How to fasten the car seat in the car?

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

A car is a means of increased danger. That is why every year manufacturers are trying to improve the means of passive and active safety. Every modern car is equipped with pillows and belts. As a result, there is less chance of injury in an accident. But although the belts have height adjustment, they are not suitable for children under 12 years old. As a result, such a safety device can only do harm by injuring the neck of a small passenger. How to be? There is a way out - the installation of a special chair. This product will provide maximum safety in the event of an accident and minimize the risk of injury. How to fasten a child car seat in a car? Consider in our today's article.

Fastener Methods

There are several ways to fasten a car seat in a car:

1. Regular beltssecurity.
2. Isofix system.
3. Latch and SuperLatch System.

How to fasten a car seat with a seat belt?

In this way you can install a chair of any age group. But there are some peculiarities here. Before fastening a child car seat, you need to understand that in group 0+, the factory belt fixes the seat in the cabin, and the child will be fastened with a five-point belt. How is group 1 doing? Armchairs of this group and above are fixed due to their weight. And the child is fastened with a regular belt.

How to properly fasten a car seat? You need to pay attention to the labels. On many models, they are present in the places where the belts pass. This makes installation much easier. Note that on most models the labels are red. And if the product is installed against the movement, then they are blue.

What to look out for:

1. Fastening with factory straps does not provide a rigid fixation, but the chair should not stagger. Let's say there is a slight backlash. If the product moves more than two centimeters, you need to fix the design in a different way.
2. Before buying a chair, you need to check the possibility of installing it in the car. On some cars, the design of the rear backrest and seat does not allow the installation of child seats. And sometimes the length of the standard seat belt is not enough to install the structure.
3. After the child has sat in the chair, you need to see if the belts are twisted. The latter should not hang out. Experts say that the optimal gap between the belts and the child's body should be three to four centimeters.
4. When driving, the factory belts may slip. To avoid this, there is a special lock. It is already provided on some models of child seats. Otherwise, you need to buy an additional fixing bracket.
5. The factory tape is pulled through all the guides that are provided in the design of the child seat. How to properly fasten a child in a car seat? The belt must pass exactly over the hip and shoulder of the child. It is unacceptable that it be shifted towards the neck.

How to fasten a car seat with a three-point harness? Step by step instructions

The operation is performed in several steps:

1. Need to move the front seat.
2. Pull out the seat belt and pass it through the holes in the child seat. In this case, you should pay attention to the labels.
3. Snap the belt into the lock. You must first tighten it according to the instructions.
4. Check if the chair is moving. To do this, you need to slightly press on it. As we said earlier, the play should not exceed a couple of centimeters.
5. Remove the inner straps and put the child in. Next, put on the belts, snap the locks. You also need to fix the pads. Tighten the straps tightly so that they hold the child.

Basic infant carrier installation instructions

How to fasten car seat 0+? Worth taking advantageinstructions:

1. You need to install the chair on the seat in the direction of travel. Please note that if installation is carried out on the front row, and not on the rear row, then you need to disable the airbag of the car.
2. Fasten the seat belts according to the instructions. You need to follow the blue markers. Please note that the diagonal and transverse belts must not intersect.
3. Before you fasten the car seat, you need to evaluate how the cradle is located. Its tilt back should not be more than 45 degrees. To do this, on many models there is a special indicator on the body of the holding device. What to do if the angle of inclination is not correct? You can fix it with a folded towel or roller.
4. Place the child in the seat and secure it with straps. Shoulder straps should be as low as possible. And the clip should be placed near the armpits.
5. To avoid rubbing and discomfort, use special pads on the belts. They usually come with a cradle. If they are missing, you can use a towel.
6. Adjust the straps. They should not squeeze, while tightly fixing the child.

It is also worth dressing the baby correctly. Clothing should be made of dense fabric so that the belts do not rub. It is also necessary to abandon bulky jackets. They do not allow you to securely tighten the belts. Instead of a jacket, it is better to wrap the child in a blanket.

Pros and cons of strapping

Among the benefits reported by consumers:

• opportunityinstallation of a cradle on almost any car;
• low cost of these car seats;
• universal fastening (such models do not require additional fasteners).

However, there are some drawbacks:

1. Difficult installation.
2. Possible belt length restrictions. Not every seat belt is long enough to fit the carrycot in this way.
3. Lower safety performance compared to Isofix systems.

Isofix system

This is a more modern way of fixing, which is practiced on many cars. This system involves a rigid attachment of the cradle to the car body. This provides better protection for the child in the event of a collision.

Where can I find such a mount? It is located at the base of the cradle. These are two metal brackets on the frame, which are located symmetrically on both sides. A big plus of this system is that it is practically impossible to install it incorrectly. Some models even have indicators that change color if the seat is not properly secured.

How to fasten the car seat? The cradle is fixed at two points. However, on Class 0 and 1 models, there is an additional point that reduces stress on the retainer fasteners. It could be:

1. Anchor strap. Its function is to additionally fix the upper part of the car seat. In the event of an accident, this element protects the child from injury to the neck during a sharp nod. Anchor strapis fixed to the bracket, which is located on the back of the car seat (sometimes in the trunk).
2. Telescopic floor stop. It consists of two tubes connected to each other and located at the base of the car seat. These products can be adjusted in height, while being rigidly fixed.

What to look out for:

1. Before you purchase a seat with this system, you need to make sure that such fasteners are available in your car. And you can find it under the back of the rear seat. No need to disassemble the chair - just stick your hand into the gap and feel for the staples.
2. The Isofix system is only used on the outboard rear seats. Place the child in the center in this case will not work. And if there is a need to install a cradle on the front seat, then you can fix it with a factory seat belt.
3. The Isofix system can be used to install seats of all age categories. But there are exceptions. So, experts recommend mounting the 0+ holding device in the standard way. The rigid Isofix system can create unnecessary vibrations that the baby will not like. But chairs of group 1 and above can be safely installed on rigid fasteners.
4. The design of the system involves the presence of metal skids that can damage the seat upholstery during operation. To avoid this, you can use a special mat. By placing it under the carrycot, it will be possible to protect the upholstery of the factory seat from mechanical damage.

Howinstall an Isofix restraint?

Let's consider how to fasten a car seat in the back seat using this technology:

1. It is necessary to find brackets for fastening under the back. As a rule, they are closed with protective plugs. It is recommended to put them in the glove box so as not to lose them.
2. How to fasten the car seat? Pull the system brackets to the desired length. There may also be stubs here. We take them off and put them in the glove box.
3. Install the mounts in the guides.
4. Next, you need to press on the holding device until a characteristic click.
5. Check the brackets and make sure they are secure.
6. If this bassinet model has an anchor strap, it must be thrown over the back of the car seat and fixed in the mount. Sometimes the mount may be on the trunk floor.
7. Relax inner straps.
8. Sit the baby in and tighten the straps.

This completes the installation. The belts must move freely.

Pros of the system

Among the benefits worth noting:

• Quick install.
• Reliable protection against injury.
• No risk of chair moving forward or tipping over.

Cons

But there are a lot of minuses:

1. The cost of the cradle is at least 50 percent higher than the standard model, fastened with regular straps.
2. Higher weight design.
3. Weight limit. The weight of the child must not exceed 18kilogram.
4. Possibility of structural vibration due to rigid mounting.
5. Restriction on installation location. The chair can only be mounted in the place where Isofix fasteners are provided.

FAQ

Many people wonder if it is possible to install the carrycot in front if the airbag does not turn off. In this case, you can not mount the chair in front. The fact is that upon impact, the pillow will hit the child with great force and can cause significant injury.

What to do if the child is in winter clothes, and the inner belts do not fasten. First of all, you need to check if the child has grown out of his chair. Usually, manufacturers provide for the presence of winter clothes, but a light, European winter is taken as the basis. Alternatively, you can take off your baby's jacket and cover him with a blanket. However, you must always buckle up your child, otherwise the car seat will not be useful.

Is it possible to place several car seats on the back sofa at once? Now manufacturers provide such an opportunity. But one thing must be taken into account. The width of the middle seat can be reduced.

What to do if you want to install an Isofix carrycot? This can be done by welding the required fasteners to the body. But, as a rule, these are already extreme measures. Usually, parents fix the design on regular belts.

Conclusion

So we've looked at how to fasten your car seat. The safety of the child will depend on the correctness of the actions. Do not ignore the instructions. It is also important to check how securely the belts are fastened and how much free play they have. By installing the seat according to the rules, you can significantly reduce the risk of injury to the child in the event of an accident.