Knowing Your Vehicle Belts
20
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1.
You MUST Review Your
Vehicle Owner’s Manual
Your vehicle owner’s manual will let
you know what vehicle belts and seat-
ing positions child restraints can be
installed in.
2.
Determine How the Child
Restraint Will Be Locked Into Place
The vehicle belt MUST NOT loosen
after tightening.
This means there needs to be a way to
lock the vehicle belt.
3.
Check the Retractor
Retractors pull seat belts into stored
positions and lock the belt to hold
passengers in place.
A retractor is most likely how you will
be locking a child restraint into place.
The ways this can be done are:
• By using the seat belt’s retractor; or
• By using the seat belt’s latch plate.
See the next page for some common types of vehicle belt
retractors that will work with this child restraint.
Switchable Retractor
(most vehicles have this type)
Automatic Locking Retractor
Emergency Locking Retractor
This retractor can be switched to a locking mode.
You
MUST
have the retractor in the locking mode to use the
seat belt with this child restraint.
Switching to locking mode:
Slowly pull the shoulder belt all
the way out, then let it go back in an inch or two.
As it goes back in, you will most likely hear a ratcheting sound.
Gently pull the belt to see if it has locked. You will not be able to
pull any more belt out if the lock has engaged.
This retractor always locks.
It will automatically lock after slowly pulling the seat belt out at
least halfway and letting the belt go back into the retractor an
inch or two.
If the retractor does not lock, it is most likely an Emergency
Locking Retractor. These retractors only lock during a sudden
stop or collision.
You will need to determine if your seat belt’s latch plate can
lock the belt. See Step 4, “Check the Latch Plates,” on next
page.
Types of Retractors
See Step 4, “Check the
Latch Plates,” on next
page.
continued on next page
Not all vehicle belts and seating positions will work with child
restraints. Please follow the following steps to understand how to
lock a child restraint with a vehicle belt.