•The restraint must be appropriate for your child’s
weight and height. Check the label on the restraint for
weight and height limits.
•Carefully follow the instructions that come with the
restraint. If you install the restraint improperly, it may
not work when you need it.
•Buckle the child into the seat according to the child
restraint manufacturer’s directions.
•When 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.
NOTE:For additional information refer to
www.seatcheck.org or call 1–866–SEATCHECK.
Older Children and Child Restraints
Children who weigh more than 20 lbs (9 kg) and who are
older than one year can ride forward-facing in the
vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and convertible child
seats used in the forward-facing direction are for children
who weigh 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg) and who are olderthan one year. These child seats are also held in the
vehicle by the lap/shoulder belt or the LATCH child
restraint anchorage system. Refer to“LATCH—Child
Seat Anchorage System (Lower Anchors and Tether for
CHildren)”in this section.
The belt-positioning booster seat is for children weighing
more than 40 lbs (18 kg), but who are still too small to fit
the vehicle’s seat belts properly. If the child cannot sit
with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat cushion while the
child’s back is against the seat back, they should use a
belt-positioning booster seat. The child and belt-
positioning booster seat are held in the vehicle by the
lap/shoulder belt.
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.
•Make sure that the child is upright in the seat.
•The lap portion should be low on the hips and as snug
as possible.
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 53
2
The 60/40 split-folding rear seat provides cargo-carrying
versatility. The seatbacks fold down easily by pulling
nylon tabs between the seatbacks and the bolsters. When
the seats are folded down, they provide a continuous,
nearly flat extension of the removable tri-fold load floor.
Tri-Fold Upper Load Floor
The removable, tri-fold upper load floor has two sur-
faces, one side is carpeted for a plush appearance and the
other is vinyl for easy cleaning. Folding and/or removing
the load floor adds four inches to the height of the cargo
area for increased utility. It is constructed of a lightweight
material that is sandwiched between the carpeted and
washable-vinyl sides, the panel consists of a strong inner
structure to give it load-bearing strength.
The load floor can be placed in a partially or fully folded
position, a flat position, or it can be removed. Use the
handle to adjust the position of the load floor. The load
floor positions are shown in the following illustrations.
Load Floor Handle
126 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE
