Safety Features of Your Vehicle

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) System

~1min read

The LATCH system secures the child restraint during driving and in an accident. This system is designed to make child restraint installation easier and reduce the likelihood of improper installation of your child restraint. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint. The LATCH system eliminates the need to use seat belts to secure the child restraint to the rear seats.

Lower anchors are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position, which allow you to install a child restraint with lower attachments.

To use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you must have a child restraint with LATCH attachments.

The child seat manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child seat with its LATCH lower anchor attachments.

LATCH anchors are provided at the left and right outboard rear seating positions. Their locations are shown in the illustration. LATCH anchors are not provided for the center rear seat.

WARNING! LATCH Lower Anchors

Never attempt to attach a LATCH-equipped child restraint to the center seating position. LATCH lower anchors must be used only at the left and right outboard rear seating positions. You may damage the anchors, or the anchors may fail and break in a collision.

Lower anchor position indicator symbols are located on the left and right rear seat backrest to determine the position of the lower anchors in your vehicle (see arrows in the illustration).

LATCH anchors are located between the seatback and the seat cushion of the left and right outboard rear seats.

To use a lower anchor, press the upper part of the lower anchor cover.

Test yourself

A quick Kia Forte BD quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.