2004 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE belt

enough for an adult seat belt. Always check the child seat
owner's manual to ensure you have the right seat for
your child. Use the restraint that is correct for your child:
²The rearward-facing infant restraint is for babies
weighing up to about 20 lbs (9 kg), and one year old or
more. The infant restraint mustNEVERbe used in the
front seat of a vehicle with a passenger side airbag
unless the airbag is turned off. An airbag deployment
could cause severe injury or death to infants in this
position. The infant restraint is held in the vehicle by
the lap belt, lap/shoulder belt, or the LATCH child
restraint anchorage system. Refer to ªLower Anchors
and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)º in this section.
²Children under one year of age should continue to ride
in a rear-facing infant seat, even if they weigh more
than 20 lbs (9 kg). A ªconvertibleº child seat, one that
is designed to be used either rearward-facing orforward-facing, should be used for children who are
too heavy for the infant carrier, but who are too young
to face forward in the vehicle.
²The forward-facing child seat is for children from
about 20 lbs (9 kg) to 40 lbs (18 kg), and more than one
year old. The child seat is held in the vehicle by the lap
belt, lap/shoulder belt, or the LATCH child restraint
anchorage system. Refer to ªLower Anchors and
Tether for CHildren (LATCH)º in this section.
²The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weigh-
ing more than 40 lbs (18 kg). If the child cannot sit with
knees bent over the seat cushion while the child's back
is against the seat back, they should use a belt-
positioning booster seat. The child and booster seat are
held in the vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt. (Some
booster seats are equipped with a front shield and are
held in the vehicle by the lap portion or lap belt.)
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 45
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²The passenger seat belts are equipped with cinching
latch plates, which are designed to keep the latch
portion tight around the child restraint so that it is not
necessary to use a locking clip. Pulling up on the
shoulder portion of the lap/shoulder belt will tighten
the belt. The cinching latch plate will keep the belt
tight, however, any seat belt system will loosen with
time, so check the belt occasionally and pull it tight if
necessary.
²In the rear seat, you may have trouble tightening the
lap/shoulder belt on the child restraint because the
buckle or latch plate is too close to the belt path
opening on the restraint. Disconnect the latch plate
from the buckle and twist the short buckle-end belt
several times to shorten it. Insert the latch plate into
the buckle with the release button facing out.
²If the belt still cannot be tightened, or if pulling and
pushing on the restraint loosens the belt, disconnect
the latch plate from the buckle, turn the buckle
around, and insert the latch plate into the buckle
again. If you still cannot make the child restraint
secure, try a different seating position.
²Buckle the child into the restraint exactly as the
manufacturer's instructions tell you.
²When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in the
vehicle with the seat belt or remove it from the vehicle.
Do not leave it loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or
collision, it could strike the occupants or seat backs
and cause serious personal injury.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 47
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Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system
provides for the installation of the child restraint without
using the vehicle seat belt. The two rear outboard seating
positions have exclusive lower anchorages located at the
rear of the seat cushion. They are round bars, part of the
seat and body structure, and are readily visible.In addition, there are tether anchors above the rear
liftgate opening behind each rear outboard seat. The
anchors are covered by hinged plastic caps.
To attach a child restraint tether strap hook, pull down on
the cover of the anchor directly behind the seat where
you are placing the child restraint. Raise the head re-
straint and route the tether strap under the head restraint
48 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

and between the two posts. Attach the tether strap hook
to the anchor loop. Install the child restraint according to
the manufacturer's instructions, and tighten the vehicle
seat belt. Remove the slack from the tether strap accord-
ing to the manufacturer's instructions.
Child restraints systems having attachments designed to
connect to the lower anchorages are now available. Child
restraints having tether straps and hooks for connection
to the top tether anchorage have been available for some
time. In fact, many child restraint manufacturers will
provide add-on tether strap kits for some of their older
products. Tether anchorage kits are also available for
most older vehicles.
NOTE:If your child restraint is not LATCH compatible,
install the restraint using the vehicle seat belts.
Because the lower anchorages are to be introduced to
passenger carrying vehicles over a period of years, child
restraint systems having attachments for those anchor-
ages will continue to have features for installation invehicles using the lap or lap/shoulder belt. They will also
have tether straps, and you are urged to take advantage
of all of the available attachments provided with your
child restraint in any vehicle.
Installing the Child Restraint System
There are LATCH anchorages at the two rear outboard
seating positions and tether strap anchorages above the
rear liftgate opening behind each rear outboard seat.
We urge that you carefully follow the directions of the
manufacturer when installing your child restraint. Many,
but not all, restraint systems will be equipped with
separate straps on each side, with each having a hook or
connector and a means for adjusting the tension in the
strap. Forward-facing toddler restraints and some
rearward-facing infant restraints will also be equipped
with a tether strap with a hook and means for adjusting
the tension in the strap.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 49
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In general, you will first loosen the adjusters on the lower
and tether straps so that you can more easily attach the
hook or connector to the lower and tether anchorages.
The tether strap should be routed under the center of the
head restraint and attached to the tether anchor above the
rear liftgate opening behind each rear outboard seat.
Then tighten all three straps as you push the child
restraint rearward and downward into the seat.
Not all child restraint systems will be installed as we
have described here. Again, carefully follow the instruc-
tions that come with the child restraint system.
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of an infant or
child restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the manufacturer's directions exactly
when installing an infant or child restraint.
Children Too Large for Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the shoulder belt
comfortably, and whose legs are long enough to bend
over the front of the seat when their back is against the
seat back should use the lap/shoulder belt in a rear seat.
²Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
²The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
²Check belt fit periodically. A child's squirming or
slouching can move the belt out of position.
²If the shoulder belt contacts the face or neck, move the
child closer to the center of the vehicle. If this doesn't
help, move the child to the center rear seating position
and use the lap belt. Never allow a child to put the
shoulder belt under an arm or behind their back.
50 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

garage, and never sit in a parked vehicle with the
engine running for a extended period. If the vehicle is
stopped in an open area with engine running for more
than a short period, adjust the ventilation system to
force fresh, outside air into the vehicle.
²Guard against carbon monoxide with proper mainte-
nance. Have the exhaust system inspected every time
the vehicle is raised. Have any abnormal conditions
repaired promptly. Until repaired, drive with all side
windows fully open.
²Always run the climate control in panel or floor mode
when driving with any windows open, even if only
slightly, to help keep fresh air circulating inside ve-
hicle. Otherwise poisonous gases could be drawn into
the vehicle.
Safety Checks You Should Make Inside The
Vehicle
Seat Belts
Inspect the belt system periodically, checking for cuts,
frays and loose parts. Damaged parts must be replaced
immediately. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
Seat belt assemblies must be replaced after an accident if
they have been damaged (bent retractor, torn webbing,
etc.). If there is any question regarding belt or retractor
condition, replace the belt.
Airbag Warning Light
The light should come on and remain on for 6 to 8
seconds as a bulb check when the ignition switch is first
turned on. If the bulb is not lit during starting, have it
replaced. If the light stays on or comes on while driving,
have the system checked by an authorized dealer.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

SEATS
WARNING!
Adjusting a seat while the vehicle is moving is
dangerous. The sudden movement of the seat could
cause you to lose control. The seat belt might not be
properly adjusted and you could be injured. Adjust
any seat only while the vehicle is parked.
Front Manual Seat Adjustment
Move the seat forward or rearward using the adjustment
bar. Lift up on the bar located on the front of the seat near
the floor. Position the seat and be sure the latch engages
fully.
Front Seat Adjustment Ð Recline
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever located on the
outboard side of the seat, lean back, and release the lever
at the desired position. To return the seatback, lift the
lever, lean forward, and release the lever.
WARNING!
Do not ride with the seatback reclined so that the
seat belt is no longer resting against your chest. In a
collision you could slide under the seat belt and be
seriously or even fatally injured. Use the recliner
only when the vehicle is parked.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE 63
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WARNING!
²It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed.
²Do not allow people to ride in any area of your
vehicle that is not equipped with seats and seat
belts.
²Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a seat belt properly.
Head Restraints
Head restraints can reduce the risk of whiplash injury in
the event of impact from the rear. Adjustable head
restraints should be adjusted so that the upper edge is as
high as practical. The head restraints have a locking
button which must be pushed in to lower the headrestraint to all positions, except the full-down position.
To lower the head restraint to the full-down position, the
button does not have to be pushed in. The restraints may
be raised without pushing in the button.
64 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE