Suzuki 2008 Reno - Manual (Page 32)

1-20
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
85Z14-03E
child restraint instructions are important,
so if they are not available, obtain a
replacement copy from the manufacturer.
Where to Put the Restraint
All child restraint systems are designed to
be secured in vehicle seats by either safety
belts (lap belts or the lap portion of lap-
shoulder belts) or by special rigid lower
anchor bars built into the seats. Whenever
possible, SUZUKI recommends that child
restraint systems be installed on the rear
seat. According to accident statistics, chil-
dren are safer when properly restrained in
rear seating positions than in front seating
positions. Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front passenger seat.
Here’s why:
Wherever you install it, 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 vehi-
cle. Be sure to properly secure any child
restraint in your vehicle – even when no
child is in it.
Top Strap
Some child restraints have a top strap, or
“top tether.” It can help restrain the child
restraint during a collision. For it to work, a
top strap must be properly anchored to the
vehicle. Some top strap-equipped child
restraints are designed for use with or with-
out the top strap being anchored. Others
require the top strap always to be
anchored. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for your child restraint. If yours
requires that the top strap be anchored,
don’t use the restraint unless it is anchored
properly.
If the child restraint does not have a top
strap, one can be obtained, in kit form, for
many child restraints. Ask the child
restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit
is available.
WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child restraint
can be severely injured or killed if the
right front passenger’s frontal air bag
inflates. This is because the back of
the rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating air bag.
(Continued)
WARNING
(Continued)
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
passenger’s frontal air bag and side
air bag under certain conditions, no
system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an air bag will not
deploy under some unusual circum-
stance, even though it is turned off.
Always secure a rear-facing child
restraint in the rear seat, even if the
air bags are off.
If you need to secure a forward-fac-
ing child restraint in the right front
seat, always move the front passen-
ger seat as far back as it will go. It is
better to secure the child restraint in
a rear seat.
WARNING
Children could be endangered in a
crash if their child restraints are not
properly secured in the vehicle.
When installing a child restraint sys-
tem, be sure to follow the instruc-
tions below. Be sure to secure the
child in the restraint system accord-
ing to the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
Child Restraints: