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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 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.
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.
If you need to secure a child restraint in the right
front passenger’s seat, there is a switch on
the instrument panel that you can use to turn off
the passenger’s air bag. SeeAirbag Off Switch on
page 84andSecuring a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position on page 71for more on
this, including important safety information.
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Neverput a rear-facing child restraint in the right
front passenger seat unless the airbag is 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 to turn off the
airbag before using a rear-facing child
restraint in the right front seat position.
Even though the airbag off switch is
designed to turn off the passenger’s
airbag, no system is fail safe, and no one
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 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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Page 59 of 570

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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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.
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.
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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.
i(Top Tether Anchor):
Seating positions with
top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor):
Seating positions with
two lower anchors.
i(Top Tether Anchor):
Seating positions with
top tether anchors.
For SUV models, there are exposed metal
anchors for the second row center and passenger
side seating positions.
For SUT models, there are exposed metal anchor
for the second row center seating position.
Second Row
Seats — SUV
Second Row
Seats — SUT
Third Row Seats — SUV
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For SUV models, the top tether anchors are
located at the bottom rear of the seat cushion for
each position in the second row. Be sure to
use the anchor located nearest to the seating
position where the child restraint will be placed.For SUT models, the top tether anchor is located
at the bottom rear of the seat cushion for the
center position in the second row. You may need
to fold the seatback of the passenger side
seat forward in order to access this anchor.
Second Row Seats — SUVSecond Row Seats — SUT
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For SUV models with third row seating, the top
tether anchor is located at the bottom rear of the
seat cushion for the seating position in the
third row.Do not secure a child restraint in the right front
passenger’s position, or in the second row
outboard positions of a SUT model, 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 57
for additional information.
Third Row Seat — SUV
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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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