If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
. See
Top Strap
in this section. If not, when you secure a
child restraint in a rear outside seating position, you'll be using the lap-shoulder
belt.
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. 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.
- Pull the rest of 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.
- 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.