LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. It's also known as ISOFIX in Europe and LUAS (Lower Universal Anchorage System) in Canada. LATCH is a way to secure a child safety seat to the vehicle using straps from the child safety seat that connect to special metal anchors in the vehicle.

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

Vehicle LATCH Anchors:

Lower Anchors: These are a pair of metal "u-shaped" bars hidden in the vehicle's seat crack. 

Tether Anchors: These are metal rings, one found behind each rear vehicle seats.

Vehicles model year 2003 and newer must have lower anchors in at least TWO positions and tether anchors in at least THREE positions. This means that in most vehicles, the side seats have lower anchors AND top tether anchors, while the center seat has a tether anchor but NO lower anchors. 






Child Safety Seat LATCH Straps

Lower Anchor Strap: All child safety seats that use the vehicles lower anchors have a lower anchor strap with a hook on each end. Some child safety seats have two separate lower anchor straps, each with a hook on one end. These hooks connect to the vehicle's lower anchors.

Tether Strap: Most forward-facing child safety seats that use LATCH come with not only a lower anchor strap, but also a tether strap. The tether strap comes from the top of the car seat and has a hook on the end that will connect to the tether anchor in the vehicle.

Why use LATCH?

Why use a tether?

Forward-facing:  A tether keeps a child's brain and spinal cord safer. A tether decreases how far a child's head will move forward during a crash by as much as 8 inches (Consumer Reports, 1998). The less the head moves forward, the less likely it is to hit hard parts in your vehicle--like the door frame, the window, the back of the front seat, or even other passengers. The tether also reduces the amount of acceleration and how much force is applied to the neck during a crash. Real world studies show that the tether virtually eliminates serious neck injuries.

The goal of a child safety seat is to hold a child in a crash and prevent the head and other body parts from hitting hard parts of the vehicle. The measurement of how far forward the child's head moves in a crash is called "Head Excursion." Child safety seats sold in the US must meet head excursion requirements. Before Sept. 1999, all forward-facing child safety seats sold in the US were required to pass a head excursion limit of 32 inches. This means that a child's head could not move forward more than 32 inches (from a point just behind the vehicle seat) in a crash. Since Sept. 1999, all forward-facing child safety seats must pass a stricter head excursion limit of 28 inches. Most forward-facing child safety seats cannot pass this 28 inch limit without using a tether to hold the top of the car seat back.

Rear-facing:  Some convertible seats can be tethered while rear-facing.  Currently only Britax, Diono (formerly Sunshine Kids) and Combi permit this.  Vehicles in the US are not designed to support rear-facing tethering, so you must be careful to follow the instructions in the car seat instruction manual when tethering a rear-facing car seat.  By tethering a rear-facing seat, you create a third attachment point for the car seat, which improves its stability.  Rear-facing tethering may also reduce the forward motion or the back rebound of the car seat in a frontal crash, improve the recline angle, and create a tighter installation. 

Please note that these are small benefits compared to those provided by tethering a forward-facing car seat, discussed above.  Rear-facing tethering is always optional and you should not worry if your car seat does not permit it or if it is not possible in your vehicle.  It is much safer for your child to sit in a properly installed, untethered rear-facing car seat than in a forward-facing car seat (tethered or untethered).

Why use the lower anchors?

Forward and Rear-facing:  Because it's easier than using the vehicle's safety belt (usually!) A child safety seat needs to be secured very tightly to the vehicle--so that it moves less than one inch in any direction when you pull or push HARD on the child safety seat. This means that the safety belt holding the child safety seat to the vehicle has to be tight and must stay tight. Lower anchor straps stay tight when you pull them tight. Most vehicle safety belts do NOT stay tight when you pull them--they loosen as soon as you let go. In order to get the vehicle safety belt to stay tight you usually need to do something to it, like pull the shoulder strap out all the way or use a locking clip. This is generally more difficult than just pulling a lower anchor strap tight.

Is LATCH safer?

Is using LATCH to secure a child restraint safer than using the vehicle's safety belts?

The simple answer is that in the crash test lab, they are equally safe**. But in the real-world the lower anchors may be safer because they are EASIER to use. The LATCH system's designers hoped that easier would mean fewer mistakes made in securing the child safety seat, and therefore fewer injuries in a crash. It is not yet clear if LATCH is safer in real-world crashes. One small study found that parents were making the same mistakes with LATCH as they made with the vehicles safety belt--the child safety seat was not secured tightly to the vehicle and that the child was too loose in the harness.  Your vehicle may be a large part of the problem--a 2012 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute showed that only 21 out of the 98 most popular 2010-2011 model year vehicles had LATCH designs that were easy to use.  Parents were 19 times more likely to install a child safety seat correctly in a vehicle with easy to use latch designs.

Here are a few things that have been proven to be safer:

1. Always use a tether on a forward-facing child safety seat. Remember, it doesn't matter if you are using the vehicle's safety belt or the lower anchors to secure the forward-facing child safety seat. You CAN still use the tether.

2. Ride in the center of the back seat. The center seat is 43% safer than the side seats because you can't take a direct hit in the center. While the lower anchors allow for an easy installation, the center of most vehicles do NOT have lower anchors. It is usually NOT ALLOWED to use the inner lower anchors from the side vehicle seats to secure a child safety seat in the center of the backseat. Assuming your vehicle does not have lower anchors for the center seat, it is usually best to try to get a tight installation using the vehicle's safety belt in the center seat first. If this does not work, try installing the child safety seat on the side using the lower anchor strap. Of course ALWAYS use the top tether for forward-facing child safety seats.

**Please note that for kids who are heavier than the weight limit for the lower anchors, the vehicle's safety belt is safer and should always be used.

LATCH Weight Limits

Lower Anchors: There is no agreement between vehicle and child safety seat manufacturers as to the weight limit for lower anchors. If the child safety seat manufacturer's instructions, the vehicle owners manual, or this table do not discuss the issue, it is best to stop using the lower anchors after the child is 40 pounds. In this case, you should use the vehicle safety belt instead of the lower anchors to secure the child safety seat to the vehicle.

Since the lower anchors bear the brunt of the force in a crash, concern for their weight limit is especially important. They are designed to restrain the weight of a child safety seat plus the weight of a small child. The vehicle's safety belt, which is stronger because it is designed to restrain large adults, is a good substitute for the lower anchors when securing a child safety seat used by a heavier child.

Tether Anchors: Again, there is no agreement between vehicle and child safety seat manufacturers as to the weight limit for tether anchors. Certain vehicle manufacturers have stated a tether anchor weight limit; to find out check you vehicle owner's manual. In cases where the vehicle owner's manual does not specify a maximum tether weight limit, assume the upper limit is 40 pounds.

Following this 40 pound limit is very problematic, though, since many child safety seats sold specifically for children over 40 pounds REQUIRE the use of a tether.  Many in the child passenger safety field believe that the risks of NOT using the tether FAR OUTWEIGH the risks of the tether not holding in a crash. Many of us would recommend using the tether no matter how much the child weighs.

Which child restraints have LATCH?

Most child safety seats that have harness straps to secure the child will have lower anchor straps. Examples include rear-facing infant seats, convertible, combination, and forward-facing only seats. Most forward-facing child safety seats will have both lower anchor straps and tether straps.

Child safety seats where the child is held in with the vehicle’s safety belt – like belt positioning boosters – usually do not use lower anchor straps or tether straps. Car beds (for infants) do not usually have lower anchor straps or tether straps. Some vests and harnesses use a tether strap, and a few use lower anchor straps and tether straps.

 

Infant Seats
Infant Seat with Base	Infant Seat with Base   Rear-facing infant seats usually come with a base. LOWER ANCHOR STRAP: permanently attached to the base TETHER STRAP: none currently sold in the US use a tether NOTE: When using the infant seat without the base, you will need to use the vehicle's seat belt to secure the seat - as the lower anchor strap is permanently attached to the base (and should not be removed).  All infant seats EXCEPT the following allow you to use the carrier without the base: Evenflo Cozy Carry, Evenflo Embrace (those made before 10/08), The First Years Via (formerly the Compass I400), Peg Perego Primo Viaggio (non-SIP 30/30 versions).
Infant Seat Without Base	Infant Seat without Base Sometimes rear-facing infant seats come by themselves (i.e. without a base).  The information below is for carriers that come without a base (for carriers that come with a base, see above info) LOWER ANCHOR STRAP: permanently attached to the carrier TETHER STRAP: no infant seats currently sold in the US use a tether
Convertible Seat (converts from rear-facing to forward-facing)
Rear-Facing Convertible Seat	Rear-facing Convertible Seat   LOWER ANCHOR STRAP: Permanently attached to the seat. Most convertible seats have one long lower anchor strap with a connector on either end - while others have 2 separate lower anchor straps each with a connector on the end.  Some convertible seats have a separate lower anchor strap for rear-facing & forward facing.   **Always make sure the lower anchor strap is routed/positioned in the proper place for the direction the seat is facing - nearly all seats require you to make some change in the lower anchor strap when the seat goes from rear-facing to forward-facing. TETHER STRAP: Most convertible seats do not use the tether rear-facing--but some DO allow it.  Rear-facing tethering can be done one of two ways. --Swedish method: down to an anchor/structural piece of metal on the floor of the vehicle. Check out this video from Britax (see step 9) which shows how to find an anchor location & how to use the tether connector strap --Australian method: to the forward-facing tether anchor These convertible seats CAN use the tether rear-facing: - Britax: all convertible car seats allow Swedish or Australian method - Combi Coccoro: will retroactively allow tethering (further info to come) - Snug Seat Hippo: changed 5/30/07 to retroactively allow Swedish or Australian method (this seat is for children in Spica casts) - Sunshine Kids Radian (all models) - tether using Swedish method
Forward-Facing Convertible Seat	Forward-facing Convertible Seat LOWER ANCHOR STRAP: permanently attached to the seat. Most convertible seats have one long lower anchor strap with a connector on either end - while others (some Britax & Recaro for example) have 2 separate lower anchor straps each with a connector on the end.  Some convertible seats have a separate lower anchor strap for rear-facing & forward facing (ex. Graco My Ride 65).  **Always make sure the lower anchor strap is routed/positioned in the proper place for the direction the seat is facing - nearly all seats require you to make some change in the lower anchor strap when the seat goes from rear-facing to forward-facing. TOP TETHER STRAP:  ALL convertible seats use the tether forward-facing. ***Remember: While the lower anchors are used INSTEAD of the vehicle's safety belt to secure the child safety seat to the vehicle, tethers are used IN ADDITION to the lower anchors OR the vehicle's safety belt to secure a forward-facing (and some rear-facing) child safety seat to the vehicle.
Combination Seat (5-point harness car seat that turns into a booster)
Combination Seat in 5-point Harness Mode	Combination Seat in 5-point Harness Mode   LOWER ANCHOR STRAP: permanently attached to the seat. TETHER STRAP: All combination seats come with a tether.  While the tether is technically optional on most combination seats (but should always be used whenever possible as it decreases how far the child's head moves forward by up to 8 inches), there are a few that require the tether.  For example, the Safety 1st Go Hybrid requires the tether at all times, while the Britax Frontier 85 requires it for children weighing more than 65 pounds who are using the 5 point harness. ***Remember: While the lower anchors are used INSTEAD of the vehicle's safety belt to secure the child safety seat to the vehicle, tethers are used IN ADDITION to the lower anchors OR the vehicle's safety belt to secure a forward-facing (and some rear-facing) child safety seat to the vehicle.
Combination Seat in Booster Mode	Combination Seat in Belt Positioning Booster Mode Most combination seats do NOT allow the use of the lower anchor OR tether strap to secure the seat to the vehicle while the seat is being used in the booster mode (i.e. the child is using the vehicle's shoulder/lap belt across them).  Current exceptions: - Britax Frontier & Frontier 85: allow use of lower anchors & tether - Evenflo - all combo seats (retroactive) allow use of lower anchors & tether - Recaro Young Sport - recommend use of tether (do not allow lower anchors) - Safety 1st Go Hybrid (formerly Safeguard Go) - allow use of lower anchor - Nania Airway & Nuevo/Solo - allow use of lower anchors & tether
Belt Positioning Boosters
High Backed Belt Positioning Booster	High Backed Belt Positioning Booster LOWER ANCHOR STRAP:  Most booster seats do not come with lower anchor connectors - however, the few that do most often have rigid lower anchor connectors (instead of a flexible lower anchor strap as is found on nearly every other type of car seat). The following high-back boosters allow the use of the lower anchors:   - Cybex Solution X-fix - rigid lower anchor connectors   - Jane Indy Plus - rigid lower anchor connectors   - Clek Oobr - rigid lower anchor connectors - Sunshine Kids Monterey - (flexible) lower anchor connectors TETHER STRAP: None of the high-back boosters (that weren't part of a combination seat) currently come with a tether strap.
Backless Belt Positioning Booster	Backless Belt Positioning Booster LOWER ANCHOR STRAP: Most do not have a lower anchor strap/connector The following backless boosters allow the use of the lower anchors: - Clek Olli & Ozzi - rigid lower anchor connectors - Safety 1st Go Hybrid - flexible lower anchor connectors - Sunshine Kids Monterey - (flexible) lower anchor connectors TETHER STRAP: No backless boosters use a tether strap.
Ride Safer Travel Vest	Safe Traffic System's Ride Safer Travel Vest (Functions like a belt positioning booster)  LOWER ANCHOR STRAP:  Does not have a lower anchor strap TETHER STRAP: Must be used when using a lap-only belt, and may be used for extra support when using a shoulder belt.

What if my child restraint doesn't come with LATCH?

It is no longer possible to add a tether strap or a lower anchor strap to a child safety seat, if that seat did not come with the strap originally.

There are several reasons why your child safety seat may not have a lower anchor strap or tether strap.

• The seat is not required to have ANY lower anchor straps or tether straps. These types of seats, listeed below, are not required to have ANY LATCH straps, but may come with the straps if the manufacturer decides to include them.
  • Car beds for infants
  • Vests and Harnesses
  • Belt Positioning Booster Seats (where the child uses the vehicle lap-and-shoulder belt across him)
  • Infant carriers sold WITH a base (do not have to have lower anchor straps on the CARRIER, since the base already has a lower anchor strap. Infant seats do not have a tether strap.)

• The seat is not required to have a tether strap.
  • The seat may be old. Forward-facing child safety seats made before September 1, 1999 will NOT come with tether straps (or lower anchor straps).*  If your seat is this old, it is most likely expired and unsafe to use.
  • Child safety seats that pass the 28 inch head excursion test without the tether are not required to come with a tether.
  • All infant carriers and infant carriers with bases do not have tether straps. 
  • Belt-positioning booster seats made by Clek will have rigid lower anchor connectors and no tether strap.

• You can't locate the top tether strap
  • Unless the seat is an infant carrier or infant carrier base or a Clek booster, it probably has a tether strap that is hidden. Look carefully in the child safety seat's instruction manual to see where to find the tether strap.
    • The tether strap may be in a plastic or fabric bag near the top of the child safety seat.
    • The tether strap may be hooked onto a metal or plastic bar on the back or side of the child safety seat.

• The child safety seat has a tether strap but no lower anchor strap

  • Child safety seats made before September 1, 2002 will not have lower anchor straps. These seats will have a tether if they were produced after Sept. 1, 1999.*  Check the expiration date on the car seat, as most seats this old are unsafe to use.

  • Vests and harnesses may have only the tether strap. For example, the RideSafer Travel Vest or the an EZ-On Y-Harness (used with the Ride Ryte Booster).

• You can't locate the lower anchor strap.

  • Unless the seat is a vest or a harness made between Sept. 1, 1999 and Sept. 1, 2002, your seat probably has a lower anchor strap which is hidden. Look carefully in the instruction manual for help finding it.

    • Sometimes the lower anchor strap is stored underneath the fabric cushion (for some Britax seats, lift up the fabric seat cover pad and look under where the child’s bottom goes).

    • Sometimes the hooks on the ends of the lower anchor strap are hiding in fabric pockets on the side of the child safety seat.

    • Sometimes the hooks on the ends of the lower anchor straps are clipped to plastic bars on the side of the child safety seat (like on the Graco Snug Ride models) or in nooks created for them in the child safety seat (like on the Chicco Key Fit or Peg Perego).

*Please note that most child safety seat manufacturers specify a 6 year lifespan for each child safety seat. Some may allow up to 7 years or 10 years. Check your seat for its expiration date, and do not use a seat after it has expired, no matter what sort of straps it has.

Where on my vehicle are the Lower Anchor LATCH components?

Reading your vehicle's instruction manual will tell you IF you have the lower anchors AND where to find the lower anchors. DO NOT ASSUME that you have found the lower anchors--or that you can use the anchors you have found--without reading the manual.

We have seen many parents find flimsy pieces of metal (as thin as coat hanger wire) in the seat crack and incorrectly believe these were the lower anchors. Some parents have even secured their child safety seat to these metal pieces, a mistake which would have very serious consequences in a crash.

Does your car have lower anchors?
Vehicles model year 2003 and newer are required to have designated lower anchors in at least two rear seating positions. The two lower anchors that make up a pair are spaced 11.02 inches (280 mm) apart from each other; this is the standard lower anchor spacing.  Although vehicle manufacturers are allowed to put lower anchors in more than two rear-seating positions, most have not done so. In the back seat of most vehicles, the two side seats have lower anchors but the center does NOT have lower anchors.  Most vehicle manufacturers DO NOT allow you to "borrow" the lower anchors from each side seat to install a car seat in the center.  If the vehicle has no back seat or if the back seat is too small to safely fit a child safety seat (for example in pickup trucks or convertibles) AND the vehicle has an airbag on/off switch as ORIGINAL equipment, then one of the front seats must have lower anchors.

Finding Your Anchors
Looking at the back seat, you usually cannot see the lower anchors. They're usually hidden from view and are inside the vehicle seat crack, called the seat bight. This is the part where the cushion for your back meets the cushion for your bottom. Some lower anchors are on the vehicle seat back, an inch or two above the bight, or on the seat bottom, and inch or two in front of the bight.

Lower Anchor Labeling
Most vehicle seats mark the location of the lower anchors using a small plastic button. Some buttons have a small image of a child safety seat on them--shown in the image on the right-- while others do not. Other vehicles use a small fabric tag on the seat just above the lower anchor that say "LATCH" or "ISOFIX." In some vehicles, you may need to lift up a fabric flap to access the lower anchors--this is common in Toyota and Lexus vehicles.) In others you must swing the lower anchors out (common in Mercedes) while in others you must remove a small piece of removable vehicle cushion or a small plastic cover. 

Where on my vehicle are the tether anchors?

Reading your vehicle's instruction manual will tell you IF you have tether anchors AND where to find the tether anchors. DO NOT ASSUME you have found the tether anchor without reading the manual, as the real anchors are VERY EASILY confused with other parts of the vehicle (like cargo hooks) that are not strong enough to hold the tether strap in a crash. Most cargo hooks are meant to hold about 20 pounds. A tether anchor is meant to hold several hundred pounds of force in a crash. Tether anchors are not always easy to find.  They're often hidden under plastic taps that you must flip up or remove or are at the very bottom of the back of the vehicle seat.

Does my vehicle have tether anchors?
Vehicles model year 2000 and newer must have tether anchors in at least three backseat positions. In the backseat of vehicles with only one row of seats in the back (sedans, small SUV's, hatchbacks, etc), all three positions in the backseat must have tether anchors. Vehicles that have more than 3 seats in the back, like large SUV's, minivans, etc, sometimes have tether anchors for more than 3 backseat positions. One exception is SUV's model year 2000 to 2004 that have only 3 backseat positions; these were required to have only 2 tether anchors, one for each side seat. While many did have the tether in the center, a significant number did not. A retrofit kit is available for some of these SUV's, so you can add a tether anchor to the center seat.

Finding your Tether Anchors
We have included a list, below, to indicate how many different places tether anchors can be found. This list is not all-inclusive--please check your vehicle owner's manual to be sure you have found the correct tether anchors.

• Convertibles: Not required to have tether anchors, although some provide them. When available, they are often for the front passenger seat, since the back seat (if present) is frequently too small for a child safety seat. If the back seat is large enough, the vehicle will usually have tether anchors fro the rear seats.

• Hatchbacks: Often the tether anchors are on the back of the vehicle seat or on the back wall of the vehicle directly below the opening of the trunk door.

• Minivans: Tether anchors are usually located on the floor directly behind the vehicle seats, on the back of the vehicle seats, or underneath the seats. In some minivans the tether anchors for the third row seats are located on the rear door frame, either above or below the opening. SInce minivans have more than 3 rear-seating positions, often some positions don't have tether anchors, since only 3 positions are required to have them. Sometimes the dealership can install tether anchors in positions where the anchors were not factory installed. Read your vehicle owners manual carefully to see if this is possible.

• Pick Up Trucks: If the truck has no back seat, has side facing jump seats, or is too small to safety fit a child safety seat, then the front passenger seat usually has a tether anchor. In larger pickups, tether anchors are on the back wall of the cab below the rear window or behind the vehicle seat back. Sometimes the tether may be a loop of safety belt webbing. It is very important to read the vehicle's instruction manual as sometimes the tether strap takes a strange routing path (i.e. you have to pass the child safety seat's tether strap through one of the webbing loops and hook the tether hook onto a loop that is not the one directly behind the child safety seat.)

• Sedans: Usually tether anchors are on the shelf below the back windshield. Occasionally the anchors are in the trunk (some older Volvos).

• SUV's: Tether anchors are often located on the back of the backseat or on the floor in the cargo area directly behind the backseat. In some SUV's, the tether anchor is located on the rear door frame, either above of below the door opening. SInce these vehicles often have more than 3 rear seating positions, but only 3 tether anchors are required, some seats may not come with tether anchors. Sometimes it's possible to have the dealership install anchors in some of the seating positions where they did not come factory installed. Read your owners manual to find out if this is possible.

• Wagons: Tether anchors usually located on the back of the backseat or on the floor in the cargo area directly behind the backseat. In some wagons, the tether anchor is located on the rear door frame, either above or below the opening.

What if my car doesn't come with anchors?

You can retrofit certain vehicles with lower anchors and tether anchors.

Lower anchors
Retrofitting is available for a few Audi and Volkswagen vehicles ONLY.

• Audi: Will install a LATCH system (both lower and upper anchors) for model years 1999 and up in the following vehicles: A4, A6, A8, S8, and model year 2001 and up Allroad Quattro. LATCH retrofit kits are not available for the TT models or the Audi A8L. Audi will provide and install tether anchors in model year 1993-1999 Audis.  Free service is discontinued.

• Volkswagen: Will install a LATCH system (upper and lower anchors) for Passat models year 1999-2002. Free service is discontinued. Will install tether anchors on model year 1993-1999 vehicles, but free service is discontinued.

Tethers
Tether anchors can be added to most vehicles manufactured after 1989. Many of these vehicles have the holes pre-drilled in the vehicle, often with the nut in place, so that retrofitting the tether anchor is as simple as ordering the part and screwing in a bolt.

Ford, Chrysler, and GM will retrofit for FREE at least one tether anchor in their vehicles which did not come with tether anchors factory-installed (assuming that the vehicle is able to be retrofitted). 

Vehicle manufacturers with a single part number for all tether anchor kits for all of their vehicles (list price included when available--installation may be extra and pricing may have changed).

• Acura: 82410-SE3-C01, Plate Assembly/Anchor plate and mounting hardware, $13
• Honda: 82410-SE3-C01, Plate Assembly/Anchor plate and mounting hardware, $13
• Infiniti: 88894-89900, (may need 8mm x 1.25 bolt)
• Lexus: 73709-20010, Tether anchor kit $10
• Nissan: 88894-89900, (may need 8mm x 1.25 bolt)
• Toyota: 73709-12010, Bracket Sub-Assembly, Tether Anchor $12

Using LATCH in the Center: Overview

Can I use a top tether in the center position?
Yes, you can use a top tether as long as one is designated for the center position and as long as your child is within the weight limits specified by your vehicle.  See more about tethering weight limits.

Can I use the lower anchors to install a car seat in the center position?
Why is this even a question? Vehicles must have tether anchors in THREE backseat positions and lower anchors in TWO backseat positions. That usually leaves the center seat as the odd-man out--meaning it has a tether anchor but no lower anchors. A clever person might ask "Can't I just use the two inner lower anchors from the side seats to secure a child safety seat in the center?" This is one of the most common questions we get asked.

While it is usually physically possible, it is usually NOT recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and may be unsafe.  Your vehicle owner's manual will indicate whether or not it is permissible to use lower anchors to secure a child safety seat in the center of your vehicle.  Do not install a child safety seat in the center using lower anchors unless your vehicle owner's manual clearly states that it is permissible. 

Why is it unsafe?
The distance between the inner-most lower anchors is usually not the standard 11.02 inches found between the lower anchors on the side seats. Many child safety seat manufacturers do NOT want their seats secured to lower anchors that are wider or narrower than the standard 11.02 inches. Many vehicle manufacturers also do not want a child safety seat secured to lower anchors that are wider or narrower than the 11.02 standard spacing.  A wider spacing may allow the child safety seat to move too much side-to-side in a crash.

There are certain situations when a child safety seat CAN be safely secured in the center using the lower anchors.

• The vehicle has a designated LATCH position in the center of the back seat. This means it has lower anchors that are 11 inches apart and specifically intended for use in the center seat.

• The child safety seat manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer BOTH allow you to use lower anchors that are spaced wider or narrower than 11 inches. Please check BOTH your vehicle and child safety seat owners manuals to see if yours allow this. 

Using LATCH in the Center: Car Seats

Which child safety seat manufacturers allow you to use lower anchors that are spaced wider or narrower than 11 inches apart? 

• Britax: Spacing can be from 11 to 20 inches, as long as the vehicle manufacturer also permits this.
• Chicco: Spacing must be 11 inches. This effectively means that you cannot use a Chicco car seat in the center unless it has dedicated center lower anchors.
• Combi: No spacing specified, but it is permitted.
• Cosco/Dorel (includes Maxi Cosi): any spacing, as long as vehicle manufacturer clearly permits.
• Diono (Sunshine Kids): Spacing must be from 11 to 14 inches, as long as vehicle manufacturer clearly permits.
• Fisher Price: Spacing can be from 11 to 20 inches, as long as vehicle manufacturer clearly permits.
• Graco: Spacing must be 11 inches or more, as long as vehicle manufacturer clearly permits.  Retroactive to all seats as of May 16, 2011.
• Orbit Baby: Spacing from 11 to 20 inches, as long as vehicle manufacturer permits.
• Recaro: Any spacing, as long as vehicle manufacturer permits.
• Safeguard: Spacing from 11 to 20 inches, as long as vehicle manufacturer permits.
• Snug Seat Hippo: Spacing from 11 to 20 inches, as long as vehicle manufacturer permits
• Triple Play (Sit 'N' Stroll): Spacing can be over 11 inches, as long as vehicle manufacturer permits.

As you can see, the vehicle manufacturer MUST specifically allow you to use a narrower or wider spacing even if the child safety seat manufacturer allows the unusual spacing.  If your child restraint manufacturer is NOT on this list, you CANNOT install the child safety seat in the center unless it is a designated latch position specified by the vehicle manufacturer, where the anchors are 280 mm (11 inches) apart.

Using LATCH in the Center: Vehicles

Which vehicles allow you to use lower anchors that are narrower or wider than 11 inches?
Unfortunately, most vehicles DO NOT allow you to use lower anchors that are spaced wider or narrower than 11 inches.  If your vehicle is made by one of the manufacturer's listed below, you CANNOT install your child safety seat using the lower anchors in the center of the backseat--NO EXCEPTIONS!  Use the seat belt to install the child safety seat in the center instead.  If your vehicle is made by a manufacturer not listed below, read your vehicle owner's manual to see if it's permitted to install a car seat in the center using the lower anchors.

• Acura (except 2007 and newer RDX and MDX)
• BMW
• Daewoo
• Honda (except new models of CRV, Pilot, Ridgeline & Odyssey--see Using LATCH in the Center spreadsheet for full details)
• Infiniti
• Isuzu
• Jaguar
• Kia
• Land Rover
• Lexus (except 2001-2007 LX470)
• Mercedes-Benz
• Mini
• Nissan (except 2004 and newer Quest--See Using LATCH in the center spreadsheet for fu)
• Porsche
• Saab (except 2010 and newer 9-5)
• Scion
• Subaru
• Toyota (except Sequoia, Sienna, Tundra and LandCruiser--See Using LATCH in the center spreadsheet for full details)
• Volkswagen (except Routan)
• Volvo

Loosening Lower Anchor and Tether Straps

Many people find it harder to take the child safety seat out than to put it in when using LATCH. If you follow these three steps, you should have an easier time removing your child safety seat from your vehicle.

Step 1: Before you start

• Always put pressure on the child safety seat (a knee in the seat works wonders) when trying to loosen the lower anchor strap.
• If your vehicle seat back reclines (like in a lot of minivans and SUVs), recline the seat back before trying to loosen or remove the lower anchor strap.

Step 2: Always loosen the strap before you disconnect the connectors

• For push-button lower anchor connectors (these are made of black plastic and look a little like staplers), ALWAYS loosen the latch strap before attempting to disconnect the connectors. Put your index and middle fingers on the bottom of the connector, and your palm on the silver or grey bar that runs along the top of the connector. Squeeze the silver or grey bar into the connector and move it away from the car seat. This should loosen the strap.
• For A-loc attachments, ALWAYS loosen the latch strap before attempting to disconnect the connectors. Flip up the metal tab so that it makes an L-shape with the strap (it should be flat on top of the strap when you start). Use your palm to press down really hard in order to flip the tab---it's usually HARD.

Step 3: Disconnect the hooks

• For push-button lower anchor connectors, simply press the red button on the end of the hook device and pull the device off of the lower anchor.
• For A-loc hooks, use your index finger to push the metal on the underside of the hook. Then, push the hook toward the back of the car as far as it will go. Turn it 90 degrees. Then pull the hook towards you.

Don't forget to detach the tether strap also!

Common LATCH Mistakes

We've compiled a list of the most common mistakes we've seen parents make while trying to secure their child safety seats using LATCH. 

• Your child safety seat is not installed tightly enough
• Lower anchor strap is routed through the wrong area of your child safety seat
• Child seat is installed forward facing but you are not using the tether strap
• You used the lower anchors to install a child safety seat in the center of your backseat, but your vehicle and/or your child safety seat do not permit this.
• You have used the lower anchors to install a child safety seat when it is in booster mode--where the child is sitting on the seat and using the vehicle belt across himself.
• You have installed your child safety seat using the lower anchors, but your child weighs more than 48 pounds