2008 Acura RDX Owner's Manual

Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (lower anchors and tethers
for children) at the rear seats to
secure a child seat in any seating
position: one in each outer seating
position, or one in the center.
Thefiveloweranchorsarelocated
between the seat-back and seat
bottom, and are to be used only with
a child seat designed f or use with
LATCH. The location of each lower anchor isindicated by a small button above the
anchor point.
When you install a child seat in the
rear center seating position, use the
center LATCH as shown in the
illustration. To install a child seat in
the outer seating position, use either
LATCH. You can install up to two
child seat at a time with outer
LATCH.To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat in either of the rear outer seats:
Move the seat belt buckle or
tongue away f rom the lower
anchors.
Make sure there are no objects
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors.
1.
2.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCHUsing t he Out er L A T CH
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
45
LOWER ANCHORS
FOR OUTER LATCH BUTTON LOWER ANCHORS
FOR CENTER LATCH
OUTER LOWER ANCHORS
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Whatever type you have, f ollow
the child seat maker’s instructions
f or adjusting or tightening the f it.
Remove the cargo area cover, and
place it on the cargo area f loor
(see page ).Lif t the head restraint (see page
), then route the tether strap
through the legs of the head
restraint and over the seat-back,
making sure the strap is not
twisted.
Other LATCH-compatible seats have
a f lexible-type connector as shown
above.
Place the child seat on the vehicle
seat, then attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connector as
shown above.
5. 6.
4.
3.
158133
Installing a Child Seat
46
Flexible type
Rigid type TETHER STRAP
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2008 RDX

Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.
Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat in the rear center seating
position, use the center lower
anchorsasshownabove.
Follow step 1 through 8 as described
previously to secure the child seat.
When you install the child seat in the
rear center seating position, you
cannotusetheseatbeltbehindthe
driver’s seat.
Remove the head restraint (see page
).Make sure the removed head
restraint is secured in the cargo area.
Reinstall the head restraint when the
child seat is removed.
7.
8.
134
CONT INUED
Using t he Cent er L A T CH
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
47
CENTER LOWER ANCHORS
TETHER STRAP HOOK ANCHOR
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2008 RDX

If you want to install two child seats
in the back seats, place each child
seat in the outer seat, as shown in
the above illustration.Do not attach two child seat
connectors to a single lower anchor
at a time.
The LATCH system or the child
seats might be damaged if you try to
install three child seats in the rear
seats.
Installing a Child Seat
48
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2008 RDX

When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle.To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt f eed back into the
retractor.
Af ter the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
thebeltout,itisnotlocked,and
you will need to repeat these steps.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver’s have a lockable retractor
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
2.
1.
3.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
49
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2008 RDX

Af ter conf irming that the belt is
locked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle, and pull
up to remove any slack from the
lap part of the belt. Remember, if
the lap part of the belt is not tight,
the child seat will not be secure.Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract f ully, then repeat these
steps.
To remove slack, it may help to
putweightonthechildseat,or
push on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt. To deactivate the lockable retractor
and remove a child seat, unlatch the
buckle, unroute the seat belt, and let
the belt fully retract. A child seat with a tether can be
installed in any seating position in
the back seat.
Since a tether can provide additional
security to the lap/shoulder belt
installation, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.
4. 5.
Installing a Child Seat
Installing a Child Seat with a
Tether
50
TETHER ANCHORAGE P
OINT
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2008 RDX

Tighten the strap according to the
seat maker’s instructions.
Attach the tether strap hook to the
anchor, making sure the tether
strap is not twisted.
Remove the cargo area cover, and
place it on the cargo area f loor
(see page ). Af ter properly securing the child
seat (see page ), lif t the head
restraint, then route the tether
strap over the seat-back and
through the head restraint legs.
Remove the head restraint (see
page). Make sure the removed
head restraint is secured in the
cargo area. Reinstall the head
restraint when the child seat is
removed.
Af ter properly securing the child
seat (see page ), route the
tether strap over the top of the
seat-back.
When you install the child seat in
the rear center seating position,
you cannot use the seat belt
behind the driver’s seat.
1.
4.
2.
3.
(Outer seating position)
(Rear center seating position)
158 49
134 49
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
51
TETHER STRAP HOOK
TETHER STRAP ANCHOR
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2008 RDX

When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in a back seat on a
booster seat and wear a lap/shoulder
belt.
The f ollowing pages give
instructions on how to check proper
seat belt f it, what kind of booster
seat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions f or a child
who must sit in f ront.To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly f its a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself :Does the child sit all the way back
against the seat?
Do the child’s knees bend
comf ortably over the edge of the
seat?
1.
2.
Checking Seat Belt Fit
Protecting L arger Children
52
Allowing a child age 12 or under
to sit in front can result in injury
or death if the passenger’s front
airbag inflates.
If a child must ride in front,
move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, use a booster
seat if needed, have the child
sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly.
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