If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) . See Top Strap if the child restraint has one.
Caution: A child in a child restraint in the center front seat can be badly injured or killed by the frontal airbags if they inflate. Never secure a child restraint in the center front seat. It is always better to secure a child restraint in a rear seat.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the restraint in this position. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say.
- Put the child restraint on the seat.
- Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle's safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how.
- Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed.
- Buckle the belt. Be sure the latch plate clicks when you put it into the buckle. This means you are using the correct buckle. Also make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
- To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
- Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle's safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger.
