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{CAUTION
Never do this.
Children who are up against, or
very close to, any airbag when it
in ates can be seriously injured or
killed. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front
seat. Secure a rear-facing child
restraint in a rear seat. It is
alsobetter to secure a
forward-facing child restraint in a
rear seat. If you must secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go.
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.
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{CAUTION
To reduce the risk of neck and
head injury during a crash, infants
need complete support. This is
because an infant’s neck is not
fully developed and its head
weighs so much compared with
the rest of its body. In a crash, an
infant in a rear-facing child
restraint 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 should
always be secured in rear-facing
child restraints.
{CAUTION
A young child’s hip bones are still
so small that the vehicle’s regular
safety belt may not remain low on
the hip bones, as it should.
Instead, it may settle up around
the child’s abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a
body area that is unprotected by
any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal
injuries. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, young children should
always be secured in appropriate
child restraints.
Child Restraint Systems
A rear-facing infant seat (A) 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) Rear-Facing Infant Seat
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A forward-facing child seat (B)
provides restraint for the child’s body
with the harness.A booster seat (C) is a child
restraint designed to improve the t
of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
A booster seat can also help a child
to see out the window.
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. Secure the child
restraint properly in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt or
LATCH system, following the
instructions that came with that
child restraint and 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 (B) Forward-Facing Child Seat
(C) Booster Seats
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the LATCH system. SeeLower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-37for 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 the vehicle — even
when no child is in it.
Securing the Child Within the
Child Restraint
{CAUTION
A child can be seriously injured or
killed in a crash if the child is not
properly secured in the child
restraint. Secure the child properly
following the instructions that
came with that child restraint.
Where to Put the
Restraint
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position.
We recommend that children and
child restraints 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.
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A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child
restraint 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
airbag in ates. This is because the
back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to the
in ating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
right front passenger airbag
in ates and the passenger seat is
in a forward position.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.Secure rear-facing child
restraints in a 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.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 1-55for additional
information.When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is compatible
with this vehicle.
Wherever a child restraint is
installed, 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
the 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
attached 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 LATCHseating 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.
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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 with top
tethers 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. 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.
i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating positions
with two lower anchors. Second Row — Bucket
Second Row — 60/40 Bench
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i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
To assist you in locating the lower
anchors, each second row
anchor position has a label, near
the crease between the seatback
and the seat cushion.To assist you in locating the top
tether anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol is located on the cover or
near the anchor.The top tether anchors are located at
the bottom rear of the seatback for
each seating position in the second
row. Open the cover to access the
anchors. 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.
The third row has one top tether
anchor located at the bottom rear of
the center seatback. This anchor
should be used for the center seating
position only. Never install two top
tethers using the same top tether
anchor. Third Row
Second Row — Bucket Shown,
Bench Similar
Third Row Seat
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