Graco 4Ever All-in-one Car Seat User Manual

Graco 4Ever All-in-one Car Seat

Table of Contents

Safety Warnings

No car seat can guarantee protection from injury in every situation, but proper use helps reduce the risk of serious injury or death. READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY.

Review your vehicle owner’s manual for more information about airbags and car seat use.
If your vehicle does not have a back seat, review your vehicle owner’s manual.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommend that children be rear-facing until age 2 or until they reach the maximum rear-facing height and weight rating for their seat.
Choose the correct mode of use for the car seat depending on your child’s size. Infants less than 20 lbs. (9 kg) MUST use this car seat rear-facing.
Select a suitable location for the car seat in your vehicle.
Secure the car seat with a vehicle seat belt or LATCH that is properly routed as shown in this manual.
The vehicle seat belt system MUST hold the car seat securely. Not all vehicle seat belts can be used with a car seat.
If the vehicle seat belt does not hold the car seat securely, read “Vehicle Seat Belts” section 8-F and your vehicle owner’s manual.
Always secure a car seat with LATCH or a vehicle seat belt, even when unoccupied. In a crash, an unsecured car seat can injure passengers.
If the car seat is in a crash, it must be replaced. DO NOT use it again! A crash can cause unseen damage and using it again could result in serious injury or death.
DO NOT use a car seat if it is damaged or missing parts.
DO NOT use accessories or parts other than those provided by Graco. Their use could alter the performance of the car seat.
DO NOT remove the LATCH system from the car seat. If using a vehicle seat belt to secure the car seat, LATCH connectors must be stored.
Never leave a child unattended, even when sleeping. The child may become tangled in harness straps and suffocate or
strangle.
Rear-facing car seat must be properly leveled:
- Too reclined can result in injury or ejection.
- Being too upright can result in breathing difficulties.
Never attach two LATCH connectors to one vehicle’s lower anchor point unless specifically allowed by the vehicle manufacturer.
Do not use both the vehicle belt and LATCH belts at the same time when using the car seat rear or forward facing.

Right Mode of Use

Note: Preterm or low birth weight infants may be at special risk in a vehicle or aircraft. According to the AAP, these infants may suffer breathing issues if improperly reclined in a car seat. When rear-facing, use the corrected age for preemies. Graco advises that you have your physician or hospital staff evaluate your infant and recommend the proper car seat or car bed before you and your infant leave the hospital.

Install Cup Holders

Cup Holders

To attach the cup holders, match the right cup holder to the right side of the seat and the left to
the left. Align the tab on the cup holder with a slot in the seat and slide down. You will hear a “Click” when they are secured in place.

Car Seat Features

A Headrest/Harness Adjustment Lever
B Headrest
C Booster Shoulder Belt Guide
D Headrest Infant Pillow
E Infant Body Pillow
F Harness Covers
G Harness Straps
H Chest Clip
I Buckle
J Harness Release Lever (under flap)
K Harness Adjustment Strap
L Recline Handle
M Seat Base
N Cup Holder
A Level Indicator
B Top Tether Strap
C LATCH Strap
D Forward-Facing Belt Path
E Booster Lap Belt Path
F Recline Position Indicator
G Rear-Facing Belt Path
H Rear-Facing LATCH Strap Storage (under seat)
A Top Tether Strap Storage
Forward-Facing LATCH Strap Storage
C Instruction Manual Storage

Rear-Facing

Rear-Facing: 4-40 lbs (1.8-18 kg)

Place the car seat rear-facing in the vehicle’s back seat.
Make sure the LATCH strap or vehicle seat belt is routed through the rear-facing belt path marked with a blue label.
Install this car seat tightly in your vehicle. The car seat should not move at the rear-facing belt path more than 1 in. (2.5 cm) from side to side, front to back.
Check the recline level making sure the bubble is within the blue area.
Harness straps need to be even with or just below the top of the child’s shoulders and the chest clip is at armpit level.
Infants who weigh less than 20 lbs (9 kg) MUST be rearfacing.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and NHTSA recommend that children be rearfacing until the age of 2 or until they reach the maximum rearfacing height and weight. This car seat can remain rear-facing up to 40 lbs.

Prepare to Install LATCH Rear-Facing

Remove LATCH Strap from Storage Location Push in on the red buttons on the LATCH connectors and remove from storage position.
Recline the Car Seat Place the car seat in 1st, 2nd or 3rd recline position.
Make Sure LATCH Strap is in the Rear-Facing Belt Path Marked With a Blue Label If correct, skip to section 3-C. Continue to next step if it is not.
Loosen Harness Straps Lift up on the harness release lever while pulling out on the harness straps at the chest clip.
Raise Headrest Squeeze the red handle and lift the headrest up.
Unsnap Pad and Expose Seat Pan Undo the 2 snaps and pull the bottom of the seat pad to expose the plastic shell.
Pull LATCH Connectors Out of Forward-Facing Belt Path
Slide the Entire LATCH Strap Along the Bar to the Front of the Seat
Push Each Connector Into the Rear-Facing Belt Path in Front of the Crotch Belt
Replace the Seat Pad Move the headrest back to its proper position for your child.

Forward-Facing

Forward-Facing: 20-65 lbs (9-30 kg) 49 inches (125 cm) or less

For children 20-40 lbs (9-18 kg) you MUST use recline position 4.
Place the car seat forward-facing in the vehicle’s back seat.
Make sure the LATCH strap or vehicle seat belt is routed through the forward-facing belt path marked with an orange label.
Do not use the lower anchors of the child restraint anchorage system (LATCH system) to attach this child restraint when restraining a child weighing more than 42 lbs (19 kg) with the internal harnesses of the child restraint.
Install this car seat tightly in your vehicle. The car seat should not move at the forward-facing belt path more than 1 in. (2.5 cm) from side to side, front to back.
Harness straps need to be even with or just above the top of the child’s shoulders and the chest clip is at armpit level.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and NHTSA recommend that children be rear-facing until the age of 2 or until they reach the maximum rear-facing height and weight. This car seat can remain rear-facing up to 40 lbs.

Prepare to Install LATCH Forward-Facing

Remove LATCH Strap from Storage Location Push in on the red buttons on the LATCH connectors and remove it from the storage position.
Adjust the Car Seat Place the car seat in the 4th, 5th or 6th recline position.For Children 20-40 lbs
(9-18 kg) MUST use recline position 4.
Make Sure LATCH Strap is in the Forward-Facing Belt Path Marked with Orange Label If correct, skip to section 4-C. Continue to the next step if it is not.To Move LATCH Strap to Forward-Facing Belt Path
Loosen Harness Straps Lift up on the harness release lever while pulling out on the harness straps at the chest clip.
Raise Headrest Squeeze the red handle and lift the headrest up.
Unsnap Pad and Expose Seat Pan Undo the 2 snaps and pull the bottom of the seat pad to expose the plastic shell.
Pull LATCH Connectors Out of Rear-Facing Belt Path
Slide the Entire LATCH Strap Up Along the Bar to the Top
Push Each Connector Into the Forward-Facing Belt Path
Replace the Seat Pad Move the headrest back to its proper position for your child.

Belt-Positioning Booster

Booster Use With Back: 30-100 lbs (14-45 kg) 38-57 in. (96-145 cm) at least 3 years old Booster Use Without Back: 40-120 lbs (18.1-54 kg) 40-57 in. (101-145 cm) at least 4 years old

Place the car seat forward-facing in the vehicle’s back seat.
Make sure the vehicle seat’s lap belt is adjusted snugly lays low on the child’s hip and is routed behind the armrest in the booster’s belt path.
Vehicle belts MUST lie flat against the child and MUST NOT be twisted.
The vehicle seat’s shoulder belt is adjusted snugly and should lie between the child’s neck and the edge of the shoulder.
Never use a vehicle lap-only belt across the front of the child.
DO NOT position the vehicle shoulder belt under the child’s arm or back.
DO NOT allow a child to slouch or slide down in the booster seat.
DO NOT position the vehicle belt over the top of the armrests.
The vehicle’s seat headrest SHOULD NOT create a gap between the vehicle seat and the booster seat.
The front of the booster seat MUST NOT hang over the front of the vehicle seat.
If the child will not keep the vehicle belt properly positioned, DO NOT use this booster seat. Use a different car seat.

Securing Child 5-point Harness

Loosen Harness Straps Lift up on the harness release lever while pulling out on the harness straps at the chest clip. Unbuckle the chest clip and the crotch buckle. Place harness straps off to the sides.
Place Your Child in the Seat Make sure their back is flat against the car seat back. Avoid bulky or heavy clothing. Doing so will prevent the harness straps from being tightened properly. Place a blanket over the child after you have secured the child.
Place Harness Straps Over the Child’s Shoulders and Buckle You will hear a “click” when buckle tongues are securely attached. Pull up on each buckle’s tongue to make sure it is securely attached.
Be sure the Harness Straps Are at the Proper Height Rear-Facing: Harness straps should be at or just below the child’s shoulders. The top of the head must be 1 in. below the headrest adjustment lever Forward-Facing: Harness straps should be at or just above the child’s shoulders. Top of child’s ears below the top of the headrest.
To Raise or Lower Headrest/Harness Adjustment Lever Squeeze the adjustment lever and lift or lower the headrest for the proper harness height.
Check the Crotch Buckle Position The correct slot is the one that is closest to your child without being underneath your child.
To Adjust the Crotch Strap Recline the car seat and locate the metal retainer under the car seat shell.
Rotate the Metal Retainer and Insert It Up Through the Shell and Pad From the top of the car seat, pull the crotch buckles out.
Insert the Metal Retainer in the New Crotch Buckle Slot Reach underneath the car seat and pull the metal retainer through.
Pull Up on Crotch Strap to Make Sure it is Secured
Buckle the Chest Clip You will hear a “click” when the chest clip is securely buckled.
Pull All the Slack Out From Around the Waist Pull up on the harness strap while pushing the chest clip down. Do this to both sides.
Tighten the Harness by Pulling the Harness Adjustment Strap When you are not able to pinch any of the harness webbing at your child’s shoulder, the harness is tight enough. A snug harness should not allow any slack. It lies in a relatively straight line without sagging. It does not press on the child’s flesh or push the child’s body into an unnatural position.
Raise the Chest Clip to Child’s Armpit Level

Choosing Vehicle Seat Location

Review your vehicle owner’s manual for seating locations.

The best seating location for this car seat is one that:

Is recommended by your vehicle owner’s manual, and
Results in a secure installation of this car seat

According to accident statistics, the safest place for your child in any vehicle is the back seat. The center of the back seat can be the safest during a possible side impact.

Some vehicles have specific requirements for where the car seat can be installed, so be sure to check your vehicle owner’s manual for available seating positions, if any. For example, sometimes the center rear seat has a lap belt only vehicle seat belt, which cannot be used when this car seat is in Booster mode.

In the event there is no available back seat and / or you have no other option than to place a child other than an infant in a rear-facing car seat in a front passenger seating position, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that you take the following steps:

Ensure the child is properly restrained according to their age and size
Move the seat as far back as possible
Make sure the child is not leaning out of position, such as leaning forward into the deployment path of the air bag
Set the air bag ON-OFF switch, if available, to the OFF position
Move the seat as far back as possible

Unsafe Vehicle Seat Locations

Never install this car seat in any of the following vehicle seating locations:

What is LATCH?

This car seat can be installed using your vehicle’s LATCH system, if your vehicle is equipped with LATCH. All 2003 and newer model year vehicles are required to have a LATCH system, although some manufacturers began including LATCH earlier.

Some vehicle owner manuals use the term ISOFIX to identify the LATCH system. LATCH consists of lower anchors and top tether anchors, 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 seat belt to secure the child seat to the vehicle. Top tethers are used IN ADDITION to the lower anchors OR the vehicle’s seat belt to secure a forward-facing car seat to the vehicle.

Review your vehicle’s owner manual for exact location and use.

Typical seat in a passenger vehicle. Other vehicle types may have different LATCH locations.

Choosing LATCH or Seat Belts

This car seat can be installed in your vehicle using either the vehicle seat belt OR the LATCH system. The LATCH system allows you to securely attach your safety seat in your car without using the vehicle seat belt and possibly to get a better fit. For more information on LATCH and how to determine if your vehicle is equipped with LATCH, see section

What is LATCH?.

For seating positions equipped with LATCH, experts recommend trying the LATCH installation first and only using the seat belt in that seating position if LATCH, for some reason, results in a looser fit. If you want to use the center rear seat and LATCH is not available in that position (check the vehicle owner’s manual), try the seat belt to be sure you can get a tight installation. If you cannot, try using LATCH in a different seating position.

Remember to only use LATCH in seating positions recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. Do not use the lower anchors of the child restraint anchorage system (LATCH system) to attach this child restraint when restraining a child weighing more than 42 lbs (19 kg) with the internal harnesses of the child restraint.

How to Remove LATCH and Tether

LATCH
To remove the LATCH from the lower anchors, push in on the red buttons and pull them off

Top Tether
To remove, lift up on the tether lock to release the tension. Press in on the hook’s spring. Push tether hook in, then lift up and pull away from tether anchor.

Vehicle Seat Belts

Review your vehicle owner’s manual for vehicle seat belt use

This car seat can be installed using a vehicle seat belt. To do this, you will need to change the seat belt to a locked mode for use with car seats. With some vehicle seat belts, this is done with the latchplate; with other vehicle seat belts, this is done with the retractor.

Vehicle Seat Belt Terms

Lap/Shoulder Belt Installation – Rear-Facing/Forward-Facing Modes

Always review your vehicle owner’s manual for specific information about your vehicle seat belts. There are three types of retractors: ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor), ALR (Automatic Locking Retractor) , and Switchable (ELR switch to ALR). To determine your type of retractor, follow these steps:

Slowly pull the belt out about halfway and stop.
Let the belt retract back several inches.
Try to slowly pull the belt out more. If the belt cannot be pulled any further, it is ALR. If it can be pulled further, go to the next step.
Slowly pull the belt all the way out, and then allow it to retract several inches.
Try to pull the belt all the way out again. If it cannot be pulled out, it is Switchable. If it can still be pulled out freely, it is ELR.
Note: Most vehicles manufactured after 1996 will have Switchable retractors in the back seat. If you have any questions about your retractor type, consult your vehicle owner’s manual or call Graco for assistance.

How to Lock Your Lap and Shoulder Vehicle Seat Belt

Sliding Latch Plate and Switchable Retractor
A latchplate that slides freely on the belt webbing and cannot, by itself, hold the belt snug around a car seat. When installing the car seat, route the vehicle seat belt through the proper belt path and buckle it in. Slowly pull the shoulder belt all the way out to switch it to locking mode. Then, as you pull the vehicle seat belt tight, feed all the slack back into the retractor. Grab the sides of the seat at the belt path and slide the seat side-to-side and front-to-back. The seat should not move more than 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Note: With the vehicle seat belt in this locking mode, all the tension is upwards in the shoulder belt. This may start to tilt your car seat sideways. If this happens, use a locking clip instead of this switching the retractor. See Sliding Latch Plate and ELR Retractor.

For more manuals by Graco, visit ManualsLibraryy

Graco 4Ever All-in-one Car Seat-FAQs

When should I change my Graco 4Ever to a booster?

You should switch to a booster once your child reaches the maximum weight or height for the forward-facing mode. It’s also recommended to use a belt-positioning booster seat when your child is 4′ 9″ tall or under.

What are the rules for rear-facing with the Graco 4Ever?

1. 4-22 lb (1-8 kg), less than 1 year old: Must be rear-facing.
2. 22-40 lb (10-18 kg): Should remain rear-facing.
3. 22-40 lb (10-18 kg) and can sit unassisted: Can switch to forward-facing.
4. 40-65 lb (18-30 kg): Should be forward-facing.

When should I move to a backless booster?

Your child should be at least 38 inches tall and weigh at least 40 pounds before transitioning to a backless booster seat. It’s also recommended that your child is at least 4 years old for both physical and maturity reasons.

When can I remove the Graco 4Ever infant insert?

There is no specific age or weight limit for removing the infant insert. It should be removed when the child no longer needs the extra support.

When should I switch to forward-facing?

Your child can switch to forward-facing once they have outgrown the rear-facing car seat, and they are at least 2 years old. They should use a 5-point harness until they reach 40 lb (18 kg) and can sit properly without moving out of position.

Do Graco 4Ever car seats expire?

Yes, the Graco 4Ever car seat expires 10 years from the date of manufacture, which is indicated on the seat.

What is the correct car seat angle for the Graco 4Ever?

The recommended angle is between 40º and 45º, ensuring your child’s head does not fall forward and reducing strain on the neck and head.

What is the height limit for Graco 4Ever in rear-facing mode?

The height limit for rear-facing is 43 inches.

Can the Graco 4Ever DLX be used on an airplane?

Yes, the Graco 4Ever DLX is certified for use on airplanes. It should only be used in forward-facing aircraft seats.

When should I remove the infant insert?

The infant insert should be removed when your child weighs 11 lbs. Ensure that the shoulder harness straps are positioned at or below your child’s shoulders.

Is it safe to use the Graco car seat without the base?

Yes, you can use the Graco car seat without the base by installing it with the vehicle seat belt. You should not use both the seat belt and the base at the same time.

When should I switch to a booster seat with the Graco 4Ever?

Once your child outgrows the harnessed car seat, they should use a Belt-Positioning Booster Seat until the vehicle seat belt fits properly. Typically, this happens when the child reaches 4′ 9″ tall, usually around ages 8-12.

Graco 4Ever All-in-one Car Seat User Manual Download

Graco 4Ever All-in-one Car Seat User Manual