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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 61for more information. A child can
be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is
not properly secured in the vehicle.
When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to
the instructions that come with the restraint
which may be on the restraint itself or in a booklet,
or both, and to this manual. The child restraint
instructions are important, so if they are not
available, obtain a replacement copy from the
manufacturer.
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.
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Page 59 of 562

Securing the Child Within the Child
Restraint
There are several systems for securing the child
within the child restraint. One system, the
three-point harness, has straps that come down
over each of the infant’s shoulders and buckle
together at the crotch. The ve-point harness
system has two shoulder straps, two hip straps, and
a crotch strap. A shield may take the place of hip
straps. A T-shaped shield has shoulder straps that
are attached to a at pad which rests low against
the child’s body.A shelf- or armrest-type shield has straps that are
attached to a wide, shelf-like shield that swings up
or to the side.
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed
in a crash if the child is not properly
secured in the child restraint. Make sure
the child is properly secured, following
the instructions that came with that
restraint.
Because there are different systems, it is important
to refer to the instructions that come with the
restraint. A child can be endangered in a crash if
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
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Page 60 of 562

Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if
they are restrained in the rear rather than the front
seat. We recommend that child restraints be
secured in a rear seat, including an infant riding in a
rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in
a booster seat.
Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate
a rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sun
visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing
child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger’s airbag in ates. This is
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
in ating airbag.
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) under certain conditions, no
system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in
the rear seat, even if the airbag is off.
If you need to secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat, always
move the front passenger seat as far back
as it will go. It is better to secure the child
restraint in a rear seat.
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Page 61 of 562

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)
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 systemMake 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 and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle,
you need a child restraint that has 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.
Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints
have lower anchors and attachments or top
tether anchors and attachments.
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Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the
vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each
LATCH seating position that will accommodate a
child restraint with lower attachments (B).
Top Tether Anchor
A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child
restraint to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built
into the vehicle. The top tether attachment (B)
on the child restraint connects to the top tether
anchor in the vehicle in order to reduce the forward
movement and rotation of the child restraint
during driving or in a crash.
Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or
a dual tether (C). Either will have a single
attachment (B) to secure the top tether to the
anchor.
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Page 65 of 562
For the center third row position, if your vehicle
has one, the top tether anchor is located on
the seatback, near the center of the third row
seating position. This anchor can accommodate
only one top tether.Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position or in the third row outboard
positions, if your vehicle has one, if a national
or local law requires that the top tether be
attached, or if the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether must be
attached. There is no place to attach the top tether
in this position.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if
they are restrained in the rear rather than the front
seat. SeeWhere to Put the Restraint on page 60
for additional information.
Second Row
Third Row
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Page 66 of 562
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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Page 67 of 562

{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, stowed 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.
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