The Toyota Sienna LATCH System

At Classic Toyota of Tyler, Texas, we want your Toyota Sienna ownership experience to be one you have enjoyed for many years. You can rely on your Toyota engine to run efficiently for as long as needed. The Sienna has some of the most advanced safety systems to help keep you and your passengers safe. From radar-based crash prevention systems to optical sensors watching your back, the Sienna is always on the watch for trouble.

Unfortunately, accidents happen even with these advanced systems. But that’s where the crashworthiness of your car can help. Toyota designed the Sienna to protect passengers, with airbags and crumple zones that absorb and redirect crash energy.

However, all these advanced systems are most effective when you and your passengers use the Sienna’s restraint systems. Simple seatbelts help protect you and your passengers from harmful movements during an accident. But your younger kids don’t use seatbelts because they’re too small. Instead, they require car seats that you secure using the Sienna’s Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system.

You know precisely how these tethers work if you’re on your third child. But if this is the first child you’ve ever strapped in, don’t worry if you don’t completely understand how these systems work. We understand knowing exactly what to do between the various car seats and anchor systems can be difficult. So, we asked our safety experts to explain how the Sienna LATCH system works and give some installation tips.

The Toyota Sienna LATCH System Explained

Image004.jpg by Jonathan Brodsky is licensed with CC BY 2.0

Since the early 2000s, the U.S. government has required automobile manufacturers to install LATCH systems in every vehicle. The anchor system allows you to secure a child in a car or booster seat. In most cases, you don’t need a seatbelt. Instead, the car seat attaches to the frame of the rear seats and allows you to use rear- and forward-facing seats.

Your Toyota Sienna has three LATCH anchors in the second-row bench seat configuration and only two if you opt for captain’s chairs. The third-row seat also has two anchors, one on each outboard position. Each anchor is a metal loop between the backrest and seat cushion to either side of the seat.

You’ll also find anchors on the backs of your second-and third-row seats. These anchors provide additional stability and have been shown to reduce head movement by up to 6 inches when used.

Most modern car seats have safety straps that clip onto the anchor loops. Once clipped, you can tighten them by pulling the strap to remove slack, just like a seatbelt in an airplane. Before you attach a child safety seat, consult the owner’s manual for proper installation instructions, as every model has specific steps. Always consult your Sienna owner’s manual for anchor locations and seat specifications.

As your child ages, you’ll move them from their car seat into a booster seat. These typically don’t use the LATCH system but have integrated anchors at shoulder height. You’d run the seatbelt through this and then secure it like any other.

These shoulder anchors adjust the seatbelt to a safe height for children, which runs across the chest like an adult. Never secure your child with a seatbelt that goes across their neck. They aren’t big enough for the seat if you can’t run it across your child’s chest.

Online Installation Help

Toyota takes safety seriously, and its engineers often create new safety systems to address common issues. But unfortunately for most people, car seat installation gets confusing fast. Statistics show that people install over 70% of car seats incorrectly. That staggering number contributes to car accidents being the leading cause of death for American children.

To help, Toyota created Toyota for Families, an online tool you can access through the Toyota Owners app. Engineers designed the app to achieve 100% correct car seat installation. First, the app asks you for your vehicle, or you can enter the VIN. Then, you select the location within your car and choose your seat type, for example, forward-facing, rear-facing, or a booster seat. There’s also a tool that helps you decide which seat you should use based on the age and weight of the child.

If there’s a known incompatibility, the system flags it and requests another choice. Once you’ve entered all the necessary information, the app plays a video on installing the type of car seat you chose in Sienna’s selected position. The video also shows common mistakes and the critical steps necessary to install your seat correctly.

Have Your Car Seat Inspected in Tyler

The Texas Department of State Health Services annually runs free child safety seat checkups and inspection stations. They bring in nationally certified technicians to assess the correct use of your car seat based on all the relevant factors.

If you’re a first-time parent or have five kids, an inspection can only help. Too often, people assume they’ve installed their seats correctly, only to find the examination reveals they didn’t. Or worse, you paid someone to do the job, and they didn’t do it right.

Explore the Toyota Sienna Safety Features Today

At Classic Toyota of Tyler, we know mom and dad want a stylish, versatile, fun-to-drive vehicle, but above all else, they want safety. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Toyota Sienna its Top Safety Pick+ award. It has the systems and technology to help prevent accidents and provides top protection if you are in a collision.

We invite you to shop our virtual inventory to get an idea of features you like. We have an expansive selection at competitive prices. Then, you can visit us on West Southwest Loop Road, Tyler, and one of our friendly staff will demonstrate the Toyota Sienna’s safety features and answer all your questions. Finally, they’ll let you take your favorite model for a test drive.

Image004.jpg by Jonathan Brodsky is licensed with CC BY 2.0