2005 HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK Owners Manual

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.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
canbethrownoutof theseatina
crash.
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.
Installing a Child Seat
Secure the child in the child seat.
Properly secure t he child seat t o the vehicle.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmlysecured.
1.
2. 3.Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
37
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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.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 the
anchors. Place the child seat on the vehicle
seat, then attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connector as
shown above.
The location of each lower anchor is
indicated by a small button above the
anchor point.
1. 2.3.
Installing a Child Seat
Installing a Child Seat Using
LATCH 38 LOWER ANCHORS
Rigid type
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Whatever type you have, f ollow
the child seat maker’s instructions
f or adjusting or tightening the f it.Lif t the rear head restraint (see
page ), then route the tether
strap over the seat-back between
the legs of the head restraint,
making sure the strap is not
twisted.
Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.Pushandpullthechildseat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is secure.
Other LATCH-compatible seats have
a f lexible-type connector as shown
above. 6.
5.
4. 7.
72
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
39
Flexible type
TETHER STRAP HOOK
ANCHOR
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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.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver’s have a locking mechanism
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
1.
Installing a Child Seat
Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt 40
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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.Af ter conf irming that the belt is
locked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle and pull
up to remove any slack from 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.Pushandpullthechildseat
f orward and f rom side to side to
verif y that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. 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.
2. 3.
4.
5.
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
41
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Onetetheranchorpointforeachof
the outer rear seats is located under
the cargo f loor carpet and the
tailgate sill. Pull up the carpet to
access the anchor point (outboard
anchor) when securing a tether-style
child seat to the vehicle.Since a tether can provide additional
security to the lap/shoulder belt
installation, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.
Af ter properly securing the child
seat (see page ), lif t the head
restraint, then route the tether
strap over the seat-back and
through the head restraint legs.
Lif t the anchor point lid, then
attach the tether strap hook to the
anchor, making sure the strap is
not twisted.
Tighten the strap according to the
seat maker’s instructions.
2. 3.
1.
37
Installing a Child Seat
Installing a Child Seat with a
Tether Using an Outer A nchor
42 TETHER STRAP HOOK
TETHER ANCHOR
POINTS ANCHOR
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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 a back seat on a
booster seat and wear a lap/shoulder
belt.
Af ter properly securing the child
seat (see page ), route the
tether strap over the top of the
seat-back.
Follow instructions 2 and 3 in the
right column of the previous page. 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.
1. 2. 40
Installing a Child Seat, Protecting L arger Children
Protecting L arger Children
Using the Center A nchor
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
43
ANCHOR
POINT
Allowing a larger child age 12 or
under to sit in front can result in
injury or death if the passenger’s
front airbag inflates.
If a larger 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.
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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.
1. 2. 3.4. 5.
Checking Seat Belt Fit
Using a Booster Seat
Protecting L arger Children
44
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