2004 HONDA ACCORD Owners Manual

We also recommend that a small
child stay in the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit f or the seat.We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat,notthefront.Evenwith
advanced airbags, which can
automatically turn the passenger’s
front airbag off (see page ), a
back seat is the safest place for a
small child.
Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a f ive-
point harness system as shown.
A child who is at least one year old,
and who fits within the child seat
maker’s weight and height limits,
should be restrained in a f orward-
f acing, upright child seat. If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle, and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.31
Child Seat Type
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Child Seat Placement
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children
Protecting Small Children
42
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.
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When buying a child seat, you need
to choose between a conventional
child seat, or one designed f or use
with the Lower Anchors and Tethers
f or Children (LATCH) system.
Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the two outer
seating positions in the back seat.In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
We also recommend selecting a
LATCH-compatible seat with a rigid,
rather than a f lexible, anchor.
Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.
CONT INUED
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Selecting a Child Seat
43
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Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children. Bef ore purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend
that you test the seat in the
specif ic vehicle seating position, or
positions, where the seat will be
used.
T he child seat should meet U.S. or
Canadian Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213.
T he child seat should be of theproper t ype and size t o f it t he child.
T he child seat should f it thevehicle seat ing posit ion (or posit ions) where it will be used.
2.
3.
1.
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Selecting a Child Seat
44
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Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is secure.
A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as f irmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid’’. Some side-to-side
movement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat’s
ef f ectiveness.
Af ter selecting a proper child seat,
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat:
All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers f or Children) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash. If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured. Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
can be seriously injured in a crash.
The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A f orward-f acing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same f or rear-
f acing child seat.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmly secured.
Properly secure t he child seat t o the vehicle. Secure the child in the child seat.
2.
1. 3.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety45
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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.Place the child seat on the vehicle
seat, and attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connection as
shown above.
To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:
Move the seat belt buckle or
tongue away f rom the lower
anchors.
Make sure there are no objects
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and
anchors.
Small marks are positioned to
indicate the locations of each anchor
point. 1. 2.
3.
Installing a Child Seat Using
LATCH
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety46
Rigid type
LOWERANCHORMARKS
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Other LATCH-compatible seats
have a f lexible-type connection as
shown above.
Whatever type you have, f ollow
the child seat maker’s instructions
f or adjusting or tightening the f it.Route the tether strap through the
legs of the head restraint, then
hook the strap to the anchorage
point as shown.
Make sure the strap is not twisted,
then tighten the strap according to
the child seat maker’s instruction.Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verif y that it is secure.
4. 5. 6.7.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety47
TETHER STRAP HOOK
Flexible type TETHER ANCHORAGE POINT
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When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle.To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt f eed back into the
retractor.
Af ter the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
thebeltout,itisnotlocked,and
you will need to repeat these steps.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
the back seat and the front
passenger seat have a locking
mechanism that must be activated to
secure a child seat.
1.2. 3.
Inst alling a Child Seat wit h a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Installing a Child Seat
48
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Af ter conf irming that the belt is
locked,thengrabtheshoulder
part of the belt near the buckle
andpulluptoremoveanyslack
f rom the lap part of the belt.
Remember, if the lap part of the
belt is not tight, the child seat will
not be secure.
To remove slack, it may help to
putweightonthechildseat,or
push on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt.To deactivate the locking
mechanism and remove a child seat,
unlatch the buckle, unroute the seat
belt, and let the belt f ully retract.
Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is f irmly secured. If
the child seat is not secure,
unlatch the belt, allow it to retract
f ully, then repeat these steps.
4.
5.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety49
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