Graco Forward Facing Child Restraint User Manual

Forward Facing Child Restraint

TODDLERTODDLER

Owner’s Manual

Read this manual

KEEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE USE.

Even if using this child restraint seems easy to

figure out on your own, it is very important to READ,

UNDERSTANDAND FOLLOW THE OWNER’S MANUAL.

Failure to properly use this child restraint increases

the risk of serious injury or death in a sudden stop

or crash.

BAR CODE

Table of Contents

1.0 Warnings to Parents and Other Users . . . . . . .3

2.0 Registration Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

2.1 Register Your Child Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . .4

2.2 Recall Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

2.3 If You Need Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

3.0 Important Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-8

3.1 Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

3.2 Height and Weight Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

4.0 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9-10

5.0 Using Child Restraint Harness . . . . . . . . .11-16

5.1 Positioning the Harness Straps . . . . . . . . .11

5.2 Securing Your Child in the

Child Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

6.0 Child Restraint Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17-21

6.1 Vehicle Seat Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . .17

6.2 Vehicle Seat Belt Requirements . . . . . . . . .18

6.2.1 UNSAFE Vehicle Belt Systems . . . . .18

6.2.2 SAFE Vehicle Belt Systems . . . . . . .20

7.0 Securing the Child Restraint in

8.0 Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32-34

9.0 Care and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35-36

10.0 Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22-31

7.1 With a Vehicle Lap Only Belt . . . . . . . . . . . .22

7.2 With a Vehicle Lap/Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . .24

7.3 With LATCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

7.4 Using the Tether . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

7.5 Using Recline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

8.1 Storing LATCH and Tether . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

8.2 Airplane Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

8.3 Accessories (on certain models) . . . . . . . .33

1.0 Warnings to Parents and Other Users

Failure to properly use this child restraint increases the risk of serious injury or death in a sharp turn, sudden stop or crash. Your child’s safety depends on you installing and using this child restraint correctly. Use ONLY forward facing.

Even if using this child restraint seems easy to figure out on your own, it is very important to READ, UNDERSTANDAND FOLLOW THE OWNER’S MANUAL.

The manual should be stored in the slot below the recline lever.

You must also read your vehicle owner’s manual. Your child’s safety depends on:

1. Inserting the harness straps in the proper slots for

your child.

2. Properly securing your child in the child restraint.

3. Selecting a suitable location for the child restraint in

your vehicle.

4. Properly routing and securing the vehicle seat belt or

properly using LATCH.

2.0 Registration Information

Model Number: Manufactured in: Purchase Date:

2.1 Register Your Child Restraint

Please fill in the above information. The model number and manufactured in (date) can be found on a label

underneath your child restraint. Fill out the prepaid registration postcard attached to the seat cover and mail it today.

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

Graco Children’s Products Inc. 150 Oaklands Blvd. Exton, PA19341 or call 1-800-345-4109 or register online at www.gracobaby.com

2.2 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.

• Graco: 1-800-345-4109 or www.gracobaby.com

2.3 If You Need Help

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 manufactured in (date) ready so that we may help you efficiently. The numbers can be found on a sticker on the underside of your child restraint.

1-800-345-4109 or www.gracobaby.com

3.0 Important Information

3.1 Warnings

•

DO NOT INSTALLOR USE THIS CHILD RESTRAINT UNTIL YOU READ AND UNDERSTAND THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL AND IN YOUR VEHICLE OWNER’S MANUAL. DO NOT let others

install or use the child restraint unless they understand how to use it.

•

FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE THIS CHILD RESTRAINT INCREASES THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN A SHARP TURN, SUDDEN STOP OR CRASH. Your child can be injured in a vehicle

even if you are not in a crash. Sudden braking and sharp turns can injure your child if the child restraint is not properly installed or if your child is not properly secured in the child restraint.

•

PLACE THIS CHILD RESTRAINT IN A FORWARD FACING POSITION ONLY.

•

NEVER PLACE THIS CHILD RESTRAINT IN A VEHICLE SEATING LOCATION THAT HAS A FRONT AIR BAG. If an air bag inflates, it

can hit the child and child restraint with great force and cause serious injury or death to your child. Refer to your vehicle owner’s manual for information about side air bags and child restraint installation.

•

According to accident statistics, CHILDREN ARE SAFER

WHEN PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN REAR VEHICLE SEATING POSITIONS RATHER THAN FRONT SEATING POSITIONS. For a vehicle with a front

passenger air bag, refer to your vehicle owner’s manual as well as these instructions for child restraint installation.

•

NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED.

•

NEVER LEAVE A CHILD RESTRAINT UNSECURED IN YOUR VEHICLE. An unsecured child restraint can be

thrown around and may injure occupants in a sharp turn, sudden stop or crash. Remove it or make sure that it is securely belted in the vehicle. If not using LATCH, make sure LATCH connectors are properly stored on back of seat. See page 32 for LATCH storage.

•

REPLACE THE CHILD RESTRAINT AFTER AN ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND.An accident can cause

damage to the child restraint that you cannot see.

•

STOP USING CHILD RESTRAINT AND THROW IT AWAY after the date molded into the bottom of the child

restraint. “DO NOT use this car seat after December (Year)”

•

DO NOT MODIFY YOUR CHILD RESTRAINT or use any accessories or parts supplied by other manufacturers.

•

NEVER USE CHILD RESTRAINT IF IT HAS DAMAGED OR MISSING PARTS. DO NOT use a cut, frayed or

damaged child restraint harness, LATCH belt or vehicle seat belt.

•

THE CHILD RESTRAINT CAN BECOME VERY HOT IF LEFT IN THE SUN. Contact with these parts can burn

your child’s skin. Always touch the surface of any metal or plastic parts before putting your child in the child restraint.

•

THIS CHILD RESTRAINT CONFORMS to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and is certified for use in motor vehicles and Aircraft.

3.2 Height and Weight Limits

TO AVOID SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH DO NOT USE THE CHILD RESTRAINT FOR A CHILD LARGER OR SMALLER THEN THE WEIGHT AND HEIGHT RANGE LISTED BELOW.

Your child MUST meet ALL requirements:

•

WEIGHT: 20 to 40 lbs (9 to 18 kg)

•

HEIGHT: 43 inches (109 cm) or less

•

At least one year old and can sit upright unassisted

•

Top harness slots are AT OR ABOVE child’s shoulders.

•

The child’s ears are below top of child restraint.

4.0 Features

Harness slots

Crotch strap

Harness

release

lever

Harness

adjustment

strap

Harness

buckle

Recline

lever

Owner’s manual

storage compartment

Accessories (on certain models)

Harness clip

Harness strap

Shoulder belt

Lock-off

LATCH Belt

(stored)

Vehicle belt

path (red)

Deluxe Cup Holder Storage Console

Harness

slots

Tether strap**

Tether clip

LATCH

Connector

LATCH

Storage bar

Tether

Storage bar

LATCH***

Belt

Adjustment

belt

**Vehicles are now (or can be) equipped with tether anchor

points behind some seats. Atether anchors the top of the child restraint to the body of the vehicle. When used properly with the vehicle seat belt or LATCH, a tether helps reduce injury in a sudden stop or crash.

***United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

have defined a new system for installing child restraints in vehicles. The system is called LATCH. LATCH may ONLY

be used IN PLACE of vehicle belt if vehicle is equipped with LATCH anchor points. Please refer to vehicle owner’s manual for LATCH locations in vehicles.

5.0 Using Child Restraint

Harness

5.1 Positioning the Harness Straps

FAILURE TO PROPERLYADJUST THE HARNESS STRAPS FOR YOUR CHILD INCREASES THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A SHARP TURN, SUDDEN STOPOR CRASH. Snugly

adjust the belts provided with this child restraint around your child. Asnug strap should not allow any slack. It lies in a relatively straight line without sagging. It does not press on the child’s flesh or push the child’s body into an unnatural position.

1. Loosen the harness straps by

lifting the adjustment lever on the front of the seat and pulling the straps out as far as they will come at the shoulders Ê.

2. Open harness clip Ë.

3. Unbuckle harness straps Ì.

Lay the harness straps over the sides of the seat to avoid the harness twisting.

4. Place child in the seat.

The harness straps must go in the slots even with or just above the shoulders Ê.

If straps are already in the proper slots, go to step 1 on page 15.

5. To adjust harness straps:

Loosen the harness straps by lifting the harness release lever on the front of the seat while pulling the straps out at the shoulders.

a) Recline the seat by squeezing the recline lever up and pulling the seat forward, so you will have access to the back of the seat Ë.

b) From the side of the seat, pull the harness and metal junction plate out and remove straps from metal junction plate Ì.

c) Pull strap ends through slots Í and reinsert them in the correct slots Î as determined in step 4, page 12.

Check that the straps are not twisted.

d) Reassemble straps onto metal junction plate exactly as shown Ï. Check that straps are completely within the slots and that they are not twisted.

e) Check that the straps are inserted at the same level and that they are not twisted. Atwisted belt may keep the harness from working properly. Pull on

harness to make sure it is secure.

6. Harness Adjustment

Loosen the harness straps by lifting the harness release lever on the front of the seat while pulling the straps out at the shoulders as

shown

Tighten the harness straps by pulling the adjustment strap on the front of the seat Ë.

(See also Section 5.2,

Securing Your Child in the Child Restraint, page 15.)

REMEMBER to check the shoulder straps as your child grows and move them to the next position when necessary. The harness straps must go in the slots even with or just above the shoulders.

5.2 Securing Your Child in the Child Restraint

FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE YOUR CHILD IN THE CHILD RESTRAINT INCREASES THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A SHARP TURN, SUDDEN STOP OR CRASH.

In a crash, the child restraint provides NO protection for your child unless the harness straps are properly secured. Follow these instructions carefully to properly secure your child.

•

ADJUST THE HARNESS SYSTEM SNUGLY EVERY TIME you place your child in the child restraint.

•

Avoid bulky clothing.

1. Place child in child restraint

with child’s back flat against back of child restraint.

2. Place harness straps

over child’s shoulders, insert the two buckle tongues into the harness buckle on the crotch strap. Make sure that you hear each tongue click into the buckle.

DO NOT use the child restraint if the buckle tongues do not latch in place. Call Graco at 1-800-345-4109

Ì.

CHECK that straps are not twisted. CHECK that harness is securely latched by pulling

up on straps. DO NOT use child restraint if harness does not

latch.

3. Pull the adjustment strap

to securely tighten the harness

Ê.

4. Fasten harness clip

Ë.

Position harness clip at middle of child’s chest, level with armpits.

The symbol on the harness clip should be level with the armpits.

5. Make sure straps are

flat and tight against child’s shoulders. You

should not be able to pinch the harness straps. A snug strap should not allow any slack. It lies in a relatively straight line without sagging. It does not press on the child’s flesh or push the child’s body into an unnatural position

Ì.

6.0 Child Restraint Location

6.1 Vehicle Seat Requirements

IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF THE CHILD RESTRAINT INCREASES THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. Some seating positions in your vehicle may not

be safe for this child restraint. Some vehicles do not have any seating positions that can be used safely with the child restraint. If you are not sure where to place the child restraint in your vehicle, consult your vehicle owner’s manual or call Graco Children's Products Inc.,

1-800-345-4109.

•

Children are safer when properly restrained in rear vehicle seating positions. Whenever possible

secure the child restraint in the center position of the seat directly behind the front seats.

•

The vehicle seat must face forward.

6.2 Vehicle Seat Belt Requirements

MANY SEAT BELT SYSTEMS ARE NOT SAFE TO USE WITH THE CHILD RESTRAINT. THE VEHICLE SEAT BELT MUST BE DESIGNED TO HOLD THE CHILD RESTRAINT TIGHTLY AT ALL TIMES.

Pay careful attention to these systems; some of the seat belts that are not safe to use look very much like seat belts that are safe to use. If you are unsure,

consult your vehicle owner’s manual or call Graco Children's Products Inc., 1-800-345-4109.

6.2.1 UNSAFE Vehicle Belt Systems

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING

SYSTEMS TO SECURE THE CHILD RESTRAINT.

LATCH can be used IN PLACE OF the following unsafe belt systems if your vehicle is equipped with LATCH anchor points. NEVER USE unsafe belt systems. Please refer to the vehicle owners manual for LATCH locations.

•

Lap Belts with Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)

This lap belt stays loose and can move until it locks in a crash or sudden stop.

•

Combination Lap/Shoulder Belt with Retractor

Each strap has a retractor at one end and is attached to the latch plate at the other end.

•

Passive Restraint Lap or Shoulder Belt Mounted on Door

•

Passive Restraint Lap Belt with Motorized Shoulder Belt

DO NOT use vehicle belts that are attached to the door in any way or that move along a track to automatically surround the passenger when the door is closed.

•

Lap Belts Forward of Seat Crease

6.2.2 SAFE Vehicle Belt Systems

THE FOLLOWING BELT SYSTEMS CAN BE USED WITH YOUR CHILD RESTRAINT, IF the seat location

meets all other requirements of these instructions and those in your vehicle owner's manual. LATCH can be used in place of the following vehicle belt systems if your vehicle is equipped with LATCH anchor points. Please refer to vehicle owner’s manual for LATCH locations and section “7.3 With LATCH” page 27-29 for installation instructions.

•

Lap Belts - Manually Adjusted

When buckled, the belt is tightened manually by pulling on the excess belt.

•

Lap Belts with Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)

The automatic locking retractor will not permit the lap belt to lengthen once it is buckled. Tighten the belt by feeding the belt back into the retractor while pushing down hard on the child restraint.

•

Combination Lap/Shoulder Belt with Locking Latch Plate

Once it is buckled, this type of belt has a latch plate that will not allow the lap portion of the belt to loosen. Belt is tightened by pulling hard on the shoulder portion of the vehicle belt while pushing down on the child restraint.

•

Combination Lap/Shoulder Belt with Sliding Latch Plate

This belt has a latchplate that slides freely along the belt. Belt is tightened by pulling hard on the shoulder portion of the vehicle belt while pushing down on the child restraint.

7.0 Securing the Child

Restraint in Your Vehicle

FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE THE CHILD RESTRAINT IN THE VEHICLE INCREASES THE CHILD’S RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A SHARPTURN, SUDDEN STOP OR CRASH.

Carefully follow these instructions and those in your vehicle owner’s manual to be sure your child restraint is properly located, positioned, and held tightly at all times.

7.1 With a Vehicle Lap Only Belt

Before beginning, make sure that LATCH is stored. See

Section 8.1, Storing LATCH and Tether, page 32. If your vehicle is equipped with tether anchor points, remove the tether clip from the storage bar, otherwise make sure that the tether is stored.

1. Place the child restraint

firmly against the back of a forward-facing vehicle seat.

2. NEVER place the vehicle

belt over the armrest of the child restraint.

Recline the child restraint and thread the vehicle belt through the belt path.

3. Buckle the vehicle belt

The vehicle belt should not

Ê.

be twisted or turned.

4. Tighten vehicle lap belt

Push down hard with your knee or free hand in the middle of the child restraint

Ë. Then pull

and tighten the vehicle lap belt.

For more information on how to tighten the belt for your seat belt system, see

Section 6.2 Vehicle Seat Belt Requirements, pp. 18-21, or

your vehicle owner’s manual.

5. If you are using tether to hold seat

in place, secure it now. See Section

7.4 Using the Tether, page 30.

6. Safety Check for Secure

Installation

Perform this test every time you drive with your child.

Holding the child restraint near the vehicle belt path, TWIST AND PULL the child restraint forward and to both sides to make sure the vehicle belt does not lengthen or loosen and the child restraint does not easily move Ì. The child restraint should not move side to side or forward more than 1 inch (2.5 cm).

If child restraint is loose or not secure, repeat procedure OR find another location for the seat, see Section 6.0 Child Restraint Location, pp. 17-21.

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