FIAT 500X 2016 2.G Owners Manual
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Lower Anchors And Tethers For Children (LATCH)
Restraint SystemYour vehicle is equipped with the child restraint anchor-
age 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
positions, the seat belt must be used with the top tether
anchorage to install the child restraint. Please see the
following table for more information.
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LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints In
This Vehicle
•— Lower Anchorage Symbol 2 Anchorages Per
Seating Position
•— Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
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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 thechild restraint is 65 lbs (29.5 kg). Use the
seat belt and tether anchor instead of the LATCH anchorage system once the com-
bined 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? No Do not use the seat belt when you use the
LATCH anchorage system to attach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Can a child seat be installed in the center
position using the inner LATCH lower an- chorage? Yes You can install child restraints with flexible
lower anchors in the center position. The
inner anchorages are 15.7 inches (400 mm) apart. Do not install child restraints with
rigid lower anchors in the center position.
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Can two child restraints be attached usinga common lower LATCH anchorage? No
Never “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 in-
stall a child seat in the center position next to a child seat using the LATCH anchor- ages in an outboard position.
Can the rear-facing child restraint touch the back of the front passenger seat? Yes
The 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 head restraints be removed? YesThe head restraints may be removed in
every rear seating position.
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Locating LATCH Anchorages
The lower anchorages are round bars that are
found at the rear of the seat cushion where it
meets the seatback, below the anchorage sym-
bols on the seatback. They are just visible when
you lean into the rear seat to install the child restraint.
You will easily feel them if you run your finger along the
gap between the seatback and seat cushion.
Locating Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages behind each
rear seatback, near the floor.
Lower Anchorage Location
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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 atether 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:
WARNING!
•
Do not install a child restraint in the center posi-
tion 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. Please refer to “Installing
The LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint System”
for typical installation instructions.
Tether Anchorage Locations
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Always follow the directions of the child restraint manu-
facturer 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 Switchable Auto-
matic Locking Retractor (ALR) seat belt, stow the seat
belt, following the instructions below. See the section
“Installing Child Restraints Using the Vehicle Seat Belt”
to check what type of seat belt each seating position has.
1. Loosen the adjusters on the lower straps and on thetether 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. For some second row seats, you
may need to recline the seat and / or raise the head
restraint 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 seat-
ing position.
4. If the child restraint has a tether strap, connect it to the top tether anchorage. See the section “Installing Child
Restraints Using the Top Tether Anchorage” for direc-
tions 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.
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6. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly bypulling 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 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 buckling 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.
WARNING!
•
Improper installation of a child restraint to the
LATCH anchorages can lead to failure of the re-
straint. 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 with-
stand 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.
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Installing Child Restraints Using The Vehicle Seat
Belt
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic 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 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 under “Occupant Restraints” for ad-
ditional information on ALR.
Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
•ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
= Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 6
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What is the weight limit (child’s
weight + weight of the child re-
straint) for using the Tether Anchor
with the seat belt to attach a forward
facing child restraint?Weight limit of the Child Restraint Always use the tether anchor when
using the seat belt to install a for-ward 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 passen- ger seat? Yes
Contact between the front passen-
ger seat and the child restraint is allowed, if the child restraint
manufacturer also allows contact.
Can the head restraints be re- moved? Yes
The head restraints can be removed
in every rear seating position.
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 re- tractor.
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