GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Front Seat Belt System

Caution: Restraint systems can be damaged in a collision. To help avoid injury and ensure that all parts in need of replacement are replaced:

   • Replace any seat belt system that was in use during the collision serious enough to deploy any automatic restraint device such as air bags and seat belt pretensioners. This not only includes seat belt systems in use by people of adult size, but seat belt systems used to secure child restraints, infant carriers and booster seats, including LATCH system and top tether anchorages.
   • Replace any seat belt system that has torn, worn, or damaged components. This not only includes adult seat belt systems, but built-in child restraints and LATCH system components, if any.
   • Replace any seat belt system if you observe the words "REPLACE" or "CAUTION", or if a yellow tag is visible. Do not replace a seat belt if only the child seat caution label is visible.
   • Replace any seat belt system if you are doubtful about its condition. This not only includes adult seat belt systems, but built-in child restraints, LATCH system components, and any restraint system used to secure infant carriers, child restraints, and booster seats.
Do NOT replace single seat belt system components in vehicles that have been in a collision as described above. Always replace the entire seat belt system with the buckle, guide and retractor assembly, which includes the latch and webbing material.

  1. The front seat belt system is on all belt-to-seat system and includes the following components:
  2. • The driver and\or the passenger seat belt retractor is located and attached to the seat back.
    • The driver and\or the passenger seat buckle are attached to the lower inner side of each front seat.
  3. The driver's seat belt system, includes a seat belt switch in the driver seat buckle which controls a reminder lamp and a tone alarm. When the driver seat belt is buckled, the driver's door is closed, and the ignition switch is turned ON, the following events will occur:
  4. • The tone alarm will not operate.
    • The reminder lamp will not operate.
  5. When the driver's seat belt is not buckled, the driver's door is closed, and the ignition switch is in RUN, the following events will occur:
  6. • The tone alarm will operate for 4 to 8 seconds and then go OFF.
    • The reminder lamp will operate for 20 seconds, until the driver seat belt is buckled.
    • The reminder lamp will flash for an additional 55 seconds before going OFF.
    • To diagnose a failure of the reminder lamp or the tone alarm, refer to Fasten Safety Belt Chime Inoperative in Instrument Panel, Gauges and Console.
  7. The passenger seat belt has an automatic locking (cinch) feature. The cinch feature is activated when the seat belt webbing is completely extended from the retractor. The cinch feature prevents the webbing from extending beyond the position from which it is allowed to retract. Use of the cinch feature is recommended for securing a child seat. The cinch feature may be cancelled by allowing the webbing to wind back completely into the retractor. After the cinch feature is cancelled, the webbing is unlocked. After the cinch feature is cancelled, the webbing will extend from the retractor.

Rear Seat Belt System

The rear seat belt system includes the following components:

    • The rear seat belt retractor is located under the rear shelf trim panel and is attached to the rear shelf body panel.
    • The center rear seat belt buckle and the outer seat belt buckle are located in the center of the seat cushion. The buckles are attached to the rear floor pan.
    • The automatic locking (cinch) feature is located on the outboard positions of the rear seat and can be used to secure the child seat.

Child Seat Restraint System

Caution: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured if the right-front passengers air bag inflates. This is because the back of a rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating air bag. NEVER use a rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle. If a forward-facing child restraint is suitable for your child, ALWAYS move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go and then install the child restraint. Be sure the child restraint position does not conflict with any additional requirements provided by the manufacturer. For more information, refer to the vehicle owners manual and the instruction that came with the child restraint.

Use the child seat only in a forward facing seating location. Install the child seat and secure the child seat according to the manufacturer's directions. Do not allow passengers to sit at locations where the seat belts are securing the child seat.

The automatic locking (cinch) feature can be used to in order to secure the child seat.

If you are using a child seat in the second seat position, you must use a special dealer-installed anchor in order to anchor the child seat top strap. (This only applies to the seats designed with the top strap provision and for the vehicles sold in Canada). In order to assure the correct top strap angle, only use the child seat at the seating position for which the top strap anchor is installed.