DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2014 5.G Owners Manual

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. For additional information on ALR,
refer to the “Automatic Locking Mode” description un-
der “Occupant Restraints.”
Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems for Installing Child
Restraints in this Vehicle
Second Row Captains Chair
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Second Row Bench
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Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems
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 Restraint Always 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? Yes
Contact between the front passenger seat
and the child restraint is allowed, if the
child restraint manufacturer also allows contact.
Can the head restraints be removed? YesSecond row outboard positions only, third
row all positions.
Can the buckle stalk be twisted to tighten the seat belt against the belt path of the child restraint? Yes
In positions with cinching latch plates
(CINCH), the buckle stalk may be twisted up to 3 full turns. Do not twist the buckle stalk in a seating position with an ALR retractor.
2
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Installing A Child Restraint With A Switchable
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
1. Place the child seat in the center of the seatingposition. 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.
2.
Pull enough of the seat belt webbing from the retractor to
pass it through the seat belt path of the child restraint. Do
not twist the belt webbing in the seat 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 seat 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 web-
bing. 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 the section “Installing Child Restraints Using
the Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to attach a
tether anchor.
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9. Test that the child restraint is installed tightly bypulling back and forth on the child seat at the seat 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
seat belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.
Installing A Child Restraint With A Cinching
Latch Plate (CINCH) — If Equipped
1. Place the child seat in the center of the 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 car seat. 2.
Next, 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. 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.
5. 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. Refer to “Installing Child Restraints Using The
Top Tether Anchorage” for directions to attach a tether
anchor.2
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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 mm) in
any direction.
Any seat belt system will loosen with time, so check the
belt occasionally, and pull it tight if necessary.
If the buckle or the cinching latch plate is too close to the
belt path opening of the child restraint, you may have
trouble tightening the seat belt. If this happens, discon-
nect the latch plate from the buckle and twist the short
buckle-end belt up to three full turns to shorten it. Insert
the latch plate into the buckle with the release button
facing out, away from the child restraint. Repeat steps 4
to 6, above, to complete the installation of the child
restraint. If the belt still cannot be tightened after you shorten the
buckle, disconnect the latch plate from the buckle, turn
the buckle around one half turn, and insert the latch plate
into the buckle again. If you still cannot make the child
restraint installation tight, try a different seating position.
Installing Child Restraints Using The Top Tether
Anchorage
1. Look behind the seating position where you plan 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.
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2. Route the tether strap to provide the most direct pathfor 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 (Second Row
Anchorage Shown)
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4. Remove slack in the tether strap according to the childrestraint manufacturer ’s instructions.
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 seatbacks as you remove
slack in the strap.
Transporting Pets
Air Bags deploying in the front seat could harm your pet.
An unrestrained pet could be thrown about and possibly
injured, or injure a passenger during panic braking or in
a collision.
Pets should be restrained in the rear seat in pet harnesses
or pet carriers that are secured by seat belts.
LATCH Anchorages (Third Row 60/40 Anchorage
Shown)
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COMMERCIAL CARGO VEHICLES (NO FACTORY
INSTALLED REAR SEATS) — IF EQUIPPED
Commercial cargo vehicles are not designed for use as a
family vehicle and are not intended for carrying children
in the front passenger seat. However, if you must carry a
child in a vehicle without a rear seat, the passenger seat
should be moved to the full rearward position and the
child must be in a proper restraint system based on its
age, size and weight.
WARNING!
Rearward-facing infant restraints must never be se-
cured in the passenger seat of a vehicle with a
passenger Air Bag. In a collision, a passenger Air Bag
may deploy causing severe injury or death to infants
riding in rearward-facing infant restraints.This vehicle is equipped with a child restraint tether
anchor located on the lower rear of the front passenger
seat.
Use this tether anchor to secure only forward-
facing child restraints equipped with an upper tether
strap.Commercial Child Restraint Tether Anchor
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Restraining Infants And Small Children In
Commercial Cargo Vehicles
There are different sizes and types of restraints for
children from newborn size to the child almost large
enough for an adult safety belt. Use the restraint that is
correct for your child. Refer to “Child Restraints” in the
“Occupant Restraints” section.
Tether Installation For Commercial Cargo
Vehicles
To secure the child restraint upper tether strap to the
vehicle, follow these steps:
1. Locate the child restraint tether anchor on the lowerrear of the front passenger seat.
2. Route the tether strap under the head rest.
NOTE: Ensure that the child restraint tether strap is
centered between the headrest supports underneath the
head rest. 3. Using the hook attached to the child restraint tether
strap, attach the child restraint tether strap to the
metal anchor on the lower rear of the front passenger
seat.
4. Following the child seat manufacturer’s instructions, tighten the child restraint tether strap.
WARNING!
The vehicle tether anchor is designed to be used with
a child restraint only. It should not be used for any
other purpose.
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