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Installing Child Restraints
When installing a child safety seat with combination lap and shoulder belts:
Child Seats
Use a child safety seat (sometimes called an infant carrier, convertible seat, or toddler seat) for infants, toddlers, or children weighing
40 lb (18 kg) or less (generally age four or younger).
Using Lap and Shoulder Belts (Except Front Center Position of Super Cab and Crew Cab)
WARNING:
Do not place a rearward facing child restraint in front of an active airbag. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.
WARNING:
Properly secure children 12 years old and under in a rear seating position whenever possible. If you are unable to properly secure all children in a rear seating position, properly secure the largest child on the front seat. If you must use a forward facing child restraint on the front seat, move the seat as far back as possible. Failure to follow these instructions could result in personal injury or death.
WARNING:
Depending on where you secure a child restraint, and depending on the child restraint design, you may block access to certain seatbelt buckle assemblies and LATCH lower anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of injury, make sure occupants only use seating positions where they are able to be properly restrained. |
When installing a child safety seat with combination lap and shoulder belts:
- Use the correct seatbelt buckle for that seating position.
- Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened in the buckle.
- Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the safety seat, with the tongue between the child restraint and the release button, to prevent accidental unbuckling.
- Place the vehicle seat upon which the child restraint will be installed in the upright position.
- Put the seatbelt in the automatic locking mode. This vehicle does not require the use of a locking clip.
Perform the following steps when installing the child restraint with combination lap and shoulder belts:
Note:
Although the child restraint illustrated is a forward facing child restraint, the steps are the same for installing a rear facing child restraint.
- Position the child safety seat in a seat with a combination lap and shoulder belt.
- Pull down on the shoulder belt and then grasp the shoulder belt and lap belt together.
- While holding the shoulder and lap belt portions together, route the tongue through the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions. Make sure the belt webbing is not twisted.
- Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle (the buckle closest to the direction the tongue is coming from) for that seating position until you hear a snap and feel the latch engage. Make sure the tongue is latched securely by pulling on it.
- To put the retractor in the automatic locking mode, grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward until you pull all of the seatbelt out.
Note:
The automatic locking mode is available on the front passenger and rear seats. This vehicle does not require the use of a locking clip.
- Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt will click as it retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode.
- Try to pull the seatbelt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt out). If the retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat Steps 5 and 6.
- Remove remaining slack from the belt. Force the seat down with extra weight, for example, by pressing down or kneeling on the child restraint while pulling up on the shoulder belt in order to force slack from the belt. This is necessary to remove the remaining slack that exists once you add the extra weight of the child to the child restraint. It also helps to achieve the proper snugness of the child restraint to your vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean toward the buckle helps to remove remaining slack from the belt.
- Attach the tether strap (if the child restraint is equipped).
- Before placing the child in the seat, forcibly move the seat forward and back to make sure the seat is securely held in place.
To check this, grab the seat at the belt path and attempt to move it side to side and forward and back. There should be no more than
1 in (2.5 cm) of movement for proper installation.
We recommend checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to make certain the child restraint is properly installed. In Canada, check with Transport Canada for referral to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Using Lap and Shoulder Belts (Front Center Position of Super Cab and Crew Cab)
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WARNING:
Do not place a rearward facing child restraint in front of an active airbag. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.
WARNING:
Properly secure children 12 years old and under in a rear seating position whenever possible. If you are unable to properly secure all children in a rear seating position, properly secure the largest child on the front seat. If you must use a forward facing child restraint on the front seat, move the seat as far back as possible. Failure to follow these instructions could result in personal injury or death.
WARNING:
Always use both the lap and shoulder portion of the seatbelt in the center seating position. |
The belt webbing below the tongue is the lap portion of the combination lap and shoulder belt. The seatbelt webbing above the tongue is the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap and shoulder belt.
- Position the child safety seat in the front center seat.
- Slide the tongue up the webbing.
- While holding both shoulder and lap portions next to the tongue, route the tongue and webbing through the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions. Be sure that the belt webbing is not twisted.
- Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle (the buckle closest to the direction the tongue is coming from) for that seating position until you hear a snap and feel the latch engage. Make sure the tongue is latched securely by pulling on it.
- While pushing down with your knee on the child restraint, pull up on the shoulder belt portion to tighten the lap belt portion of the combination lap and shoulder belt.
- Allow the seatbelt to retract and remove any slack in the belt to securely tighten the child safety seat in the vehicle.
- Attach the tether strap (if the child restraint is equipped).
- Before placing the child in the seat, forcibly move the seat forward and back to make sure the seat is securely held in place. To check this, grab the seat at the belt path and attempt to move it side to side and forward and back. There should be no more than 1 in (2.5 cm) of movement for proper installation.
- Check from time to time to be sure that there is no slack in the lap and shoulder belt. The shoulder belt must be snug to keep the lap belt tight during a crash.
We recommend checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to make certain the child restraint is properly installed. In Canada, check with Transport Canada for referral to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Using Inflatable Seatbelts (Rear Seat Outermost Positions) (If Equipped)
- Position the child safety seat in a seat with a combination lap and shoulder belt.
- After positioning the child safety seat in the proper seating position, grasp the shoulder belt and lap belt together behind the belt tongue.
- While holding the shoulder and lap belt portions together, route the tongue through the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions. Be sure the belt webbing is not twisted.
- Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle (the buckle closest to the direction the tongue is coming from) for that seating position until you hear a snap and feel the latch engage. Make sure the tongue is latched securely by pulling on it.
- To put the retractor in the automatic locking mode, grasp the lap portion of the inflatable seatbelt and pull upward until you pull all of the belt out.
Note:
The automatic locking mode is available on the front passenger and rear seats.
Note:
Unlike the standard seatbelt, the inflatable seatbelt's unique lap portion locks the child restraint for installation. The ability for the shoulder portion of the belt to move freely is normal, even after the lap belt has been put into the automatic locking mode.
Note:
The lock-off device on some child restraints may not accommodate the shoulder portion of the inflatable seatbelt. Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint regarding the necessary and proper use of the lock-off device. In some instances, these devices have been provided only for use in vehicles with seatbelt systems that would otherwise require a locking clip.
- Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt will click as it retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode.
- Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt out). If the retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat Steps 5 and 6.
- Remove remaining slack from the belt. Force the seat down with extra weight, for example, by pressing down or kneeling on the child restraint while pulling down on the lap belt in order to force slack from the belt. This is necessary to remove the remaining slack that exists once you add the extra weight of the child to the child restraint. It also helps to achieve the proper snugness of the child restraint to your vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean toward the buckle will additionally help to remove remaining slack from the belt.
- Attach the tether strap (if the child restraint is equipped).
- Before placing the child in the seat, forcibly move the seat forward and back to make sure the seat is securely held in place. To check this, grab the seat at the belt path and attempt to move it side to side and forward and back. There should be no more than 1 in (2.5 cm) of movement for proper installation.
We recommend checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to make certain the child restraint is properly installed. In Canada, check with Transport Canada for referral to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Using Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
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WARNING:
Do not attach two child safety restraints to the same anchor. In a crash, one anchor may not be strong enough to hold two child safety restraint attachments and may break, causing serious injury or death.
WARNING:
Depending on where you secure a child restraint, and depending on the child restraint design, you may block access to certain seatbelt buckle assemblies and LATCH lower anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of injury, make sure occupants only use seating positions where they are able to be properly restrained. |
The LATCH system is composed of three vehicle anchor points: two lower anchors where the vehicle seat backrest and seat cushion meet (called the seat bight) and one top tether anchor behind that seating position.
LATCH compatible child safety seats have two rigid or webbing mounted attachments that connect to the two lower anchors at the LATCH equipped seating positions in your vehicle. This type of attachment method eliminates the need to use seatbelts to attach the child restraint. However, the seatbelt can still be used to attach the child restraint if the lower anchors are not used. For forward-facing child restraints, the top tether strap must also be attached to the proper top tether anchor, if a top tether strap has been provided with your child restraint.
Your vehicle has LATCH lower anchors for child restraint installation at the following seating positions (LATCH is not available on Regular Cab):
Crew Cab and Super Cab
The lower LATCH anchors are at the rear section of the rear seat between the cushion and seat backrest. Follow the child restraint manufacturer's instructions to properly install a child restraint with LATCH attachments.
Follow the instructions later in this chapter on attaching child safety seats with tether straps.
Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child restraint only to the anchors shown.
Use of Inboard Lower Anchors from the Outermost Seating Positions (Center Seating Use)
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WARNING:
The standardized spacing for LATCH lower anchors is
11 in (280 mm) center to center. Do not use LATCH lower anchors for the center seating position unless the child restraint manufacturer's instructions permit and specify using anchors spaced at least as far apart as those in this vehicle. |
The lower anchors at the center of the second row rear seat are spaced
25.7 in (652 mm) apart. The standardized spacing for LATCH lower anchors is
11 in (280 mm) center to center. You cannot install achild restraint with rigid LATCH attachments at the center seating position. LATCH compatible child restraints (with attachments on belt webbing) can only be used at this seating position provided that the child restraint manufacturer's instructions permit use with the anchor spacing stated. Do not attach a child restraint to any lower anchor if an adjacent child restraint is attached to that anchor.
Each time you use the safety seat, check that the seat is properly attached to the lower anchors and tether anchor, if applicable. Tug the child restraint from side to side and forward and back where it is secured to the vehicle. The seat should move less than one inch when you do this for a proper installation.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being injured in a crash greatly increases.
Combining Seatbelt and LATCH Lower Anchors for Attaching Child Safety Seats
When used in combination, either the seatbelt or the LATCH lower anchors may be attached first, provided a proper installation is achieved. Attach the tether strap afterward, if included with the child restraint.
Using Tether Straps
Many forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which extends from the back of the child safety seat and hooks to an anchoring point called the top tether anchor. Tether straps are available as an accessory for many older safety seats. Contact the manufacturer of your child restraint for information about ordering a tether strap, or to obtain a longer tether strap if the tether strap on your safety seat does not reach the appropriate top tether anchor in the vehicle.
The passenger seats of your vehicle may have built-in tether strap anchors behind the seats.
The tether anchors in your vehicle may be loops of webbing above the seat backrest or an anchor bracket behind the seat on the rear edge of the seat cushion.
The rear seat in the Crew Cab and Super Cab has three straps along the top of the seat back that function as both routing loops for the tether straps and anchor loops.
The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the following positions (shown from top view):
Regular Cab
Crew Cab and Super Cab
Attach the tether strap only to the appropriate tether anchor as shown. The tether strap may not work properly if attached somewhere other than the correct tether anchor.
If you install a child restraint with rigid LATCH attachments, do not tighten the tether strap enough to lift the child restraint off the vehicle seat cushion when the child is seated in it. Keep the tether strap just snug without lifting the front of the child restraint. Keeping the child restraint just touching the vehicle seat gives the best protection in a severe crash.
Once you have installed the child safety seat using either the seatbelt, the lower anchors of the LATCH system, or both, you can attach the top tether strap.
Front Seat Tether Strap Attachment (Regular Cab)
- Route the child safety seat tether strap over the back of the seat and under the head restraint.
Note:
For vehicles with adjustable head restraints, route the tether strap under the head restraint and between the head restraint posts, otherwise route the tether strap over the top of the seat backrest.
- Locate the correct anchor for the selected seating position. You may need to pull the seat backrest forward to access the tether anchors. Make sure the seat is locked in the upright position before installing the child restraint.
- Clip the tether strap to the anchor.
- Tighten the child safety seat tether strap according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Regular Cab passenger and center seats (on back panel)
If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, the child safety seat may not be retained properly in the event of a crash.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being injured in a crash greatly increases.
If your child restraint system has a tether strap, and the child restraint manufacturer recommends its use, we also recommend its use.
Rear Seat Tether Strap Attachment (Crew Cab and Super Cab)
There are three loops of webbing just above the back of the rear seat (along the bottom edge of the rear window). Use these loops as both routing loops and anchor loops for up to three child safety seat tether straps.
For example, you can use the center loop as a routing loop for a child safety seat in the center rear seat and as an anchoring loop for child restraints installed in the outermost rear seats.
Many tether straps cannot be tightened if the tether strap is hooked to the loop directly behind the child restraint.
To provide a tight tether strap:
- Route the vehicle tether loop between the head restraint posts, then route the child restraint tether strap through the loop, forward of the head restraint.
- Hook the strap to the vehicle tether anchor loop in the adjacent seating position. If using the driver side, pass the strap behind the shoulder belt for the center seat. Always put the tether strap through the routing loop. The head restraint support post holds the child restraint tightly, but the head restraint post is not strong enough to hold the child restraint during a crash.
- Tighten the tether strap according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being injured in a crash greatly increases.
If your child restraint system has a tether strap, and the child restraint manufacturer recommends its use, we also recommend its use.