RECARO Young Sport User manual

RECARO Young Sport Instruction Manual
Forward-facing Universal Child Restraint System
When using as a child restraint system with integrated seatbelt harness system:
Suitable for use in vehicles with 2-point (lap) seatbelts, 3-point (lap & shoulder) seatbelts, and LATCH &
top tether anchorage systems. Only use with children who weigh between 20 and 40 pounds (8 and 18
kg), whose height is between 27 and 40 inches (69 and 102 cm), and who are over 1 year old.
When using as a belt-positioning booster child restraint system: Only suitable for use in
vehicles with 3-point (lap & shoulder) seat belts. Only use with children who weigh between 30 and 80
pounds (14 and 36 kg) and whose height is between 37 and 59 inches (94 and 150 cm).
Approved in accordance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213. Tested in accordance to
SO/TC 22/SC 12/WG 1 N538 side impact protection requirements.

Dear arents,
Welcome to the Recaro family of high quality automotive products and
thank you for purchasing your new Recaro child restraint system.
Recaro has had 100 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of
premium automotive products. To make all the products Recaro makes
worthy of the name, we’ve subjected them to a comprehensive product
development program complying with American FMVSS 213 safety stan-
dards.
Although each RECARO child restraint system is equipped with the most
state-of-the-art safety features such as Side mpact Protection (S P), it is
not a guarantee that this child restraint will prevent injury or death in a par-
ticular crash. However, if you stress careful driving and proper use of your
child restraint, it can lower the risk of injury or death in most crashes.
Therefore, please make sure to carefully review all the important informa-
tion in this instruction manual to properly restrain your child. Also, before
using your new child restraint for the first time, please review all compo-
nents carefully to make sure nothing has been damaged during shipping.
Failure to follow these instructions and the labels on the seat can result in
serious injury or even death.
The Recaro Child seat you have purchased is a high quality product. ts
different settings and its stable and ergonomic Design ensures that the
Recaro child seat is a safe and comfortable place for your child to sit when
traveling in your car. However, before you use it, you need to set it to your
child’s size and then install it carefully, so that the seat is properly adapted
to your child and will perform as required. These instructions will help you
do this, so please read them carefully. The child seat is covered by a two
year guarantee.
Remember, parents are a child’s best examples. Be sure to ALWAYS
buckle your seatbelt and your children will be much more likely to do the
same. Thanks again for choosing Recaro and enjoy your Young Sport! f
you have any questions or need assistance of any kind please contact us
at Recaro North America nc. 4120 Luella Lane, Auburn Hills, Mi 48326
USA; 1-800-8Recaro; 1-248-364-3818 Tel; 1-248-364-3804
nternet: www.recaro.com
Email: [email protected]
Yours sincerely,
Recaro North America, nc.
3

BOOSTER MODEHARNESS MODE
Contents
Safety Warnings 5
Registration and Recall nformation 6
Warranty 7
Use in Aircraft 7
Additional nformation 7
Extreme Weather 8
Knowing Your Child Restraint 8
Knowing Your Vehicle 11
nstalling Harness Mode in Vehicles 13
Positioning a Child in Harness Mode 18
Adjusting Harness Mode to Fit a Child 21
Harness Mode Trim Cover Removal 24
Converting from Booster to Harness 27
nstalling Booster Mode in Vehicles 32
Positioning a Child in Booster Mode 35
Adjusting Booster Mode to Fit a Child 39
Booster Mode Trim Cover Removal 41
Converting from Harness to Booster 42
Use of Belt Shortening Clip 46
Use of a Locking Clip 47
Use and nstallation of a Top Tether 47
Care and Maintenance 49
Trouble Shooting 50
Replacement Parts 50
Knowing your Labels 51
Glossary 54
4

WARNING! DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur
5
Safety Warnings
● When using as a child restraint system with integrated seatbelt
harness system (or “harness mode”): Use only in vehicles with 2-point (lap)
seatbelts, 3-point (lap & shoulder) seatbelts, or LATCH & top tether anchorage
systems to install the child restraint in a vehicle, AND use only with
children who weigh between 20 and 40 pounds (8 and 18 kg), whose height is
between 27 and 40 inches (69 and 102 cm), and who are over 1 year old.
● When using as a belt-positioning booster child restraint system
(or “booster mode”): Use only the vehicle’s lap and shoulder belt (“3-point”)
system when restraining the child in the booster seat. Only use the booster
seat in vehicles with 3-point (lap & shoulder) seat belts, AND only use with
children who weigh between 30 and 80 pounds (14 and 36 kg) and whose
height is between 37 and 59 inches (94 and 150 cm).
● Follow all instructions on the child restraint and in this manual. Do NOT use
this child restraint system until you have read and understood the
instructions in this manual and in your vehicle owner’s manual. Do NOT let
others install or use this child restraint system unless they understand how to
use it.
● Do NOT make any technical modification to the child restraint system and
use it only as outlined in these instructions. Otherwise, the safety function of
the seat will be reduced or completely voided and death or serious injury can
occur.
● Use the child restraint only in rear seating positions equipped with proper
seatbelts and/or child restraint anchorage systems available to these seating
positions so that the child cannot be endangered by the front-seat passenger’s
airbag.
● According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained
in the rear seating positions than in the front seating positions.
● Observe the safety instructions.
● Before each use, inspect the child restraint. Make sure nothing on the child
restraint is damaged, loose or broken. f anything on the restraint appears
damaged, loose, or broken, do NOT use the restraint.
● Failure to follow warnings on the child restraint labels could cause serious
injury or death.
● Restraint systems should be securely belted to the vehicle, even when they
are not occupied, since in a crash an unsecured child restraint system may
injure other occupants.
● This child restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft when
used with the harness. This child restraint is NOT certified for use in aircraft
when used as a belt-positioning booster without the harness. This is because
a booster seat requires use of a shoulder belt and lap belt. Aircraft generally
only provide a lap belt.
● Placing your child in a hot child restraint may result in burns.

6
WARNING! DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur
Registration and Recall Information
Child restraints could be recalled for safety reasons. You must register this
restraint to be reached in a recall. Send your name, address and the
restraint’s model name and manufacturing date to:
RECARO North America, nc.
4120 Luella Lane
Auburn Hills, M 48326
or call 1-800-8-RECARO or register online @ http://www.recaro-registry.com.
For recall information, call the U.S. Government’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at
1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or go to http://www.NHTSA.gov.
●Discontinue use of your Vivo or Vivo lite child restraint that is older than
six years or has been in a severe crash to prevent injury due to
deterioration or hidden damage. See date of manufacture, located on
restraint.
●Do NOT lubricate buckles or fasteners.
●A snug strap should NOT allow any slack. t lies in a relatively straight line
without sagging. t does NOT press on the child’s flesh or push the child’s body
into an unnatural position.
●Do NOT add accessories, toys, padding, or other items to this child restraint
unless provided by Recaro.
●This child restraint must NOT be used in the home, boats, or other non-certi-
fied applications.
●NEVER use this child restraint in any vehicle seating position equipped with
an active airbag unless recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
● f a child restraint has been in a crash or vehicle accident, it must be re-
placed; do NOT use the child restraint again. A crash can cause unseen dam-
age and using it again can cause serious injury or death.
●NEVER leave a child unattended in the restraint even when sleeping.
●NEVER allow a child to play with this child restraint; it is NOT a toy.
●Do NOT use the vehicle’s lower LATCH System with the booster mode.
●There is no guarantee that this child restraint will prevent injury or death in a
particular crash. However, if you stress careful driving and proper use of your
child restraint, it can lower the risk of injury or death in most crashes.
●Do NOT use frayed, cut, or damaged harnesses.
●NEVER use a used child seat unless you know its complete history.

7
Warranty
Recaro North America, nc. warrants this product against defects in materials
or workmanship to the original purchaser for a period of 12 months. You
must have the original purchase receipt for a warranty claim to be accepted.
Note that the upholstery fabric is subject to a certain degree of wear even
from normal use. This kind of normal wear is not covered under warranty.
Use in Aircraft
This child restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft when
used with the harness. This child restraint is NOT certified for use in aircraft
when used as a belt-positioning booster without the harness. The use of a
booster seat requires use of a shoulder belt and lap belt. Aircraft generally
only provide a lap belt.
Additional Information
f you need help with installation or usage, please use the following contact
information:
RECARO North America, nc.
4120 Luella Lane
Auburn Hills, M 48326
Phone: 1-800-8-RECARO
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.recaro.com
Contact a Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technician. You can find a CPS
technician in your area at www.nhtsa.dot.gov. Click on “Child Passenger
Safety” and select “Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Locator.”
Attend a car seat check-up in your area. More information about car seat
check-ups is available at www.nhtsa.dot.gov under “Child Seat nspections”
or at www.seatcheck.org. You can also call 1-855-SEAT-CHECK to find the
next and closest seat check event.

8
Extreme Weather
When it is hot, Recaro recommends the following tips to reduce possible in-
jury or discomfort to your child:
• Park in the shade.
• Cover the child restraint with a sheet or blanket when not in use.
• ALWAYS check surface temperatures of the child restraint before
placing a child in it.
When it is cold, Recaro recommends the following tips to reduce possible
injury or discomfort to your child:
• Remove the child’s bulky clothing before restraining the child in the
seat. This will help belts and other safety features function properly.
• After restraining the child in the seat, cover the child and the re
straint system with a blanket to maintain warmth and comfort of the
child.
Knowing Your Child Restraint
This child restraint system is known as a “universal” child restraint because it
has more than one user mode:
1) HARNESS MODE: Child restraint system with integrated seatbelt
harness system.
2) BOOSTER MODE: Child restraint system for use as a belt-position
ing booster seat.
t is important to know the difference between these two use modes, be able
to choose which mode is appropriate for your child, and be able to choose
which sections of this instruction manual apply to the mode that you desire.
To help choose the right set of instructions for the mode that you desire, look
for color codes on the sides of the pages in this instruction manual. Specific
harness mode instructions are indicated in pink, and specific booster mode
instructions are indicated in blue. Note that general information and informa-
tion applying to both user modes, is not color-coded.
WARNING! DEATH or SER OUS NJURY could occur. NEVER use this
child restraint system unless it is set up for children of the proper size as rec-
ommended in this instruction manual

9
HARNESS MODE BOOSTER MODE
The chart below shows a graphic representation of which sizes of children
are suitable for each Young Sport user mode. The pink region represents
children who are suitable for use in the harness mode. The blue region rep-
resents children who are allowed to use its booster mode. The grey region
indicates where the two modes overlap, which means that parents with chil-
dren in that region have the option of using either mode.
NOTE: Children must be at least
20 lbs and at least 1 year old to
use this Restraint System.

10
t is equally important to become familiar with the features of your child re-
straint system. The diagrams below help you to identify key features.
CARRY HANDLE
PROTECT ON (S P)
BACKREST
SYSTEM & CHEST CL P
(BOTH S DES)
SEAT CUSH ON
RECL NER
S DE MPACT
NTEGRATED HARNESS
PROTECT ON (S P)
S DE MPACT
HEAD RESTRA NT
(BOTH S DES)
BELT PAD
RED BELT ROUT NGS
RED BELT ROUT NGS
(BOTH S DES)
RED BELT ROUT NGS
ARMREST
CUSH ON NLAY
A-LOCK COVER
TOP TETHER
LOWER LATCH

11
Knowing Your Vehicle
Before using your child restraint, take time to become familiar with the safety
features of your vehicle so that you can use your child restraint system cor-
rectly. Below is a diagram that helps you to identify key features.
TOP TETHER ANCHORAGE
A RBAG
LOWER LATCH ANCHORAGE
Because the design and operation of vehicle seating positions and seat belts
vary, make sure to ALWAYS observe the following guidelines:
• When using the harness mode, use only ONE of the following
means for securing the child restraint in a vehicle BEFORE
positioning your child in the system (most preferred means listed
first):
• Lower LATCH and top tether
• 3-point (lap and shoulder) belt and top tether
• 2-point (lap) belt and top tether
• Lower LATCH
• 3-point (lap and shoulder) belt
• 2-point (lap) belt
• ALWAYS use your vehicle’s lap and shoulder (“3-point”) belt system
when restraining the child in booster mode. n booster mode, it is
also possible to use the top tether for additional safety.

• Do NOT use a lap belt only in booster mode.
• Do NOT use the lower LATCH system in booster mode.
• Do NOT use motorized passive restraint shoulder belt systems.
12
• Do NOT use passive restraints lap or shoulder belt mounted on a door.
• ALWAYS install this child restraint system forward-facing. Forward-
facing vehicle seats MUST ALWAYS be used with this child restraint.
Do NOT install this child restraint into any of the following types of seating
positions:
NEVER install
rear-facing
NEVER install
side-facing
NEVER install in
the rear seat of
small extended
cab pickups
Recaro and the U.S. Department of Transportation warn that children 12 and
under MUST ride in the rear seats, away from front airbags. The only excep-
tion is if the airbag is turned off. f your vehicle does not have rear seats,
consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual to help identify safety features in your
vehicle or contact the vehicle manufacturer. f your vehicle is equipped with
front passenger side airbags, refer to your vehicle owner’s manual for child
restraint installation instructions.

13
HARNESS MODE
Installing Harness Mode in Vehicles
a
b
c
Provided that your child weighs between
20 and 40 pounds (8 and 18 kg), is be-
tween 27 and 40 inches (69 and 102 cm),
and is over 1 year old, the harness mode
may be used.
Make sure the child restraint is completely
configured in the harness mode before in-
stalling it in a vehicle. f the child restraint
is not configured in the harness mode, you
will need to physically convert it over to
harness mode. To learn how, go to the
section “Converting from Booster to Har-
ness.”
f you are ready to proceed with installing
the harness mode in a vehicle, continue
with the following steps:
1. Choose a vehicle seating location with
one of the following (most preferred
means listed first):
• Lower LATCH and top tether
• 3-point (lap and shoulder) belt and top
tether
• 2-point (lap) belt and top tether
• Lower LATCH
• 3-point (lap and shoulder) belt
• 2-point (lap) belt
2. f the vehicle backrest is adjustable, ad
just vehicle’s backrest into the upright
position. Be sure this area is flat and
clear from objects that might get in the
way of installing the child restraint (a). f
not, choose another seating position.
3. Next, place the child restraint onto the
seating surface. Situate the child re
straint properly by firmly pushing it rear
ward toward the vehicle backrest (b),
making sure the restraint is positioned
flat against all seating surfaces.
4. Finally, check the alignment of the
Young Sport. t MUST be forward-facing
just like the vehicle’s seat, and it MUST
NOT be twisted or binding up for any
reason (c).

14
HARNESS MODE
d
e
f
f it is not aligned correctly, you may need
to remove the restraint system from the ve-
hicle and install it again, find another seat-
ing position, or consult your vehicle’s
owner’s manual.
5. Next, secure the child restraint to the
vehicle via one of the following means
(most preferred means listed first):
• Lower LATCH
To install with the lower LATCH system,
first remove the lower LATCH buckles
from their storage hangers on both sides
of the unit (d). Make sure the lower
LATCH belt is routed securely above the
large black hooks and across the red
routing labels on both sides of the unit (e).
Look for this label for the correct place to
route the lower LATCH belt in harness
mode:
Next, simply engage the lower LATCH
buckles onto the vehicle’s lower LATCH
anchorage bars. The anchorage bars are
located on each side of the child restraint
between the backrest and seat cushion of
the vehicle seat (f). Note that anchorages
may be hidden in the vehicle’s seat so you
may need to locate them blindly with your
hand before being able to engage the
lower LATCH buckles (g).
You may need to loosen the strap of the
lower LATCH belt to provide more slack
before engaging the lower LATCH buckles.
ALWAYS make sure you hear an audible
click when engaging the LATCH system.
Finally, tighten the lower LATCH belts
snugly (h). To obtain a snug fit, we recom-
mend applying a little weight to the unit
while tightening the lower LATCH belts,
which will compress the vehicle seat and
allow further cinching of the lower LATCH
belts.
To install the top tether, see the
“Top Tether” subsection on page
16.
g
h
2 PT/3 PT/LATCH ROUT NG

15
HARNESS MODE
i
j
k
l
m
3 PT SHLDR BELT ROUT NG
2 PT/3 PT/LATCH ROUT NG
• 3-point (lap and shoulder) belt
To install with a 3-point belt, route the
vehicle’s 3-point belt across the top
corner of the child restraint (i). Look for
this label for the correct place to route the
shoulder portion of the belt in harness
mode:
Next, pass the vehicle’s 3-point belt behind
the head restraint trim cover (j), making
sure to route the lap portion above the
large black hooks and across the red rout-
ing labels on both sides of the unit (k).
Look for this label for the correct place to
route the lap portion of the belt in harness
mode:
Finally, buckle the seat belt (l) and pull
back on the shoulder belt to remove ex-
cess slack (m). Be sure that the belt fits
snugly around the child restraint.
To install the top tether, see the
“Top Tether” subsection on page
16.

16
HARNESS MODE
n
o
• 2-point (lap) belt
To install with a 2-point belt, pass the ve-
hicle’s 2-point belt behind the head re-
straint trim cover, routing the lap portion
above the large black hooks and across
the red routing labels on both sides of the
unit (n). Look for this label for the proper
place to route the 2-point (lap) belt in
harness mode:
Finally, buckle the seat belt (o) and pull
back on it to remove all excess slack. Be
sure that the belt fits snugly around the
child restraint.
To install the top tether, see the
“Top Tether” subsection below.
Top Tether
Regardless of whether you are using
harness mode or booster mode, use the
top tether AT ALL T MES if your vehicle is
equipped with top tether anchorages. See
the section “Knowing Your Vehicle” for the
general location of top tether anchors.
f your vehicle is equipped with top tether
anchorages, locate the top tether anchor-
age at the seating position that you wish to
install the child restraint system. Note that
this anchorage is usually just above the top
of the vehicle seat’s backrest, but it may
also be located behind the vehicle seat
(hidden from frontal view). See your vehi-
cle owner’s manual to learn about whether
your vehicle is equipped with top tether an-
chorages and where your top tether an-
chorages are located.
2 PT/3 PT/LATCH ROUT NG

f your vehicle has top tether anchorages
and you are ready to install your top tether,
follow these simple steps:
1. Pull the top tether out of its storage
pouch on the rear side of the child re-
straint (p).
2. Fully engage the child restraint’s top
tether buckle onto the vehicle’s top tether
anchorage loop (q).
3. Remove slack from the top tether by
pulling tightly on the strap (r). The top
tether MUST be snug.
Note that if the vehicle will be driven with-
out a child positioned in the restraint, then
either fasten a safety belt around the unit,
or store it somewhere outside the passen-
ger cabin so that it cannot injure anyone
while the vehicle is in motion. Recaro rec-
ommends storing the child restraint in a
cool and dry location.
WARNING! DEATH or SER OUS N-
JURY can occur. Restraint systems should
be securely belted to the vehicle, even
when they are not occupied, since in a
crash an unsecured child restraint system
may injure other occupants.
WARNING! DEATH or SER OUS N-
JURY can occur. Check for secure fit by
placing your hands on the child restraint
system, near the base of the unit, and pull.
The child safety seat should not move
more than one inch (25mm) forward or
sideways.
HARNESS MODE
p
q
r
17

Provided that your child weighs between
20 and 40 pounds (8 and 18 kg), is be-
tween 27 and 40 inches (69 and 102 cm),
and is over 1 year old, the harness mode
may be used.
Determine based on the size of the child
whether adjustments to the child restraint
need to be made. Use the following guide-
line to determine whether your child fits the
restraint:
1. The child’s shoulders MUST be below
the bottom edge of the head restraint at all
times (a).
2. The child’s ear (or middle of the head)
MUST be centered in the head restraint
(b).
a. The child is too tall when he or she is
greater than 40 inches (102 cm) tall or
when his or her ear is above the top edge
of the head restraint when the head re-
straint is adjusted to its highest position –
position #3 for harness mode (c).
b. The child is too short when he or she is
less than 27 inches (69 cm) tall or when his
or her ear is below the bottom edge of the
head restraint when the head restraint is
adjusted to its lowest position (d).
f adjustments need to be made, refer to
the section, “Adjusting Harness Mode to Fit
a Child.”
f the child restraint is not completely con-
figured in the harness mode, you will need
to physically convert it over to harness
mode. To learn how, go to the section
“Converting from Booster to Harness.”
18
HARNESS MODE
a
b
ositioning a Child in Harness Mode
c
d

f, at any time, you discover that restraint
system adjustments need to be made to
help the child fit the child restraint, STOP
positioning the child in the unit, remove the
child from the unit, and go directly to the
“Adjusting Harness Mode to fit a Child“
section and perform the necessary adjust-
ments. Only after the system is properly
adjusted, come back to this section to po-
sition a child in the restraint. Note that all
adjustments MUST be made BEFORE po-
sitioning the child in the restraint AND BE-
FORE the child restraint is installed in a
vehicle. Remember, NEVER perform in-
stallation, positioning, or adjustment to the
child restraint while the vehicle is in mo-
tion.
f you are ready to begin positioning a child
in the harness mode, follow these steps:
1. Loosen the harness system by press-
ing the A-Lock button with one hand and
pulling the shoulder harnesses forward
with your other hand (e).
2. Unbuckle the chest clip by squeezing
in the center of the chest clip (f).
3. Unbuckle the 5-point integrated har-
ness buckle by depressing the red button
in the center of the buckle (g).
4. Open up the 5-point point harness so
that it can accept the child (h).
5. Place the child in the restraint system
and pull the buckle and crotch pad up-
ward so that it is positioned comfortably
between the child’s legs (i).
HARNESS MODE
e
f
g
19
h
i

6. Pull the shoulder belts around the child,
making sure all of the belts are straight
and are not twisted (j).
7. Fasten the free ends into the center
buckle (k). You should hear an audible
click when engaging into the center
buckle.
8. Pull the center strap below the A-Lock
to remove slack in the 5-point harness
system (l).
9. Fasten the chest clip together and slide
it along the belt such that it is positioned
even with the child’s armpits (m).
10. Position the shoulder belt pads in a
comfortable position, preferably at the top
or front of the shoulders. However, do
NOT allow the belt pads to interfere with
the correct positioning of the chest clip
(shown in m).
11. Verify the tension of the belts by plac-
ing two fingers underneath the shoulder
belts at their tightest point. Belts should
be adjusted snugly so that ONLY two
adult fingers are able to be placed be-
tween the belts and the child (n).
12. f further tightening is necessary, pull
the center strap below the A-Lock again,
but don’t forget to properly position the
chest clip and shoulder belt pads if neces-
sary.
WARNING! DEATH or SER OUS NJURY
can occur. Make sure to fasten and tighten
the harness system properly and snugly.
WARNING! DEATH or SER OUS NJURY
can occur. A snug strap should not allow
any slack. t lies in a relatively straight line
without sagging. t does not press on the
child’s flesh or push the child’s body into an
unnatural position.
20
HARNESS MODE
j
k
l
m
n

There are three VERY MPORTANT rules
before making any adjustments:
1. The integrated harness belts
MUST ALWAYS be positioned AT
or ABOVE your child’s shoulders
AT ALL TIMES (a)!
2. The child’s shoulders MUST be
below the bottom edge of the
head restraint at all times (b)!
3. The child’s ear (or middle of
the head) MUST be centered in
the head restraint (c)!
There is one main adjustment that you can
perform to fulfill these three rules – head
restraint height adjustment. The
head restraint height is critical for protect-
ing the child’s head from side impacts, de-
termining the exact position of the
integrated shoulder belt system and has a
very important relationship with the posi-
tion of the “rear tube” (d) on the child re-
straint system. t is very important to
understand the relationship between the
head restraint height and the “rear tube”
height. When you adjust the head restraint
height, you MUST ALWAYS adjust the
“rear tube” height. Likewise, when you ad-
just the “rear tube” height, you MUST AL-
WAYS adjust the head restraint height.
Follow these steps to adjust the head re-
straint height:
1. Access the rear side of the child
restraint and locate the yellow head re-
straint adjustment knob.
2. Pull the yellow knob with one hand
and move the head restraint with the other
hand (e). Make sure the head restraint en-
gages fully into the desired adjustment po-
sitions.
HARNESS MODE
Adjusting Harness Mode to Fit a Child
a
b
c
21
d
e