using the vehicle safety belt or LATCH system, following the instructions that came with that child restraint and 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 System) for more information. Children 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 the vehicle — even when no child is in it.

In some areas, Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to inspect and demonstrate how to correctly use and install child restraints. In the U.S., refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website to locate the nearest child safety seat inspection station. For CPST availability in Canada, check with Transport Canada or the Provincial Ministry of Transportation office.

Securing the Child within the Child Restraint

WARNING!
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Secure the child properly following the instructions that came with that child restraint.

Where to Put the Restraint

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.

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.

WARNING!
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints 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 for additional information.

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.

Child restraints and booster seats vary considerably in size, and some may fit in certain seating positions better than others. Always make sure the child restraint is properly secured.

Depending on where you place the child restraint and the size of the child restraint, you may not be able to access adjacent safety belt assemblies or LATCH anchors for additional passengers or child restraints. Adjacent seating positions should not be used if the child restraint prevents access to or interferes with the routing of the safety belt.

Wherever a child restraint is installed, 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 System)

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 the 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 the vehicle.

Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors and attachments.

Lower Anchors

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).

Top Tether Anchor

Top Tether Anchor

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.

The 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 that have a top tether 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 the child restraint.

Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor Locations

Rear Seat

(Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors.

(Lower Anchor): Seating positions with two lower anchors.

To assist in locating the lower anchors, each rear anchor position has a label, near the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion.

To assist in locating the top tether anchors, the top tether anchor symbol is on the cover.

The top tether anchors are under the covers, behind the rear seat, on the filler panel. Be sure to use an anchor on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed.

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.

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. See Where to Put the Restraint for additional information.

Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System

WARNING!
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to anchors, the child restraint will not be able to protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be seriously injured or killed. Install a LATCH-type child restraint properly using the anchors, or use the vehicle safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with the child restraint and the instructions in this manual.

WARNING!
Do not attach more than one child restraint to a single anchor.
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. To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash, attach only one child restraint per anchor.

WARNING!
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle 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 the vehicle has one, after the child restraint has been installed.

Notice:
Do not let the LATCH attachments rub against the vehicle’s safety belts. This may damage these parts. If necessary, move buckled safety belts to avoid rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt buckled. This could damage the safety belt or the seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its stowed position, before folding the seat.

If you need to secure more than one child restraint in the rear seat, see Where to Put the Restraint.

You cannot secure three child restraints using the LATCH anchors in the rear seat at the same time, but you can install two of them.

If you want to do this, install one LATCH child restraint in the passenger-side position, and install the other one either in the driver-side position or in the center position. If you need to install child restraints in both the center and driver-side position, the one in the center seating position will need to be secured using the vehicle safety belts instead of the LATCH anchors.

Refer to the following illustration to learn which anchors to use.

A. Passenger Side Rear Seating Position and Lower Anchors 1 and 2
B. Center Rear Seating Position and Lower Anchors 3 and 4
C. Driver Side Rear Seating Position and Lower Anchors 4 and 5

There are five lower LATCH anchors in the rear seat.

• Use anchors 1 and 2 when installing a child restraint using LATCH in seating position A.

• Use anchors 3 and 4 when installing a child restraint using LATCH in seating position B.

• Use anchors 4 and 5 when installing a child restraint using LATCH in seating position C.

Installing child restraints using LATCH in seating positions B and C at the same time is prohibited.

Make sure to attach the child restraint at the proper anchor location.

This system is designed to make installation of child restraints easier.

When using lower anchors, do not use the vehicle's safety belts.

Instead use the vehicle's anchors and child restraint attachments to secure the restraints. Some restraints also use another vehicle anchor to secure a top tether.

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 the 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.

If the head restraint interferes with the proper installation of the child restraint, the head restraint may be removed. See “Head Restraint Removal and Reinstallation” at the end of this section.

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 equipped. Refer to the child restraint instructions and the following steps:

2.1. Find the top tether anchor.

Open the cover to expose the anchor.

2.2. Route, attach, and tighten the top tether according to the child restraint instructions and the following instructions:

• If the position you are using does not have a headrest or head restraint, or the headrest or head restraint has been removed, 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, or the headrest or head restraint has been removed, 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 single tether, route the tether under the headrest or head restraint and in between the headrest or head restraint posts. See Head Restraints.

• 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.

3. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is securely held in place. To check, grasp the child restraint at the LATCH path and attempt to move it side to side and back and forth. There should be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of movement, for proper installation.

Head Restraint Removal and Reinstallation

The rear outboard head restraints can be removed if they interfere with the proper installation of the child restraint.

To remove the head restraint:

1. Partially fold the seatback forward. See Rear Seats for additional information.

2. Press both buttons on the head restraint posts at the same time, and pull up on the head restraint.

3. Store the head restraint in the trunk of the vehicle.

4. When the child restraint is removed, reinstall the head restraint before the seating position is used.

WARNING!
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.

To reinstall the head restraint:

1. Insert the head restraint posts into the holes in the top of the seatback. The notches (A) on the posts must face the driver side of the vehicle.

2. Push the head restraint down.

If necessary, press the height adjustment release button to further lower the head restraint.

See Head Restraints.

3. Try to move the head restraint to make sure that it is locked in place.

Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash

WARNING!
A crash can damage the LATCH system in the vehicle. A damaged LATCH system may not properly secure the child restraint, resulting in serious injury or even death in a crash. To help make sure the LATCH system is working properly after a crash, see your dealer to have the system inspected and any necessary replacements made as soon as possible.

If the vehicle has the LATCH system and it was being used during a crash, new LATCH system parts may be needed.

New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the LATCH system was not being used at the time of the crash.

Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat)

When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with the child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle.

If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured in the vehicle using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) for top tether anchor locations.

Do not secure a child seat 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.

If the 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.

If more than one child restraint needs to be installed in the rear seat, be sure to read Where to Put the Restraint.

1. Put the child restraint on the seat.

If the head restraint interferes with the proper installation of the child restraint, the head restraint may be removed. See “Head Restraint Removal and Reinstallation” under Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System).

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.

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

4. Pull the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. When the retractor lock is set, the belt can be tightened but not pulled out of the retractor.

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. When installing a forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.

Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is locked. If the retractor is not locked, repeat Steps 4 and 5.

6. If the 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 System) for more information.

7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is securely held in place. To check, grasp the child restraint at the safety belt path and attempt to move it side to side and back and forth. When the child restraint is properly installed, there should be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.

To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.

If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it. If the head restraint was removed, reinstall it before the seating position is used. See “Head Restraint Removal and Reinstallation” under Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) for additional information on installing the head restraint properly.

Securing Child Restraints (Front Passenger Seat)

This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint.

In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing system which is designed to turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag under certain conditions. See Passenger Sensing System and Passenger Airbag Status Indicator for more information, including important safety information.

A label on the 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.

WARNING!
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off.

Secure rear-facing child restraints 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 for additional information.

If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) for top tether anchor locations.

Do not secure a child seat 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.

You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that came with the child restraint.

1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint.

When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag and seat-mounted side airbag, the off indicator on the passenger airbag status indicator should light and stay lit when you start the vehicle. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator.

2. Put the child restraint on the seat.

3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle's safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.

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

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

5. Pull the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. When the retractor lock is set, the belt can be tightened but not pulled out of the retractor.

6. 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. When installing a forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.

Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is locked. If the retractor is not locked, repeat Steps 5 and 6.

7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is securely held in place. To check, grasp the child restraint at the safety belt path and attempt to move it side to side and back and forth. When the child restraint is properly installed, there should be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.

If the airbags are off, the off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator will come on and stay on when the vehicle is started.

If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child Restraint” under Passenger Sensing System for more information.

To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position.