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NOTE:
•
For additional information, refer to www.seatcheck.org
or call 1-866-732-8243.
•Canadian residents should refer to Transport Canada’s
website for additional information: www.tc.gc.ca/eng/
motorvehiclesafety/safedrivers-childsafety-index-53.htm
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Child Size, Height, Weight Or Age Recommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and Toddlers
Children who are two years old or younger and who have not reached the height or weight limits of their child restraintEither an Infant Carrier or a Convertible
Child Restraint, facing rearward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or who have out-grown the height or weightlimit of their rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a
five-point Harness, facing forward in the rear seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have out-grown their forward-facing child restraint, but are too
small to properly fit the vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the ve-
hicle seat belt, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large
for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who
have out-grown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear seat of
the vehicle
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Infants And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride rear-facing
in the vehicle until they are two years old or until they
reach either the height or weight limit of their rear-facing
child restraint. Two types of child restraints can be used
rear-facing: infant carriers and convertible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in the vehicle.
It is recommended for children from birth until they
reach the weight or height limit of the infant carrier.
Convertible child seats can be used either rear-facing or
forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child seats
often have a higher weight limit in the rear-facing
direction than infant carriers do, so they can be used
rear-facing by children who have outgrown their infant
carrier but are still less than at least two years old.
Children should remain rear-facing until they reach the
highest weight or height allowed by their convertible
child seat.
WARNING!
•Never place a rear-facing child restraint in front of
an air bag. A deploying passenger Advanced Front
Air Bag can cause death or serious injury to a child
12 years or younger, including a child in a rear-
facing child restraint.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have outgrown
their rear-facing convertible child seat can ride forward-
facing in the vehicle. Forward-facing child seats and
convertible child seats used in the forward-facing direc-
tion are for children who are over two years old or who
have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit of
their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should
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remain in a forward-facing child seat with a harness for
as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height
allowed by the child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above the
forward-facing limit for the child seat should use a
belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belts
fit properly. If the child cannot sit with knees bent over
the vehicle’s seat cushion while the child’s back is against
the seatback, they should use a belt-positioning booster
seat. The child and belt-positioning booster seat are held
in the vehicle by the seat belt.
WARNING!
•Improper installation can lead to failure of an
infant or child restraint. It could come loose in a
collision. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
• After a child restraint is installed in the vehicle, do
not move the vehicle seat forward or rearward
because it can loosen the child restraint attach-
ments. Remove the child restraint before adjusting
the vehicle seat position. When the vehicle seat has
been adjusted, reinstall the child restraint.
• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it in
the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchor-
ages, or remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave it
loose in the vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it
could strike the occupants or seatbacks and cause
serious personal injury.
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Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type CombinedWeight of the
Child + Child Restraint Use any attachment method shown with an “X” Below
LATCH –
Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt Only LATCH –
Lower Anchors+ Top Tether Anchor Seat Belt + Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) XX
Rear-Facing
Child Restraint More than
65 lbs (29.5 kg) X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) XX
Forward-Facing Child Restraint More than
65 lbs (29.5 kg) X
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Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
What is the weight limit (child’s weight + weight of the child
restraint) for using the LATCH anchorage system to attach the child restraint? 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) Use the LATCH anchorage system until the combined
weight of the child and the child restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the seat belt and tether anchor instead of the LATCH system once the combined weight is more than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the seat belt be used together to attach a rear-facing or
forward-facing child restraint? No
Do not use the seat belt when you use the LATCH
anchorage system to attach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Can two child restraints be
attached using a common lower LATCH anchorage? No Never “share” a LATCH anchorage with two or more child
restraints. If the center position does not have dedicated
LATCH lower anchorages, use the seat belt to install a child seat in the center position next to a child seat using the LATCH anchorages in an outboard position.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 81
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Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
What is the weight limit (child’s weight +
weight of the child restraint) for using the
Tether Anchor with the seat belt to attach a forward facing child restraint? Weight limit
of the Child Restraint Always use the tether anchor when using the
seat belt to install a forward facing child re-
straint, up to the recommended weight limit of the child restraint.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch the back of the front passenger seat? Yes Contact between the front passenger seat and
the child restraint is allowed, if the child re-straint manufacturer also allows contact.
Can the head restraints be removed? YesCenter Only may be removed
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to tighten the seat belt against the belt path of the child re- straint? No Do not twist the buckle stalk in a seating posi-
tion with an ALR retractor.
88 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE
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▫Premium System ..................... .455
▫ General Information ....................459
FUEL REQUIREMENTS ..................459
▫ 3.6L Engine — If Equipped ...............459
▫ 5.7L Engine (With Automatic Transmission) . . .460
▫ 5.7L Engine (With Manual Transmission) .....460
▫ 6.4L Engine ......................... .461
▫ Reformulated Gasoline .................461
▫ Gasoline/Oxygenate Blends ..............462
▫ E-85 Usage In Non-Flex Fuel Vehicles .......462
▫ MMT In Gasoline .....................463
▫ Materials Added To Fuel ................463
▫ Fuel System Cautions ...................464 ▫
Carbon Monoxide Warnings .............465
ADDING FUEL ....................... .465
▫ Fuel Filler Cap (Gas Cap) ...............465
▫ Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message ............467
VEHICLE LOADING ....................468
▫ Vehicle Certification Label ...............468
▫ Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) .......468
▫ Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) .........468
▫ Overloading ........................ .469
▫ Loading ........................... .469
TRAILER TOWING .....................470
▫ Common Towing Definitions .............470
▫ Trailer Hitch Classification ...............474
378 STARTING AND OPERATING
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▫Trailer Towing Weights (Maximum Trailer
Weight Ratings) ..................... .475
▫ Trailer And Tongue Weight ..............476
▫ Towing Requirements ..................477 ▫
Towing Tips ........................ .482
RECREATIONAL TOWING (BEHIND
MOTORHOME, ETC.) ...................483
▫ Towing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle . .483
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