How to Install a Child Seat in a Silverado Extended Cab
by Johnathan Cronk
The Silverado is a full-size pickup truck designed by General Motors and sold under the Chevrolet brand. Its twin is the GMC Sierra pickup. The extended cab model within the Silverado lineup offers a nearly full-size cabin with a nearly full-size back row of seating and rear-hinged half-sized rear passenger doors. The extended cab makes it easy for owners to install a child car seat, as there is plenty of room versus a standard pickup truck cabin, which does not have a rear seat at all. The Silverado is equipped with U.S.-standard child restraint "LATCH" system anchors. LATCH stands for "Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children." The anchors are located behind the seat headrest and below the seat. It’s important to use LATCH anchors to ensure the child car seat is secure and safe. However, if you prefer, you can also use the traditional seat belt setup to install the child car seat.
Step 1
Park the Silverado and turn the engine off. This will avoid any unnecessary movement of the vehicle while you're installing the child car seat. Open the front door; locate the handle on the front edge of the rear access door. Pull the handle and open the back door.
Step 2
Place your hand under the front seat, which must be moved forward. Lift the bar to unlock the seat position and push the seat forward. Position the back of the front seat forward by pulling the release lever and pushing the back all the way forward.
Step 3
Position the child car seat in the desired seat cushion. The middle seat is the recommended position for all child car seats; however, not all cars are equipped with center LATCH anchors. For such a case, use the seat belts to secure the child seat as instructed in Step 4.
Step 4
Pull the seat belt through the back of the child car seat and buckle it into the appropriate bucket. Pull the seat belt tight to ensure that the child car seat does not shift when pushed on. If you install your child car seat on the passenger side or driver side, continue to Step 5.
Step 5
Locate the LATCH system anchors within the extended cab's rear seats. The upper latch anchors are located above the head. The lower latch anchors are between the seat back and the seat cushion. Clip the threaded clip onto one bottom LATCH anchor. Place your knee on the child car seat and push down with all of your weight. Latch the opposite side of the threaded clip to the top latch anchor.
Step 6
Move the child car seat with your hands to ensure that the seat is stable. If the seat moves more than an inch in any direction, tighten the LATCH threads and seat belt.
References
Writer Bio
Johnathan Cronk is a freelance writer and began writing at the age of 18. Throughout his career he has specialized in sports, how-to and advice articles. He has also written sales pitches in the corporate setting since 2001. He studied business at Hudson Valley Community College before transferring to the State University of New York, Albany.
