Child Restraint Anchorages
Volvo cars are fitted with Child Restraint Top Tether Anchorages in the rear seat. There are three anchorages under the rear section of the car's rear window shelf on sedans and on the back rest on wagons. The backrest on wagons must be folded down slightly to reach the anchorages. When the car is delivered, the holes for these anchorages are covered by plastic covers. In cars designated for Canada, one top tether anchorage set will be in the glove box.
The top tether anchorage set includes the top tether anchorage plate, an 5/16" UNC bolt and a plastic trim cover. If another set is needed, consult your Volvo retailer.
Installing the top tether
Remove the plastic cover on the anchorage point you want to use. This can be done with a suitable coin. The cover is removed counter-clockwise. Refer to the child seat manufacturer's instructions for securing the seat. An additional bolt may be required for sedans. This may be obtained from your authorized Volvo dealer.
WARNING! Child Restraint Anchorages are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by correctly fitted Child Restraints. Under no circumstances are they to be used for adult seat belts or harnesses. The anchorages are not able to withstand excessive forces on them in the event of collision if full harness seat belts or adult seat belts are installed to them. An adult who uses a belt anchored in a Child Restraint Anchorage runs a great risk of suffering severe injuries should a collision occur. Do not install rear speakers which would require the removal of the top tether anchors or interfere with the proper use of the top tether strap. |
pg. 3:9 Child safety (cont.) |
Integrated booster cushion (certain models)
Volvo's own integrated booster cushion has been specially designed to help safeguard a child seated in the center position of the rear seat. When using the integrated booster cushion, the child must be secured with the vehicle's three-point seat belt. The booster cushion is approved for children weighing between 22.7 and 36 kg (50 and 80 lbs) and between 117 and 137 cm (46 and 54 in ) in height. It is not intended for children under 3 years of age.
Sedans (certain models) - alt.1
With the child properly seated on the booster cushion (see illustration), adjust the head restraint to support the child's head (see page 3:3).
The hip section of the three-point seat belt must fit snugly across the child's hips, not across the stomach.
The shoulder section of the three-point seat belt should be positioned across the chest and shoulder (see illustration).
The shoulder belt must never be placed behind the child's back or under the arm.
To fold down the booster cushion:
To fold up the booster cushion:
Sedans/Wagons (certain models) - alt.2
With the child properly seated on the booster cushion (see illustration), adjust the head restraint to support the child's head (see page 3:3).
The hip section of the three-point seat belt must fit snugly across the child's hips, not across the stomach.
The shoulder section of the three-point seat belt should be positioned across the chest and shoulder (see illustration).
The shoulder belt must never be placed behind the child's back or under the arm.
To fold down the booster cushion:
To fold up the booster cushion:
WARNING! Failure to follow the instructions on this page will increase the risk of your child being injured during a sudden stop or collision.
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pg. 3:10 Child safety (cont.) |
Child safety
Volvo recommends the proper use of restraint systems for all occupants including children. Remember that, regardless of age and size, a child should always be properly restrained in a car.
Restraint systems for children are designed to be secured in the vehicle by lap belts or the lap portion of a lap-shoulder belt. Such child restraint systems can help protect children in cars in the event of an accident only if they are used properly. However, children could be endangered in a crash if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle. Failure to follow the installation instructions for your child restraint can result in your child striking the vehicle's interior in a sudden stop.
Holding a child in your arms is NOT a suitable substitute for a child restraint system. In an accident, a child held in a person's arms can be crushed between the vehicle's interior and an unrestrained person. The child could also be injured by striking the interior, or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or impact. The same can also happen if the infant or child rides unrestrained on the seat. Other occupants should also be properly restrained to help reduce the chance of injuries or increasing the injury of a child. All states and provinces have legislation governing how and where children should be carried in car. Find out the regulations existing in your state or province. Recent accident statistics have shown that children are safer in rear seating positions than front seating positions when properly restrained. A child restraint system can help protect a child in a vehicle. Here's what to look for when selecting a child restraint system:
When a child has outgrown the child safety seat, you should use the rear seat with the standard seat belt fastened. The best way to help protect the child here is to place the child on a cushion (not available in Canada) so that the seat belt is properly located on the hips (see previous page).
A specially designed and tested booster cushion for children between 22.7 - 36 kg (50 - 80 lbs) and 117 - 137 cm (46 - 54") can be obtained from your Volvo dealer.
If necessary, an auxiliary seat for children is available for use in the luggage compartment of station wagon models. This seat is designed for two children, each weighing between 23 - 40 kg (50 - 88 lbs.) and up to 150 cm (59 inches) in height.
WARNING!
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Seat belt maintenance
Check periodically that the anchor bolts are secure and that the belts are in good condition. Use water and a mild detergent for cleaning. Check seat belt mechanism function as follows:
Attach the seat belt and pull rapidly on the strap.
WARNING! Check other traffic before performing the following check. |
Brake firmly from approximately 30 mph (50 km/h) or turn in a tight circle while pulling on the belt.
In the above checks you should not be able to pull the belt out.
Volvo Concern for Safety
Safety is the cornerstone for Volvo. Our concern dates back to 1927 when the first Volvo rolled off the production line. Three-point seat belts, safety cages, and energy-absorbing impact zones were designed into Volvo cars long before it was fashionable or required by government regulation. We will not compromise our commitment to safety. We continue to seek out new safety features and to refine those already in our cars. You can help. We would appreciate hearing your suggestions about improving automobile safety. We also want to know if you ever have a safety concern with your car.
Occupant safety
How safely you drive doesn't depend on how old you are but rather on:
Reporting Safety Defects in the U.S.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Volvo Cars of North America. If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your retailer, or Volvo Cars of North America. To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NHSTA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington D.C. 20590. You can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.
