Dodge 2004 Durango, Owner'S Manual

Page: 54 / 386

LATCH - Child Seat Anchorage System (Lower
Anchors and Tether for CHildren)
Your vehicle’s second row seat is equipped with the child
restraint anchorage system called LATCH. The LATCH
system provides for the installation of the child restraint
without using the vehicle’s seat belts, instead securing
the child restraint using lower anchorages and upper
tether straps from the child restraint to the vehicle
structure. LATCH-compatible child restraint systems are
now available. However, because the lower anchorages
are to be introduced over a period of years, child restraint
systems having attachments for those anchorages will
continue to also have features for installation using the
vehicle’s seat belts. Child restraints having tether straps
and hooks for connection to the top tether anchorages
have been available for some time. For some older child
restraints, many child restraint manufacturers offer add-on tether strap kits or retro-fit kits. You are urged to
take advantage of all the available attachments provided
with your child restraint in any vehicle.
The outboard second row seating positions have lower
anchorages that are capable of accommodating LATCH-
compatible
child seats. NEVER install LATCH-
compatible child seats such that two seats share a com-
mon lower anchorage. If installing child seats in adjacent
seating positions or if your child restraints are not
LATCH-compatible, install the restraints using the vehi-
cle’s seat belts.
54 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE