Volkswagen Tiguan Owners Manual: Securing a child restraint with the Top Tether strap

Fig. 79 Example of a mounted upper tether strap. The top tether strap reduces the forward movement of the child restraint in a crash, to help reduce the risk of head injury if the child hits the vehicle interior.

Fig. 80 Anchorages in the shelf behind the rear seat backrests.

Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first⇒Introduction to the subject 

Installing the tether strap

• Release or deploy the tether strap on the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

• Remove the luggage compartment cover if necessary.

• Locate the tether anchor on the rear seat backrest.

• Outer seating position: Guide the upper tether strap under the outer rear head restraint (raise the head restraint if necessary).

• Center seating position: Guide the upper tether strap under the center rear head restraint only when it is pushed all the way up. If the tether strap hook is too big to pass under the center head restraint, push the head restraint all the way down and guide the strap over the center head restraint.

• Guide the tether strap between the rear seat back and the luggage compartment cover.

• Secure the child seat at the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage points ⇒ Securing the child restraint with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages .

• Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the opening of the tether anchorage.

• Pull on the tether strap hook so that the spring catch of the hook is engaged.

• Tighten the tether strap firmly following the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

• Move the head restraint back into the original position, if necessary.

Releasing the tether strap

• Loosen the tension on the tether strap following the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.

• Depress the spring catch on the hook and release it from the anchorage.

Warning

Improper installation of child restraints will increase the risk of injury and death in a crash.

• Always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint when installing it in your vehicle.

• Never install a child restraint without a properly attached top tether strap if the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the top tether strap to be used. The use of a top tether strap for forward-facing child restraints is required by law in Canada.

• Improper use of top tether straps and anchors can lead to injury in a collision. The anchors are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by correctly fitted child restraints.

• Never attach 2 child restraint systems to 1 top tether strap or top tether anchorage.

• Never attach a child seat tether strap to a tie-down hook in the luggage compartment.

• Never use child restraint top tether anchorages to secure safety belts or other kinds of occupant restraints.

• Never secure or attach any luggage or other items to the top tether anchorages.

• If a tether or other strap is used to attach a child restraint to the front passenger seat, make sure that it is not so tight that it causes the weight-sensing mat for the Advanced Airbag System to measure more weight than is actually on the seat.

• The heavier weight registered can make the Advanced Airbag System work as though an adult were on the seat and deploy the Advanced Airbag when it should be suppressed causing serious or even fatal injury to the child.

• If you must install a rearward-facing child seat on the front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances, but the PASSENGER AIR BAG light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the rearward-facing child seat at seating position on the rear seat and have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Note

If you leave the child restraint with the tether strap firmly installed for several days, this could leave a mark on the upholstery on the seat cushion and backrest in the area where the tether strap was installed. The upholstery would also be permanently stretched around the tether strap. This applies especially to leather seats.