If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
.
For the third row, if your vehicle has a bench seat, there are no top tether
anchors in the outboard seating positions. If your vehicle has a 50/50 split bench
seat in the third row, there is no top tether anchor in the driver-side seating position.
Do not secure a child restraint in these positions 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.
If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the
lap-shoulder belt to secure the child 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.
- Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be
able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
- Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the
lock.
- 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.
- If your child restraint manufacturer recommends using a top tether, and
the position that you are using has a top tether anchor, attach and tighten the top
tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions that came with the child
restraint and to
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
.
- Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure
it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached to the top tether
anchor, disconnect it. 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.