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2000/2500 TheraPedic™ Vehicle Restraint System Instructions Rev: 10.06
5-7
STEP 7: Use of the supplied locking clip
Install your Columbia TheraPedic Vehicle Restraint System as described above, using your vehicle's seat belt.
Hold your car’s shoulder/lap belt webbing and the seat belt tab to stop it from sliding. Then release the tab
from your seat belt buckle.
Fold the webbing and thread it through the locking clip, one side at a time. Keep the locking clip as close as
possible to the seat belt tab - no further than 1/2” away. Snug the locking clip against your seat belt tab. See
Figure 1. Buckle the seat belt to see that the clip has been correctly installed, with all slack webbing gone
and the seat tightly in place.
STEP 8: Installing the Tether Strap
A tether strap is supplied with your Columbia TheraPedic Vehicle Restraint System. This tether strap must be
used in addition to your vehicle's seat belt. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury in the event
of a crash. Use of the tether will enhance the stability of your Columbia TheraPedic Vehicle Restraint System,
particularly if your vehicle has very soft or very upright seats. Install the tether in your vehicle as instructed
below.
The tether strap is "V"-shaped. The bottom of the "V" attaches to your vehicle. The two top ends attach to
your Columbia TheraPedic Vehicle Restraint System by hooking onto metal brackets located on the upper ends
of each metal tube on the sides of the Columbia TheraPedic Vehicle Restraint System. The metal anchor plate
on the bottom of the "V"-shaped tether must be bolted to your vehicle.
Where you install the anchor depends on your vehicle. If you are installing the car seat in a sedan, the anchor
plate bolts to the parcel shelf in front of the rear window. Note: the parcel shelf must be fixed and made
of metal underneath. You can tell if it is made of metal underneath by looking in the trunk. If the parcel
shelf is adjustable or is not metal underneath, follow the instructions for a hatchback, van, or station wagon; in
these cars the tether anchor bolts to the cargo floor. See Figure 3 and 4.
WARNING: before drilling any hole in your vehicle, make sure the gas tank, pipes, cables, etc.,
are not in the way and will not be damaged. The tether anchor must be mounted directly in a
secure metal panel. If necessary for access, trim the carpeting, hardboard parcel shelf, or other
trim for clearance. Make certain that the tether webbing does not rub against any sharp edges.
Sedans with a fixed rear parcel shelf built in or after 1989:
Mounting nut: Most cars built in 1989 and after feature a tether-mounting nut welded to the underside of the
parcel shelf by the manufacturer. Because of its location, this mounting nut is not normally visible. To find it,
open the trunk and look up at the bottom of the parcel shelf. Some cars have one mounting nut, while others
will have more than one. If your vehicle has such a nut, use it. Insert a pointed object (nail, etc.) into the nut
from below, and up through your parcel shelf carpeting. From the other side, using the protruding object as
your guide, trim a small hole in the carpeting. This will allow the tether bolt to screw into the nut from above.
Attach the tether anchor as shown in Figure 3.
Sedans with a fixed rear parcel shelf built before 1989:
Cars built before 1989 generally will not have manufacturer-installed tether mounting nuts. Instead, you will
need to drill a 7/16” hole and use the nut supplied with the tether. With the Columbia TheraPedic™ Restraint
System in your vehicle, mark a location on the centerline of the Columbia TheraPedic Vehicle Restraint System,
and about 8” behind the seat, on the parcel shelf. Open the trunk, and using a flashlight if necessary, inspect
the bottom of the parcel shelf. Make sure there are no dangerous obstructions underneath the spot that you
have chosen. If it is clear, drill a hole for the anchor bolt. Attach the tether anchor as shown in Figure 3.