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When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in the back seat and
wear a lap/shoulder belt.
If a child is too short f or the shoulder
part of the belt to properly f it, we
recommend that the child use a
booster seat until the child is tall
enough to use the seat belt without a
booster.
The f ollowing pages give
instructions on how to check proper
seat belt f it, what kind of booster
seat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions f or a child
who must sit in the f ront seat.To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly f its a child, have the child
put on the seat belt. Follow the
instructions on page . Then check
how the belt f its.
17
Protecting L arger Children
Checking Seat Belt Fit
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety42
Allowing a larger child to sit
improperly in the front seat can
result in injury or death if the
passenger’s front airbag inflates.
If a larger child must sit in front,
make sure the child moves the
seat as far back as possible
and wears the seat belt properly.
Page 47 of 372

This could result in
serious neck injuries during a crash.
If a child needs a booster seat, we
recommend choosing a style that
allows the child to use the lap/
shoulder belt directly, without a
shield, as shown.
Whichever style you select, f ollow
the booster seat maker’s instructions.
This could cause
very serious injuries during a crash.
It also increases the chance that the
child will slide under the belt in a
crash and be injured.
Devices intended to improve
occupant comf ort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt, severely
compromise the protective capability
of the seat belt and increase the
chance of serious injury in a crash.
If they do, they could
be very seriously injured in a crash.
If the shoulder part of the belt rests
over the child’s collarbone and
against the center of the chest, as
shown, the child is large enough to
wear the seat belt.
However, if the belt touches or
crosses the child’s neck, the child
needs to use a booster seat.
CONT INUED
Do not let a child wear a seat belt
across t he neck. Using a Boost er Seat
Do not let a child put the shoulder part of a seat belt behind t he back orunder t he arm.
Do not put any accessories on a seatbelt.
T wo children should never use t hesame seat belt .
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety43
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A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of the ears are
even with the top of the seat-back. A
child of this height should be tall
enough to use the lap/shoulder belt
without a booster.The back seat is the saf est place f or
a child of any age or size. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
In addition, the passenger’s f ront
airbag poses serious risks to children.
If the seat is too f ar f orward, or the
child’s head is thrown f orward
during a collision, or the child is
unrestrained or out of position, an
inf lating f ront airbag can kill or
seriously injure the child.
The side airbag also poses risks. If
any part of a larger child’s body is in
the path of a deploying airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in the
f ront, there are other important
f actors you should consider.When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety44
Page 49 of 372
If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:Caref ully read the owner’s manual
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly positioned and secured.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly.
Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it over the hips, chest, and
shoulder (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
the child should not sit in the f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.
17 42Physical Size
Maturity
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety45
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Since a tether can provide additional
security, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available. (Tethers are required in
Canada.) Your vehicle has three tether
anchorage points on the ceiling near
the tailgate opening f or securing a
tether-style child seat to the vehicle.Remove the head restraint where
you want to place the child seat.
You can remove the head restraint in
each outside position by pressing the
release button. The head restraint in
the center position can be removed
by pulling it up (see page ).
The tether anchorage points are
located under plastic covers. Select
the anchorage point you want to use,
and remove the cover with a small
f lat-tipped screwdriver or f ingernail
f ile.
99
Using Child Seats with T ethers
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety46
C CO
OV VE
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R A
AN
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OR RAA G
GE E P
PO
OI INNT T
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Make sure the removed head
restraints are secured in the cargo
area. Reinstall the head restraints
when the child seat is removed.Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchorage point as shown in
the illustration, then tighten the
strap according to the child seat
maker’s instructions. Make sure the
strap is not twisted.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting Children
47
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Put the child seat in the rear lef t
or right vehicle seat and attach the
child seat to the lower anchors
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions.
Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children) at the outer
rear seats. The lower anchors are
located between the seat-back and
seat bottom and are to be used only
with a child seat designed f or use
with LATCH.
The exact location of each lower
anchor is marked with a small circle
above the lower anchor point. To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:
Store the seat belt buckle in the
pocket in the seat cushion and
move the center seat belt away
f rom the lower anchors.
Make sure there are no f oreign
objects around the anchors.
Foreign objects could get in the
way of a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors.
1.
2.
3.
Using L A T CH
Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety48
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OR RSS
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Follow the child seat maker’s
instructions f or any additional
advice on adjusting or tightening
the fit.Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchorage point and tighten
the strap according to the child
seat maker’s instructions. Make
sure the strap is not twisted.
Pushandpullthechildseat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers.
Remove the head restraint (see
page ).
Make sure the removed head
restraints are secured in the cargo
area. Reinstall the head restraints
when the child seat is removed.
4.
5.6.
7.
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Protecting Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety49
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