ALFA ROMEO STELVIO 2021 Owners Manual

179

(Continued)
Summary Of Recommendations For Restraining Children In Vehicles
Infant And Child Restraints
Safety experts recommend that children ride
rear-facing in the vehicle until they are two
years old or until they reach either the height
or weight limit of their rear-facing child
restraint. Two types of child restraints can be
used rear-facing: infant carriers and convert
-
ible child seats.
The infant carrier is only used rear-facing in
the vehicle. It is recommended for children
from birth until they reach the weight or height
limit of the infant carrier. Convertible child
seats can be used either rear-facing or
forward-facing in the vehicle. Convertible child
seats often have a higher weight limit in the
rear-facing direction than infant carriers do, so
they can be used rear-facing by children who have outgrown their infant carrier but are still
less than at least two years old. Children
should remain rear-facing until they reach the
highest weight or height allowed by their
convertible child seat.
Older Children And Child Restraints
Children who are two years old or who have
outgrown their rear-facing convertible child
seat can ride forward-facing in the vehicle.
Forward-facing child seats and convertible
child seats used in the forward-facing direc
-
tion are for children who are over two years old
or who have outgrown the rear-facing weight
Child Size, Height, Weight Or AgeRecommended Type Of Child Restraint
Infants and Toddlers Children who are two years old or younger
and who have not reached the height or
weight limits of their child restraint Either an Infant Carrier or a Convertible Child
Restraint, facing rearward in a rear seat of the
vehicle
Small Children Children who are at least two years old or
who have outgrown the height or weight
limit of their rear-facing child restraint Forward-Facing Child Restraint with a
five-point Harness, facing forward in a rear
seat of the vehicle
Larger Children Children who have outgrown their
forward-facing child restraint, but are too
small to properly fit the vehicle’s seat belt Belt Positioning Booster Seat and the vehicle
seat belt, seated in a rear seat of the vehicle
Children Too Large for Child Restraints Children 12 years old or younger, who have
outgrown the height or weight limit of their
booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in a rear seat of the
vehicle
WARNING!
Never place a rear-facing child restraint in
front of an air bag. A deploying passenger
front air bag can cause death or serious
injury to a child 12 years or younger,
including a child in a rear-facing child
restraint.
Never install a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat of a vehicle. Only use a
rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat.
If the vehicle does not have a rear seat, do
not transport a rear-facing child restraint
in that vehicle.
WARNING! (Continued)
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 179

SAFETY

180

(Continued)
or height limit of their rear-facing convertible
child seat. Children should remain in a
forward-facing child seat with a harness for as
long as possible, up to the highest weight or
height allowed by the child seat.
All children whose weight or height is above
the forward-facing limit for the child seat
should use a belt-positioning booster seat
until the vehicle’s seat belts fit properly. If the
child cannot sit with knees bent over the
vehicle’s seat cushion while the child’s back is
against the seatback, they should use a
belt-positioning booster seat. The child and
belt-positioning booster seat are held in the
vehicle by the seat belt.
Children Too Large For Booster Seats
Children who are large enough to wear the
shoulder belt comfortably, and whose legs are
long enough to bend over the front of the seat
when their back is against the seatback,
should use the seat belt in a rear seat. Use thissimple 5-step test to decide whether the child
can use the vehicle’s seat belt alone:
1. Can the child sit all the way back against
the back of the vehicle seat?
2. Do the child’s knees bend comfortably over the front of the vehicle seat – while
the child is still sitting all the way back?
3. Does the shoulder belt cross the child’s shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap part of the belt as low as possible, touching the child’s thighs and
not the stomach?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?
If the answer to any of these questions was
“no,” then the child still needs to use a booster
seat in this vehicle. If the child is using the lap/
shoulder belt, check seat belt fit periodically
and make sure the seat belt buckle is latched.
A child’s squirming or slouching can move the
belt out of position. If the shoulder belt
contacts the face or neck, move the child
closer to the center of the vehicle, or use a
booster seat to position the seat belt on the
child correctly.
WARNING!
Improper installation can lead to failure of
an infant or child restraint. It could come
loose in a collision. The child could be
badly injured or killed. Follow the child
restraint manufacturer’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child
restraint.
After a child restraint is installed in the
vehicle, do not move the vehicle seat
forward or rearward because it can loosen
the child restraint attachments. Remove
the child restraint before adjusting the
vehicle seat position. When the vehicle
seat has been adjusted, reinstall the child
restraint.
When your child restraint is not in use,
secure it in the vehicle with the seat belt or
LATCH anchorages, or remove it from the
vehicle. Do not leave it loose in the
vehicle. In a sudden stop or accident, it
could strike the occupants or seatbacks
and cause serious personal injury.
WARNING! (Continued)
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 180

181

Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren
(LATCH) Restraint System
LATCH LabelYour vehicle is equipped with the child
restraint anchorage system called LATCH,
which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers
for CHildren. The LATCH system has three
vehicle anchor points for installing
LATCH-equipped child seats. There are two
lower anchorages located at the back of the
seat cushion where it meets the seatback and
one top tether anchorage located behind the
seating position. These anchorages are used
to install LATCH-equipped child seats without
using the vehicle’s seat belts. Some seating
positions may have a top tether anchorage but
no lower anchorages. In these seating posi
-
tions, the seat belt must be used with the top
tether anchorage to install the child restraint.
Please see the following table for more infor -
mation.
WARNING!
Never allow a child to put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind their back. In a crash, the shoulder belt will not protect a child properly,
which may result in serious injury or death. A child must always wear both the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt correctly.
Restraint Type
Combined Weight of the Child + Child RestraintUse Any Attachment Method Shown With An “X” Below
LATCH – Lower Anchors OnlySeat Belt Only
LATCH – Lower
Anchors + Top Tether AnchorSeat Belt + Top Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs (29.5 kg)
XX
Rear-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
Forward-Facing Child Restraint Up to 65 lbs (29.5 kg)
XX
Forward-Facing Child Restraint More than 65 lbs
(29.5 kg) X
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 181

SAFETY

182

LATCH Positions For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
LATCH Positions
Lower Anchorage Symbol (2 Anchorages
Per Seating Position)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
What is the weight limit (child’s weight +
weight of the child restraint) for using the
LATCH anchorage system to attach the
child restraint? 65 lbs (29.5 kg)Use the LATCH anchorage system until the
combined weight of the child and the child
restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the seat belt
and tether anchor instead of the LATCH
system once the combined weight is more
than 65 lbs (29.5 kg).
Can the LATCH anchorages and the seat
belt be used together to attach a rear-facing
or forward-facing child restraint? NoDo not use the seat belt when you use the
LATCH anchorage system to attach a
rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint. Booster seats may be attached to the LATCH
anchorages if allowed by the booster seat
manufacturer. See your booster seat owner’s
manual for more information.
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 182

183

Can a child seat be installed in the center
position using the inner LATCH lower
anchorages from the outboard seating
positions? No
Use the seat belt and tether anchor to install a
child seat in the center seating position.
Can two child restraints be attached using
a common lower LATCH anchorage? NoNever “share” a LATCH anchorage with two or
more child restraints. If the center position
does not have dedicated LATCH lower
anchorages, use the seat belt to install a child
seat in the center position next to a child seat
using the LATCH anchorages in an outboard
position.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch
the back of the front passenger seat? YesThe child seat may touch the back of the front
passenger seat if the child restraint
manufacturer also allows contact. See your
child restraint owner’s manual for more
information.
Can the rear head restraints be removed? YesAll head restraints can be removed if they
interfere with the installation of the child
restraint. See “Head Restraints” in “Getting To
Know Your Vehicle” for further information.
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 183

SAFETY

184

Locating The LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round
bars that are found at the rear of the
seat cushion where it meets the
seatback. Each anchorage is under a
cover with the anchorage symbol on it. Lift the
cover to access the lower anchorage.
LATCH Anchorage Locations
Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages
behind each rear seating position
located on the back of the seat. Tether Strap Anchorage Locations
LATCH-compatible child restraint systems will
be equipped with a rigid bar or a flexible strap
on each side. Each will have a hook or
connector to attach to the lower anchorage
and a way to tighten the connection to the
anchorage. Forward-facing child restraints
and some rear-facing child restraints will also
be equipped with a tether strap. The tether
strap will have a hook at the end to attach to
the top tether anchorage and a way to tighten
the strap after it is attached to the anchorage.
Center Seat LATCH
Always follow the directions of the child
restraint manufacturer when installing your
child restraint. Not all child restraint systems
will be installed as described here.
To Install A LATCH-Compatible Child
Restraint
If the selected seating position has a Switch -
able Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) seat
belt, stow the seat belt, following the instruc -
tions below. See
Ú
page 185 to check what
type of seat belt each seating position has.
1 — LATCH Anchorage Bar
2 — LATCH Anchorage Locations
3 — Tether Strap Anchorages
WARNING!
Do not install a child restraint in the center
position using the LATCH system. This
position is not approved for installing child
seats using the LATCH attachments. You
must use the seat belt and tether anchor
to install a child seat in the center seating
position.
Never use the same lower anchorage to
attach more than one child restraint. See

Ú

page 184 for typical installation instruc -
tions.
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 184

185

(Continued)
1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower strapsand on the tether strap of the child seat so
that you can more easily attach the hooks
or connectors to the vehicle anchorages.
2. Place the child seat between the lower anchorages for that seating position. If the
second row seat can be reclined, you may
recline the seat and/or raise the head
restraint (if adjustable) to get a better fit. If
the rear seat can be moved forward and
rearward in the vehicle, you may wish to
move it to its rear-most position to make
room for the child seat. You may also move
the front seat forward to allow more room
for the child seat.
3. Attach the lower hooks or connectors of the child restraint to the lower anchorages
in the selected seating position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage. See

Ú
page 187 for directions to attach a
tether anchor.
5. Tighten all of the straps as you push the child restraint rearward and downward
into the seat. Remove slack in the straps
according to the child restraint manufac -
turer’s instructions.
6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the
child seat at the belt path. It should not
move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any
direction.How To Stow An Unused Switchable-ALR
(ALR) Seat Belt:
When using the LATCH attaching system to
install a child restraint, stow all ALR seat belts
that are not being used by other occupants or
being used to secure child restraints. An
unused belt could injure a child if they play
with it and accidentally lock the seat belt
retractor. Before installing a child restraint
using the LATCH system, buckle the seat belt
behind the child restraint and out of the child’s
reach. If the buckled seat belt interferes with
the child restraint installation, instead of buck -
ling it behind the child restraint, route the seat
belt through the child restraint belt path and
then buckle it. Do not lock the seat belt.
Remind all children in the vehicle that the seat
belts are not toys and that they should not play
with them.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle
Seat Belt
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt.
The seat belts in the passenger seating posi -
tions are equipped with a Switchable Auto -
matic Locking Retractor (ALR) that is designed
to keep the lap portion of the seat belt tight
around the child restraint so that it is not
necessary to use a locking clip. The ALR
retractor can be “switched” into a locked
mode by pulling all of the webbing out of the
WARNING!
Improper installation of a child restraint to
the LATCH anchorages can lead to failure
of the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed. Follow the child restraint
manufacturer’s directions exactly when
installing an infant or child restraint.
Child restraint anchorages are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly-fitted child restraints. Under no
circumstances are they to be used for
adult seat belts, harnesses, or for
attaching other items or equipment to the
vehicle.
WARNING!
Improper installation or failure to properly
secure a child restraint can lead to failure
of the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions exactly when installing an
infant or child restraint.
WARNING! (Continued)
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 185

SAFETY

186

retractor and then letting the webbing retract
back into the retractor. If it is locked, the ALR
will make a clicking noise while the webbing is
pulled back into the retractor.
Refer to the “Automatic Locking Mode”
description on
Ú
page 168 for additional
information on ALR.
Please see the table below and the following
sections for more information.Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing
Child Restraints In This Vehicle
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Locations
ALR — Switchable Automatic Locking Retrac -
tor (ALR)
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With Seat Belts
What is the weight limit (child’s weight +
weight of the child restraint) for using the
Tether Anchor with the seat belt to attach
a forward facing child restraint? Weight limit of the Child RestraintAlways use the tether anchor when using the
seat belt to install a forward facing child
restraint, up to the recommended weight limit
of the child restraint.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch
the back of the front passenger seat? YesContact between the front passenger seat
and the child restraint is allowed, if the child
restraint manufacturer also allows contact.
Can the rear head restraints be removed? YesAll head restraints can be removed if they
interfere with the installation of the child
restraint. See
Ú
page 35 for further
information.
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to tighten
the seat belt against the belt path of the
child restraint? No
Do not twist the buckle stalk in a seating
position with an ALR retractor.
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 186

187

Installing A Child Restraint With A
Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
(ALR):
Child restraint systems are designed to be
secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap
belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt.
1. Place the child seat in the center of theseating position. If the second row seat
can be reclined, you may recline the seat
and/or raise the head restraint (if adjust-
able) to get a better fit. If the rear seat can
be moved forward and rearward in the
vehicle, you may wish to move it to its
rear-most position to make room for the
child seat. You may also move the front
seat forward to allow more room for the
child seat.
2. Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to pass it through the belt
path of the child restraint. Do not twist the
belt webbing in the belt path. 3. Slide the latch plate into the buckle until
you hear a “click.”
4. Pull on the webbing to make the lap portion tight against the child seat.
5. To lock the seat belt, pull down on the shoulder part of the belt until you have
pulled all the seat belt webbing out of the
retractor. Then, allow the webbing to
retract back into the retractor. As the
webbing retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. This means the seat belt is now in
the Automatic Locking mode.
6. Try to pull the webbing out of the retractor. If it is locked, you should not be able to pull
out any webbing. If the retractor is not
locked, repeat step 5.
7. Finally, pull up on any excess webbing to tighten the lap portion around the child
restraint while you push the child restraint
rearward and downward into the vehicle
seat.
8. If the child restraint has a top tether strap and the seating position has a top tether
anchorage, connect the tether strap to the
anchorage and tighten the tether strap.
See
Ú
page 187 for directions to attach a
tether anchor.
9. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly by pulling back and forth on the
child seat at the belt path. It should not move more than 1 inch (25.4 mm) in any
direction.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so
check the belt occasionally, and pull it tight if
necessary.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Top
Tether Anchorage: WARNING!
Improper installation or failure to properly
secure a child restraint can lead to failure
of the restraint. The child could be badly
injured or killed.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
directions exactly when installing an
infant or child restraint.
WARNING!
Do not attach a tether strap for a
rear-facing car seat to any location in front
of the car seat, including the seat frame or
a tether anchorage. Only attach the tether
strap of a rear-facing car seat to the tether
anchorage that is approved for that seating
position, located behind the top of the
vehicle seat. See the section “Lower
Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
Restraint System” for the location of
approved tether anchorages in your vehicle.
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 187

SAFETY

188

(Continued)

1. Look behind the seating position where youplan to install the child restraint to find the
tether anchorage. You may need to move the
seat forward to provide better access to the
tether anchorage. If there is no top tether
anchorage for that seating position, move the
child restraint to another position in the
vehicle if one is available.
2. Route the tether strap to provide the most direct path for the strap between the anchor
and the child seat. If your vehicle is equipped
with adjustable rear head restraints, raise the
head restraint, and where possible, route the
tether strap under the head restraint and
between the two posts. If not possible, lower
the head restraint and pass the tether strap
around the outboard side of the head
restraint.
3. Attach the tether strap hook of the child
restraint to the top tether anchorage as
shown in the diagram.
Rear Seat Tether Strap Mounting
4. Remove slack in the tether strap according to the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions.Center Tether Special Instructions
Center Tether Attachment:
1. If adjustable, lower the adjustable centerhead restraint to the full down position.
2. Route the tether strap over the seatback and head restraint.
3. Attach the tether strap hook of the child restraint to the center tether anchorage
located on the back of the seat.
4. Remove slack in the tether strap according to the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions.
SAFETY TIPS
Transporting Passengers
NEVER TRANSPORT PASSENGERS IN THE
CARGO AREA.
3 — Tether Strap Anchorages
WARNING!
An incorrectly anchored tether strap could
lead to increased head motion and
possible injury to the child. Use only the
anchorage position directly behind the
child seat to secure a child restraint top
tether strap.
If your vehicle is equipped with a split rear
seat, make sure the tether strap does not
slip into the opening between the seat
-
backs as you remove slack in the strap.
WARNING!
Do not leave children or animals inside
parked vehicles in hot weather. Interior
heat build-up may cause serious injury or
death.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are
more likely to be seriously injured or killed.
21_GU_OM_EN_USC_t.book Page 188