Evenflo Platinum SafeMax Car Seat User Manual

Evenflo Platinum SafeMax Car Seat

WARNING

Air Bag Warnings

Rear-facing, Forward-facing, and Booster Use

• DO NOT use this child restraint in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with an air bag, unless the air bag has been deactivated. Interaction between a rearfacing restraint and airbags may cause serious injury or death. Airbags may cause serious injury or death to children 12 and under. If your vehicle has an airbag, refer to your vehicle owner’s manual for child restraint installation.
• If the rear seat of your vehicle is equipped with side airbags, refer to the following information for proper usage. Vehicles built before the 2002 model year: DO NOT use this restraint in a vehicle seating position equipped with a side air bag unless authorized by the vehicle manufacturer.
  Model year 2002 and newer vehicles:
  Refer to your vehicle owner’s manual before placing this restraint in a seating position equipped with a side airbag. DO NOT place any objects between the restraint and the side air bag, as an expanding air bag may cause the items to strike the child.

General Warnings

Rear-facing, Forward-facing, and Booster Use

• This product contains magnets. Before use, consult your family doctor about the compatibility of this product with pacemakers and similar devices
• Failure to follow installation instructions can result in the child striking the vehicle’s interior during a sudden stop or crash. Serious injury or death may result. These instructions and the instructions in your vehicle owner’s manual must be followed carefully. If there is a conflict between the two, the vehicle owner’s manual regarding child restraint installation must be followed.
• NEVER leave a child unattended.
• Children have STRANGLED in loose or partially buckled harness straps. Fully restrain the child.
• DO NOT use a child restraint if it is damaged, broken, or missing parts.
• DO NOT use this restraint if it has been involved in a crash. It must be replaced.
• DO NOT remove the back cover.
• NEVER use this child restraint without the headrest installed.

Location Warnings

Rear-facing, Forward-facing, and Booster Use

• ALWAYS read and follow exactly the instructions that accompany your vehicle and child restraint.
• According to statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in a rear seating position than in the front seating position. Generally, the center rear position is safest and should be used if available.
• Some child restraints do not fit all vehicles or all seating locations. There are many thousands of combinations of vehicle makes, models, child restraint configurations, vehicle seat belt designs, and seat cushion shapes. The easiest way to determine whether your child restraint is suitable for a particular seating position is to check for a tight installation. If the child restraint cannot be properly installed, DO NOT use the child restraint. Consult vehicle owner’s manual, try a different seating location, or call Evenflo for further assistance.
• ONLY use this child restraint on forward-facing vehicle seats. DO NOT use this restraint with vehicle seats that face the rear or side.
• ONLY use this child restraint on vehicle seats with backs that lock into place.

Storing Your Instructions

Visual Glossary

Your vehicle components may be significantly different from those pictured. Consult your owner’s manual to help you identify your vehicle components.

Back Seat

IMPORTANT: If your vehicle has side airbags, please refer to the warnings on page 2.

Front Seat

IMPORTANT: Consult your vehicle The owner’s manual to determine the proper placement of a child restraint in your vehicle and familiarize yourself with your vehicle’s components.

Child Seat Features

Front

* Not all features are available on all models. Styles may vary.

Back

Description

1. Shoulder Belt Guide
2. Harness Tabs
3. Seat Pad
4. Harness Straps
5. D-rings for Quick Connectors
6. Rear-facing Belt Path
7. Quick Connector (Shown in rear-facing belt path)
8. Base
9. Headrest*
10. Buckle Tongue Holder*
11. Cup Holder*
12. Access Flap
13. Chest Clip
14. Buckle
15. Crotch Strap
16. Harness Release Button (under access flap)
17. Access Flap for Harness Release Button
18. Harness Adjust Strap
19. Recline Lever
20. Headrest Adjust Lever
21. Instructions
22. Forward-facing Belt Path
23. Quick Connector (Shown in rear-facing belt path)
24. Base
25. Headrest*
26. Tether Strap and Hook (Shown fastened to storage clip)

Securing the Child in the Child Restraint

1. Loosen the harness.
   Press the harness release button on the front of the seat, then pull up on the harness strap behind the fastened chest clip.
2. Position harness straps.
   Unbuckle harness and unfasten chest clip (p. 18). Place the child in the child restraint. Bring each harness strap over each of the child’s shoulders. IMPORTANT: The baby’s back and bottom should be flat against the restraint. If there is a gap, the baby will not be comfortable.
3. Adjust harness straps.
   Grasping both harness tabs, slide downward until the harness straps are at the child’s shoulders.
4. Buckle the harness.
   Insert both buckle tongues into the buckle.
   Note: Pull up on the harness straps to ensure that the buckle tongues are fastened securely.
5. Remove all slack in the harness.
   Pull upward on the Harness straps near the hips, as shown, to ensure that all slack is removed.
6. Fasten and adjust the chest clip.
   Snap the two halves of the chest clip together, as shown, and slide to armpit level.
7. Tighten the harness.
   Pull the harness adjuster strap to tighten the harness. The harness straps must be snug against the child. A snug strap 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.
   Note: Make sure the chest clip is at armpit level. Check the harness straps near the shoulders for slack. You should NOT be able to pinch the harness (see illustration). Adjust as needed.

Removing the Child from the Child Restraint

1. Loosen harness straps.
   Press the harness release button on the front of the seat while pulling up on the harness strap behind the fastened chest clip.
2. Disconnect the chest clip.
   Push the release button and pull the chest clip apart.
3. Unbuckle the harness.
   Press the red button on the buckle and release both buckle tongues. You may now remove your child.

Using SafeMax™ in the Rear-facing Position

Child Requirements

• Weight: 2.3 to 18 kg (5 to 40 lbs)
• Height: 48 to 102 cm (19 to 40 inches) AND the top of the child’s head is at least 25 mm (1 inch) below the top of the child restraint headrest in either of its two lowest positions.

Rear-facing Installation Checklist

1. Secure the child restraint to the vehicle seat.
   • Restraint is securely locked in Recline Position #1 (p. 58).
   • Locking clip is installed, if necessary (p. 30).
   • The level line is level with the ground (p. 26/31). A towel/small blanket is rolled up and placed beneath the front edge of the base, if necessary.
   • Child restraint is securely installed with one of the following methods using the rear-facing belt path:
     • Quick Connectors (p. 22)
     • SureLatch Connectors (p. 22)
     • Vehicle Seat Belts (p. 28)
       Note: To determine which type of Lower Anchor Connector is on your child restraint, go to page 22.
2. Place the child in the child restraint.
   • The child’s back and bottom are flat against the back and bottom surfaces of the child restraint.
   • The top of the child’s head is at least 25 mm (1 inch) below the top of the child restraint headrest in either of its two lowest positions.
3. Make necessary adjustments.
   • Harness tabs MUST be at, or slightly below, shoulder level (p. 16).
   • The headrest is adjusted to either of the bottom two positions closest to the harness tabs (p. 58).
4. Fasten both buckle tongues. Refer to page 16.
5. Position and connect the chest clip.
   • Chest clip MUST be placed at armpit level (p. 17).
6. Check your work.
   • Harness straps are snug against the child’s shoulders, with no slack (p. 17).
   • To properly secure this child restraint, it MUST NOT move more than 25 mm (1 inch) from side to side or front to back at the rear-facing belt path.

TIP! To make installation easier, watch the installation video of this child restraint at www.evenflo.com.

Which Type of Lower Anchor Is on Your Child Restraint?

Your child restraint will have one of the two types of Lower Anchor Connectors shown below. Follow the instructions on the following pages to properly install the Lower Anchor Connector Assembly on your child restraint.

Moving Lower Anchor Connector Assembly to Rear-facing Belt Path

To install this child restraint properly in the rear-facing position, the Lower Anchor Connector Assembly MUST be in the rear-facing belt path, as shown on the next page (seat pad has been removed for clarity). If the Lower Anchor Connector Assembly is in the forward-facing belt path (shown on next page), use the following procedures to move it to the rear-facing belt path. To access the Lower Anchor Connector Assembly, you will first need to:

• Loosen internal harness straps (p. 16);
• Disconnect Quick Connector Lower Anchor Connectors or SureLatch Lower Anchor Connectors (p. 56);
• Remove the seat pad (p. 59).

Moving Lower Anchor Connector Assembly to Rear-facing Belt Path

Quick Connector

SureLatch

Moving Lower Anchor Connector Assembly to Rear-facing Belt Path

1. Remove Lower Anchor Connectors from the forward-facing belt path.
   Reach through the harness straps and remove each Lower Anchor Connector, one at a time.
2. Place each Lower Anchor Connector in the rear-facing belt path.IMPORTANT: Make sure the Lower Anchor Connector Assembly does not interfere with the internal harness straps.
   
3. Make sure the crotch buckle assembly is positioned in front of the Lower Anchor Connector Assembly, as shown.Note: Do not forget to install the seat pad before installing the child restraint in your vehicle.

Rear-facing Installation with Lower Anchor Connectors

IMPORTANT:

• If you are using the vehicle seat belt to secure the child restraint, DO NOT use Lower Anchor Connectors.
• DO NOT use the Tether Strap when the child restraint is in the rear-facing position.

1. Place the child restraint in position.
   Adjust the child restraint to the most reclined position (Recline Position #1, p. 58), then place it on the vehicle seat in the rear-facing position, as shown.
2. Attach Lower Anchor Connectors.
   Push a Lower Anchor Connector onto each vehicle Lower Anchor Bar.
   Note: You may need to vary the angle of the Lower Anchor Connectors, as shown above, to attach to the Lower Anchor Bars. Also, make sure the Lower Anchor Connector Assembly is in the rear-facing belt path (p. 23).
   IMPORTANT: Make sure both Quick Connectors or SureLatch Connectors are facing upward and the straps are not twisted.
3. Increase recline angle, if necessary.
   If the level line is not parallel to the ground, disconnect Lower Anchor Connectors and place a tightly rolled towel/small blanket beneath the front edge of the child restraint. Repeat Step 2IMPORTANT: Infants may have difficulty breathing when in a sitting position. Make sure they recline enough for their head to lie back comfortably and safely. Failure to properly recline the child restraint could increase the child’s risk of serious injury or death.
4. Ensure the child restraint is secure.
   To secure a child restraint that has Quick Connectors, go to Step 4a. To secure a child restraint that has SureLatch Connectors, go to Step 4b.
   • Secure the child restraint – Quick Connector.
     Using your full weight, push the child restraint firmly into the vehicle seat while pulling up on the Lower Anchor Strap to tighten, as shown.
     IMPORTANT: To properly secure this child restraint, it MUST NOT move more than 25 mm (1 inch) from side to side or front to back at the rear-facing belt path. If you cannot tightly secure the child restraint, try again or move it to another location.
   • Secure the child restraint – SureLatch Connector.
     Using your full weight, push the child restraint firmly into the vehicle seat, as shown, to lock in place.
     Note: In some vehicles, you may need to prop up the SureLatch Connector while pushing downward on the seat to secure it tightly. Repeat for the other SureLatch Connector.
     IMPORTANT: To properly secure this child restraint, it MUST NOT move more than 25 mm (1 inch) from side to side or front to back at the rear-facing belt path. If you cannot tightly secure the child restraint, try again or move it to another location.

Rear-facing Installation with Seat Belt

IMPORTANT:

• If you are using Lower Anchor Connectors to secure the child restraint, DO NOT use the vehicle seat belt.
• Before installing this child restraint rear-facing with the vehicle seat belt, you MUST move the Lower Anchor Connector Assembly to the forward-facing belt path so that it does not interfere with the vehicle seat belt. Refer
  to pages 34 to 36 for instructions on moving the Quick Connectors or SureLatch Connectors to the forward-facing belt path.
• Make sure the Quick Connectors or SureLatch Connectors are attached to the storage D-rings on the seat pad.
• Check your vehicle owner’s manual to determine how to lock your seat belt for child restraint installation. The seat belt must be locked to properly secure the child restraint.
• DO NOT use the Tether Strap when the child restraint is in the rear-facing position.

1. Place the child restraint in position.
   Adjust the child restraint to the most reclined position (Recline Position #1, p. 58), then place it on the vehicle seat in the rear-facing position, as shown.
2. Route the seat belt through the rear-facing belt path.
   Unhook the front of the seat pad and move it out of the way, as shown. Thread the vehicle seat belt buckle through the rear-facing belt path, as shown on the next page.IMPORTANT: Make sure the buckle/crotch strap is positioned in front of the vehicle seat belt.
3. Buckle your seat belt, then remove all slack from the seat belt.
   Using your full weight, push the child restraint firmly onto the vehicle seat while tightening the vehicle seat belt to remove excess slack.
4. Install Locking Clip (not included), if necessary.
   If your vehicle was built before model year 1996, and has a lap/shoulder belt that is equipped with an emergency locking retractor (ELR) AND sliding latch plate, you MUST use a Locking Clip. Check your vehicle owner’s manual to
   identify which vehicle belt system is in your vehicle. If your vehicle is model year 1996 or newer, it likely has a vehicle belt system that can be locked when tightened, and will not require use of a Locking Clip. Consult your vehicle owner’s manual before installing a Locking Clip. If your vehicle requires a Locking Clip, please call ParentLink PREMIER Service at 1-800-233-5921 (U.S.) or 1-937-773-3971 (Canada), or 01-800-706-12-00 (Mexico). to obtain a Locking Clip and instructions on how to install and use it.
5. Increase recline angle, if necessary.
   If the level line is not parallel to the ground, disconnect the seat belt and place a tightly rolled towel/small blanket beneath the front edge of the child restraint. Repeat Step 2.
   IMPORTANT: Infants may have difficulty breathing when in a sitting position. Make sure they recline enough for their head to lie back comfortably and safely. Failure to properly recline the child restraint could increase the child’s risk of serious injury or death.
6. Ensure the child restraint is secure. Reconnect the seat pad to the front of the restraint. With your hand holding the seat shell at the rear-facing belt path, as shown, try to move the child restraint from side to side. Then, holding the seat
   shell at each rear-facing belt path, try to move the restraint from front to back. For the child restraint to be properly secured, it MUST NOT move more than 25 mm (1 inch) from side to side or front to back at the belt path. If you cannot tightly secure the child restraint, try again or move it to another location.

WARNING

• Remove the Locking Clip from the vehicle seat belt when not used with a child restraint, or the vehicle seat belt will not properly restrain an adult or child. Serious injury could occur.
• DO NOT use a Locking Clip in booster mode.

Using SafeMax™ in the Forward-facing Position

Child Requirements

• Weight: 10 to 29.4 kg (22 to 65 lbs)
• Height: 71 to 127 cm (28 to 50 inches) AND the tops of the child’s ears are below the top of the child restraint headrest.
• Age: At least one year old

IMPORTANT
When installing this child restraint with Lower Anchor Connectors or the vehicle seat belt, always use the top anchorage (Tether) strap, if a Tether Anchor is available.

WARNING

If the child weighs more than 29.4 kg (65 lbs) OR their shoulders are above the highest harness level, you MUST use this child restraint as a booster seat.

Forward-facing Installation Checklist

1. Secure the child restraint to the vehicle seat.
   1. Restraint is securely locked into Recline Position #2 or #3 (p. 58).
   2. Locking clip is installed, if necessary (p. 44).
   3. If the child weighs 20.4 kg (45 lbs) or less, the child restraint is securely installed with one of the following methods through the forward-facing belt path:
      • Quick Connectors (p. 34)
      • SureLatch Connectors (p. 34)
      • Vehicle seat belts (p. 42)
        Note: To determine which type of Lower Anchor Connector is on your child restraint, go to page 34.
      • If the child weighs more than 20.4 kg (45 lbs), the child restraint is securely installed with the vehicle seat belt (not the Lower Anchor Connectors) through the forward-facing belt path (p. 42).
      • Tether Strap is attached and tightened (p. 41 or 46).
2. Place the child in the child restraint.
   • The child’s back and bottom are flat against the back and bottom surfaces of the child restraint.
   • The tops of the child’s ears MUST be below the top of the child restraint headrest.
3. Make necessary adjustments.
   • Harness tabs MUST be at shoulder level (p. 16).
   • The headrest is adjusted so that its bottom is nearest to the harness tabs (p. 58).
4. Fasten both buckle tongues. Refer to page 16.
5. Position and connect the chest clip.
   • Chest clip MUST be at armpit level (p. 17).
6. Check your work.
   • Harness straps are snug against the child’s shoulders, with no slack (p. 17).
   • To properly secure this child restraint, it MUST NOT move more than 25 mm (1 inch) from side to side or front to back at the forward-facing belt path.
     TIP! To make installation easier, watch the installation video of this child restraint at www.evenflo.com.

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Evenflo Platinum SafeMax Car Seat-FAQs