When your baby is born, one of the most important things you can do is equip them with a car seat. Not only is it crucial for their safety, but it also provides them with a place to sit while they are in the car. If you’ve never reassembled a car seat before, this may be a daunting task. Fear not, though! We’re here to help. In this blog post, we will walk you through the basics of how to reassemble Graco car seats.
Unfasten the Seat Belt
If your car seat has a detachable base, be sure to fasten the seat belt before detaching the base. Otherwise, the belt could strangle your child in the event of a crash. If your car seat doesn’t have a detachable base, follow these steps to reassemble it:
1. Place the child in the car seat, buckling them in as usual.
2. Turn the car seat so that the wheels are facing forward and unfold the legs of the car seat.
3. Line up one leg with one of the slots on either side of the car console and press down so that it clicks into place. Repeat on the other side.
4. Open up the cover above and slide it over to cover both child and car seat equally (you may need to pull slightly on each end). Make sure there’s enough room for your arms between cover and console to unbuckle and adjust straps if necessary (see photos below).
Remove the Retaining Clip
If you have a Graco car seat and it needs to be removed from your vehicle, there is a retaining clip that you need to remove. The retaining clip can be located on the back of the car seat or on the base. To remove the retaining clip, first locate the locking tab. Then use a flat head screwdriver to pry up on the tab until it pops off. Once the tab has been removed, use a Phillips screwdriver to unscrew the screws that hold down the car seat. The car seat should now be able to be pulled out of your vehicle.
Pull Up on the Handle
Pull up on the handle to release the latch. If it doesn’t release, insert a thin object between the switch and seat and twist gently. The switch should pop out.
Remove the four screws that secure the front of the seat to the chassis. Don’t lose them — you will need them later.
Pull up on the handle to release the latch. If it doesn’t release, insert a thin object between the switch and seat and twist gently. The switch should pop out.
Remove the four screws that secure the front of the seat to chassis by pulling up on handle then removing screws with a screwdriver. Mark each screw hole so they are easily identifiable when reassembling! Don’t lose screws – you will need them later!
Carefully pull forward on both sides of fabric coverings, until coverings start coming off of chassis (Figure A). There are tabs that keep coverings attached to wire frame (Figure B), so be sure not to rip fabric as you pull it off.
Push Down on the Footrest
If your Graco Car Seat has a footrest, push it down. This will release the pressure on the brake and parking brake cables. If you have a manual car seat, remove the safety belt first. Then, slide the footrest out of the way. Disconnect both cables by pulling straight out on them. Finally, fold the footrest in half and place it in its storage area.
Lift Off the Car Seat
If you have a Graco car seat, there are a few things you need to do in order to get it back together. The first step is to remove the infant insert and the shoulder straps. Next, you need to unclip the shoulder strap connector from the base of the seat. Finally, you can reattach the shoulder strap connector to the top of the seat.
Replace the Belt
If your Graco car seat is not installed correctly, it can be difficult to remove and replace the belt. Follow these instructions to reassemble your Graco car seat:
1. Remove the front straps by loosening the buckle at each end.
2. Remove the base by pushing down on one side and pulling up on the other.
3. Lift out the infant insert and place it on a surface away from the seat.
4. Rotate the connector bar until it clicks into place in the socket on both sides of the base.
5. Replace the front straps by threading them through the loops in opposite directions, then tighten the buckle at each end.
6. Replace the base by pressing down on one side and lifting up on the other, then slide it into place over infants’ bodies.
7. Reinstall infants’ safety belts by threading them through their belt loops and clicking into place behind their bodies