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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.
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.
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Page 50 of 458

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 54for 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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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 five-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 flat 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 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. Never put a child in a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger seat
unless your vehicle has the passenger sensing
system or an airbag off switch and the passenger
airbag status indicator or the airbag off light
shows off.
If your vehicle has a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, there
is a label on your sun visor that 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
or the airbag off switch 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.
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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If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, never
put a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the
right front passenger seat unless the passenger
airbag status indicator or the airbag off light
shows off. Here is why:
{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. Be sure the airbag is off
before using a rear-facing child restraint
in the right front seat position.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Even though the passenger sensing
system or the airbag off switch 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
transported in vehicles with a rear seat
that will accommodate a rear-facing
child restraint, whenever possible.
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 54 of 458

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. SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 89,Airbag Off Switch on page 86, and
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat
Position (With Passenger Sensing System) on
page 68orSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch) on
page 72for 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)
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 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.
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Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints
have lower anchors and attachments or top tether
anchors and attachments.
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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Some child restraints that have a top tether are
designed for use with or without the top tether
being attached. Others require the top tether
always to be attached. In Canada, the law
requires that forward-facing child restraints
have a top tether, and that the tether be attached.
In the United States, some child restraints also
have a top tether. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for your child restraint.
If the child restraint does not have a top tether,
one can be obtained, in kit form, for many
child restraints. Ask the child restraint
manufacturer whether or not a kit is available.Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
i(Top Tether Anchor):
Seating positions with
top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor):
Seating positions with
two lower anchors.
See the information following for installing a child
restraint with a top tether in the second row center
position.
Do not install three child restraints in the rear seat
and never install two top tethers using the same
top tether anchor.
Second Row
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