child seat HONDA ODYSSEY 1999 Owner's Manual

Protecting Children

Protecting Small Children

Child Seat Type

A child who can sit up without support, and who fits within the child
seat maker's weight and height
limits, should be restrained in a
forward-facing, upright child seat. Of the different seats available, we
recommend those that have a five-
point harness system as shown.
We also recommend that a small child stay in the child seat as long as
possible, until the child reaches the
weight or height limit for the seat.
Child Seat Placement

In this vehicle, the best place to
install a forward-facing child seat is
in one of the seating positions in a
back seat.

Placing a forward-facing child seat in
the front seat of a vehicle equipped

with a passenger's airbag can be

hazardous. If the vehicle seat is too
far forward, or the child's head is thrown forward during a collision, an
inflating passenger's airbag can
strike the child with enough force to
cause very serious or fatal injuries. If
a small child must be closely
watched, we recommend that
another adult sit in a back seat with the child.

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

If it is necessary to put a forward-
facing child seat in the front, move
the vehicle seat as far to the rear as
possible, be sure the child seat is firmly secured to the vehicle, and the
child is properly strapped in the seat.
Installing a Child Seat with a Lap/
Shoulder Belt

The lap/shoulder belts in the outer back and front passenger seating
positions have a locking mechanism
that must be activated to secure a
child seat.
The following pages provide instructions on how to secure a
forward-facing child seat with this type of seat belt.
See page 38 for how to secure a
forward-facing child seat in the
center position of the third seat with
the lap part of the lap/shoulder belt. 1. 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.

Driver and Passenger Safety

Improperly placing a forward-
facing child seat in the front seat can result in serious injury
or death if the airbags inflate.
If you must place a forward-
facing child seat in front, move
the vehicle seat as far back as possible and properly restrain
the child.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

2. 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 theretractor (you might hear a
clicking noise as the belt retracts).
3. After the belt has retracted, tug on it. If the belt is locked, you will not
be able to pull it out. If you can pullthe belt out, it is not locked and
you will need to repeat these steps. 4. After confirming 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. It may help to put weight on the
child seat, or push on the back of
the seat, while pulling up on the belt. 5. Push and pull the child seat
forward and from side to side to
verify that it is secure enough to stay upright during normal drivingmaneuvers. If the child seat is not
secure, unlatch the belt, allow it to
retract fully, then repeat these

steps.

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

To deactivate the locking
mechanism and remove a child seat, unlatch the buckle, unroute
the seat belt, and let the belt fully retract. Installing a Child Seat in the Center
Position of the Third Seat
To install a forward-facing child seat in the center position of the third
seat, use the lap part of the lap/
shoulder belt. Follow instructionnumber 1 on page 36 for routing and
latching the seat belt.
Then pull hard on the loose end of the belt to remove any slack (it may
help to put weight on the child seat
while pulling on the belt). Finally, follow instruction number 5 on page 37 to verify that the child

seat is secure.

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

Additional Precautions for Small
Children
Never hold a small child on your

lap. If you are not wearing a seat
belt in a crash, you could be
thrown forward into the dashboard and crush the child.
If you are wearing a seat belt, the
child can be torn from your armsduring a crash. For example, if
your vehicle crashes into a parked
vehicle at 30 mph (48 km/h), a 30-lb (14 kg) child will become a
900-lb (410 kg) force, and you will
not be able to hold on.
Never put a seat belt over yourself

and a child. During a crash, the

belt could press deep into the child
and cause very serious injuries.
Protecting Larger Children
When a child reaches the recommended weight or height limit
for a forward-facing child seat, the child should sit in the back seat and
wear a lap/shoulder belt.
If a child is too short for the shoulder
part of the belt to properly fit, we
recommend that the child use a
booster seat until they are tallenough to use the seat belt without a

booster.

The following pages give instructions on how to check properseat belt fit, what kind of boosterseat to use if one is needed, and
important precautions for children
who must sit in the front seat.
CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger Safety

Allowing a larger child to sit
improperly in the front seat can
result in injury or death if the
airbags inflate.
If a larger child must sit in front,
make sure the child moves the
seat as far back as possible
and wears the seat belt properly.ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

Checking Seat Belt Fit

To determine if a lap/shoulder belt
properly fits a child, have the child

put on the seat belt. Follow the
instructions on page 15 . Then check

how the belt fits. If the shoulder part of the belt rests
over the child's collarbone and
against the center of the chest, as
shown, the child is large enough to
wear the seat belt.
However, if the belt touches or
crosses the child's neck, the child
needs to use a booster seat.
Do not let a child wear a seat belt

across the neck. This could result in
serious neck injuries during a crash.

Do not let a child put the shoulder

part of a seat belt behind the back or
under the arm. This could cause
very serious injuries during a crash. It also increases the chance that the
child will slide under the belt in a
crash and be injured.

Do not put any accessories on a seat

belt. Devices intended to improve
occupant comfort or reposition the
shoulder part of a seat belt, severely
compromise the protective capability
of the seat belt and increase the
chance of serious injury in a crash.

Two children should never use the

same seat belt. If they do, they could
be very seriously injured in a crash.

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

Using a Booster Seat

If a child needs a booster seat, we
recommend choosing a style that
allows the child to use the lap/
shoulder belt directly, without a

shield, as shown.

Whichever style you select, follow the booster seat maker's instructions. A child may continue using a booster
seat until the tops of the ears are
even with the top of the seat-back. A
child of this height should be tall
enough to use the lap/shoulder belt
without a booster.
When Can a Larger Child Sit in Front

The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Transport Canada recommend that all children
ages 12 and under be properly
restrained in a back seat.
The back seat is the safest place for a child of any age or size.
In addition, the passenger's airbag
poses serious risks to children. If the seat is too far forward, or the child's
head is thrown forward during a collision, or the child is unrestrainedor out of position, an inflating airbag
can kill or seriously injure the child.
Of course, children vary widely. And
while age may be one indicator of
when a child can safely ride in the front, there are other important
factors you should consider.

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger Safety
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

Physical Size
Physically, a child must be large
enough for the lap/shoulder belt to
properly fit over the hips, chest, and shoulder (see pages 15 and 39). If
the seat belt does not fit properly,
the child should not sit in the front.

Maturity

To safely ride in front, a child must be able to follow the rules, includingsitting properly and wearing the seat
belt properly throughout a ride. If you decide that a child can safely
ride up front, be sure to: Carefully read the owner's manual
and make sure you understand all seat belt instructions and all safety
information. 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 floor.
Check that the child's seat belt is
properly positioned and secured. Supervise the child. Even mature
children sometimes need to be
reminded to fasten the seat belts or sit properly.
Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting ChildrenUsing Child Seats with Tethers

Your vehicle has attachment points
for a tether-style child seat to beinstalled on the second or third row

as shown.

Since a tether can provide additional
security, we recommend using a
tether whenever one is required or
available. (Tethers are required in Canada. U.S. owners may check with
the child seat maker to determine
whether a tether is available for a
particular child seat.) Second Seat Installation:
There are two attachment points available for the second seat.
To use a tether-style child seat in the second seat, the third seat must be
stored in the floor recess (see page110). Select the attachment point
you want to use. Remove the plug
with a small flat-tipped screwdriver or fingernail file.
Important Safety Information

Keep the third seat in the floor while
using a tether-style child seat in the second seat. If you attempt to return
the third seat to the upright position,
you may damage the vehicle or tether, even though the damage maynot be obvious. If this happens, the
child seat may not be properly
restrained in a crash.

CONTINUED

Driver and Passenger Safety
ProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t

Protecting Children

Third Seat Installation:

There are three attachment points on the tailgate sill. Select the attach-
ment point you want to use, and
remove the plug with a small flat- tipped screwdriver or fingernail file.
Install the anchor plate and
mounting hardware. The hardware is
available for purchase from your
Honda dealer (part number 82410-
SE3-C01). For Canadian models, the
hardware is supplied with the vehicle.
When installing tether hardware, make sure the toothed washer is on
the bottom of the bolt. Tighten the
bolt to: 16lbf.ft (22N.m,2.2kgf.m)
If a torque wrench was not used, see
your Honda dealer as soon as possible to verify proper installation.
To attach the tether to the child seat, follow the child seat maker's

instructions.

If you are not sure how to install the
tether, or you need mounting
hardware, contact your Honda dealer.

Driver and Passenger SafetyProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t