Instruction Manual Para instrucciones en Español, llamar al: 1-800-837-4044 www.centuryproducts.
TABLE OF CONTENTS This instruction manual is for: • NextStep DX Booster Car Seat • NextStep MX Booster Car Seat Instructions for these models are the same unless otherwise noted. ❃ Before You Begin Important Information.....................................1 Operations and Adjustments ..........................12 • Harness Straps • Harness Tie • Buckle • Recline • Armrests • Tether Strap • Changing Harness Strap Slots • Changing Crotch Strap Slots Harness System removal and re-assembly.....................
IMPORTANT INFORMATION No car seat can guarantee protection from injury in every situation, but proper use helps reduce the risk of serious injury or death. ❃ Safety First Check List ✔ Read and understand instruction manual and car seat labels. ❃ Registration Information Child restraints (car seats) could be recalled for safety reasons. You must register this restraint to be reached in a recall.
WARNINGS - Prevent serious injury or death: Failure to follow these instructions and car seat labels can result in child striking the vehicle’s interior during a sudden stop or accident. Secure child restraint with a vehicle seat belt as shown in this manual. Not all vehicle seat belts can be used with car seat.
WARNINGS - Prevent serious injury or death (continued): DO NOT use car seat if it is damaged or has missing parts. DO NOT use accessories or parts other than those provided by Century or Graco. Their use could alter the function of the car seat and cause serious injury or death. Never leave child unattended, even when sleeping.
BASIC INFORMATION ❃ Certification ❃ Unoccupied Car Seat With Harness System: Car seat meets or exceeds all applicable requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for use in motor vehicles and aircraft. Always secure car seat with a vehicle seat belt, even when unoccupied. An unsecured car seat can injure passengers. Without Harness System: Booster seat is certified for use in motor vehicles. Booster seat is NOT certified for use in aircraft.
HEIGHT and WEIGHT LIMITS ❃ With Harness System ❃ Outgrowing Car Seat Child MUST meet all of the following requirements: • Weight is 20 - 40 lbs. (9.1 - 18.1 kg). • Height is 27 - 43 inches (68.6 - 109.2 cm) tall. . • Child is able to sit upright unassisted • Child’s shoulders are not above top harness slots. * With Harness System 30 lbs. 40 lbs. 20 lbs. (9.1 kg) (13.6 kg) (18.1 kg) WARNING To avoid injuries from whiplash, top of child’s ears must be below top edge of headrest. 80 lbs. (36.
INSTALLATION - with harness system 1 Adjust car seat to semi-upright position and armrests to up position. 2 Place forward-facing on vehicle seat. 3 Lift seat pad flap, thread vehicle seat belt through openings and buckle belt (fig. a). 4 Press down firmly in center of car seat to compress vehicle seat cushion while tightening vehicle seat belt. HINT: Use your knee to press down in center of car seat (fig. b). 5 Pull front to back and left to right to check for secure installation (fig. c).
INSTALLATION - without harness system 1 Adjust car seat to upright or semi-upright position and armrests to up or down position 2 Place forward-facing on vehicle seating position with a vehicle lap/shoulder belt. . 3 Tether may be used to help stabilize booster seat: Attach tether hook (A) to anchor hardware (B) and tighten strap to remove any slack (fig. a). If tether anchor hardware (B) is not available, see “Installation of Anchor Hardware“ section.
PLACING CHILD IN CAR SEAT - with harness system Adjust harness system: WARNING Harness straps must be through slots at or just above shoulders. To prevent serious injury or death: • Vehicle seat belt must be routed through back of car seat when using harness system. 1 • Never place vehicle belt in front of child when using harness system. 2 • Do not use strap covers, blankets, cushions, or padding under harness straps or child unless provided by Century or Graco.
PLACING CHILD IN CAR SEAT - with harness system (continued) 3 2 (fig. a) (fig. b) (fig.
PLACING CHILD IN CAR SEAT - without harness system WARNING To prevent serious injury or death: • Shoulder belt MUST be properly positioned over shoulder (NOT touching child’s neck and NOT low off shoulder). Remove harness system (see “Harness System removal and re-assembly” section). 1 Place child in car seat with child’s back flat against back of car seat. 2 Place shoulder belt across child’s chest. 3 Buckle belt and pull shoulder belt to adjust lap belt snugly.
PLACING CHILD IN CAR SEAT - without harness system (continued) Loops (fig. a) (fig. b) (fig. c) (fig.
OPERATIONS and ADJUSTMENTS 1 Harness Straps (fig. a): 4 • To tighten: Pull lower belt tab. • Recline: Slide tab on front of car seat to allow recline foot to drop down. • To loosen: Pull upper belt tab while pulling harness straps. 2 • Upright: Slide and hold tab on front of car seat while pushing recline foot up. Release tab to lock foot. Harness Tie: • To open: Press tab and pull apart (fig. b). 5 • To close: Snap halves together. Make sure harness tie is locked by pulling out on each half.
OPERATIONS and ADJUSTMENTS (continued) Loosen Upper Belt Tighten Lower Belt Adjuster (fig. a) (fig. e) (fig. b) (fig. c) (fig.
OPERATIONS and ADJUSTMENTS 7 Changing Harness Strap Slots: MUST use slots at or just above shoulders. A Loosen harness straps. B Remove both harness strap loops from Splitter Plate on back of car seat (fig. f). C Change harness strap slots. Make sure harness straps are threaded through matching slot of seat pad and car seat. It may be necessary to remove seat pad from top of car seat. D Put right strap loop on Splitter Plate first, then attach left strap loop. (fig. f).
OPERATIONS and ADJUSTMENTS 8 (continued) Changing Crotch Strap Slots: MUST be in slot closest to but not under child. A Turn car seat upside down, pry metal rod loose using screwdriver and pull rod out of crotch strap end (fig. g). B Turn car seat upright and pull crotch strap and buckle out. C Change crotch strap slots. Thread looped end of crotch strap through slots in seat pad and shell (fig. h). D Slide metal rod through loop in crotch strap and press rod into car seat shell (fig. i).
HARNESS SYSTEM - removal and re-assembly Re-assembly: Removal: When re-assembling harness system, be sure harness straps are not twisted. Harness with Breast Plates: • Remove harness strap loops from Splitter Plates on back and bottom of car seat. 1 Thread Splitter Plate and looped end of harness straps down through slots in seat pad and car seat then connect harness strap loop to bottom Splitter Plate. • Pull harness strap out of car seat.
HARNESS SYSTEM - removal and re-assembly (continued) (Harness with Breast Plates) (Harness without Breast Plates) 2 2 1 4 Splitter Plate (Bottom) 3 Splitter Plate (Back) 17
VEHICLE SEAT BELTS WARNING Not all vehicle seat belts can be used with a car seat: • Car seat with harness system MUST be held securely at all times by a lap belt (or lap belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt) that will not change length while driving. • Car seat without harness system MUST be used with a lap/shoulder belt. To provide the most secure installation of the car seat: • Read the vehicle owner’s manual regarding car seat installation and seat belt use with car seat.
VEHICLE SEAT BELTS (continued) ❃ Lap Belts - Manually Adjustable With Harness System: 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 latch plate over (fig. a) and re-buckle. Test installation again to see if this works. If not, move car seat to another seating position. Flip Without Harness System: DO NOT use this type of vehicle seat belt to secure child and booster car seat. (fig.
VEHICLE SEAT BELTS (continued) ❃ Lap Belts - With Retractor With Harness System: Lap belts with retractors 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.
VEHICLE SEAT BELTS (continued) ❃ Passive Restraint - Lap Belt with Motorized Shoulder Belt With or Without Harness System: DO NOT use with any car seat. ❃ Passive Restraint - Lap or Shoulder Belt Mounted on Door With or Without Harness System: DO NOT use with any car seat. Belts will not stay tight while driving.
VEHICLE SEAT BELTS (continued) ❃ Belts Forward of Seat Crease Seat Crease With Harness System: Vehicle seat belts located forward of seat crease may not securely hold car seat. Check vehicle owner’s manual or see vehicle dealer for car seat installation requirements. If approved for use with car seat by vehicle manufacturer, install car seat and check for secure installation by pulling car seat front to back. If car seat slides forward, DO NOT use these seat belts. Without Harness System: OK to use.
VEHICLE SEAT BELTS (continued) ❃ Combination Lap/Shoulder Belt with Locking Latch Plate With Harness System: Flip OK to use. Follow vehicle owner’s manual for specific instructions on how to use vehicle seat belts. 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 (fig. b) and re-buckle. Test installation again to see if this works. If not, move car seat to another seating position.
VEHICLE SEAT BELTS (continued) ❃ Combination Lap/Shoulder Belt with Sliding Latch Plate With Harness System: Pull Pull on latch plate (fig. a). If belt slides freely through latch plate, a locking clip MUST be used. (See “Locking Clip”section.) (fig. a) Without Harness System: This vehicle seat belt system is OK to use with booster car seat.
VEHICLE SEAT BELTS (continued) ❃ Locking Clip WARNING 5 Test installation to see if car seat is secure. If not secure, additional belt tightening may be required: • Unbuckle vehicle seat belt. Avoid serious injury or death: • Hold belts together and remove locking clip. • Failure to use locking clip where required will result in car seat not being securely held in place. • Shorten length of lap belt portion slightly by pulling belt through latch plate.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ❃ Installation of Anchor Hardware Vehicle may already be equipped with a tether anchor (top strap anchor). See vehicle owner’s manual for location. If vehicle does not have a tether anchor, one must be installed: • Contact vehicle dealership for proper anchor location and installation. • Before installing anchor, install car seat on a vehicle seat and check that the lap belt portion of the vehicle belt will hold car seat securely.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (continued) ❃ Tether Storage Tether strap may be used with car seats when used as a belt positioning booster (without harness) to help keep the upper portion of the car seat stabilized. Read and follow instruction manual for use of car seat as a belt positioning booster. For storage of tether hook if not used with a belt position booster: • Adjust tether strap length so hook end is as short as possible. • Roll up loose end of strap.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (continued) ❃ Care & Cleaning Removing Seat Pads: 3 If using harness system, remove harness system (see Harness System - removing and re-assembly” section). 1 Slide “J” hooks out of front slots. 2 Unhook elastic from “J” hooks. 3 4 1 2 Pull two button clips out (located on inside of seat pad) and pull pad off. 2 Removing Armrest Pads and Top Head Pad (available on some models): 4 5 Pull armrest attachment strips apart and pull pads off.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Seat Pad and Armrest Pads: Machine-wash separately on gentle cycle and drip dry. Harness Straps: (continued) ❃ Aircraft Use With Harness System: Surface wash only with mild soap and damp cloth. This car seat is certified for use on aircraft when used with harness system (see label on car seat). Contact airline about their policy. If harness straps are frayed or heavily soiled, they MUST be replaced. Use this car seat only on forward-facing aircraft seats.
1 Fold instruction manual. If a part is damaged, missing, or you need help or replacement parts, DO NOT return car seat to the store. CALL US FIRST Call toll-free 1-800-837-4044 from anywhere in the U.S. or Canada or fax at 1-610-286-4555. 2 Store in pocket. or write us at: Century Products P.O. Box 100 Elverson, PA 19520-9974 Attention: Customer Service Department Pocket Century Products Graco Children’s Products Inc.
