Chevrolet Cobalt 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. If the seat has a safety belt guide, and the safety belt is not routed through the guide, slide the edge of the belt webbing through the opening on the guide. Be sure the belt is not twisted.

2. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.

3. 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.

Engaging the child restraint locking feature may affect the passenger sensing system, if equipped.

See Passenger Sensing System (Without Turbo Engine) or Passenger Sensing System (With Turbo Engine) for more information.

4. 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.

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

5. 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.

6. 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.

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 belt and the vehicle.

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster (Sedan Only)

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

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 the shoulder.

Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.

Press the release
button (A) and move
the height adjuster to
the desired position.

The adjuster can be
moved up by pushing
up on the shoulder belt
guide.

After the height 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 or near frontal crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. And, if the vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash.

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.

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides

This vehicle may have rear shoulder belt comfort guides. If not, they are available through your dealer/ retailer. The guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed and properly adjusted, the comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck and head.

Here is how to install a comfort guide to the safety belt:

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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.