Graco 4Ever Instruction Manual

PD303535A 1/15

4EVER™/4EVER

ALL-IN-ONE CAR SEAT

you read and understand

SUDDEN STOP OR CRASH.

www.gracobaby.com

FEATURING

™

Do not install or use

this child restraint until

the instructions in this

manual.

FAILURE TO PROPERLY

USE THIS CHILD

RESTRAINT INCREASES

THE RISK OF SERIOUS

INJURY OR DEATH IN A

1 Important Pages 6-25

1-A Quick Guide to Your Manual 1-B Welcome to the Graco Family 1-C Right Mode of Use 1-D Before You Begin

If You Need Help Certification Car Seat’s Useful Life Vehicle Seat Protection Warm Weather Use

1-E Safety Warnings

2 Features Pages 26-31

3 Rear-Facing Pages 32-44

3-A Rear-Facing Use 3-B Install Rear-Facing with LATCH Straps 3-C Install Rear-Facing with Vehicle Seat Belt

4 Forward-Facing Pages 45-57

4-A Forward-Facing Use 4-B Install Forward-Facing with LATCH Straps 4-C Install Forward-Facing with the Vehicle Seat Belt

5 Booster Pages 58-73

5-A Booster Use 5-B Install Backed Booster 5-C Install Backless Booster

6 Securing Child Pages 74-90

6-A Securing Child 5-Point Harness 6-B Securing Child Backed Booster 6-C Securing Child Backless Booster

7 Moving the LATCH Strap Pages 91-94

8 Accessories Page 95

9 Vehicle Information Pages 96-106

9-A How to Remove LATCH and Top Tether 9-B Choosing Vehicle Seat Location 9-C Unsafe Vehicle Seat Location 9-D Vehicle Seat Belts

10 Care & Cleaning Pages 107-110

10-A Cleaning Seat Pad 10-B Cleaning Buckle Strap 10-C Cleaning Harness and LATCH Straps

1-A Quick Guide to Your Manual

This car seat is for children: Rear-Facing: 4-40 lb (1.8-18 kg)

Forward-Facing: 22-65 lb (10-30 kg) Booster: 30-120 lb (14-54 kg)

Install Cup Holders

To attach the cup holders, match the right cup holder to the right side of the seat and the left to the left. Align the tab on the cup holder with the slot in the seat and slide down.

You will hear a “Click” when they are secured in place.

Get to Know Your Car Seat

Review section 2-A to see all of the features of this infant car seat.

What Seating Location Should I Use?

The best seating location for this infant car seat is one that:

• Is recommended by your vehicle owner’s manual, and

• Results in a secure installation of this car seat. Some vehicles have specific requirements for where the car seat can be

installed, so be sure to check your vehicle owner’s manual for available seating positions, if any. For example, sometimes the center rear seat has a lap belt only vehicle seat belt, which cannot be used when this car seat is in Booster mode.

Review section 9-C, 9-D of this manual AND your vehicle owner’s manual.

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NEVER place this child restraint rear-facing in a vehicle seating location that has an active front air bag.

In the event there is no back seat, review your vehicle owner’s manual to see how to use your infant child restraint.

According to crash statistics, the safest place for your child in any vehicle is the back seat. The center of the back seat can be the safest during a possible side impact.

Which Installation Method Should I Use?

This car seat can be installed in your vehicle using either the vehicle seat belt OR the LATCH system. Both are equally safe to use. DO NOT USE BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

Vehicle Seat Belt: Review section 9 and your vehicle owner’s manual to learn how to install your car seat with the vehicle seat belts.

LATCH: The LATCH system allows you to securely attach your safety seat in your car without using the vehicle seat belt and possibly to get a better fit. All 2003 and newer model year vehicles are required to have a LATCH system, although some manufacturers began including LATCH earlier. Some vehicle owner manuals use the term ISOFIX to identify the LATCH system.

What is LATCH?

LATCH consists of lower anchors and top tether anchors, which are builtin to your vehicle, and connecting hooks that are built-in to your car seat. Lower anchors are used INSTEAD of the vehicle’s seat belt to secure the child seat to the vehicle. Top tethers are used IN ADDITION to the lower anchors OR the vehicle’s seat belt to secure a forward-facing car seat to the vehicle.

Review your vehicle’s owner manual for exact location and use.

Vehicle Top Tether

Anchor Points

Vehicle Seat Bight

Typical seat in a passenger vehicle. Other vehicle types

may have different LATCH

locations.

Vehicle Lower Anchor Points

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When Installing Rear-Facing or Forward-Facing

LATCH System

LATCH consists of lower anchors, which are built-in to your vehicle, and connecting hooks that are built-in your car seat.

Review section 3-B, 4-B of this manual AND your vehicle owner’s manual before installing.

Vehicle Seat Belt

There are two types of vehicle seat belts that can be used. Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt or Lap Only Seat Belt.

Review section 3-C, 4-C and 9 of this manual AND your vehicle owner’s manual before installing.

When Installing As a Booster

Vehicle Seat Belt

Only use the Lap/Shoulder seat belt configuration.

Review section 5-B, 5-C of this manual AND your vehicle owner’s manual.

Does Your Car Seat Fit Your Child Correctly?

To make sure your child is secured properly, review section 3,4 and 5 to understand all of the actions you need to take to properly adjust the car seat to fit your child.

For Rear-Facing and Forward-Facing, You Need to Adjust:

Harness Height, Rear-Facing (A)

Harness straps at or just below the child’s shoulders. Review section 6.

Harness Height, Forward-Facing (B)

Harness straps at or just above the child’s shoulders and top of child’s ears below top of headrest (C). Review section 6.

Buckle Position (D)

The correct slot is the one that is closest to your child without being underneath them. Review section 6.

Harness Tightness (E)

If your fingers slide off the harness straps without pinching the straps, it is tight enough. Review section 6.

For Booster, You Need to Adjust:

Use Lap/Shoulder Belt Only

Position Lap Belt

Lap belt must go behind armrest and lie low across your child’s hips and thighs.

Position Shoulder Belt

Shoulder best lies across shoulder between neck and edge of shoulder.

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Did You Do Everything Correctly?

Rear-Facing

Car Seat Does Not Move More than 1” (2.5 cm) at the Belt Path (A)

Review section 3

Level Indicator’s Bubble in the Blue Zone (B)

Review section 3

Harness Straps at or Just Below the Child’s Shoulders (C)

Review section 6.

Chest Clip Even With Armpits (D)

Review section 6

Cannot Pinch Harness Straps at the Shoulder (E)

Review section 6

A B

CED

Forward-Facing

Use the top tether strap when using forward-facing (A)

When used properly, the top teather helps reduce injury in a sudden stop or crash. Review section 4

Car Seat Does Not Move More than 1” (2.5 cm) at the Belt Path (B)

Review section 4

Harness Straps at or Just Above Child’s Shoulders (C)

Review section 6

Chest Clip Even With Armpits (D)

Review section 6

Cannot Pinch Harness Straps at the Shoulder (E)

Review section 6

D E

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Booster

Never Use Lap Belt Only

Review section 6

Lap Belt Behind Armrest and Lies Low Across Hips and Thighs

Review section 6

Shoulder Belt Lies On the Shoulder, Between the Neck and Edge of Shoulders

Review section 6

1-B Welcome to the Graco Family!

Your child’s safety depends on you. No car seat can guarantee protection from injury in every situation, but proper use helps reduce the risk of serious injury or death.

Even if this car seat seems easy to figure out on your own, you must follow the detailed instructions in this instruction manual to ensure the steps below are performed correctly.

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1-C Right Mode of Use

4 lb (1.8 kg)

Rear-Facing with 5-Point Harness

4-22 lb (1.8-10 kg) less than 1 year old MUST be rear-facing. 22-40 lb (10-18 kg) SHOULD be rear-facing.

Note: Preterm or low birth weight infants may be at special risk in a vehicle or aircraft. According to the AAP, these infants may suffer breathing issues if improperly reclined in a car seat. When rear-facing, use the corrected age for preemies. Graco advises that you have your physician or hospital staff evaluate your infant and recommend the proper car seat or car bed before you and your infant leave the hospital.

22 lb (10 kg)

30 lb (14 kg)

Forward-Facing with 5-Point Harness

22-40 lb (10-18 kg) can sit upright unassisted CAN be forward-facing. 40-65 lb (18-30 kg) SHOULD be forward-facing.

Booster Mode with Vehicle Lap/Shoulder Seat Belt

30-65 lb (14-30 kg) CAN be in backed booster mode. 40-65 lb (18.1-30 kg) CAN be in backless booster mode. Over 65 lb (30 kg) MUST be in booster mode.

40 lb (18 kg)

65 lb (30 kg)

120 lb

(54 kg)

1-D Before You Begin

Please fill out the prepaid registration postcard attached to the harness and mail it in today or register online at www.gracobaby.com/ carseatregistration.

Child restraints could be recalled for safety reasons. You must register this restraint to be reached in a recall. Send your name, address, and the restraint’s model number and manufacturing date to:

Graco Children’s Products, Inc.

Attn: Customer Service

3 Glenlake Parkway Atlanta, GA 30328

or call 1-800-345-4109

or register online at

www.gracobaby.com/carseatregistration

For recall information, call the U.S. Government’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at

1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1–800–424–9153), or go to http://www.NHTSA.gov.

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For future reference or if you change addresses, record the model name, model number, date of manufacture and purchase date of this car seat on the below. You can find this information either on the registration card if you still have it or on the date label located on the back of the car seat.

Model Name _________________________

Model Number _______________________

Date of Manufacture __________________

Date of Purchase _____________________

If You Need Help

In the U.S.A, please contact our Customer Service Department with any questions you may have concerning parts, use, or maintenance. When you contact us, please have your product’s model number and date of manufacture ready so that we may help you efficiently. These numbers can be found on a sticker on the back side of your car seat.

For additional resources or to get your car seat checked by a child passenger safety technician, please visit the following web sites:

www.nhtsa.gov • www.seatcheck.org • www.safekids.org • www.cpsc.gov

Certification

This child restraint meets or exceeds all applicable requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 for use in motor vehicles.

This child restraint is certified for use in aircraft only when used with the internal harness system.

This child restraint is NOT certified for use in aircraft when used as a booster seat because aircrafts do not have shoulder belts.

Contact the airline for their specific polices.

Car Seat’s Useful Life

STOP using this car seat and throw it away 10 years after the date of manufacture. Look for this sticker on back of the car seat.

Graco Children’s Products Inc. advises against loaning or passing along a car seat unless you know the complete history of the product. We also advise against purchasing a car seat second hand.

Vehicle Seat Protection

Protect vehicle seat. Use a car seat mat, towel, or thin blanket under and behind car seat.

Warm Weather Use

Car seat parts can get very hot in the sun or warm weather. To avoid burns, always check before putting child in car seat.

1-E Safety Warnings

No car seat can guarantee protection from injury in every situation, but proper use helps reduce the risk of serious injury or death. READ THIS MANUAL

CAREFULLY.

Failure to follow these instructions and child restraint’s labels can result in child striking the vehicle’s interior during a sudden stop or crash.

! NEVER PLACE THIS CHILD RESTRAINT REAR-FACING

IN A VEHICLE SEATING LOCATION THAT HAS AN ACTIVE FRONT AIR BAG.

If an air bag inflates, it can hit the child and car seat with great force and cause serious injury or death to your child.

! Review your vehicle owner’s manual for more information

about air bags and car seat use.

! If your vehicle does not have a back seat, review your

vehicle owner’s manual.

! The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that children be rear-facing until age 2 or until they reach the maximum rear-facing height and weight rating for their seat.

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! Choose the correct mode of use for the car seat depending

on your child’s size. Infants less than 22 lb (10 kg) MUST use this car seat rear-facing.

! Select a suitable location for the car seat in your vehicle. ! Secure car seat with a vehicle seat belt or LATCH that is

properly routed as shown in this manual.

! Vehicle seat belt system MUST hold car seat securely. Not

all vehicle seat belts can be used with a car seat.

! If vehicle seat belt does not hold car seat securely, read

“Vehicle Seat Belts” section 9-D and your vehicle owner’s manual.

! Always secure car seat with LATCH or a vehicle seat belt,

even when unoccupied. In a crash, an unsecured car seat can injure passengers.

! If car seat is in a crash, it must be replaced. DO NOT use it

again! A crash can cause unseen damage and using it again could result in serious injury or death.

! DO NOT use car seat if it is damaged or missing parts.

! DO NOT use accessories or parts other than those provided

by Graco. Their use could alter the performance of the car seat.

! DO NOT remove LATCH system from car seat. If using vehicle

seat belt to secure car seat, LATCH connectors must be stored.

! Never leave child unattended, even when sleeping. Child

may become tangled in harness straps and suffocate or strangle.

! Rear-facing car seat must be properly leveled:

• Too reclined can result in injury or ejection.

• Too upright can result in breathing difficulties.

! Never attach two LATCH connectors to one

vehicle lower anchor point unless specifically allowed by the vehicle manufacturer.

! Do not use both the vehicle belt and LATCH belts at the

same time when using the car seat rear or forward facing.

2 Features

2-A Car Seat Features

C E

H I

A Headrest/Harness Adjustment Lever

B Headrest C Booster Shoulder Belt

Guide D Headrest Infant Pillow E Infant Body Pillow F Harness Covers G Harness Straps H Chest Clip I Buckle J Harness Release Lever

(under flap) K Harness Adjustment Strap L Recline Handle M Seat Base N Cup Holder

2 Features

A Level Indicator B Top Tether Strap C LATCH Strap D Forward-Facing Belt Path E Booster Lap Belt Path F Recline Position Indicator G Rear-Facing Belt Path H Rear-Facing LATCH Strap

Storage (under seat)

2 Features

+ 194 hidden pages