LATCH standard in all vehicles?

jrv4babies

New member
Hello,

I am wanting to make sure I have my facts straight...
after a certain year of manufacturing, all vehicles are LATCH compatible as a standard feature, correct?

Thanks,
Jesyca
 
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twokidstwodogs

New member
I believe that all 2002 or newer cars should be LATCH equipped, though they may very well not have LATCH where you want it, like the center rear seat! Also, many older cars can be retrofitted with top tether anchors. (I did this on my 1999 Subaru Forester.) That greatly improves the safety of FF installations.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
It's kind of a complicated answer, so here goes: LATCH stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren, and refers to both the lower LATCH anchors in the crease of the vehicle seat, and to the top tether anchors usually located behind or above the vehicle seat.

Vehicles made after Sept. 1, 1999 for the 2000 model year for sale in the U.S. were required to have top tether anchors, and older models can usually have top tethers retrofitted.

Vehicles built after Sept. 1, 2002, when the federal requirement for lower LATCH anchors went into effect for the 2003 model year in the U.S. market, have a minimum of two sets of lower LATCH anchors. With the exception of some VW and Audi models, lower LATCH anchors cannot be retrofitted. Some pre-2003 model year vehicles may also have lower LATCH anchors because some manufacturers included them before the requirement went into effect.

Vehicles weighing over 8,500 lbs. (like the Ford Excursion and F350 pickup) are exempt from the federal requirements for LATCH, although I believe the Excursion does have top tether anchors. Also, convertible car models are not required to have top tether anchors.

Hope this helps. :)
 
Last edited:

Synchro246

New member
This is kinda a stupid, useless, question, but I am curious (and apparently comma happy).:p
2003and newer Lamborghinnis, Ferraris, and other high end silly-expensive cars that one with a small child probably wouldn't own/drive with their child have LATCH?
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
I'm not sure if exotic "super cars" for the U.S. market must have lower LATCH anchors and top tethers or not, especially since most of them are two seaters where the only place to attempt to install a carseat would be in the front passenger seat. AFAIK, newer two seater models usually do have switches to disable the passenger side front airbag, and convertible versions aren't required to have top tethers due to the top tether exemption for convertibles. I think LATCH may only be required for vehicles with rear seats. :confused: Maybe if you did some digging on www.saferidenews.com, www.carseat.org, or www.NHTSA.gov, you could find out more if you're still curious. ;)

I also remember reading reviews of two seater sports cars in a recent issue of Consumer Reports. I can't find my copy at the moment, and I don't think they tested a Ferrari or Lambo. It was more along the lines of the Corvette, Dodge Viper, and Porsche models. IIRC, the reviews mentioned lower LATCH anchors in some of the front passenger seats, and CR also included blurbs saying it was difficult at best to install a carseat in most of the models they tested. :)
 

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