Page 48 of 510
Q:What are the different types of add-on
child restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by
the vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic
types. Selection of a particular restraint should
take into consideration not only the child’s
weight, height, and age but also whether or not
the restraint will be compatible with the motor
vehicle in which it will be used.
For most basic types of child restraints, there
are many different models available. When
purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is
designed to be used in a motor vehicle. If it is,
the restraint will have a label saying that it
meets federal motor vehicle safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that
come with the restraint state the weight and
height limitations for a particular child restraint.
In addition, there are many kinds of restraints
available for children with special needs.
{CAUTION:
Newborn infants need complete support,
including support for the head and neck.
This is necessary because a newborn
infant’s neck is weak and its head weighs
so much compared with the rest of its
body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing
seat settles into the restraint, so the
crash forces can be distributed across
the strongest part of an infant’s body,
the back and shoulders. Infants always
should be secured in appropriate infant
restraints.
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Page 50 of 510
A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint
with the seating surface against the back of the
infant. The harness system holds the infant
in place and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant
positioned in the restraint.A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint
for the child’s body with the harness and also
sometimes with surfaces such as T-shaped
or shelf-like shields.
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Page 51 of 510
A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed
to improve the t of the vehicle’s safety belt
system. Some booster seats have a shoulder belt
positioner, and some high-back booster seats
have a ve-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
nd these instructions on the restraint itself
or in a booklet, or both.
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Page 52 of 510
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 56for 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 54 of 510
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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.
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 you need to secure more than one child restraint
in the rear seat, review the following illustrations.
Depending on where you place the child restraint,
you may not be able to access certain safety belt
assemblies or LATCH anchors for additional
passengers or child restraints.
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Page 56 of 510
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.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).
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Page 59 of 510
For sedan models, the top tether anchors are
located behind the rear seat on the ller panel.For MAXX models, the top tether anchors are
located on the back of the rear seatback. 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.
SedanMAXX
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Page 60 of 510
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 54
for additional information.
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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