Child Safety Seats

Seat Children in Rear Seats Only

Warning

The front passenger seat has an airbag that is always ON and may inflate when a collision occurs. Never seat a child on the front passenger seat, even if using a child restraint system or booster seat. DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY could occur.

Refer to the following label fitted to the sun visor.

Airbag warning label located on the sun visor with 1) a child seat depicted in front seat with a red circle-backslash 2) a deployed airbag with a rear-facing child seat and child 3) a hand pointing to an open book with an "I"

Icon of child in child seat with circle-backslash and text: Passenger airbag on

The Passenger Airbag On indicator displays in the top corner of the touchscreen to indicate that the passenger front airbag may inflate if a collision occurs.

Suitability and Fitting of Child Restraint Systems

All Model 3 seat belts are designed for adults. When seating infants and children, you must:

Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child’s age, weight, or size (see Recommended Child Restraint Systems).
Use a child restraint system that is appropriate for the specific seating position in Model 3. Each passenger seat in Model 3 supports a broad range of options. For details on what type of child restraint system can be used in each passenger seat, see Front Passenger Seat, and Rear Seats.
Properly install the child restraint system by following the manufacturer's instructions (see Installing Belt-based Child Restraint Systems and Installing ISOFIX Child Restraint Systems for general guidelines).

Note

When installing a child restraint system, you must also buckle the seat belt to silence the seat belt warning chime.

Recommended Child Restraint Systems

Although all weight groups can occupy any passenger seat in Model 3, the type of child restraint system that can be used in each seat can vary. For example, only belt-based child restraint systems (as defined in Two Installation Methods) can be used in the rear center seat.

Choose a child restraint system that meets AS/NZS 1754. For more information about child seats, go to www.childcarseats.com.au. Child restraint systems purchased outside of Australia may not meet these standards.

Warning

To ensure safety of infants and children, it is advisable to purchase a new child restraint system. However, if a used child restraint system is necessary, heed these warnings:

Do not use a child restraint system that is more than 10 years old.
Ensure the child restraint system meets AS/NZS 1754. This information should be visible on a label affixed to the child restraint system.
Confirm that the child restraint system was not being used in a vehicle that was involved in a collision.
Ensure that all components (buckles, etc.) of the child restraint system operate smoothly and there are no signs of wear or damage (splits, cracks etc.).
Ensure the harnesses on the child restraint system are not frayed, worn or damaged
Ensure the child restraint system has an instruction manual.

Seating Larger Children

If a child is too large to fit into a child restraint system, but too small to be safely secured using the vehicle's seat belts, use a booster seat appropriate for the child’s age and size. When using and installing a booster seat, carefully follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Two Installation Methods

Note

Always install child restraint systems by following the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint system.

Among many other variants, there are two general types of child restraint systems based on how they are secured in the seat:

Belt-based - secured using the vehicle’s seat belts (see Installing Belt-based Child Restraint Systems).
ISOFIX - secured to anchor bars built into the vehicle's seats (see Installing ISOFIX Child Restraint Systems).

Some child restraint systems can be installed using either method. Refer to the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint system for detailed installation instructions.

In Model 3, belt-based child restraints can be installed in any rear passenger seat and ISOFIX systems can be installed in either of the rear outboard seats. Specific details about the type of child restraint system that can be used in each seat is provided next.

Note

ISOFIX is an international standard for integrated anchors used in passenger vehicles to attach child safety seats.

Warning

Do not use ISOFIX anchors with child restraint system or booster seats that have an integral safety belt where the combined weight of the child plus the child restraint system exceeds 33 kg.

Front Passenger Seat

Warning

Never seat a child in a rear-facing child restraint system on the front passenger seat. Doing so can cause serious injury or death.

Note

The front passenger seat is not equipped with lower anchor bars to support the installation of ISOFIX child restraint systems. The front passenger seat is also not equipped with an anchor for upper tether straps.

4 images of the front passenger seat 1) white exclamation mark within a red triangle, 2) booster seat with green check, 3) rear-facing child seat and red X, 4) forward-facing child seat and red X

Warning

A passenger less than four years old must not be seated in the front row of a vehicle that has two or more rows of seats.

Warning

Children between the ages from four to seven can not travel in the front seat of a vehicle that has two or more rows, unless all rear seats are occupied by younger children seated in approved child restraint systems. In this situation, the oldest or largest child can be seated in the front passenger seat using a booster seat and the seat belt.

Warning

Children in booster seats must be restrained by a suitable and approved lap and sash type seat belt that is properly adjusted and fastened, or by a suitable and approved child safety harness that is properly adjusted and fastened.

Rear Seats

10 images of the rear outboard seats. 1) Green checks in outboard seats with blue arrows pointing to ISOFIX latches and a blue arrow pointing to strap location, 2) Rear-facing child seat and arrows pointing forward and upwards on the front seat. The following 8 images have green checks 3) forward-facing child seat, 4) rear-facing child seat, 5) booster seat, 6) forward-facing child seat with safety leg using ISOFIX anchor bars, 7) rear-facing child seat with safety leg using ISOFIX anchor bars, 8) close-up of safety leg, 9) forward-facing child seat using ISOFIX anchor bars and callouts A, B, B1, 10) rear-facing child seat using ISOFIX anchor bars and callouts C, D, E

Infants and children can occupy the rear outboard seat using rear-facing belt-based or ISOFIX child restraint systems. Children can use forward-facing child restraint systems when appropriate for their weight, size, and age.

Note

To accommodate large rear-facing child restraint systems, you may need to move the corresponding front seat forward, raise the seat upward (2 cm from its lowest position), and angle the seat back as needed.

Note

Child safety seats installed in a rear outboard seating position require the use of upper tether straps (see Attaching Upper Tether Straps).

Larger children can also occupy a rear outboard seat using a booster seat, properly installed as described in the instructions provided by the child restraint system manufacturer.

Model 3 is compatible with child restraint systems Type A, A2, A4, B, D, E, and F.

Warning

Do not use Easy Entry (as described in Driver Profiles) to automatically move the driver's seat to the full rearward position if a child safety seat is installed on a rear seat behind the driver's seat. With reduced clearance, the movement of the seat may impact a child's legs, cause injury, or dislodge the seat.

Installing Belt-based Child Restraint Systems

Always follow the detailed instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint system. Follow these general guidelines for belt-based child restraint systems:

Ensure that the child restraint system is appropriate for the weight, height, and age of the child.
Avoid dressing the child in bulky clothing.
Do not place any objects between the child and the child restraint system.
Adjust the child restraint system's harnesses for every child, every trip.

Place the child restraint system in the appropriate seat and fully extend the seat belt. Route and buckle the seat belt in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint system.
Allow the seat belt to retract, and remove all slack in the seat belt while firmly pushing the child restraint system into the Model 3 seat.
Attach the upper tether strap(s), as required by the manufacturer of the child restraint system (see Attaching Upper Tether Straps).

Installing ISOFIX Child Restraint Systems

Model 3's rear outboard seating positions are equipped with ISOFIX anchor bars. These anchor bars are located between the seat's cushion and back rest. The exact location of each anchor bar is identified by a marking (illustrated below) located on the seat back, directly above its associated anchor bars.

The ISOFIX icon and arrows showing the location of ISOFIX latches.

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

Two green check marks on outboard second row seats and a red X on the center seat

To install an ISOFIX child restraint system, carefully read and follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint system. These instructions describe how to slide the child restraint system onto the seat's anchor bars until you hear it "click" into place. You may need to push the child restraint system firmly against the seat back to ensure it fits snugly.

A child seat sliding into place with a speech bubble with an exclamation point in it, pointing to the anchor bar

Adjust until the child restraint system is fitted firmly against the seat back. Ensure the child restraint system fits snugly.

Child seat with hand pulling on seat belt

Before seating a child, ensure that the child restraint system is securely installed. Grasp the front of the child restraint system with one hand on each side, and attempt to:

Twist the child restraint system from side to side.
Pull the child restraint system away from the seat.

If the child restraint system moves away from the seat, both latches are not fully engaged onto the seat's anchor bars. You must reinstall it and try again. It is critical that both latches on the child restraint system are fully engaged.

Warning

Do not use ISOFIX anchors with child restraint system or booster seats that have an integral safety belt where the combined weight of the child plus the child restraint system exceeds 33 kg.

Attaching Upper Tether Straps

Model 3's rear seats support the use of upper tether straps. Attach its hook to the anchor point located behind the associated seat.

Note

The rear headrests do not move.

Note

Tighten upper tether straps according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint system.

The anchor points for tether straps are located on the shelf behind the rear seats.

Location of anchor points behind the rear seats

To access an anchor point, press down on the back of its cover.

1) Anchor point cover 2) Anchor point cover being pushed 3) Tether strap hooking into anchor

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

Straps positioned on either side of the head support

For single-strap tethers at the outboard seating positions, route the strap over the outside-facing side of the head support (same side of the head support as the seat belt retraction mechanism).

Strap running over outside of head support

For a single strap tether in the rear center seating position, route the strap over the top center of the head support.

Strap running up and over the middle of the center seat

For dual strap tether in the rear center seating position, route the straps around each side of the headrest.

Straps running up on both sides of the center seat

Child Restraint System Warnings

Warning

Never seat a child in a rear-facing child restraint system on the front passenger seat when the passenger front airbag is active. Doing so can cause serious injury or death.

Warning

Some child restraint systems are designed to be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt. Children could be endangered in a crash if their child restraint systems are not properly secured in the vehicle.

Warning

A passenger less than six months old must be restrained in a suitable and properly fastened and adjusted rear-facing approved child restraint system. A passenger six months or older, but less than four years old, must be restrained in a suitable and properly fastened and adjusted:

rear-facing approved child restraint system; or,
forward-facing approved child restraint system equipped with a built-in harness.

Infants and small children should ride in a rear-facing child restraint system as long as possible, until they exceed the maximum weight or height permitted by rear-facing child restraint systems.

Warning

Do not allow a baby or infant to be held on an adult's lap. All children should be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system at all times.

Warning

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

Warning

Children should ride in a rear-facing child restraint system using the seat’s integrated 5-point harness for as long as possible until they reach the maximum size or weight limit of the rear-facing child restraint system.

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 restraint systems to one anchor point. In a collision, one anchor point may be incapable of securing both seats.

Warning

Child restraint anchor bars are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by correctly fitted child restraints. 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 restraint system.

Warning

Never use a child restraint system that has been involved in a collision. Discard the seat and have it replaced as described in the child restraint system manufacturer’s instructions.