Dodge 2012 Journey, Owner'S Manual

Page: 85 / 601

Lower Anchors and Tether for CHildren (LATCH)
Your vehicle’s second row passenger seats are equipped
with the child restraint anchor 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 anchors and
upper tether straps from the child restraint to the vehicle
structure.
LATCH-compatible child restraint systems are now avail-
able. However, because the lower anchors are to be
introduced over a period of years, child restraint systems
having attachments for those anchors will continue to
have features for installation using the vehicle’s seat
belts. Child restraints having tether straps and hooks for
connection to the top tether anchors have been available
for some time. For some older child restraints, many
child restraint manufacturers offer add-on tether strap
kits or retrofit kits. You are urged to take advantage of all
the available attachments provided with your child re-
straint in any vehicle.
All three second-row passenger seating positions have
lower anchors that are capable of accommodating
LATCH-compatible child seats. You should never install
LATCH-compatible child seats so that two seats share a
common lower anchorage. If installing child seats in
adjacent seating positions, or if your child restraints are
not LATCH-compatible, install the restraints using the
vehicle’s seat belts.
2
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING YOUR VEHICLE 83