Page 45 of 387

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 without 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.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child
restraints have a top strap, and that the strap be
anchored. In the United States, some child restraints
also have a top strap.
If your child restraint has a
top strap, it should be anchored.
Anchor the top strap to one of the following anchor
points. Be sure to use an anchor point located
on the
same side
of the vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be placed.
1-38
ProCarManuals.com
Page 46 of 387
Once you have the top strap anchored, you’ll be ready
to secure the child restraint itself. Tighten the top
strap when and as the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions say.
Top Strap Anchor Location
Your vehicle has top strap anchors already installed for
the rear seating positions. You’ll find them behind
the rear seat on the filler panel.
In order to get to a bracket, you’ll have to open the trim
cover.
1 -39
ProCarManuals.com
Page 47 of 387
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers
for Children (LATCH System)
U
Your vehicle has the LATCH system. You’ll find
anchors
(A) in all three rear seat positions.
To assist you in locating
the lower anchors for this
child restraint system,
each seating position with
the LATCH system will
have a label sewn into the
seatback at each anchor
point. In
order to use the system, you need either a
forward-facing child restraint that has attaching
points
(B) at its base and a top tether anchor (C), or a
rear-facing child restraint that has attaching points
(B),
as shown here.
1-40
ProCarManuals.com
Page 48 of 387
I I
If a LATCHty child restraint isn’t attached to
its anchorage- points, the restraint won’t be
able to protect a child sitting there. In a crash,
the child could be seriously injured or killed. Make sure that a LATCH-type child restraint
is
properly installed using the anchorage points,
or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the
restraint. See “Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH System’’
or “Securing
a Child Restraint
in a Rear Seat Position” in
the Index for information on how to secure a
child restraint
in your vehicle.
With this system, use the
LATCH system instead of the
vehicle’s safety belts to secure a child restraint.
1-41
ProCarManuals.com
Page 49 of 387

Securing a Child Restraint Designed
for the LATCH System
1. Find the anchors for the seating position you want
to use, where the bottom of the seatback meets the
back of the seat cushion.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Attach the anchor points on the child restraint to the
anchors in the vehicle. The child restraint
instructions will show you how.
4. If the child restraint is forward-facing, attach the top
strap to the top strap anchor. See
Top Strap on
page
1-38. Tighten the top strap according to
the child restraint instructions.
5. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions
to be sure it is secure.
TO remove the child restraint, simply unhook the
top
strap from the top tether anchor and then disconnect the
anchor points.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position
i
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, see
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LA TCH System) on page
1-40.
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See Top Strap on
page 1-38 if the child restraint has one. Be sure to
follow the instructions that came with the child restraint.
Secure the child in the child restraint when and as
the instructions say.
1. Put the restraint on the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
1-42
ProCarManuals.com
Page 51 of 387
4.
5.
To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt
while you push down
on the child restraint. If
you’re using a forward-facing child restraint, you
may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on
the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure. To
remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it
go back all the way. The safety
belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an
adult
or larger child passenger.
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
I -44
ProCarManuals.com
Page 52 of 387

Your vehicle has a right front passenger air bag.
Never put a rear facing child restraint in this seat.
Here’s why:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed
if the right front
passenger’s air bag inflates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inflating air bag.
Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in a
rear seat.
Although a rear seat is a safer place, you can secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat.
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See
Top Strap on
page 1-38 if the child restraint has one. Be sure to
fnlln\A/ the instr~~dinns that came with the child restraint
Secure the child in the child restraint when and as
the instructions say.
1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger
air bag, always move the seat as far back as it will
go before securing a forward-facing child restraint.
See
Power Seats on page 1-2.
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
QulbLy U’CIIL yulu \ly II ywu uv-I IlUU LW. clfnt
halt PII ~i,-Jfl\l if \/AI I o
nr hcaA tn
1 -45
ProCarManuals.com
Page 53 of 387
5. Pull the rest of the lap belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock. 6.
To tighten the belt, feed the lap belt back into the
retractor while you push down on the child restraint.
You may find it helpful to use your knee to push
down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
directions to be sure it
is secure.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let
it go back all the way. The safety
belt will move freely again and be ready to work for
an
adult or larger child passenger.
1-46
ProCarManuals.com