CAR SEAT ADVICE UK
  • Car Seat Advice
  • Everything you need to know
    • Choosing the right car seat
    • Seat Types and Weight and Height Limits
    • Rear Facing or Forward?
    • Installation Methods
    • The Harness
    • The Law
    • Car Seat Testing
    • Common Errors
    • FAQ
  • Installation methods
    • Infant car seats up to 13kg or 87cm
    • Rear facing car seats up to 18kg or 105cm
    • Forward facing seats from 9-18kg or 15 months to 105cm
    • Rear and forward facing seats from 9-25kg
    • Booster seats from 15-36kg
    • Seat Belt Buckles
    • ISOfix Points, Tether Straps and Support Legs
    • Indicators and side impact protection
  • Admin Team
  • Specialist Retailers

Installation Methods

Picture
Car Seat Advice UK | Joie i-Spin 360 i-Size

Seat belt or ISOfix?

A car seat is installed using the adult seat belt or the car's ISOfix points. ISOfix is the international standard for attachment points for child seats in cars. These two metal brackets which are located 28cm apart at the base of the vehicle seat's backrest mean that the car seat or base can be clicked into the car without using the seat belt. ISOfix was first introduced in 1997, but it took another ten years or so for it to become standard in most cars. The two cars that were used for the photographs on this page are a Ford Focus from 2008 which does not have ISOfix points and a 2003 Toyota Estima which does.

ISOfix points are approved for a combined child and seat weight of 33kg. R44/04 ISOfix car seats all weigh about 15kg, which means they all have a child limit of 18kg. In i-Size seats up to 105cm the weight limit is set by deducting the weight of the seat from the 33kg total approved weight, so a seat that is lighter than 15kg will have a higher weight limit.

Tether straps

Because ISOfix seats have an 18kg limit, car seats with a five-point harness up to 25kg are always belt fitted. Rear facing seats up to 25kg have tether straps which are attached to the runner rails of the front seat, you don't need special points in your car to use one of those, they will fit in every car. But forward facing seats with a 25kg weight limit (there are currently only three models available in the UK), require a top tether point in the car, and a few forward facing seats up to 18kg do too. These small metal brackets with an anchor symbol are either located on the back of the vehicle seat's backrest, or the floor of the boot. All cars from 2013 onwards have top tether points, and you will find them in some older cars too.
Car Seat Advice UK | Top Tether


Installation methods
Please click on the pictures for detailed descriptions


Infant car seats up to 13kg or 87cm

Picture

Rear facing car seats up to 18kg or 105cm

Picture

Forward facing seats from 9-18kg or 15 months to 105cm

Picture

Rear and forward facing seats from 9-25kg

Picture
 
When you look closely at these pictures, you will notice that all the rear facing car seats' belt path guides and seat belt clips are blue, and in the forward facing seats they are red. It is one of the European standard's criteria for all R44/04 belt fitted car seats to be clearly colour-coded like this. Seats that can go forward as well as rear facing have guides in both red and blue.
Booster seats from 15-36kg
Picture
Seat belt buckles

Picture
ISOfix points, tether straps and support legs
Picture
Indicators and side impact protection
Car Seat Advice UK | Isofix base indicators
It is important that every person who uses a car seat
knows how to install and use it without help.
You shouldn't need to rely on someone else to do it for you.

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Car Seat Advice
  • Everything you need to know
    • Choosing the right car seat
    • Seat Types and Weight and Height Limits
    • Rear Facing or Forward?
    • Installation Methods
    • The Harness
    • The Law
    • Car Seat Testing
    • Common Errors
    • FAQ
  • Installation methods
    • Infant car seats up to 13kg or 87cm
    • Rear facing car seats up to 18kg or 105cm
    • Forward facing seats from 9-18kg or 15 months to 105cm
    • Rear and forward facing seats from 9-25kg
    • Booster seats from 15-36kg
    • Seat Belt Buckles
    • ISOfix Points, Tether Straps and Support Legs
    • Indicators and side impact protection
  • Admin Team
  • Specialist Retailers