Graco ComfortSport ISPC099BA User manual

Instruction
Manual
ISPC099BA 5/06 US
Avoid injury or death -
Read and understand this manual!

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Important Information.....................................1
Warnings.......................................................2
Basic Information.............................................4
What is LATCH?...............................................5
LATCH System..................................................6
Vehicle Seat Belts........................................... 26
• Locking Clip........................................ 31
Additional Information ...................................32
• Tether Storage
• Cup Holder
• Body Pillow/Head Support/ Harness Cover
• Care and Cleaning
• Aircraft Use
• Second Hand Child Restraint
Replacement Parts.........................................40
Storage.....................................Back Cover
• Locking Clip
• Instruction Manual
Help Information.......................Back Cover
Instruction manual is for:
• ComfortSport5-Point Newborn/Toddler Child Restraint
• ComfortSport Overhead Shield Newborn/Toddler
Child Restraint
Instructions for these models are the same unless
otherwise noted.
FBefore You Begin
FUse
FSpecial Information
Height & Weight Limits....................................7
Rear-facing Installation With LATCH..................8
Forward-facing Installation With LATCH.........10
Rear-facing Installation With
Vehicle Seat Belts............................................12
Forward-facing Installation With
Vehicle Seat Belts............................................14
Placing Child in Child Restraint.......................16
Operations and Adjustments..........................18
• Harness Straps
• Harness Tie
• Buckle
• Recline / Upright Positions
• 5-Point Crotch Strap Adjustment
• Overhead Shield Adjustment
• Changing Harness Strap Slots
•LATCH Belt Routing
• Removing LATCH from Vehicle Anchor Points
•LATCH Storage

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
No child restraint can guarantee protection
from injury in every situation, but proper use
helps reduce the risk of serious injury or death.
READ THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY.
Child restraints could be recalled for safety
reasons. You must register this restraint
to be reached in a recall. Fill out the
registration card attached to child restraint and
mail today or send your name, address, and the
restraint’s model number and manufacturing
date to:
Graco Children’s Products, Inc.
150 Oaklands Blvd.
Exton, PA 19341
or call 1-800-345-4109
www.gracobaby.com
For recall information:
• Call the U.S Government’s Auto Safety
Hotline at 1-800-424-9393
(202-366-0123 in D.C. area)
• TTY: (1–800–424–9153), or
http://www.NHTSA.gov
• Call Graco Children’s Products Inc. at
1-800-345-4109
www.gracobaby.com
Read and understand instruction manual
and child restraint labels.
Infants less than 20 lbs. (9 kg) must use
child restraint rear-facing.
Do not use child restraint rear-facing in
vehicle seat with air bag.
Secure children in rear seat of vehicle
whenever possible.
Never leave child unattended.
Install child restraint securely with vehicle seat
belt or LATCH belt.
Do not use after date shown on back of
child restraint.
Do not allow anyone (babysitter, relatives,
etc.) to use child restraint without first
understanding all instructions.
1
FRegistration Information
FSafety First Check List
FLATCH
This child restraint may be installed in a vehicle
using either the vehicle seat belt or the
LATCH system (for vehicles equipped with
LATCH).

WARNINGS - Prevent serious injury or death:
Failure to follow these instructions
and child restraint labels can result
in child striking the vehicle’s interior
during a sudden stop or crash.
Secure child restraint with a vehicle
seat belt or LATCH that is properly
routed as shown in this manual.
Select a suitable location for the
child restraint in your vehicle.
Choose the correct mode of use for
the child restraint depending on
your child’s size. Infants less than
20 lbs. (9 kg) must use this child
restraint rear-facing. Serious
crippling injury or death can result
if infant faces front of vehicle. The
American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that children should be
at least one year of age before being
positioned forward facing.
2
Vehicle seat belt system MUST hold
child restraint securely. Not all
vehicle seat belts can be used with
a child restraint.
If vehicle seat belt does not hold
child restraint securely, read
“Vehicle Seat Belts” section.
Never put a child restraint in a front
vehicle seat unless recommended
by vehicle owner’s manual.
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) alerts
vehicle owners that according to
accident statistics, children up to
age 12 are safer in the back seat.
For vehicles with air bags, refer to
vehicle owner’s manual for child
restraint installation information.

3
If child restraint is in a crash, it
must be replaced. DO NOT use it
again! A crash can cause unseen
damage and using it again could
result in serious injury or death.
DO NOT use child restraint if it is
damaged or missing parts.
DO NOT use accessories or parts
other than those provided by
Graco. Their use could alter the
performance of the child restraint.
Rear-facing child restraint must be
properly leveled:
• Too reclined can result in injury
or ejection.
• Too upright can result in
breathing difficulties.
Insert the harness straps in the
proper slots for your child. Never
leave child unattended, even when
sleeping. Child may become tangled
in harness straps and suffocate or
strangle.
DO NOT remove LATCH system from
child restraint. If using vehicle seat
belt to secure child restraint, LATCH
connectors must be stored. (see
section “LATCH storage”)
Never attach two
LATCH connectors
to one vehicle lower
anchor point unless
specifically allowed
by the vehicle
manufacturer.
WARNINGS - Prevent serious injury or death (continued):

BASIC INFORMATION
This child restraint meets or exceeds all
applicable requirements of Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 213 for use in motor
vehicles and aircraft.
Always secure child restraint with LATCH or a
vehicle seat belt, even when unoccupied.
In a crash, an unsecured child restraint can
injure passengers.
Protect vehicle seat. Use a child restraint mat,
towel or thin blanket under and behind child
restraint.
Child restraint parts can get very hot in the sun
or warm weather.
To avoid burns, always check before putting
child in child restraint.
4
Do not use child restraint on rear-facing or
side-facing vehicle seats.
FCertification
FUnoccupied Child Restraint
STOP using child restraint and throw it away
after the date molded into the back of
the child restraint.
Look for: Do not use this car
seat after December Year
FChild Restraint Useful Life
FDangerous Vehicle Seats
FVehicle Seat Protection
FWarm Weather
DO NOT place this
child restraint in
a vehicle seating
location that has a
front air bag. If an
air bag inflates, it
can hit the child and
child restraint with great force
and cause serious injury or death
to your child. Check vehicle owner’s
manual for information about
side air bags and child restraint
installation.
WARNING

5
Vehicle
Top Tether Anchor
Points
Vehicle
Lower Anchor
Points
Vehicle
Seat Crease
Typical seat in a
passenger vehicle.
Other vehicle types
may have different
LATCH locations.
United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards have defined a new system for
installing child restraints in vehicles. The
system is called LATCH. LATCH stands for:
Lower Anchorage and Tether for CHildren.
LATCH System for Vehicles:
LATCH in the vehicle consists of a top tether
anchor point and two lower anchor points.
Some vehicle owner manuals use the term
ISOFIX to identify the new child restraint
anchorage system. This child restraint with
LATCH can also be used in vehicle seating
positions equipped with ISOFIX.
Newer vehicles may have one or more seating
positions equipped with LATCH anchor points.
If vehicle is equipped with LATCH, the vehicle
lower anchor points may be visible at the vehicle
seat crease. If not visible, they may be marked
with a symbol (Fig. a) or a colored dot.
See your vehicle owner’s manual for exact
locations, anchor identification, and
requirements for use with a child restraint.
Check vehicle owner’s manual for vehicle top
tether anchor locations. They may be identified
using one of the anchor symbols (Fig. b or Fig. c).(Fig. a) (Fig. b) (Fig. c)
WHAT IS LATCH?

6
LATCH System:
LATCH consists of a permanently attached
lower anchorage belt and a top tether strap
(Fig. a).
ONLY use LATCH in a seating
position recommended
by vehicle manufacturer.
Vehicle
Lower
Anchor
Points
Child Restraint
Lower Anchorage
Belt
(Fig. a)
LATCH SYSTEM
Child Restraint
Top Tether
Vehicle
Top Tether
Anchor
Point
LATCH is defined
as anchorages 280mm
(11.02 inches) on center.
As a manufacturer, we do
not recommend using the
LATCH system in the center
position if it exceeds this
length.

HEIGHT & WEIGHT LIMITS
A preterm infant or low birth weight infant may
be at special risk in a vehicle or aircraft.
According to the American Academy of
Pediatrics, these infants may suffer breathing
difficulties if improperly reclined in a child
restraint.
Graco advises that you have your physician or
hospital staff evaluate your infant and recommend
the proper child restraint or car bed before you
and your infant leave the hospital.
7
FPreterm or Low Birth Weight
Infants
FOutgrowing Child Restraint
Prevent serious injury or death:
•Top of child’s ears must be below
top edge of child restraint.
• Child’s shoulders MUST not be
above top harness slots.
WARNING
Rear-facing: 5 to 30 lbs. (2.2-13.6 kg)
• Infants who weigh less than 20 lbs.
(9 kg) MUST be rear-facing.
• Infants or toddlers 20 to 30 lbs.
(9 to 13.6 kg) may be rear-facing.
Forward-facing: 20 to 40 lbs. (9 to 18 kg)
• Toddlers 20 to 30 lbs. (9 to 13.6 kg)
who are capable of sitting upright
unassisted may be forward-facing *.
If unable to sit unassisted, use
rear-facing.
• Toddlers 30 to 40 lbs.
(13.6 to 18 kg) and up to
40 inches (101.6 cm) tall MUST
be forward-facing.
IMPORTANT: This child restraint is
certified for use rear-facing with children
up to 30 lbs. (13.6 kg). However, some
children approaching 30 lbs. (13.6 kg) may be
too tall to fit comfortably rear-facing. When
child can no longer comfortably fit and knees
remain bent, child should use car seat
forward-facing only if child is over 20 lbs.
(9 kg) and can sit upright unassisted. *
*The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that children should be at least one
year of age before being positioned forward facing.
Forward-facing
Rear-facing 40 lbs.
(18 kg)
5 lbs.
(2.2 kg) 30 lbs.
(13.6 kg)
20 lbs.
(9 kg)

LATCH belt must be routed through
opening in child restraint for rear-facing mode.
(see page 23, fig. k).
Belt must lay flat and not be twisted.
Adjust child restraint to recline position
(see fig. a and pages 18 and 19, fig. b) Place
rear-facing on vehicle seat equipped with
LATCH anchors.
For ease of installation, extend LATCH belt
to its maximum length.
Hook connectors to vehicle lower anchors
(fig. b). Pull connectors to be sure they are
securely attached to the anchor points. (fig. c).
Press down firmly in center of child restraint
while pulling LATCH adjustment belt. (fig. d).
REAR-FACING INSTALLATION WITH LATCH
1
3
4
5
2
8
Pull front to back and left to right to check for
secure installation (fig. e).
Check that the lower anchorage belt stays
tight and does not slip from the tightened
position. If it does not stay tight, try another
seating position or contact Customer Service
(see back cover).
Check level indicator on child restraint.
Vehicle must be on level ground and child in
child restraint when checking level indicator.
Ball MUST be entirely in green zone (fig. f). If
necessary, place rolled towels under child
restraint, at vehicle seat crease, until entire ball
is in green zone. Then re-check level indicator.
DO NOT use tether rear-facing. Tether must
be stored (see “Tether Storage” page 32).
Periodically check that child restraint is
securely installed and properly leveled; adjust
if necessary.
6
7