2017 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE child seat

Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchorage
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 posi-
tions may have a top tether anchorage but no lower
anchorages. In these seating positions, the seat belt must beused 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 For Installing Child Restraints In This
Vehicle
•Lower Anchorage Symbol 2 anchorages per
seating position
•Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 5
SAFETY 243

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 sys- tem 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 a child seat be installed in the center po- sition using the inner LATCH lower anchor- ages? 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 anchorage? No
Never “share” a LATCH anchorage with two
or more child restraints. If the center position does not have dedicated LATCH lower an-chorages, 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.
244 SAFETY

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 contact. See your
child restraint owner ’s manual for more in- formation.
Can the head restraints be removed? Yes The head restraint may be removed in the center seating position only.
Locating LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round bars that are
found at the rear of the seat cushion where it
meets the seatback, below the anchorage sym-
bols on 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 Anchorages
5
SAFETY 245

Locating Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages behind each
rear seating position located on the back of the
seat. To access them, pull the carpeted floor panel
away from the seat back, this will expose the top
tether strap anchorages.
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.
Pulling Down The Carpet Floor Panel To Access TopTether Strap Anchorage
Pulling Down The Carpet Floor Panel To Access TopTether Strap Anchorage
246 SAFETY

Center Seat LATCH
WARNING!
•Do not install a child restraint in the center position
using the LATCH system. This position is not ap-
proved 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 Restraint System” for
typical installation instructions.
Center Arm Rest Tether
For rear-facing child restraints secured in the center seat
position with the vehicle seat belts, the rear center seat
position has an armrest tether that secures the arm rest in
the upward position.
1. To access the center seat arm rest tether, first lower the arm rest. The tether is located behind the armrest and
hooked onto the plastic seat backing. 2. Pull down on the tether to unhook it from the plastic
seat backing.
3. Raise the armrest and attach the tether hook to the strap located on the front of the arm rest.
Center Seat Position Arm Rest Tether
5
SAFETY 247

Always follow the directions of the child restraint manu-
facturer when installing your child restraint. Not all child
restraint systems will be installed as described here.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint
If the selected seating position has a Switchable Automatic
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 anchor-
ages.
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 direc-
tions 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 manufactur-
er ’s instructions.
Center Seat Position Arm Rest Tether Attached
248 SAFETY

6.Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling
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 re-
straint, 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 re-
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
straint. 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 withstand
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.
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 directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint.
5
SAFETY 249

The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(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 webbing
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
250 SAFETY