Children Always in the Rear

WARNING

Always properly restrain children in the rear seats of the vehicle. Children of all ages are safer when restrained in the rear seat. A child riding in the front passenger seat can be forcefully struck by an inflating air bag resulting in SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH.

Children under age 13 must always ride in the rear seats and must always be properly restrained to minimize the risk of injury in an accident, sudden stop or sudden maneuver. According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seats than in the front seat. Even with air bags, children can be seriously injured or killed. Children too large for a child restraint must use the seat belts provided.

All 50 states have child restraint laws which require children to travel in approved child restraint devices. The laws governing the age or height/weight restrictions at which seat belts can be used instead of child restraints differs among states, so you should be aware of the specific requirements in your state, and where you are travelling.

Child restraint systems must be properly placed and installed in the rear seat. You must use a commercially available child restraint system that meets the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213).

Child restraint systems are generally designed to be secured in a vehicle seat by lap belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt, or by a LATCH system in the rear seats of the vehicle.

Child restraint system (CRS)

Infants and younger children must be restrained in an appropriate rear-facing or forward-facing CRS that has first been properly secured to the rear seat of the vehicle. Read and comply with the instructions for installation and use provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint.

WARNING

An improperly secured child restraint can increase the risk of SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH in an accident. Always take the following precautions when using a child restraint system:

• NEVER install a child or infant restraint in the front passenger’s seat.
• Always properly secure the child restraint to a rear seat of the vehicle.
• Always follow the child restraint system manufacturer’s instructions for installation and use.
• Always properly restrain your child in the child restraint.
• If the vehicle head restraint prevents proper installation of a child seat (as described in the child restraint system manual), the head restraint of the respective seating position shall be readjusted or entirely removed.
• Do not use an infant carrier or a child safety seat that “hooks” over a seatback, it may not provide adequate protection in an accident.
• After an accident, have a HYUNDAI dealer check the child restraint system, seat belts, tether anchors and lower anchors.

Selecting a Child Restraint System (CRS)

When selecting a CRS for your child, always:

• Make sure the CRS has a label certifying that it meets applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213).
• Select a child restraint based on your child’s height and weight. The required label or the instructions for use typically provide this information.
• Select a child restraint that fits the vehicle seating position where it will be used.
• Read and comply with the warnings and instructions for installation and use provided with the child restraint system.

Child restraint system types

There are three main types of child restraint systems: rear-facing seats, forward-facing seats, and booster seats. They are classified according to the child’s age, height and weight.

Rear-facing child seats

WARNING

NEVER install a child or infant restraint in the front passenger’s seat.

Placing a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat can result in SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH if the child restraint is struck by an inflating air bag.

A rear-facing child seat provides restraint with the seating surface against the back of the child. The harness system holds the child in place, and in an accident, acts to keep the child positioned in the seat and reduce the stress to the neck and spinal cord.

All children under age one must always ride in a rear-facing infant child restraint.

Convertible and 3-in-1 child seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rearfacing for a longer period of time.

Continue to use a rear-facing child seat for as long as your child will fit within the height and weight limits allowed by the child seat manufacturer. It’s the best way to keep them safe. Once your child has outgrown the rear-facing child restraint, your child is ready for a forward-facing child restraint with a harness.

Forward-facing child restraints

A forward-facing child seat provides restraint for the child’s body with a harness. Keep children in a forwardfacing child seat with a harness until they reach the top height or weight limit allowed by your child restraint’s manufacturer.

Once your child outgrows the forwardfacing child restraint, your child is ready for a booster seat.

Booster seats

A booster seat is a restraint designed to improve the fit of the vehicle’s seat belt system. A booster seat positions the seat belt so that it fits properly over the lap of your child.

Keep your child in a booster seat until they are big enough to sit in the seat without a booster and still have the seat belt fit properly. For a seat belt to fit properly, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest and not across the neck or face. Children under age 13 must always ride in the rear seats and must always be properly restrained to minimize the risk of injury.

Installing a Child Restraint System (CRS)

WARNING

Before installing your child restraint system always:

• Read and follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint.
• Read and follow the instructions regarding child restraint systems in this manual.

Failure to follow all warnings and instructions could increase the risk of the SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH if an accident occurs.

WARNING

If the vehicle head restraint prevents proper installation of a child seat as described in the child seat system manual, the head restraint of the respective seating position shall be readjusted or entirely removed.

After selecting a proper child seat for your child, check to make sure it fits properly in your vehicle. Follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer when installing the child seat. Note these general steps when installing the seat to your vehicle:

• Properly secure the child restraint to the vehicle. All child restraints must be secured to the vehicle with the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt or with the LATCH system.
• Make sure the child restraint is firmly secured. After installing a child restraint to the vehicle, push and pull the seat forward-and-back and side-to-side to verify that it is securely attached to the seat. A child restraint secured with a seat belt should be installed as firmly as possible. However, some side-to-side movement can be expected.
• Secure the child in the child restraint. Make sure the child is properly strapped in the child restraint according to the manufacturer instructions.

CAUTION

A child restraint in a closed vehicle can become very hot. To prevent burns, check the seating surface and buckles before placing your child in the child restraint.

Lower Anchors and Tether for Children (LATCH System)

The LATCH system holds a child restraint during driving and in an accident. This system is designed to make installation of the child restraint easier and reduce the possibility of improperly installing your child restraint. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint. The LATCH system eliminates the need to use seat belts to secure the child restraint to the rear seats.

Lower anchors are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position that will accommodate a child restraint with lower attachments.

To use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you must have a child restraint with LATCH attachments.

The child seat manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child seat with its attachments for the LATCH lower anchors.

LATCH anchors have been provided in the left and right outboard rear seating positions. Their locations are shown in the illustration. There are no LATCH anchors provided for the center rear seating position.

WARNING

Do not attempt to install a child restraint system using LATCH anchors in the rear center seating position. There are no LATCH anchors provided for this seat. Using the outboard seat anchors can damage the anchors which may break or fail in a collision resulting in serious injury or death.

[A]: Lower Anchor Position Indicator
[B]: Lower Anchor

The lower anchor position indicator symbols are located on the left and right rear seat backs to identify the position of the lower anchors in your vehicle (see arrows in illustration).

The LATCH anchors are located between the seatback and the seat cushion of the rear seat left and right outboard seating positions.

Securing a child restraint with the LATCH anchors system

To install a LATCH-compatible child restraint in either of the rear outboard seating positions:

1. Move the seat belt buckle away from the lower anchors.

2. Move any other objects away from the anchors that could prevent a secure connection between the child restraint and the lower anchors.

3. Place the child restraint on the vehicle seat, then attach the seat to the lower anchors according to the instructions provided by the child restraint manufacturer.

4. Follow the child restraint instructions for properly adjusting and tightening the lower attachments on the child restraint to the lower anchors.

WARNING

Take the following precautions when using the LATCH system:

• Read and follow all installation instructions provided with your child restraint system.
• To prevent the child from reaching and taking hold of unretracted seat belts, buckle all unused rear seat belts and retract the seat belt webbing behind the child. Children can be strangled if a shoulder belt becomes wrapped around their neck and the seat belt tightens.
• NEVER attach more than one child restraint to a single anchor. This could cause the anchor or attachment to come loose or break.
• Always have the LATCH system inspected by your authorized HYUNDAI dealer after an accident. An accident can damage the LATCH system and may not properly secure the child restraint.

NOTICE

The recommended weight for the LATCH system is under 65 lb (30 kg).

How to determine an appropriate child restraint weight:

Child weight + Child restraint weight < 65 lb (30kg)

Securing a child restraint seat with “Tether Anchor” system

First secure the child restraint with the LATCH lower anchors or the seat belt. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether strap be attached, attach and tighten the top tether strap to the top tether strap anchor.

Child restraint hook holders are located on the rear of the seatbacks.

WARNING

Take the following precautions when installing the tether strap:

• Read and follow all installation instructions provided with your child restraint system.
• NEVER attach more than one child restraint to a single tether anchor. This could cause the anchor or attachment to come loose or break.
• Do not attach the tether strap to anything other than the correct tether anchor. It may not work properly if attached to something else.
• Do not use the tether anchors for adult seat belts or harnesses, or for attaching other items or equipment to the vehicle.

To install the tether anchor:

1. Route the child restraint tether strap over the child restraint seatback. Route the tether strap under the head restraint and between the head restraint posts, or route the tether strap over the top of the vehicle seatback. Make sure the strap is not twisted.

2. Connect the tether strap hook to the tether anchor, then tighten the tether strap according to the child seat manufacturer’s instructions to firmly secure the child restraint to the seat.

3. Check that the child restraint is securely attached to the seat by pushing and pulling the seat forwardand- back and side-to-side.

Securing a child restraint with lap/ shoulder belt

When not using the LATCH system, all child restraints must be secured to a vehicle rear seat with the lap part of a lap/shoulder belt.

WARNING

ALWAYS place a rear-facing child restraint in the rear seat of the vehicle. Placing a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat can result in serious injury or death if the child restraint is struck by an inflating air bag.

Automatic locking mode

Since all passenger seat belts move freely under normal conditions and only lock under extreme or emergency conditions (emergency locking mode), you must manually pull the seat belt all the way out to shift the retractor to the “Automatic Locking” mode to secure a child restraint.

The “Automatic Locking” mode will help prevent the normal movement of the child in the vehicle from causing the seat belt to loosen and compromise the child restraint system. To secure a child restraint system, use the following procedure.

To install a child restraint system on the rear seats, do the following:

1. Place the child restraint system on a rear seat and route the lap/ shoulder belt around or through the child restraint, following the restraint manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure the seat belt webbing is not twisted.

Information

When using the rear center seat belt, you should also refer to the “Rear Seat Belt – Passenger’s 3-point system” section in this chapter.

2. Fasten the lap/shoulder belt latch into the buckle. Listen for the distinct “click” sound.

Information

Position the release button so that it is easy to access in case of an emergency.

3. Pull the shoulder portion of the seat belt all the way out. When the shoulder portion of the seat belt is fully extended, it will shift the retractor to the “Automatic Locking” (child restraint) mode.

4. Slowly allow the shoulder portion of the seat belt to retract and listen for an audible “clicking” or “ratcheting” sound. This indicates that the retractor is in the “Automatic Locking” mode. If no distinct sound is heard, repeat steps 3 and 4.

5. Remove as much slack from the belt as possible by pushing down on the child restraint system while feeding the shoulder belt back into the retractor.

6. Push and pull on the child restraint system to confirm that the seat belt is holding it firmly in place. If it is not, release the seat belt and repeat steps 2 through 6.

7. Double check that the retractor is in the “Automatic Locking” mode by attempting to pull more of the seat belt out of the retractor. If you cannot, the retractor is in the “Automatic Locking” mode.

If your CRS (child restraint system) manufacturer instructs or recommends you to use a tether anchor with the lap/ shoulder belt, refer to the previous pages for more information.

Information

When the seat belt is allowed to retract to its fully stowed position, the retractor will automatically switch from the “Automatic Locking” mode to the emergency lock mode for normal adult usage.

WARNING

If the retractor is not in the “Automatic Locking” mode, the child restraint can move when your vehicle turns or stops suddenly. A child can be seriously injured or killed if the child restraint is not properly anchored in the car, including manually pulling the seat belt all the way out to shift the rectractor to the “Automatic Locking” mode.

To remove the child restraint, press the release button on the buckle and then pull the lap/shoulder belt out of the restraint and allow the seat belt to retract fully.