Page 35 of 248

We strongly recommend placing a
forward-facing child seat in a back
seat, not the f ront.If the vehicle seat is too
f ar f orward, or the child’s head is
thrown f orward during a collision, an
inf lating airbag can strike the child
with enough force to cause very
serious or f atal injuries. 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 second-
row seat. 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.
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.
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.
CONT INUED
Selecting a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Child Seat Placement
Placing a f orward-f acing child seat int he f ront seat of a vehicle equippedwith a passenger’s airbag can behazardous.Selecting a Child Seat
31
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.
Page 36 of 248

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.
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.
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.
Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.
We also recommend selecting a
LATCH-compatible seat with a rigid,
rather than a f lexible, anchor (see
page ).
In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:
33
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Selecting a Child Seat, Installing a Child Seat
Properly secure t he child seat t o
the vehicle.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmlysecured.
T he child seat should be of the
proper t ype and size t o f it t he child.
T he child seat should f it thevehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
T he child seat should meet U.S. or Canadian Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213. 1.
2.
1. 2.
3.
32
Page 37 of 248

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.
Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers f or Children) at the second
row 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 location of each lower anchor is
marked with a small circle above the
point.
To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat:
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 a rear-
f acing child seat. 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.
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.
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.
1.
2.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Installing a Child Seat Using
LATCH
Secure the child in the child seat.
3.
33
LOWER
ANCHORS
Page 39 of 248
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.
1.
2.
3.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
35
Page 40 of 248
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.
To deactivate the locking
mechanism and remove a child seat,
unlatch the buckle, unroute the seat
belt, and let the belt f ully retract.
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 put
weight on the child seat, or push on
the back of the seat while pulling up
on the belt.
4. 5.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety36
Page 42 of 248

When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in a back seat on a
booster and wear a lap/shoulder belt.
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 f ront.
Lift the head restraint, then route
the tether strap over the seat-back
between the legs of the head
restraint. Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether attachment point, and tighten
the strap according to the child seat
maker’s instructions. Make sure the
strap is not twisted.
Installing a Child Seat, Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Protecting L arger Children
38
Allowing a large child age 12 or
under to sit in front can result in
injury or death if the passenger’s
front airbag inflates.
If a large child must ride in front,
move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, use a booster
seat if needed, have the child
sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly.
Page 43 of 248

To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly f its a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself :Does the child sit all the way back
against the seat?
Do the child’s knees bend
comf ortably over the edge of the
seat? Does the shoulder belt cross
between the child’s neck and arm?
Is the lap part of the belt as low as
possible, touching the child’s
thighs?
Will the child be able to stay
seated like this f or the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these
questions, the child is ready to wear
the lap/shoulder belt correctly. If
you answer no to any question, the
child needs to ride on a booster seat. A child who has outgrown a f orward- f acing child seat should ride in a
back seat and use a booster seat
until the lap/shoulder belt f its them
properly without the booster.
Some states also require children to
use a booster until they reach a
given age or weight (e.g., 6 years or
60lbs).Besuretocheckcurrent
laws in the state or states where you
intend to drive.
1.
2. 3.
4.
5.
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
Checking Seat Belt Fit
Using a Booster Seat
39
Page 44 of 248

The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in the back seat.
If the passenger’s f ront airbag is on,
and it inflates in a moderate to
severe f rontal collision, the airbag
can cause serious injuries to a child
who is unrestrained, improperly
restrained, sitting too close to the
airbag, or out of position.
The side airbag also poses risks. If
any part of a larger child’s body is in
the path of a deploying side 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.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.
Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see page ). If the seat
belt does not f it properly, with or
without the child sitting on a booster,
the child should not sit in the f ront.
Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster meets f ederal
saf ety standards (see page ) and
that you f ollow the booster seat
maker’s instructions.
If a child who uses a booster must
ride in f ront, move the vehicle seat
as far to the rear as possible, and be
sure the child is wearing the seat
belt properly.
A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle’s or
booster’s seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster.
39
25
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front Maturity
Physical Size
40