Installing a Child Restraint System (CRS)

After selecting a proper child seat for your child, check to make sure it fits properly in your vehicle.

Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer when installing the child seat. Note these general steps when installing the seat to your vehicle:

  • Properly secure the child restraint to the vehicle. All child restraints must be secured to the vehicle with the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt or with the LATCH system.

  • Make sure the child restraint is firmly secured. After installing a child restraint to the vehicle, push and pull the seat forward and from side-to-side to verify that it is securely attached to the seat. A child restraint secured with a seat belt should be installed as firmly as possible. However, some side-to-side movement can be expected.

  • Secure the child in the child restraint. Make sure the child is properly strapped in the child restraint according to the manufacturer instructions.

Lower Anchors and Tether for Children (LATCH) System

The LATCH system holds a child restraint during driving and in an accident. This system is designed to make installation of the child restraint easier and reduce the possibility of improperly installing your child restraint. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint. The LATCH system eliminates the need to use seat belts to secure the child restraint to the rear seats.

Lower anchors 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.

To use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you must have a child restraint with LATCH attachments.

The child seat manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child seat with its attachments for the LATCH lower anchors.

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LATCH anchors have been provided in the left and right outboard rear seating positions. Their locations are shown in the illustration. There are no LATCH anchors provided for the center rear seating position.

WARNING

LATCH Lower Anchors

Never attempt to attach a LATCH equipped seat in the center seating position. LATCH lower anchors are only to be used in the left and right rear outboard seating positions. You may damage the anchors or the anchors may fail and break in a collision if the seat is in the center seating position.

The lower anchor position indicator symbols are located on the left and right rear seatbacks to identify the position of the lower anchors in your vehicle (see arrows in illustration).

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  1. Lower Anchor position indicator

  2. Lower Anchor

The LATCH anchors are located between the seatback and the seat cushion of the rear seat left and right outboard seating positions.

To use the lower anchor, push the upper portion of the lower anchor cover.