Child Restraints
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s seat belts.
The manufacturer instructions that come with the booster seat state the weight and height limitations for that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until the child passes the fit test below:
“Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt 0 71.
If a comfort guide is not available, or if the shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the booster seat.
Q: What is the proper way to wear seat belts?
A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should fit snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. This applies belt force to the child's pelvic bones in a crash. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash.
Also see “Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt 0 71.
According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in a rear seating position.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to use seat belts properly.
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the
need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle.
Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate child restraints. Neither the vehicle's seat belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them.
Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people,
or can be thrown out of the vehicle.
Child restraints are devices used to restrain, seat, or position children in the vehicle and are sometimes called child seats or car seats.
There are three basic types of child restraints:
The proper child restraint for your child depends on their size, weight, and age, and also on whether the child restraint is compatible with the vehicle in which it will be used.
For each type of child restraint, 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.
Rear-Facing Infant Restraint
A rear-facing child restraint 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.
Forward-Facing Child Restraint
A forward-facing child restraint provides restraint for the child's body with the harness.
Booster Seats
A belt-positioning booster seat is used for children who have outgrown their forward-facing child restraint. Boosters are designed to improve the fit of the vehicle's seat belt system until the child is large enough for the vehicle seat belts to fit properly without a booster seat. See the seat belt fit test in Older Children 0 88.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraints must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH system. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) 0 94 for more information. Children 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.
In some areas of the United States and Canada, Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to inspect and demonstrate how to correctly use and install child restraints. In the U.S., refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website to locate the nearest child safety seat inspection station. For CPST
availability in Canada, check with Transport Canada or the Provincial Ministry of Transportation office.
Where to Put the Restraint
According to accident statistics, children and infants are safer when properly restrained in an appropriate child restraint secured in a rear seating position.
Whenever possible, children aged 12 and under should be secured in a rear seating position.
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.
When securing a child restraint with the seat belts in a rear seat position, study the instructions that came with the child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle.
Child restraints and booster seats vary considerably in size, and some may fit in certain seating positions better than others.
Depending on where you place the child restraint and the size of the child restraint, you may not be able to access adjacent seat belts or LATCH anchors for additional
passengers or child restraints. Adjacent seating positions should not be used if the child restraint prevents access to or interferes with the routing of the seat belt.
Wherever a child restraint is installed, be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint and 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.
The LATCH system secures a child restraint during driving or in a crash. LATCH attachments on the child restraint are used to attach the child restraint to the anchors in the
vehicle. The LATCH system is designed to make installation of a child restraint easier.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you need a child restraint that has LATCH attachments. LATCH-compatible rear-facing and forward-facing child seats can be properly installed using either the LATCH anchors or the vehicle’s seat belts. Do not use both the seat belts and the LATCH anchorage system to secure a
rear-facing or forward-facing child seat.
Booster seats use the vehicle’s seat belts to secure the child and the booster seat. If the manufacturer recommends that the booster seat be secured with the LATCH system, this can be done as long as the booster seat can be positioned properly and there is no interference with the proper positioning of the lap-shoulder belt on the child.
Make sure to follow the instructions that came with the child 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 seat belts to properly secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed using only the top tether and anchor.
The LATCH anchorage system can be used until the combined weight of the child plus the child restraint is
29.5 kg (65 lbs). Use the seat belt alone instead of the LATCH anchorage system once the combined weight is more than
29.5 kg (65 lbs).
See Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
0 100 or Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Front Seat) 0 102.
Child restraints built after March 2014 will be labeled with the specific child weight up to which the LATCH system can be used to install the restraint.
The following explains how to attach a child restraint with these attachments in the vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions have lower anchors. In this case, the seat belt must be used (with top tether where available) to secure the child restraint.
See Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
0 100 or Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Front Seat) 0 102.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. Convertible models do not have top tether anchors to secure a child restraint. If a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, do not use a child restraint in this vehicle because a top tether cannot be properly anchored.
Lower anchors (1) are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position that will accommodate a child restraint with lower attachments (2).
A top tether (3,4) is used to secure the top of the child restraint to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into the vehicle. The top tether attachment hook (2) 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.
The child restraint may have a single tether (3) or a dual tether (4). Either will have a single attachment hook (2) to secure the top tether to the anchor.
Some child restraints that have a top tether 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 the child restraint.
Rear Seat - Coupe Model
I : Seating positions with top tether anchors.
H : Seating positions with two lower anchors.
Rear Seat - Convertible Model
H : Seating positions with two lower anchors.
Lower Anchors
To assist in locating the lower anchors, each seating position with lower anchors has two labels, near the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion.
The outboard lower anchors are behind the vertical openings in the seat trim.
Top Tether Anchors
On coupe models, the top tether anchors are on the rear seatback filler panel.
To assist in locating the top tether anchors, the top tether anchor symbol is on the cover of the anchor.
Convertible models do not have top tether anchors to be used to secure a child restraint in any seating position.
Be sure to use an anchor on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed.
Do not secure a child restraint in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be attached, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be attached.
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. See Where to Put the Restraint 0 93 for additional information.
If you need to secure more than one child restraint in the rear seat, see Where to Put the Restraint 0 93.
Route, attach, and tighten the top tether according to the child restraint instructions and the following instructions:If the child restraint has a single tether, route the tether over the seatback.
If the child restraint has a dual tether, route the tether over the seatback.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system and it was being used during a crash, new LATCH system parts may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the LATCH system was not being used at the time of the crash.
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.
If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) 0 94 for how and where to install your child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured in the vehicle using a seat belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) 0 94 for top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child restraint in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached.
If the child restraint or vehicle seat position does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the seat belt to secure the child restraint. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint.
If more than one child restraint needs to be installed in the rear seat, be sure to read Where to Put the Restraint 0 93.
Position the release button on the buckle, away from the child restraint, so that the seat belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.
Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is locked. If the retractor is not locked, repeat Steps 4 and 5.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle seat belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it.
This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint 0 93.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing system which is designed to turn off the front outboard passenger frontal airbag and knee airbag under certain conditions.
See Passenger Sensing System
0 81 and Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator 0 125 for more information, including important safety information.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front. This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great if the airbag deploys.
If the child restraint uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) 0 94 for top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached.
When using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position, follow the instructions that came with the child restraint and the following instructions:
When the passenger sensing system has turned off the front outboard passenger frontal airbag and knee airbag, the OFF indicator on the passenger airbag status indicator should light and stay lit when you start the vehicle. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator 0 125.
through or around the child restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.
Position the release button on the buckle, away from the child restraint, so that the seat belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.
Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is locked. If the retractor is not locked, repeat Steps 5 and 6.
If the airbags are off, the OFF indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator will come on and stay on when the vehicle is started.
If a child restraint has been installed and the ON indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child Restraint” under Passenger Sensing System 0 81.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle seat belt and let it return to the stowed position.
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