DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2019 Owners Manual

Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Child Restraints With LATCH
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 childrestraint manufacturer also allows
contact. See your child restraint own- er ’s manual for more information.
Can the rear head restraints be re- moved? Yes The 2nd row bench seating head re-
straints are removable if they inter-
fere with the installation of the child restraint. The 2nd row stow n’ go
head restraints are not removable.
The 3rd row center head restraint is
removable in all vehicles, but the 3rd row outboard head restraints are not removable. Refer to “Head Re-
straints” in “Getting To Know Your Vehicle” for further information.
NOTE: If the folding, non-adjustable head restraint inter-
feres with the installation of the child restraint, the head
restraint may be folded and the child seat installed in front
of it.
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WARNING!
Always make sure the head restraint is in its upright
position when the seat is to be used by an occupant
who is not in a child restraint. Sitting in a seat with the
head restraint in its lowered position could result in
serious injury or death in a collision.
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. 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.
Car Seat With Head Restraint Folded
1 – Folded Headrest
2 – Child Restraint
2nd Row Bench Seat LATCH Lower Anchorages
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2nd Row Stow n’ Go Seat LATCH Lower Anchorages
3rd Row 60/40 Seat LATCH Lower Anchorages
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Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
Bench Seating
There are tether strap anchorages behind each rear seating
position located on the back of the seat, near the floor. Stow n’ Go Seating
There are tether strap anchorages located behind the
second row seating positions and the third row center
seating position. The tether anchorages are located on the
back of the seat, near the floor.
Tether Strap Anchorages (Second Row Bench Anchorage
Shown)
Tether Strap Anchorages (Third Row 60/40 AnchorageShown)
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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 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
If a child restraint installed in the center position blocks the
seat belt webbing or buckle for the outboard position, do
not use that outboard position. If a child seat in the center
position blocks the outboard LATCH anchors or seat belt,
do not install a child seat in that outboard position.
WARNING!
Never use the same lower anchorage to attach more
than one child restraint. Please refer to “To Install A
LATCH-Compatible Child Restraint” for typical instal-
lation instructions.
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 Automatic
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.
Tether Strap Anchorages (Second Row Captains Chair Anchorage Shown)
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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 anchor-
ages.
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 (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 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 manufactur-
er ’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 buckling it behind the child re-
straint, 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.
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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 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.
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.
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.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•Follow the child restraint manufacturer ’s directions
exactly when installing an infant or child restraint.
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with either a Switchable Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) or a cinching latch plate or both. Both
types of seat belts are 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 in “Switchable Automatic Locking Retractors
(ALR)” under “Occupant Restraint Systems” for additional
information on ALR. The cinching latch plate is designed to
hold the lap portion of the seat belt tight when webbing is
pulled tight and straight through a child restraint’s belt
path.
Please see the table below and the following sections for
more information.
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Lap/Shoulder Belt Systems For Installing Child
Restraints In This Vehicle
Second Row Bench Seating
•ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
• Cinch = Cinching Latch Plate
Second Row Stow n’ Go Seating
•ALR = Switchable Automatic Locking Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol
• Cinch = Cinching Latch Plate
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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
Restraint Always use the tether anchor when using the seat belt
to install a forward facing child restraint, up to therecommended weight limit of the child restraint.
Can the rear-facing child re-
straint 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 manu-facturer also allows contact.
Can the rear head restraints be removed? Yes
The 2nd row bench seating head restraints are remov-
able if they interfere with the installation of the childrestraint. The 2nd row stow n’ go head restraints are not removable. The 3rd row center head restraint is
removable in all vehicles, but the 3rd row outboard
head restraints are not removable. Refer to “Head Re- straints” in “Getting To Know Your Vehicle” for fur- ther information.
Can the buckle stalk be
twisted to tighten the seat
belt against the belt path of the child restraint? Yes – Cinching Latch Plate
No – ALR 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.
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NOTE:If the folding, non-adjustable head restraint inter-
feres with the installation of the child restraint, the head
restraint may be folded and the child seat installed in front
of it.
WARNING!
Always make sure the head restraint is in its upright
position when the seat is to be used by an occupant
who is not in a child restraint. Sitting in a seat with the
head restraint in its lowered position could result in
serious injury or death in a collision.
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.
Car Seat With Head Restraint Folded
1 – Folded Headrest
2 – Child Restraint
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