Car Seats and Rear Center-Seat Installations

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New parents are often surprised by how much there is to learn about child car seats. After research, many first-time parents learn that the safest configuration for car-seat installation is often the rear middle seating position. But that's only true if they can achieve a secure installation with either the center seat belt or lower anchors (found in the seat crease).

U.S. vehicles aren't required to have dedicated lower anchors specifically for the center rear position, and so many don't. Federal regulators only require two rear seating positions to have dedicated lower anchors with a standard spacing of 11 inches, which is enough room for a child seat.

But some automakers that produce cars without dedicated middle-seat lower anchors have an anchor from each outboard seat position that can be used to securely install a car seat in the middle; you essentially "borrow" an anchor from each side. Check the owner's manual to make sure the automaker offers this as an option. In this case, the spacing between the anchors could be wider, so the specific car-seat manufacturer also needs to allow for this type of installation.

Consumer Reports’ car-seat experts explain what you need to know, and the safety implications.

Car Seat Q&A

Are “lower anchors,” “LATCH,” and “ISOFIX” the same thing?
LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. It includes the lower anchors found at the seat crease and the top tether anchor often found on the back shelf or behind the rear seat. A LATCH installation generally means attaching the car seat with the lower anchors, not the seat belt. The top tether should be attached to the tether anchor for all forward-facing car-seat installations, whether using the seat belt or lower anchors. ISOFIX is the term used for the LATCH system in Europe, so owners of European cars will often see it accompanying the lower anchor icon in their vehicle. (Refer to the top image of the article.)

What does it mean to “borrow” lower anchors?
When a rear center seat doesn't have its own dedicated lower anchors, the two innermost lower anchors from the outboard seating positions (one from each side) can be “borrowed” for a lower anchor installation. These anchors typically can't be used at the same time to install a car seat in the outboard seating positions.

What about the standard spacing between the anchors?
The standard spacing between the anchors is 11 inches. But when borrowing lower anchors for a center seat installation, the spacing no longer adheres to the regulated 11 inches. It’s important to know just how widely spaced the anchors are in your car. You can refer to the Child Safety section of the vehicle owner’s manual to determine the distance between the innermost lower anchors.

Why can’t I assume lower anchor borrowing is allowed in every car?
Federal safety regulations specify strength requirements for lower anchors. For each vehicle, the lower anchors must pass federal forward and lateral strength tests for each designated seating position with dedicated anchors that are 11 inches apart. Because the spacing between "borrowed" anchors can vary from vehicle to vehicle, and the standard test fixture can only accommodate an 11-inch spacing, each manufacturer must do its own testing to "confirm performance," says Jennifer Pelky, senior engineer of vehicle safety at Toyota Motor North America. So make sure to consult the owner's manual.

To determine whether you can install a car seat in the center seating position with lower anchors, CR offers the following advice:

• Check your vehicle owner’s manual. It’s important to determine whether the automaker allows for the innermost lower anchors to be borrowed for a center seat car-seat installation. The automaker will often specify the distance between the inner anchors.

• Check your car-seat manual. “Not all car-seat manufacturers allow for installations with nonstandard spaced lower anchors—especially if your car seat comes with rigid LATCH connectors,” says Michael Bloch, Consumer Reports’ Child Seats Project leader. “Some manufacturers will allow for the nonstandard spacing to a limit, so be sure to read carefully to know the distance limit.”

Use this interactive table to determine compatibility between your vehicle manufacturer and car-seat manufacturer for a center-seat installation with borrowed lower anchors. If you don't see your car seat or vehicle manufacturer listed, then lower anchor installations with spacing greater than 11 inches aren't allowed.

Exceptions: Graco excludes convertible, harness-to-booster, and all-in-one car seats with push-on LATCH connectors. Britax allows for center lower anchor borrowing with car seats produced before 2015 and only if specified in the car-seat manual.

What if my vehicle and car seat are not compatible for this scenario?

You have two options, both of which are safe.

• Secure your car seat in the center seat with the vehicle seat belt. There can sometimes be a misconception that installing with lower anchors is safer than with the seat belt. This isn't true. As long as your car seat is installed correctly and you can achieve a secure installation with either the lower anchors or the seat belt, it is safe. You can have a certified child passenger safety technician check your installation. Visit safekids.org to find an inspection station near you.

• Install your car seat in an outboard seating position with the lower anchors. A properly-installed car seat is always the safest one, no matter which seating position it’s in. So if it’s too tricky to get that seat belt installation in the center seat, we recommend trying to install the seat using the lower anchors in the outboard seating position. Remember, a securely installed car seat should move no more than one inch forward-and-back or side-to-side when pulled at the belt path with your non-dominant hand.
  

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