May 2008
Getting to know your car seat
To ensure that your car seat is properly installed, and to make the process as quick and easy as possible, it's really helpful
to be familiar with the components. In addition to reading the following information, be sure to carefully read your instruction
manual and the car-seat installation section of your vehicle owner's manual. Also study the labels on the seat itself. Be
sure to keep your car-seat manual so you can refer to it when reinstalling the seat, changing it to another position, or moving
it to another car. All seats have a place to store the manual.
Harness straps. These help restrain your child in the seat, just as a safety belt holds you in your seat.
Harness slots. The harness straps fit through these slots. The height of the straps must be adjusted to fit your child. When your baby is facing the rear, the harness should be threaded through the slots at or just below your baby's shoulders. When she's facing forward, the harness should be threaded through slots at or slightly above her shoulders.
Harness tension adjuster. Used to loosen or tighten the harness system, this is located on the front of some seats and on the back of others. Harnesses should be tight enough around the child so you can't easily pinch a portion of the strap between your fingers, and you can't fit more than one finger comfortably between the child's collarbone and the harness.
Harness adjuster. Found on the back of the seat, this mechanism allows you to change the height of the harness straps or remove them to clean the straps and the seat cover. The method of adjusting a harness differs. Some seats have a device that allows adjustment without removing or rethreading the straps. On others you have to remove and rethread the harness, which is attached with a plate or clip at the back of the seat.
Harness chest clip. This helps correctly position the harness straps. Once your child is buckled in, the chest clip should be at armpit level.
Buckle. Located between your child's legs, the buckle fastens the harness.
LATCH connectors. LATCH stands for lower anchors and tethers for children and offers an alternative to the safety belts for installing child seats. The anchors are located in your car's seat back in the crease where the seat back and bottom meet. There is also an upper anchorage that allows the seat to be secured to the vehicle using the tether strap at the top of the child seat. The top tether anchor has been required in vehicles manufactured since Sept. 1, 2000. All vehicles manufactured after Sept. 1, 2002 have been required to have lower anchors in at least two rear seating positions and at least one top tether.
Belt path. Your child restraint seat has a path that the vehicle safety belt must pass through to correctly install the seat if you are using the car's safety belt instead of the LATCH system. Convertible seats have two paths, one for rear-facing installation and one for front-facing installation.
Tether. Convertible, front-facing, and combination seats have a tether at the top that connects to an anchor behind the vehicle's seat. Tether attachment is important to reduce the forward motion of a child's head during a crash.
Base-angle adjuster: This device is found on dedicated infant seats and convertible seats that can be used in a rear-facing position. It helps position the seat at the correct angle of about 45 degrees. Check your safety seat's manual for specific directions on using the adjuster. Most infant seats have a "foot" that can be dropped down from the base of your seat and adjusted to accommodate different seat angles. Turning a handle, pushing a button, twisting a knob, or moving some other device alters the position of this foot.
Level indicator: This helps you determine whether a rear-facing seat is at the correct angle. There are many types of level indicators. Your owner's manual will explain the one on your seat and where it is located.
Pool noodle or rolled towel: If your seat doesn't have a "foot" that can be adjusted to achieve the correct angle, you might need to use a pool noodle or rolled towel to do the job. Check your safety-seat instructions to see whether the manufacturer recommends using a positioning device to achieve this angle, which products can be used, and how to use them.
Harness straps. These help restrain your child in the seat, just as a safety belt holds you in your seat.
Harness slots. The harness straps fit through these slots. The height of the straps must be adjusted to fit your child. When your baby is facing the rear, the harness should be threaded through the slots at or just below your baby's shoulders. When she's facing forward, the harness should be threaded through slots at or slightly above her shoulders.
Harness tension adjuster. Used to loosen or tighten the harness system, this is located on the front of some seats and on the back of others. Harnesses should be tight enough around the child so you can't easily pinch a portion of the strap between your fingers, and you can't fit more than one finger comfortably between the child's collarbone and the harness.
Harness adjuster. Found on the back of the seat, this mechanism allows you to change the height of the harness straps or remove them to clean the straps and the seat cover. The method of adjusting a harness differs. Some seats have a device that allows adjustment without removing or rethreading the straps. On others you have to remove and rethread the harness, which is attached with a plate or clip at the back of the seat.
Harness chest clip. This helps correctly position the harness straps. Once your child is buckled in, the chest clip should be at armpit level.
Buckle. Located between your child's legs, the buckle fastens the harness.
LATCH connectors. LATCH stands for lower anchors and tethers for children and offers an alternative to the safety belts for installing child seats. The anchors are located in your car's seat back in the crease where the seat back and bottom meet. There is also an upper anchorage that allows the seat to be secured to the vehicle using the tether strap at the top of the child seat. The top tether anchor has been required in vehicles manufactured since Sept. 1, 2000. All vehicles manufactured after Sept. 1, 2002 have been required to have lower anchors in at least two rear seating positions and at least one top tether.
Belt path. Your child restraint seat has a path that the vehicle safety belt must pass through to correctly install the seat if you are using the car's safety belt instead of the LATCH system. Convertible seats have two paths, one for rear-facing installation and one for front-facing installation.
Tether. Convertible, front-facing, and combination seats have a tether at the top that connects to an anchor behind the vehicle's seat. Tether attachment is important to reduce the forward motion of a child's head during a crash.
Base-angle adjuster: This device is found on dedicated infant seats and convertible seats that can be used in a rear-facing position. It helps position the seat at the correct angle of about 45 degrees. Check your safety seat's manual for specific directions on using the adjuster. Most infant seats have a "foot" that can be dropped down from the base of your seat and adjusted to accommodate different seat angles. Turning a handle, pushing a button, twisting a knob, or moving some other device alters the position of this foot.
Level indicator: This helps you determine whether a rear-facing seat is at the correct angle. There are many types of level indicators. Your owner's manual will explain the one on your seat and where it is located.
Pool noodle or rolled towel: If your seat doesn't have a "foot" that can be adjusted to achieve the correct angle, you might need to use a pool noodle or rolled towel to do the job. Check your safety-seat instructions to see whether the manufacturer recommends using a positioning device to achieve this angle, which products can be used, and how to use them.
