2017 FIAT 500L Owners Manual

Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren
(LATCH) Restraint System
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint an-
chorage system called LATCH, which stands for Lower
Anchors and Tethers for CHildren. The LATCH system
has three vehicle anchor points for installing LATCH-
equipped child seats. There are two lower anchorages
located at the back of the seat cushion where it meets
the seatback and one top tether anchorage located
behind the seating position. These anchorages are used
to install LATCH-equipped child seats without using
the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating positions may
have a top tether anchorage but no lower anchorages. Inthese seating positions, the seat belt must be used with
the top tether anchorage to install the child restraint.
Please see the following table for more information.
LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints
In This Vehicle
LATCH Label
LATCH Positions
•Lower Anchorage Symbol 2 anchorages per
seating position
•Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 2
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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 sys- tem to attach the child restraint? 65 lbs (29.5 kg) Use the LATCH anchorage system un-
til the combined weight of the childand the child restraint is 65 lbs
(29.5 kg). Use the seat belt and tether
anchor instead of the LATCH anchor-
age 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 re- straint? No
Do not use the seat belt when you use
the LATCH anchorage system to at-tach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Can a child seat be installed in the
center position using the inner LATCH lower anchorages? No
Use the seat belt and tether anchor to
install a child seat in the center seating position.
Can two child restraints be attached using a common lower LATCH an- chorage? No
Never “share” a LATCH anchorage
with two or more child restraints. If
the center position does not have dedi- cated LATCH lower anchorages, usethe 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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Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
Can the rear-facing child restraint
touch the back of the front passenger seat? Yes
The child seat may touch the back of
the front passenger seat if the child
restraint manufacturer also allows con- tact. See your child restraint owner ’s manual for more information.
Can the head restraints be removed? YesAll may be removed.
Locating The LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round bars that are found at
the rear of the seat cushion where it meets the seatback.
They are just visible when you lean into the rear seat to
install the child restraint. You will easily feel them if you
run your finger along the gap between the seatback and
seat cushion.
LATCH Lower Anchorages
2
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Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages behind each
rear seating position located on the back of
the seat, near the floor.LATCH-compatible child restraint systems will be
equipped with a rigid bar or a flexible strap on each
side. Each will have a hook or connector to attach to the
lower anchorage and a way to tighten the connection to
the anchorage. Forward-facing child restraints and
some rear-facing child restraints will also be equipped
with a tether strap. The tether strap will have a hook at
the end to attach to the top tether anchorage and a way
to tighten the strap after it is attached to the anchorage.
Upper Tether Anchorages
Tether Anchorage Routing Position
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Center Seat LATCH
WARNING!
•Do not install a child restraint in the center
position using the LATCH system. This position
is not approved for installing child seats using the
LATCH attachments. You must use the seat belt
and tether anchor to install a child seat in the
center seating position.
• Never use the same lower anchorage to attach
more than one child restraint. Please refer to
“Installing The LATCH-Compatible Child Re-
straint System” for typical installation instruc-
tions.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
If the selected seating position has a Switchable Auto-
matic Locking Retractor (ALR) seat belt, stow the seat
belt, following the instructions below. See the section
“Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt” to check what type of seat belt each seating
position has. 1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on the
tether strap of the child seat so that you can more
easily attach the hooks or connectors to the vehicle
anchorages.
2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. For some second row seats, you
may need to recline the seat and / or raise the head
restraint to get a better fit. If the rear seat can be
moved forward and rearward in the vehicle, you
may wish to move it to its rear-most position to make
room for the child seat. You may also move the front
seat forward to allow more room for the child seat.
3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of the child restraint to the lower anchorages in the selected
seating position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage. See the section “Installing
Child Restraints Using The Top Tether Anchorage”
for directions to attach a tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward into the seat.
Remove slack in the straps according to the child
restraint manufacturer ’s instructions.
2
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6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly bypulling back and forth on the child seat at the belt
path. It should not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm)
in any direction.
How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR (ALR)
Seat Belt
When using the LATCH attaching system to install a
child restraint, stow all ALR seat belts that are not being
used by other occupants or being used to secure child
restraints. An unused belt could injure a child if they
play with it and accidentally lock the seat belt retractor.
Before installing a child restraint using the LATCH
system, buckle the seat belt behind the child restraint
and out of the child’s reach. If the buckled seat belt
interferes with the child restraint installation, instead of
buckling it behind the child restraint, route the seat belt
through the child restraint belt path and then buckle it.
Do not lock the seat belt. Remind all children in the
vehicle that the seat belts are not toys and that they
should not play with them.
WARNING!
•Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of the
restraint. The child could be badly injured or
killed. Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s
directions exactly when installing an infant or
child restraint.
• Child restraint anchorages are designed to with-
stand only those loads imposed by correctly-fitted
child restraints. Under no circumstances are they
to be used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for
attaching other items or equipment to the vehicle.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle
Seat Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be secured in
vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap/shoulder belt.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

WARNING!
•Improper installation or failure to properly secure
a child restraint can lead to failure of the restraint.
The child could be badly injured or killed.
• Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s direc-
tions exactly when installing an infant or child
restraint.
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR) that is designed to keep the lap portion of the
seat belt tight around the child restraint so that it is not
necessary to use a locking clip. The ALR retractor can be
“switched” into a locked mode by pulling all of the
webbing out of the retractor and then letting the web-
bing retract back into the retractor. If it is locked, the
ALR will make a clicking noise while the webbing is
pulled back into the retractor. Refer to the “Automatic
Locking Mode” description in “Switchable Automatic
Locking Retractors (ALR)” under “Occupant Restraint
Systems” for additional information on ALR. Please see the table below and the following sections for
more information.Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
•
ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 2
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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 re-
straint) for using the Tether Anchor with the seat belt to attach a for- ward facing child restraint? Weight limit of the Child Restraint Always use the tether anchor when
using the seat belt to install a for-ward facing child restraint, up to
the recommended weight limit of the child restraint.
Can the rear-facing child restraint
touch the back of the front passen- ger seat? Yes
Contact between the front passen-
ger seat and the child restraint is allowed, if the child restraint
manufacturer also allows contact.
Can the head restraints be re- moved? Yes
All may be removed.
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to
tighten the seat belt against the belt path of the child restraint? No
Do not twist the buckle stalk in a
seating position with an ALR re- tractor.
62 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE