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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 nd 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 56
for 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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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.
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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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 children be secured in a
rear seat, including: an infant or a child riding
in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat; an older child riding
in a booster seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
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.
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the right
front 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that
will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint,
we recommend that rear-facing child restraints
not be transported in your vehicle, even if
the airbag is off.
{CAUTION:
A child in a child restraint in the center
front seat can be badly injured or killed
by the right front passenger’s airbag if it
in ates. Never secure a child restraint in
the center front seat. It is always better to
secure a child restraint in the rear seat.
Do not use child restraints in the center front seat
position. The restraints will not work properly.
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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For regular and extended cab models without
rear seats, there is a top tether anchor located
behind a removable cover on the back wall behind
the right front passenger seat. You may have to
pull the seatback forward to access the anchor.Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position of a vehicle that has
rear seats 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 54for additional information.
Regular and Extended Cab without Rear Seats
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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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