Model X

2021 Tesla Model X Child Safety Seats Owners Manual

Contents hide

1 2021 Tesla Model X Child Safety Seats

2 Guidelines for Seating Children

3 Choosing a Child Safety Seat

4 Seating Larger Children

5 Installing Child Safety Seats

6 Installing Seat Belt Retained Child Seats

7 Installing LATCH (ISOFIX) Child Seats

8 Attaching Upper Tether Straps

9 Testing a Child Safety Seat

10 Child Safety Seat Warnings

2021 Tesla Model X Child Safety Seats

Guidelines for Seating Children

Your Model X seat belts are designed for adults and larger children. You must restrain infants and small children in rear seats only, and you must use a suitable child safety seat appropriate for the child’s age, weight, and size.

Never use child safety seats in the front passenger seat.

Warning

Never seat a child in the front passenger seat, even if using a child safety seat.

Warning

Never seat a child on a seat with an ACTIVE AIRBAG in front of it. DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the child can occur.

Warning

For vehicles with third row seats, when a child is seated in a second row monopost seat, the setting for the button that moves a second row outboard seat forward for easy access into the third row should be OFF (touch Controls > Safety > Third Row Easy Entry). This ensures that you need to manually hold the button to move the seat, preventing a child seated in the second row from being pushed against the corresponding front seat. See Adjusting Second Row Seats (Monopost).

Refer to the following label located on the sun visors.

Note

The image(s) shown below are representative only and may not be identical to the labels in your vehicle.

Model X has an occupancy sensor in the front passenger seat that controls the passenger front airbag (see Airbags).

The Passenger Airbag Off indicator displays on the touchscreen when the passenger front airbag is OFF. When the passenger front airbag is OFF, it does not inflate when a collision occurs. This indicator does not display when the seat is unoccupied.

To protect an adult occupying the front passenger seat, always double-check the passenger front airbag to confirm that it is ON.

Warning

Always ensure that all Model X seats are locked in position before traveling. Failure to do so increases the risk of injury. Pay attention to all warnings displayed on the touchscreen.

Warning

Do not associate the Easy Entry setting with the driver’s profile when a child is seated in a second row seat. Doing so can cause the driver’s seat to push against the child, especially when a child is seated in a forward-facing child seat or booster seat. Do not rely on Model X to recognize or accommodate a child seated in the second row seats while using this setting (see Driver Profiles).

Choosing a Child Safety Seat

All children age 12 and under should ride in the second and third row seats. Always use a child safety seat suitable for a young child’s age and weight. The following table is based on child safety seat recommendations determined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States (for more information, go to www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats).


	Infants	Toddlers	Young children
Age	Birth to 1 year*	Over 1 year*	4 years and older, and less than 57 in. (145 cm) tall
Weight	Up to at least 20 lbs (9 kg)**	Over 20 lbs (9 kg) (minimum) and up to 40 lbs (18 kg)*	Over 40 lbs (18 kg)
Type of child safety seat	Rear-facing (or convertible)	Forward-facing (or convertible)*	Seat belt retained booster seat
Seat position	Rear-facing only*	Forward-facing*	Forward-facing
Recommended attachment method	If combined weight of child and safety seat is up to 65 lbs (29.5 kg), attach using either LATCH (lower anchor only) or the seat belt only.* If combined weight of child and safety seat is over 65 lbs (29.5 kg), attach using the seat belt only.***	If combined weight of child and safety seat is up to 65 lbs (29.5 kg), attach using either LATCH (both lower anchors and top tether anchor), or the seat belt and upper tether strap.* If combined weight of child and safety seat is over 65 lbs (29.5 kg), attach using the seat belt and upper tether strap.***	Attach booster seats using the seat belt only.
* Many child safety seats currently available allow children to ride rear-facing using the child safety seat’s integrated 5-point harness for a longer period of time BASED UPON SPECIFIC HEIGHT AND WEIGHT LIMITS. Keep your child in a rear-facing seat for as long as possible. CHECK THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS AND CAREFULLY FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS. LATCH (“Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children”) and ISOFIX are international standards for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars that enable compliant child safety seats to be quickly and safely secured. The system has other regional names including LUAS (“Lower Universal Anchorage System”) or Canfix in Canada. It has also been called the “Universal Child Safety Seat System” or UCSSS. * Subject to instructions provided by the child safety seat manufacturer.

Warning

Laws that govern how and where children should be carried when traveling in a vehicle are subject to change. It is the driver’s responsibility to keep up to date on, and comply with, all current regulations in the region(s) where Model X is driven. To check the child passenger safety laws for states in the U.S., go to: http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws.html.

Warning

Do not use LATCH anchors with child safety seats or booster seats that have an integral safety belt where the combined weight of the child plus the child safety seat exceeds 65 lbs (29.5 kg).

Seating Larger Children

If a child is too large to fit into a child safety seat, but too small to safely fit into the standard seat belts, use a booster seat appropriate for the child’s age and size. Carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions to secure the booster seat.

Installing Child Safety Seats

There are two general methods used to install child safety seats:

Seat belt retained – these seats are secured using the vehicle’s seat belts.
LATCH retained – these seats attach to anchor bars built into the vehicle’s second row outboard seats.

Check the child safety seat manufacturer’s instructions and the table in this manual to determine which installation method to use. Some child safety seats can be installed using either method. Always follow the child safety seat manufacturer’s instructions.

Installing Seat Belt Retained Child Seats

First, make sure that the child safety seat is appropriate for the weight, height, and age of the child.

Avoid dressing the child in bulky clothing and do not place any objects between the child and the restraint system.

Adjust harnesses for every child, every trip.

To securely hold child safety seats, all passenger seating positions are equipped with an automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature that, by fully extracting the seat belt (beyond the length needed for a typical adult occupant), locks the belt into place until the seat belt is unbuckled and the webbing is fully retracted. The ALR mechanism operates as a ratchet, winding in slack and preventing the seat belt from extending any further until it has been completely rewound. When installing a child safety seat with integrated restraints, engage the belt’s automatic locking retractor by pulling the seat belt webbing until it is fully extended. The ALR system engages only when the seat belt is at its maximum extension point.

The automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature is not used for booster seats in which a large child is restrained by the vehicle’s seat belts directly, and therefore not using a child safety seat’s integrated restraints.

Note

An automatic locking retractor disengages only when the seat belt is unbuckled and fully retracted. The belt can then be worn as a normal belt, sliding freely in and out and locking tight only in an emergency. Once disengaged, the belt must be fully extended to re-engage the locking mechanism whenever you install a child safety seat.

Always follow the detailed instructions provided by the child safety seat manufacturer. General guidelines are provided below.

Place the child safety seat in Model X, and fully extend the seat belt. Route and buckle the seat belt in accordance with the child safety seat manufacturer’s instructions.
Allow the seat belt to retract, and remove all slack in the seat belt while firmly pushing the child safety seat into the Model X seat.
If the seat belt retained child safety seat has an upper tether, attach it to the back of the seat (see Attaching Upper Tether Straps).

Installing LATCH (ISOFIX) Child Seats

Lower LATCH anchors are provided in the second row outboard seats. The anchors are located between the seat’s back rest and rear cushion. The exact location of each anchor is identified by a child safety seat identification button, illustrated below. The button is located on the seat back, directly above its associated anchor.

Bench Seats

Monopost Seats

In the second row, install LATCH child safety seats in the outboard seating positions only. Use only a seat belt retained seat in the center position.

Note

If Model X is equipped with two seats in the second row, both seats support the use of LATCH child safety seats.

Note

Second row outboard seats support the use of upper tether straps (see Attaching Upper Tether Straps).

Warning

Before driving after installing a child seat in the second row, ensure that a “seat unlocked” warning does NOT display on the touchscreen or instrument panel. This warning indicates that the seat is unsafe for an occupant because it was not returned to its safe, locked position. If the touchscreen or instrument panel displays the warning message, move the seat or backrest slightly forward or backward until it locks firmly into position and the message no longer displays.

Bench Seats

Note

To accommodate large rear-facing LATCH child safety seats, you may need to move the seat in the full rearward position, and move the corresponding front seat forward to the mid-track position (up to 13 cm forward of the rearmost position), raise the seat upward (3 cm from its lowest position), and angle the seat back to 15 degrees (or 10 degrees rearward from its forward-most position).

Warning

Do not associate the Easy Entry setting with the driver’s profile when a child is seated in the second row. Doing so can cause the driver’s seat to push against the child, especially when a child is seated in a forward-facing child seat or booster seat. Do not rely on Model X to recognize or accommodate a child seated in the second row while using this setting (see Driver Profiles).

Monopost Seats

Note

Warning

To install a LATCH child safety seat, slide the safety seat latches onto the anchor bars until they click into place. Carefully read and follow the instructions provided by the child safety seat manufacturer.

Bench Seats

Monopost Seats

Once installed, test the security of the installation before seating a child. Attempt to twist the child safety seat from side to side and try to pull it away from the seat, then check to ensure the anchors remain securely in place.

Note

Lower LATCH anchors should not be used with child seats or booster seats that have an integrated safety belt in situations where the combined weight of the child plus the child safety seat is more than 65 lbs (29.5 kg). In these situations, use the seat belt instead.

Attaching Upper Tether Straps

If an upper tether strap is provided, attach its hook to the anchor point located on the back of the second and third row (if equipped) seats.

Note

The location of anchor points may not be readily visible but can be found by identifying a slice in the seat’s material.

Warning

Tighten upper tether straps according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child safety seat.

Warning

USE ONLY SEAT BELT RETAINED CHILD SAFETY SEATS IN THE CENTER SEATING POSITION.

For dual-strap tethers, position a strap on each side of the head restraint.

Note

If Model X is equipped with the optional six seat interior, a center seating position is not available in the second row.

Warning

When routing tether straps, keep the strap close to the headrest as illustrated below. On a Model X equipped with third row seats, do not allow a tether strap to cover the third row access button on the rear shoulder of the seat

Dual Straps – Second Row Monopost Seats

Dual Straps – Second Row Bench Seats

Dual Straps – Third Row Seats:

For single-strap tethers, position the strap in the outboard seating positions over the outside-facing side of the head restraint (the same side of the head restraint as the seat belt retraction mechanism). In the center seating position (if equipped), center and position the strap over the top of the head restraint.

Single Strap – Second Row Monopost Seats

Single Strap – Second Row Bench Seats

Single Strap – Third Row Seats

Testing a Child Safety Seat

Before seating a child, always make sure the child safety seat is not loose:

Hold the child safety seat by the belt path and try to slide the safety seat from side to side and front to back.
If the seat moves more than one inch (2.5 cm), it is too loose. Tighten the belt or reconnect the LATCH retained child safety seat.
If you are unable to reduce slack, try a different seat location or try another child safety seat.

Child Safety Seat Warnings

Warning

Extreme hazard! Do not seat a child on the front passenger seat even if you are using a child safety seat. This seat has an airbag in front of it. Although this airbag is disabled when Model X detects a lightweight passenger, do not rely on technology to protect your child.

Warning

Child safety seats are designed to be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt. A child could be endangered in a crash if a child safety seat is not properly secured in the vehicle.

Warning

According to collision statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in a rear seating position than in the front passenger seat.

Warning

Do not use a forward-facing child safety seat until your child weighs over 20 lbs (9 kg) and can sit independently. Up to the age of two, a child’s spine and neck are not sufficiently developed to avoid injury in a frontal impact.

Warning

Do not allow a baby or infant to be held on a lap. All children should be restrained in an appropriate child safety seat at all times.

Warning

To ensure children are safely seated, follow all instructions provided in this document and by the manufacturer of the child safety seat.

Warning

Children should ride in a rear-facing child safety seat using the seat’s integrated 5-point harness for as long as possible.

Warning

Do not use seat belt extenders on a seat belt that is being used to install a child safety seat or booster seat.

Warning

When seating larger children, make sure the child’s head is supported and the child’s seat belt is properly adjusted and fastened. The shoulder portion of the belt must be away from the face and neck, and the lap portion must not be over the stomach.

Warning

Never attach two child safety seats to one anchor point. In a collision, one anchor point may be incapable of securing both seats.

Warning

Child safety seat anchors are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by a correctly fitted child safety seat. Under no circumstances are they to be used for adult seat belts, harnesses, or for attaching other items or equipment to the vehicle.

Warning

Always check harnesses and tether straps for damage and wear.

Warning

Never leave a child unattended, even if the child is secured in a child safety seat.

Warning

Never use a child safety seat that has been involved in a collision. Have the seat inspected or replaced as described in the child safety seat manufacturer’s instruction

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