Pocket Keep this instruction manual for future use. Store instruction manual in pocket on back of seat pad. © 2009 Combi USA, Inc. Combi USA, Inc. • 1962 Hwy 160 West, Suite #100 • Fort Mill, SC 29708-8027 • For technical questions, call 1-800-992-6624 • Fax 1-803-548-3663 • www.combi-intl.com CCS0294 - 04/09 Instruction Manual Convertible Car Seat 5 to 40 lbs. (2.
1 Section 1. Section 2. Section 3. Section 4. Section 5. Section 6. Section 7. Section 8. Section 9. Section 1 - Table of Contents Table of Contents..............................................................................................................................1 Warnings...........................................................................................................................................3 Proper Use Check List..............................................................
Section 2 - Warnings WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • Failure to follow these instructions and car seat labels can result in injury or death to a child from striking the vehicle’s interior during a sudden stop or crash. • Use only in a rear-facing position when using this car seat with an infant less than one year old and weighing less than 20 pounds (9 kg). • Use only with children who weigh between 5 and 40 pounds (2.3 and 18 kg) and whose height is 40 inches (102 cm) or less.
5 Section 3 - Proper Use Check List WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • • • • • • • • • WARNING: AIR BAGS • Do not use this car seat rear-facing in a vehicle front seating location with an air bag. Child's head and back may be seriously injured when an inflating air bag hits back of car seat. • Owners of vehicles with front passenger side air bags should refer to their vehicle owner’s manual for child restraint installation instructions. Proper use is required.
7 Section 5 - Car Seat Parts Seat Pad Head Pillow Harness Slots Base LATCH Connector Storage Bar Shoulder Harness Strap Harness Adjuster Strap Shoulder Harness Cover LATCH Hook-on Connector Chest Clip Tru-Safe Buckle with Crotch Strap Recline Lever Infant Head Insert Steel Pin LATCH Lower Anchor Belt LATCH Lower Anchor Belt Tether Strap Adjuster Harness Adjuster (Under Fabric Pad) Infant Seat Insert LATCH Hook-on Connector LATCH Lower Anchor Belt Adjuster Tummy Pad Rotation Lever LATC
9 Section 6 - Use Recommendations WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • All children less than one year old and 20 lbs. (9 kg) must use this car seat rear-facing. Serious crippling injury or death can result if infant faces front of vehicle. Height and Weight Limits: This child restraint is designed for use only by children whose: - Weight is between 5 and 40 pounds (2.3 and 18 kg) and, - Height is between 19 and 40 inches (48 and 102 cm).
11 Section 7 - Preparing Car Seat For Use WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • For proper harness fit and crash protection: - Infant seat insert MUST be used for infants less than 25 lbs. (11.4 kg). Rear-facing Use - Infants less the 33 lbs. (15 kg) and 36 inches (91 cm): Top Harness Slots - Infant seat insert must be used for rear-facing use for infants less than 25 lbs. (11.4 kg). To install infant insert, see “Infant Insert” section. - Shoulder harness position: a.
13 Section 9 - Changing Car Seat Use Position (Rear-facing and Forward-facing) WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • Car seat MUST be locked in position when vehicle is in motion. • NEVER travel with seat facing to the side. Seat MUST always be locked in the rear-facing or forward-facing position. • When rear-facing, infant MUST face the rear of the vehicle. To change to rear-facing position: 1. 2. 3. 4. Move rotation lever into unlocked position 1 (fig. a). Lift and hold recline lever up 2 .
15 Section 10 - Selecting A Vehicle Seating Location WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • DO NOT use this child restraint rear-facing in a vehicle front seating location with an air bag. Child’s head and neck may be seriously injured when an inflating air bag hits back of child restraint. • Never put a car seat in a vehicle front seating location unless recommended in vehicle owner’s manual.
17 Options For Securing A Car Seat, continued: 2. Vehicle Seat Belt and Top Tether Strap: If your vehicle does not have the LATCH System, the car seat MUST be secured to the vehicle using a vehicle seat belt and top tether strap as required. Check vehicle owner’s manual for seating locations recommended for car seat use and location of top tether anchorages. NOTE: Tether strap should always be used when a tether anchor is available. The tether is used for both rear-facing and forward-facing use.
19 Section 12 - Installation - With LATCH WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • LATCH belt MUST stay tightly adjusted around car seat at all times. • Only use the car seat LATCH System in vehicle seating locations designated by the vehicle manufacturer for use with LATCH and that have an anchor spacing of 11 inches (280 mm). • LATCH connectors must be secured to the vehicle LATCH anchors only.
8 21 Position the lower anchor belt into the red belt path channel (fig. e). NOTE: The lower anchor belt will roll or fold over and will not lay flat in the belt channel. This is normal and will not affect performance. Belt Path Channel WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • LATCH Lower Anchor Belt must be properly routed through the red belt path channel. DO NOT route LATCH belt below red belt path channel. • DO NOT route LATCH belt Belt Path through Channel shoulder belt lock-off.
14 23 Snugly adjust tether strap by pulling on free end. 15 Check for secure installation. Gripping side of base, pull car seat front to back and left to right to check for secure installation (fig. l). LATCH belt MUST stay tight. - If LATCH belt does not stay tight or car seat cannot be securely installed, try a different LATCH location or use the vehicle’s seat belt to secure the car seat. 16 For rear-facing use, rotate the seat into the rear-facing use position.
25 Section 13 - Installation - With Vehicle Seat Belts WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • Not all vehicle seat belts can be used with this car seat. Read vehicle owner’s manual and “Vehicle Seat Belts” section in this manual. • Vehicle seat belt MUST stay tightly adjusted around car seat at all times. If vehicle seat belt does not stay tight, read the vehicle owner’s manual and “Vehicle Seat Belts” section in this manual.
27 - Open shoulder belt lock-off on side of base opposite vehicle seat belt buckle. Rotate locking tab down and lift lock-off cover (fig. d). - Position shoulder belt in shoulder belt lock-off and close shoulder belt lock-off onto shoulder belt (fig. d). Push lock-off cover down and rotate locking tab up. - Buckle vehicle seat belt and tighten lap belt to remove all slack. Shoulder Belt Lock-off Lock-off Cover Locking Tab (fig.
29 10 Locate the tether anchor for the seating location being used. NOTE: Check vehicle owners manual for tether anchor location. DO NOT use cargo tie downs or other attachment points not intended for use with car seats. (A) - Attach top tether hook (A) to vehicle top tether anchor hardware (B) (fig. e) and pull strap to tighten top tether removing any slack. Check that the tether strap is not twisted and tighten the tether strap to remove all slack. NOTE: 1.
31 Section 14 - Rear-facing Use Rear-facing use for 5 to 33 lbs. (2.3 to 15 kg) and up to 36 inches (91 cm) tall WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • DO NOT use this child restraint rear-facing in a vehicle front seating location with an air bag. Child’s head and neck may be seriously injured when an inflating air bag hits back of child restraint. • Car seat MUST be locked in position whenever vehicle is in motion. • NEVER travel with seat facing the side.
33 Section 15 - Forward-facing Use Forward-facing use for 20 to 40 lbs. (9 to 18 kg) WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • All children less than one year old and 20 lbs. (9 kg) MUST use this car seat rear-facing. Serious crippling injury or death can result if infant faces front of vehicle. • NEVER travel with seat facing the side. Seat MUST always be locked in the forward-facing position.
35 Section 16 - Securing Child In Car Seat WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • Keep harness straps snug and positioned on shoulders and thighs. • For proper harness fit: - Infant seat insert MUST be used with small infants less than 25 lbs. (11.4 kg). - Discontinue use of the infant inserts when shoulder belts become too short to fit infant or when forward-facing, child’s shoulders are above top harness slots.
37 3 Place child in car seat with back and rump contacting seating surfaces (fig. d). For rear-facing use, seat may be rotated toward side of vehicle (fig. e) to assist in securing and removing infant. - Lift recline lever and rotate seat to side. - Place child in seat or remove child. - Rotate back and lock into the rear-facing position. (fig. d) If seat does not rotate, check that: • Harness shield is properly secured and shoulder harness straps are properly stored.
39 Section 17 - Operation and Adjustments 17a. Harness Use and Adjustment WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • Harness MUST be snugly adjusted around child. 1 Tru-Safe Buckle Operation: • To buckle: Buckle Tongues - Place top of buckle tongues together 1 and insert buckle tongues into buckle 2 (fig. a). - Pull up on tongues to be sure they are locked. NOTE: A green indicator will appear in the window below the buckle release button when tongues are locked in the buckle.
41 Top Harness Slots 17b. Changing Shoulder Harness Positions Rear-facing - Shoulder harness straps must be through harness slots at or just below child’s shoulders. - Use the top, middle or lowest sets of harness slots for rear-facing (fig. e). Forward-facing - Shoulder harness straps must be at or above shoulders. - Use only the middle or top harness slots for forward-facing (fig. f). - Discontinue use of car seat if child’s shoulders are above top harness slots.
43 4. Remove loops at ends of both shoulder harness straps from metal harness plate (fig. k). Metal Harness Plate 5. From front of car seat pull shoulder harness straps out of seat and seat pad (fig. l). (fig. k) (fig. l) 3 Reassembly of shoulder harness straps and harness shield: WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • To prevent ejection in a crash, the sewn loops on the shoulder harness straps MUST be properly attached to the metal harness plate.
45 5. Connect shoulder harness straps to metal harness plate. - Pull metal harness plate out and make sure belt is not twisted. - Pull right shoulder harness strap out and slide entire sewn loop into slot on right side of metal harness plate (fig. n) and (fig. p). NOTE: Make sure that the sewn loop is completely within the slot of the metal harness plate (fig. p) and that the shoulder harness strap is not twisted. - Repeat for left shoulder harness strap.
17c. Head Pillow: 47 To remove head pillow: 1. From back of car seat, remove lower straps from adjuster buckle on top straps. 2. From front of car seat, pull head pillow lower straps out of harness slots. To attach head pillow: Head pillow must be secured through slots at or above slots used for shoulder harness straps. Top Strap 1. Thread lower straps on head pillow through harness slots where shoulder harness straps are routed. 2. Place top straps over top of seat back. 3.
49 Section 18 - Vehicle Seat Belts Design and operation of vehicle seat belt systems vary from vehicle to vehicle and from seating location to seating location in the same vehicle. Not all vehicle seat belts can be used with a child restraint. Refer to this section for information on the various types of vehicle seat belt systems. WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • Not all vehicle seat belts can be used with a car seat.
Lap Belts - With Retractor 51 Lap belts with retractors (fig. d) may or may not hold a car seat securely. Follow these steps to determine if you have a retractor system that will hold car seat securely: a. Pull belt all the way out. b. Allow belt to retract about 6 inches (15 cm). c. Pull out on belt again. If belt is locked and you cannot pull the belt out any further, you have an Automatic Locking Retractor which may be used with a car seat.
53 Combination Lap/Shoulder Belt with Locking Latch Plate Vehicle seat belts with locking latch plates (fig. h) normally hold a car seat tightly. However in some cases, the locking latch plate on some seat belts may slip and loosen after being buckled on car seat if positioned at a certain angle. If this happens, flip the latch plate over and re-buckle. Test installation again to see if this works. If not, move car seat to another seating location. Flip (fig.
55 Section 20 - Care and Cleaning Remove Shoulder Harness Covers, Seat Pad, Head Pillow and Infant Inserts: - Remove infant inserts, see “Infant Insert” section. - Remove head pillow, see “Head Pillow” section. - Remove shoulder harness covers. See “Changing Shoulder Harness Position” section. - Remove harness straps from pad and harness strap cover, see “Changing Shoulder Harness Position” section. - Remove seat pad - unsnap pad at front, unhook 2 pad retainers on each side and lift pad off seat back.
57 Section 22 - Re-Use After A Crash WARNING - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur • DO NOT allow any re-use of this car seat after a crash unless crash and car seat meet ALL conditions in “Re-use After A Crash” section of this manual. Do not sell or allow others to use a car seat that has been in a crash and does not comply with ALL of these conditions. Car seats are damaged in vehicle crashes and in many cases, the car seat must be destroyed and replaced.
