Child Restraint: Service and Repair

LATCH System "Lower Anchors And Tethers For CHildren", Installing And Retrofitting

Checking LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)

NOTE:
- Service personnel must visually inspect the LATCH anchorages for signs of damage and deformation.
- Welded LATCH anchorages can't be repaired or replaced.
- The vehicle's fuel tank is located immediately behind the area where the lower LATCH anchorages are located. To prevent damage to the fuel tank and fuel leakage that can cause a fire, no welding or drilling in this area is permitted and no bolts or other fasteners may protrude into this area.
- The maximum child weight limit when using LATCH upper and lower anchors is 40 lbs. (18 kg). The upper tether must not be used by itself, but only in combination with the safety belt system or lower anchors.

LATCH, definition

The LATCH system for "Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren" consists of the combination of rear upper tethers and rear lower anchors used to secure a child restraint.







Vehicles with production date 09.00 (09/00)( see certification label on driver's side B-pillar -arrow-) are provided with the guidance fixtures and must be checked for installation during the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI).

Refer to LATCH system description and usage instructions.







Vehicles manufactured as of January 2001 are equipped with buttons -at arrows- to identify the rear lower anchor points.

NOTE:
- LATCH Guidance Fixtures announced in Technical Bulletins Group 00 number 00-06 and 00-07 are no longer required or supplied on vehicles equipped with buttons.
- Except for a few 1998 models, all vehicles have anchor hardware installed.

Upper location point







Rear upper anchor -arrow- location point.

Lower location point







Rear lower anchor -arrow- location point.

NOTE:
- Rear lower anchors secure the child restraint in the seat without using the vehicle's safety belts. Anchors provide a secure and easy-to-use attachment and minimize the possibility of improper child restraint installation.
- Rear anchors are located between the rear seat back and rear seat cushion at the outboard.