child seat HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2008 8.G Owner's Manual

In seating positions and vehicles not
equipped with LATCH, a LATCH-
compatible child seat can be installed
using a seat belt.
Whatever type of seat you choose, to
provide proper protection, a child
seat should meet three
requirements:Look f or FMVSS
213 or CMVSS 213 on the box.
Rear-facing for infants, forward-
f acing f or small children.
When buying a child seat, you need
to choose either a conventional child
seat, or one designed f or use with
the lower anchors and tethers for
children (LATCH) system.
Conventional child seats must be
secured to a vehicle with a seat belt,
whereas LATCH-compatible seats
are secured by attaching the seat to
hardware built into the two outer
seating positions in the back seat.
Since LATCH-compatible child seats
are easier to install and reduce the
possibility of improper installation,
we recommend selecting this style.
If it is necessary to put a f orward-
f acing child seat in the f ront, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, and be sure the child seat is
f irmly secured to the vehicle and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
CONT INUED
T he child seat should meet U.S. or
Canadian Mot or Vehicle Saf et ySt andard 213.
T he child seat should be of theproper type and size to f it the child.
T he child seat should f it thevehicle seat ing posit ion (orposit ions) where it will be used.
1.
2.3.
Selecting a Child Seat
Protecting Inf ants and Small Children, Selecting a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
41
Placing a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat can result
in serious injury or death if the
front airbag inflates.
Ifyoumustplaceaforward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as
possible, and properly restrain
the child.
\f—\f—\fy
y
(#\fy\f\fy
2008 Civic Hybrid

A child seat secured with a seat belt
should be installed as f irmly as
possible. However, it does not need
to be ‘‘rock solid.’’ Some side-to-sidemovement can be expected and
should not reduce the child seat’s
ef f ectiveness.
Bef ore purchasing a conventional
child seat, or using a previously
purchased one, we recommend that
you test the seat in the specif ic
vehicle seating position or positions
where the seat will be used.
Af ter installing a child
seat, push and pull the seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure. All child seats must be
secured to the vehicle with the lap
part of a lap/shoulder belt or with
the LATCH (lower anchors and
tethers for children) system. A
child whose seat is not properly
secured to the vehicle can be
endangered in a crash.
Af ter selecting a proper child seat
and a good place to install the seat,
there are three main steps in
installing the seat: If the child seat is not secure, try
installing it in a dif f erent seating
position, or use a dif f erent style of
child seat that can be f irmly secured.
Make sure the child is properly
strappedinthechildseat
according to the child seat maker’s
instructions. A child who is not
properly secured in a child seat
canbeseriouslyinjuredinacrash.
The f ollowing pages provide
guidelines on how to properly install
a child seat. A f orward-f acing child
seat is used in all examples, but the
instructions are the same f or a rear-
f acing child seat.
Make sure t he child seat is f irmly secured.
Properly secure t he child seat t o
the vehicle.
Secure the child in the child seat.
1.
2. 3.
Installing a Child Seat
Selecting a Child Seat, Installing a Child Seat
42
\f—\f—\fy
y
(#\fy\f\fy
2008 Civic Hybrid

Your vehicle is equipped with
LATCH (lower anchors and tethers
for children) at the outer rear seats.To install a LATCH-compatible child
seat: Place the child seat on the vehicle
seat, then attach the seat to the
lower anchors according to the
child seat maker’s instructions.
Some LATCH-compatible seats
have a rigid-type connector as
shown above.
Make sure there are no objects
near the anchors that could
prevent a secure connection
between the child seat and the
anchors.
Move the seat belt buckle or
tongue away f rom the lower
anchors.
The lower anchors are located
between the seat-back and seat
bottom, and are to be used only with
a child seat designed f or use with
LATCH.
The location of each lower anchor is
indicated by a small button above the
anchor point.
1.
2.3.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat with
LATCH
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
43
BUTTON
LOWER ANCHORS Rigid type
\f—\f—\fy
y
(#\fy\f\fy
2008 Civic Hybrid

Other LATCH-compatible seats have
a f lexible-type connector as shown
above.Whatever type you have, f ollow
the child seat maker’s instructions
f or adjusting or tightening the f it. Lif t the head restraint (see page
), then route the tether strap
through the legs of the head
restraint and over the seat-back,
making sure the strap is not
twisted. Attach the tether strap hook to the
tether anchor, then tighten the
strap as instructed by the child
seat maker.
Pushandpullthechildseat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure.
If the tether strap is too long and
cannot be tightened f irmly, f ind a
route where the strap can be
tightened securely.
Tighten the strap according to the
seat maker’s instructions.
6.
5.
4. 7.
8.
91
Installing a Child Seat
44
Front
ANCHOR
TETHER STRAP HOOK
Flexible type
\f—\f—\fy
y
(#\fy\f\fy
2008 Civic Hybrid

When not using the LATCH system,
all child seats must be secured to the
vehicle with the lap part of a lap/
shoulder belt.With the child seat in the desired
seating position, route the belt
through the child seat according
to the seat maker’s instructions,
then insert the latch plate into the
buckle.To activate the lockable retractor,
slowly pull the shoulder part of the
belt all the way out until it stops,
then let the belt feed back into the
retractor.
Af ter the belt has retracted, tug on
it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pull
thebeltout,itisnotlocked,and
you will need to repeat these steps.
In addition, the lap/shoulder belts in
all seating positions except the
driver’s have a lockable retractor
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
1. 2.
3.
CONT INUED
Installing a Child Seat with a L ap/
Shoulder Belt
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
45
\f—\f—\fy
\f\fy
(#\fy\f\f\fy
2008 Civic Hybrid

Af ter conf irming that the belt is
locked, grab the shoulder part of
the belt near the buckle, and pull
up to remove any slack from the
lap part of the belt. Remember, if
the lap part of the belt is not tight,
the child seat will not be secure.Push and pull the child seat
f orward and f rom side-to-side to
verify that it is secure enough to
stay upright during normal driving
maneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract f ully, then repeat these
steps.
To remove slack, it may help to
putweightonthechildseat,or
push on the back of the seat while
pulling up on the belt. To deactivate the lockable retractor
and remove a child seat, unlatch the
buckle, unroute the seat belt, and let
the belt fully retract. A child seat with a tether can be
installed in any seating position in
the back seat, using one of the
anchorage points shown above.
Since a tether can provide additional
security to the lap/shoulder belt
installation, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available.
4. 5. Installing a Child Seat with a
Tether
Installing a Child Seat
46
COVER
ANCHORAGE POINTS
ANCHOR
\f—\f—\fy
\fy
(#\fy\f\f
y
2008 Civic Hybrid

Af ter properly securing the child
seat (see page ), lif t the head
restraint, then route the tether
strap over the seat-back and
through the head restraint legs.
If the tether strap is too long and
cannot be tightened f irmly, f ind a
route where the strap can be
tightened securely.Lift the anchor cover, then attach
the tether strap hook to the
anchor, making sure the strap is
not twisted.
Tighten the strap according to the
seat maker’s instructions.
1. 2.
3.
45
Installing a Child Seat
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
47
Front
ANCHOR
ANCHOR Front
Outer Position Center Position
TETHER STRAP HOOK TETHER STRAP HOOK
\f—\f—\fy

y
(#\fy\f\fy
2008 Civic Hybrid

To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly f its a child, have the child
put on the seat belt, then ask
yourself :
Does the child sit all the way back
against the seat?
Do the child’s knees bend
comf ortably over the edge of the
seat?
When a child reaches the
recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the
child should sit in a back seat on a
booster seat and wear a lap/shoulder
belt.
The f ollowing pages give
instructions on how to check proper
seat belt f it, what kind of booster
seat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions f or a child
who must sit in f ront.
1.
2.
Checking Seat Belt Fit
Protecting L arger Children
48
Allowing a child age 12 or under
to sit in front can result in injury
or death if the passenger’s front
airbag inflates.
If a child must ride in front,
move the vehicle seat as far
back as possible, use a booster
seat if needed, have the child
sit up properly and wear the
seat belt properly.
——y
y
(#yy
2008 Civic Hybrid

Does the shoulder belt cross
between the child’s neck and arm?
Is the lap part of the belt as low as
possible, touching the child’s
thighs?
Will the child be able to stay
seated like this f or the whole trip?
If you answer yes to all these
questions, the child is ready to wear
the lap/shoulder belt correctly. If
you answer no to any question, the
child needs to ride on a booster seat. A child who has outgrown a f orward- f acing child seat should ride in a
back seat and use a booster seat
until the lap/shoulder belt f its them
properly without the booster.
Some states and Canadian provinces
also require children to use a booster
seat until they reach a given age or
weight (e.g., 6 years or 60 lbs). Be
sure to check current laws in the
states or provinces where you intendto drive.
Booster seats can be high-back or
low-back. Whichever style you select,
make sure the booster seat meets
f ederal saf ety standards (see page
) and that you f ollow the booster
seat maker’s instructions.
A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of their ears are
even with the top of the vehicle’s or
booster’s seat-back. A child of this
height should be tall enough to use
the lap/shoulder belt without a
booster seat.
If a child who uses a booster seat
must ride in f ront, move the vehicle
seat as far back as possible, and be
sure the child is wearing the seat
belt properly.
3.
4.
5.
41
Using a Booster Seat
Protecting L arger Children
Driver and Passenger Saf ety
49
\f—\f—\fy

y
(#\fy\f\fy
2008 Civic Hybrid

If the passenger’s front airbag
inf lates in a moderate to severe
f rontal collision, the airbag can cause
serious injuries to a child who is
unrestrained, improperly restrained,
sitting too close to the airbag, or out
of position.
A side airbag also poses risks. If any
part of a larger child’s body is in the
path of a deploying side airbag, the
child could receive possibly serious
injuries.Physically, a child must be large
enough f or the lap/shoulder belt to
properly f it (see pages and ). If
the seat belt does not f it properly,
with or without the child sitting on a
booster seat, the child should not sit
in f ront.
To saf ely ride in f ront, a child must
be able to f ollow the rules, including
sitting properly, and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride.If you decide that a child can saf ely
ride up f ront, be sure to:
Caref ully read the owner’s manual,
and make sure you understand all
seat belt instructions and all saf ety
inf ormation.
Move the vehicle seat to the rear-
most position.
Have the child sit up straight, back
against the seat, and feet on or
near the f loor.
Check that the child’s seat belt is
properly and securely positioned.
Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can saf ely ride in f ront,
there are other important f actors you
should consider.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport
Canada recommend that all children
age 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to f asten the seat belts
or sit properly.
1448
When Can a L arger Child Sit in
Front
Physical Size
Maturity
Protecting L arger Children
50
\f—\f—\fy

y
(#\fy\f\fy
2008 Civic Hybrid