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A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields.A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner,
and some high-back booster seats have a five-point
harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see
out the window.
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Q:How Should I Use a Child Restraint?
A:A child restraint system is any device designed for
use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position
children. A built-in child restraint system is a
permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on
child restraint system is a portable one, which
is purchased by the vehicle’s owner. To help reduce
injuries, an add-on child restraint must be secured
in the vehicle. With built-in or add-on child
restraints, the child has to be secured within the
child restraint.
When choosing an add-on child restraint, be sure
the child restraint is designed to be used in a
vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it
meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. Then
follow the instructions for the restraint. You may
find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both.
Securing an Add-on Child Restraint
in the Vehicle
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a
crash if the child restraint is not properly
secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child
restraint is properly installed in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that came
with that restraint, and also the instructions in
this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint
must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems
must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-43for more information. A child can
be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.
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If your vehicle has the passenger sensing system or the
airbag off switch and you need to secure a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger’s seat,
the passenger’s frontal airbag must be off. See
Passenger Sensing System on page 1-76,Airbag Off
Switch on page 1-73,Securing a Child Restraint in
the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing
System) on page 1-56orSecuring a Child Restraint
in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch)
on page 1-60for more on this including important
safety information.
Wherever you install a child restraint, be sure to secure
the child restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can
move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure
any child restraint in your vehicle — even when
no child is in it.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)
Your vehicle has the LATCH system. The LATCH system
holds a child restraint during driving or in a crash. This
system is designed to make installation of a child restraint
easier. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle
and attachments on the child restraint that are made for
use with the LATCH system.Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint is
properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s
safety belts to secure the restraint, following the
instructions that came with that restraint, and also the
instructions in this manual. When installing a child
restraint with a top tether, you must also use either the
lower anchors or the safety belts to properly secure
the child restraint. A child restraint must never be
installed using only the top tether strap and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle,
you need a child restraint equipped with LATCH
attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will
provide you with instructions on how to use the child
restraint and its attachments. The following explains how
to attach a child restraint with these attachments in
your vehicle.
Your vehicle has lower anchors and top tether anchors.
Your child restraint may have lower attachments and
a top tether.
Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have
lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors
and attachments.
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Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached
to anchors, the restraint will not be able to
protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child
could be seriously injured or killed. Make sure
that a LATCH-type child restraint is properly
installed using the anchors, or use the
vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that came with that
restraint, and also the instructions in this
manual.
{CAUTION:
Each top tether anchor and lower anchor in
the vehicle is designed to hold only one child
restraint. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause the
anchor or attachment to come loose or even
break during a crash. A child or others could
be injured if this happens. To help prevent
injury to people and damage to your vehicle,
attach only one child restraint per anchor.
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{CAUTION:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled
if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck
and the safety belt continues to tighten.
Secure any unused safety belts behind the
child restraint so children cannot reach them.
Pull the shoulder belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock, if your vehicle has
one, after the child restraint has been installed.
Be sure to follow the instructions of the child
restraint manufacturer.
Notice:Contact between the child restraint or the
LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety
belt assembly may cause damage to these parts.
Make sure when securing unused safety belts
behind the child restraint that there is no contact
between the child restraint or the LATCH attachment
parts and the vehicle’s safety belt assembly.Folding an empty rear seat with the safety belts
secured, may cause damage to the safety belt or the
seat. When removing the child restraint, always
remember to return the safety belts to their normal
position before folding the rear seat.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower
anchors. If the child restraint does not have lower
attachments or the desired seating position does not
have lower anchors, secure the child restraint with
the top tether and the safety belts. Refer to your child
restraint manufacturer instructions and the
instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired
seating position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on
the child restraint to the lower anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that
the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the
top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped.
Refer to the child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. For the second row only, in the left outboard
seating position, use anchor point (A).
For the right outboard seating position,
use anchor point (B).
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Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Outside Seat Position or the
Second Row Center Seat Position
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-43.
For vehicles with a third, fourth or fifth row, there are
no top tether anchors in the rear outside seat positions of
the third, fourth or fifth row. Do not secure a child seat in
these positions if a national or local law requires that the
top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come
with the child restraint say that the top tether must be
anchored.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system,
you will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the
child restraint in this position. 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 child 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.3. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
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4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.5. To tighten the belt, pull the shoulder portion of the
belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed
the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you
are 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.
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6. If your child restraint manufacturer recommends
using a top tether and the position you are using
has a top tether anchor, attach and tighten the
top tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the
instructions that came with the child restraint and to
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-43.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached
to the top tether anchor, disconnect it. 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.
When the safety belt is not in use, slide the latch plate up
the safety belt webbing. The latch plate should rest on the
stitching on the safety belt, near the guide loop on the
side wall.Securing a Child Restraint
in a Center Seat Position
(3rd, 4th, and 5th Row)
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-43.
There are no top strap anchors in any four-passenger
bench seat positions (if equipped). Do not secure
a child seat in these positions if a national or local law
requires that the top strap must be anchored.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system,
you will be using the lap belt to secure the child
restraint in this position.
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.
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