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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.
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
because the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
in ating airbag.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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CAUTION: (Continued)
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag if the system
detects a rear-facing child restraint, 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.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.
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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 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 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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To assist you in locating
the top tether anchors,
the top tether anchor
symbol is located on the
trim cover.
The top tether anchors are located under the trim
covers on the rear seatback ller panel. Be
sure to use an anchor located on the same side of
the vehicle as the seating position where the
child restraint will be placed.Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position 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 48for additional information.
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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, 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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If the position you are
using has an adjustable
head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether under
the head restraint and in
between the head
restraint posts.
3. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position
If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 50.
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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