child restraint FIAT 500L 2017 2.G User Guide

Child Size, Height, Weight OrAge Recommended Type Of Child Re-
straint
Children Too Large for Child Re- straints Children 12 years old or younger,
who have out-grown the height or weight limit of their booster seat Vehicle Seat Belt, seated in the rear
seat of the vehicle
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 convertible 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. Convert-
ible 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.
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.
• Only use a rear-facing child restraint in a vehicle
with a rear 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 or height limit of
their rear-facing convertible child seat. Children should
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 51

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.
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.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
•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 attach-
ments. Remove the child restraint before adjust-
ing the vehicle seat position. When the vehicle
seat has been adjusted, reinstall the child re-
straint.
• When your child restraint is not in use, secure it
in the vehicle with the seat belt or LATCH anchor-
ages, 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 seat-
backs and cause serious personal injury.
52 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Recommendations For Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type CombinedWeight of the
Child + Child Restraint Use any attachment method shown with an “X” Below
LATCH –
Lower Anchors Only Seat Belt Only LATCH –
Lower Anchors+ Top Tether Anchor Seat 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
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren
(LATCH) Restraint System
Your vehicle is equipped with the child restraint an-
chorage 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. Inthese 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.
LATCH Positions For Installing Child Restraints
In This Vehicle
LATCH Label
LATCH Positions
•Lower Anchorage Symbol 2 anchorages per
seating position
•Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 55

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 sys- tem to attach the child restraint? 65 lbs (29.5 kg) Use the LATCH anchorage system un-
til the combined weight of the childand the child restraint is 65 lbs
(29.5 kg). Use the seat belt and tether
anchor instead of the LATCH anchor-
age 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 re- straint? No
Do not use the seat belt when you use
the LATCH anchorage system to at-tach a rear-facing or forward-facing child restraint.
Can a child seat be installed in the
center position using the inner LATCH lower anchorages? 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 an- chorage? No
Never “share” a LATCH anchorage
with two or more child restraints. If
the center position does not have dedi- cated LATCH lower anchorages, usethe seat belt to install a child seat in
the center position next to a child seat using the LATCH anchorages in an outboard position.
56 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

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 child
restraint manufacturer also allows con- tact. See your child restraint owner ’s manual for more information.
Can the head restraints be removed? YesAll may be removed.
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.
LATCH Lower Anchorages
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 57

Locating The Upper Tether Anchorages
There are tether strap anchorages behind each
rear seating position located on the back of
the seat, near the floor.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.
Upper Tether Anchorages
Tether Anchorage Routing Position
58 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE

Center Seat LATCH
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. Please refer to
“Installing The LATCH-Compatible Child Re-
straint System” for typical installation instruc-
tions.
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 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. 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
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 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 manufacturer ’s instructions.
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THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 59

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 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 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
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 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.
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.
60 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR 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 direc-
tions exactly when installing an infant or child
restraint.
The seat belts in the passenger seating positions are
equipped with a Switchable Automatic Locking Retrac-
tor (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 web-
bing 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. 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 Retractor
•
Top Tether Anchorage Symbol 2
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