Graco 8481 User manual

1
Booster Seat
Owner’s Manual
Model 8481
READ THIS MANUAL.
Do not install or use this car seat until you read and
understand the instructions in this manual.
FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE THIS
CAR SEAT INCREASES THE RISK OF
SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN A
SUDDEN STOP OR CRASH.
© 2001 Graco 433-9-01

2
1.0 Warnings to Parents and Other Users . . . . . .3
2.0 Registration Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
2.1 Register Your Booster Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
2.2 Recall Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
2.3 If You Need Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
3.0 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-6
4.0 Important Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-10
4.1 Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
4.2 Height and Weight Limitations . . . . . . . . . . .9
5.0 Booster Seat Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-16
5.1 Vehicle Seat Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . .10
5.2 Vehicle Seat Belt Requirements . . . . . . . .11
5.2.1 UNSAFE Vehicle Belt Systems . . . . .11
5.2.2 SAFE Vehicle Belt Systems . . . . . . .13
6.0 Using Booster Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14-15
6.1 Securing Child and Booster
Seat in Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
7.0 Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
7.1 Airplane Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
7.2 Cupholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
8.0 Care and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
9.0 Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-19
Table of Contents

3
Failure to properly use this booster seat increases the risk
of serious injury or death in a sharp turn, sudden stop or
crash. Your child’s safety depends on you installing and
using this booster seat correctly.
Even if using this booster seat seems easy to figure out
on your own, it is very important to READ THE OWNER’S
MANUAL and the vehicle owner’s manual.
Your child’s safety depends on:
1. Selecting a suitable location for the booster seat in
your vehicle.
2. Placing child in booster seat.
3. Properly securing the booster seat and child in
the vehicle using a seat belt designed to restrain
the booster seat and your child. This booster seat
MUST be used with a lap/shoulder belt. Not all
lap/shoulder belts can be used. NEVER use a
vehicle lap-only belt.
4. Use belt positioner if necessary to adjust vehicle
belt to fit child properly.
1.0 Warnings to Parents and
Other Users

4
Model Number:
Manufactured on:
Purchase Date:
2.0 Registration Information
2.1 Register Your Booster Seat
2.3 If You Need Help
Please fill in the above information. The model
number can be found on a label underneath your
booster seat. Fill out the prepaid registration
postcard attached to the seat cover and mail it today.
Child restraints could be recalled for safety reasons.
You must register this restraint to be reached in a
recall. Send your name, address and model number to:
Graco Children’s Products Inc.
P.O. Box 100
Elverson, PA, 19520-9974
or call 1-888-224-6549
Please contact our Customer Service Department with
any questions you may have concerning parts, use, or
maintenance. When you contact us, please have your
product’s model number ready so that we may help
you efficiently. This number can be found on a
sticker on the underside of your booster seat.
1-888-224-6549 or www.gracobaby.com
• Call the U.S. Government’s Auto Safety Hotline
at 1-800-424-9393 (202-366-0123 in D.C. area)
• www.nhtsa.dot.gov
• Graco: 1-888-224-6549 or www.gracobaby.com
2.2 Recall Information

5
3.0 Features
Cupholder (certain models)
Shoulder belt
positioner

6
*Tether
Vehicles are now (or can be) equipped with tether
anchor points behind some seats. A tether anchors
the top of the car seat to the body of the vehicle.
When used properly with the vehicle seat belt, a
tether helps reduce injury in a sudden stop or crash.
A tether and hardware kit may be purchased by
calling Customer Service at 1-888-224-6549.
Owner’s manual
storage compartment
Expiration date
—
Tether slots*

7
•DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THIS BOOSTER SEAT
UNTIL YOU READ AND UNDERSTAND THE
INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL AND IN YOUR
VEHICLE OWNER’S MANUAL. DO NOT let
others install or use the booster seat unless they
understand how to use it.
•FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE THIS BOOSTER
SEAT INCREASES THE RISK OF SERIOUS
INJURY OR DEATH IN A SHARP TURN, SUDDEN
STOP OR CRASH. Your child can be injured in a
vehicle even if you are not in a crash. Sudden
braking and sharp turns can injure your child if the
booster seat is not properly installed or if your child is
not properly secured in the booster seat.
• According to accident statistics, CHILDREN ARE
SAFER WHEN PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN
REAR VEHICLE SEATING POSITIONS, RATHER
THAN FRONT SEATING POSITIONS. For a vehicle
with a front passenger air bag, refer to your vehicle
owner’s manual as well as these instructions for
booster seat installation.
•NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD UNATTENDED.
•NEVER LEAVE A BOOSTER SEAT UNSECURED
IN YOUR VEHICLE. An unsecured booster seat can
be thrown around and may injure occupants in a
sharp turn, sudden stop or crash. Remove it or make
sure that it is securely belted in the vehicle.
•REPLACE THE BOOSTER SEAT AFTER AN
ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND. An accident can cause
damage to the booster seat that you cannot see.
4.0 Important Information
4.1 Warnings

8
•STOP USING BOOSTER SEAT AND THROW IT
AWAY after the date molded into the back of
the booster seat.
•DO NOT MODIFY YOUR BOOSTER SEAT or
use any accessories or parts supplied by other
manufacturers.
•NEVER USE BOOSTER SEAT IF IT HAS
DAMAGED OR MISSING PARTS. DO NOT
use a cut, frayed or damaged vehicle seat belt.
•THE BOOSTER SEAT CAN BECOME VERY HOT
IF LEFT IN THE SUN. Contact with these parts can
burn your child’s skin. Always touch the surface of
any metal or plastic parts before putting your child
in the booster seat.
•THIS CHILD RESTRAINT CONFORMS to all
applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
and is certified for use in motor vehicles. This
restraint is NOT certified for use in aircraft because
there is no shoulder belt available.
•NEVER GIVE THIS BOOSTER SEAT to someone
else without also giving them this manual.
•NEVER USE A SECOND-HAND BOOSTER SEAT
or a booster seat whose history you do not know.

9
FAILURE TO USE BOOSTER SEAT IN A MANNER
APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR CHILD’S SIZE MAY
INCREASE THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR
DEATH.
4.2 Height and Weight Limits
Your child MUST meet all requirements:
• WEIGHT: 30 to 80 lbs. (14 to 36 kg)
• HEIGHT: 35 to 54 inches (89 to 138 cm)
• Child’s ears are BELOW top of booster seat. If tops
of ears are above top of seat, child is too large for
booster seat.

10
•Children are safer when properly restrained in
rear vehicle seating positions. Whenever possible
secure the booster seat in the center position of the
seat directly behind the front seats. However, this
position is often equipped
with a lap belt only and
cannot be used.
•The vehicle seat must face forward.
5.0 Booster Seat Location
5.1 Vehicle Seat Requirements
IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF THE BOOSTER SEAT
INCREASES THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY
OR DEATH. Some seating positions in your vehicle
may not be safe for this booster seat. Some vehicles
do not have any seating positions that can be used
safely with the booster seat. If you are not sure where
to place the booster seat in your vehicle, consult your
vehicle owner’s manual or Graco Children's Products
Inc., 1-888-224-6549.
•Front of booster seat must not
hang over edge of vehicle seat.