Chevrolet Spark Owners Manual: Lap-Shoulder Belt

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

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.

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 3-17.

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

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

5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt.

To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should return to its stowed position.

Before a door is closed, be sure the 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.

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster

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

Adjust the height so the shoulder portion of the belt is on the shoulder and not falling off of it. The belt should be close to, but not contacting, the neck. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. See How to Wear Safety Belts Properly on page 3-12.

Press the release button and move the height adjuster down to the desired position. The adjuster can be moved up by pushing up on the adjuster.

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

Safety Belt Pretensioners

This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for 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, side, or rear crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. Safety belt pretensioners can also help tighten the safety belts in a side crash or a rollover event.

Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners activate in a crash, the pretensioners and probably other new parts of the vehicle's safety belt system will need to be replaced. See Replacing Safety Belt System Parts after a Crash on page 3-18.

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides

This vehicle may have rear safety belt comfort guides. If not, they are available through your dealer.

Rear safety 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.

To install:

1. Locate the anchor loop on the rear outboard seatback, near the top.
2. Attach the comfort guide to the anchor loop by threading the hook through the loop.

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

4. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat. The elastic cord must be behind the belt with the plastic guide on the front.

Warning

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.

5. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described previously in this section. Make sure the shoulder portion of the belt is on the shoulder and not falling off of it. The belt should be close to, but not contacting, the neck.

To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that the safety belt can be removed from the guide. Unhook the guide from the loop on the seat.

Store the guide in a convenient place like the glove box for the next time it is needed.