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Installing Child Restraints
When installing a child restraint with combination lap and shoulder belts:
Many forward-facing child restraints include a tether strap which extends from the back of the child restraint and hooks to an anchoring point called the top tether anchor. Tether straps are available as an accessory for many older child restraints.
Child Seats
Use a child restraint (sometimes called an infant carrier, convertible seat, or toddler seat) for Infants, toddlers and children weighing
40 lb (18 kg) or less (generally four-years-old or younger).
Using Lap and Shoulder Belts
WARNING:
Do not place a rearward facing child restraint in front of an active airbag. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.
WARNING:
Properly secure children 12 years old and under in a rear seating position whenever possible. If you are unable to properly secure all children in a rear seating position, properly secure the largest child on the front seat. If you must use a forward facing child restraint on the front seat, move the seat as far back as possible. Failure to follow these instructions could result in personal injury or death.
WARNING:
Depending on where you secure a child restraint, and depending on the child restraint design, you may block access to certain seatbelt buckle assemblies and LATCH lower anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of injury, make sure occupants only use seating positions where they are able to be properly restrained. |
When installing a child restraint with combination lap and shoulder belts:
- Use the correct seatbelt buckle for that seating position.
- Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened in the buckle.
- Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the child restraint, with the tongue between the child restraint and the release button, to prevent accidental unbuckling.
- Place the vehicle seat in the upright position before you install the child restraint.
- For second row seating positions, adjust the recliner slightly to improve child restraint fit. If needed, remove the head restraints.
- For third row seating positions, stow the head restraints to improve child restraint fit. See Head Restraints.
- Put the seatbelt in the automatic locking mode. See Step 5 in the procedure that follows. This vehicle does not require the use of a locking clip.
Perform the following steps when installing the child restraint with combination lap and shoulder belts:
Note:
Although the child restraint illustrated is a forward facing child restraint, the steps are the same for installing a rear facing child restraint.
Note:
Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint regarding the necessary and proper use of the lock-off device. In some instances, the manufacturer provides these devices only for use in vehicles with seatbelt systems that would otherwise require a locking clip.
- Position the child restraint in a seat with a combination lap and shoulder belt.
- After positioning the child restraint in the proper seating position, pull down on the shoulder belt and then grasp the shoulder belt and lap belt together behind the belt tongue.
- While holding the shoulder and lap belt portions together, route the tongue through the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions. Make sure you do not twist the belt webbing.
- Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle (the buckle closest to the direction the tongue is coming from) for that seating position until you hear a snap and feel the latch engage. Make sure that you securely latch the tongue by pulling on it.
- To put the retractor in the automatic locking mode, grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward until you pull all of the belt out.
Note:
The automatic locking mode is available on the front passenger and rear seats.
- Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt clicks as it retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode.
- Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is in the automatic locking mode. You should not be able to pull more belt out. If the retractor did not lock, unbuckle the belt and repeat Steps 5 and 6.
- Remove remaining slack from the belt. Force the seat down with extra weight, for example, by pressing down or kneeling on the child restraint as you pull up on the shoulder belt to force slack from the belt. This is necessary to remove the remaining slack that exists once you add the extra weight of the child to the child restraint. It also helps to achieve the proper snugness of the child restraint to your vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean toward the buckle provides extra help to remove remaining slack from the belt.
- If the child restraint has a tether strap, attach it now.
- Before placing the child in the seat, forcibly move the seat forward and back to make sure you have the seat securely held in place. To check this, grab the seat at the belt path and attempt to move it side to side and forward and back. There should be no more than 1 in (2.5 cm) of movement for proper installation.
We recommend checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to make sure you properly installed the child restraint. In Canada, check with Transport Canada for referral to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Using Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
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WARNING:
Do not attach two child safety restraints to the same anchor. In a crash, one anchor may not be strong enough to hold two child safety restraint attachments and may break, causing serious injury or death.
WARNING:
Depending on where you secure a child restraint, and depending on the child restraint design, you may block access to certain seatbelt buckle assemblies and LATCH lower anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of injury, make sure occupants only use seating positions where they are able to be properly restrained. |
The LATCH system has three vehicle anchor points: two lower anchors where the seat backrest and seat cushion meet (called the seat bight) and one top tether anchor behind that seating position.
LATCH compatible child restraints have two rigid or webbing mounted attachments that connect to the two lower anchors at the LATCH equipped seating positions in your vehicle. This type of attachment method eliminates the need to use seatbelts to attach the child restraint. However, you can still use the seatbelt to attach the child restraint. For forward-facing child restraints, you must also attach the top tether strap to the proper top tether anchor if one came with your child restraint.
Your vehicle has LATCH lower anchors for child restraint installation at the seating positions marked with the child restraint symbol.
Second Row Bucket Seats and Third Row Seats
Second Row Bench Seats and Third Row Seats
The LATCH anchors are at the rear section of the rear seat between the cushion and seat backrest below the symbols as shown. Follow the child restraint manufacturer's instructions to properly install a child restraint with LATCH attachments.
Follow the instructions on attaching child restraints with tether straps. See Using Tether Straps later in this chapter.
Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child restraint only to the anchors shown.
Use of Inboard Lower Anchors from the Outboard Seating Positions (Center Seating Use)
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WARNING:
The standardized spacing for LATCH lower anchors is
11 in (280 mm) center to center. Do not use LATCH lower anchors for the center seating position unless the child restraint manufacturer's instructions permit and specify using anchors spaced at least as far apart as those in this vehicle. |
The lower anchors at the center of the second row bench seat are spaced
20.5 in (52 cm) apart. The standardized spacing for LATCH lower anchors is
11 in (28 cm) center to center. You cannot install a child restraint with rigid LATCH attachments at the center seating position. You can only use LATCH compatible child restraints with attachments on belt webbing at this seating position provided that the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions permit use with the anchor spacing stated. Do not attach a child restraint to any lower anchor if you have an adjacent child restraint attached to that anchor.
Each time you use the child restraint, check that you properly attached the seat to the lower anchors and tether anchor, if applicable. Tug the child restraint from side to side and forward and back where you secured it to your vehicle. The child restraint should move less than
1 in (2.5 cm) if you properly install the seat.
If you do not properly anchor the child restraint, the risk of injury to a child greatly increases in a crash.
Combining Seatbelt and LATCH Lower Anchors for Attaching Child Restraints
When used in combination, you can attach either the seatbelt or the LATCH lower anchors first, provided you achieve a proper installation. Attach the tether strap afterward, if included with the child restraint.
Using Tether Straps
Many forward-facing child restraints include a tether strap which extends from the back of the child restraint and hooks to an anchoring point called the top tether anchor. Tether straps are available as an accessory for many older child restraints.Contact the manufacturer of your child restraint for information about ordering a tether strap, or to obtain a longer tether strap if the tether strap on your child restraint does not reach the appropriate top tether anchor in your vehicle.
Once you install the child restraint using either the seatbelt, the lower anchors of the LATCH system, or both, you can attach the top tether strap.
The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the following positions (shown from top view):
Second Row Bucket Seats and Third Row Seats
Second Row Bench Seats and Third Row Seats
Perform the following steps to install a child restraint with tether anchors:
Note:
If you install a child restraint with rigid LATCH attachments, do not tighten the tether strap enough to lift the child restraint off your vehicle seat cushion when the child is seated in it. Keep the tether strap just snug without lifting the front of the child restraint. Keeping the child restraint just touching your vehicle seat gives the best protection in a severe crash.
For second row outermost seating positions, route the child restraint tether strap over the seat backrest, under the head restraint and between the head restraint posts. If needed, remove the head restraint to improve the fit of the child restraint or tether strap.
For the second row center seating position, route the child restraint tether strap over the top of the head restraint. If needed, remove the head restraint to improve the fit of the child restraint or tether strap. See
Head Restraints.
For third row seating positions, route the child restraint tether strap over the seat backrest, under the head restraint and between the head restraint posts. If needed, fold the head restraint down to improve the fit of the child restraint or tether strap. See
Head Restraints.
- Route the tether strap.
- Locate the correct anchor for the selected seating position.
- Clip the tether strap to the anchor as shown.The tether hook may be twisted ½ turn to improve installation.If you clip the tether strap incorrectly, the child restraint may not be retained properly in the event of a crash.
- Tighten the child restraint tether strap according to the manufacturer's instructions.
If you do not properly anchor the child restraint, the risk of injury to a child increases greatly in a crash.
If your child restraint system has a tether strap, and the child restraint manufacturer recommends its use, we also recommend its use.
Second Row Bucket Seats
Second Row Bench Seats
Third Row Seats
Note:
The cargo tie downs at the rear edge of the floor are not tether anchors.
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