Buick Encore: Child Restraints / Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System)

The LATCH system secures a child restraint during driving or in a crash. LATCH attachments on the child restraint are used to attach the child restraint to the anchors in the vehicle. The LATCH system is designed to make installation of a child restraint easier.

In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you need a child restraint that has LATCH attachments. LATCH-compatible rear-facing and forward-facing child seats can be properly installed using either the LATCH anchors or the vehicle’s seat belts. Do not use both the seat belts and the LATCH anchorage system to secure a rear-facing or forward-facing child seat.

Booster seats use the vehicle’s seat belts to secure the child and the booster seat. If the manufacturer recommends that the booster seat be secured with the LATCH system, this can be done as long as the booster seat can be positioned properly and there is no interference with the proper positioning of the lap-shoulder belt on the child.

Make sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint, and also the instructions in this manual.

When installing a child restraint with a top tether, you must also use either the lower anchors or the seat belts to properly secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed using only the top tether and anchor.

For a forward-facing 5-pt harness child restraint where the combined weight of the child and restraint are up to 29.5 kg (65 lb), use either the lower LATCH anchorages with the top tether anchorage, or the seat belt with the top tether anchorage. Where the combined weight of the child and restraint are greater than 29.5 kg (65 lb), use the seat belt with the top tether anchorage only.