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There’s lots to consider when choosing a car seat for your little passenger, and with a whole new world of information out there, our car safety experts are on hand to help guide you through it.
Kat Gemmell, Car Safety Technologist at Silver Cross, shares more on ISOFIX – what it is, how to install your ISOFIX car seat and the benefits of using an ISOFIX system.
ISOFIX is an internationally recognised child car seat fitting system, whereby child car seats can be fixed into a vehicle using the two metal clips (ISOFIX connection points) found in the vehicle’s seats, instead of using the adult seatbelt. ISOFIX has been a legal requirement on all new cars in the EU since 2006, but you’ll also find mounting points in older models. The easiest way to find out if your vehicle has ISOFIX is to check your vehicle user manual, or visit our Car Seat Compatibility Checker in the Silver Cross Car Safety Centre.
All seats in the Silver Cross car safety collection include ISOFIX connectors to offer an easier, more secure installation when fitting your child’s seat – offering added peace of minds for parents.
1. Safety
One of the biggest benefits of using an ISOFIX system is the fact it drastically decreases the chance of fitting your child car seat incorrectly – which in turn provides added safety on the road. This is because child car seats with an integrated ISOFIX system include indicators which will change colour to green if the seat is fitted properly.
2. Ease of installation
ISOFIX child car seats are super easy to install and move between vehicles thanks to the colour-changing indicators which will click into place once the seat is fitted.
3. Convenience
Some ISOFIX child car seats, such as our Dream i-Size infant carrier, are also compatible with strollers and pushchairs so you can create a newborn travel system that’s ideal for those short, quick trips from car to café. Dream i-Size can be lifted from the Dream i-Size ISOFIX base within your vehicle and fixed onto your Silver Cross pushchair or stroller using the compatible adaptors.
ISOFIX is a car seat fitting system within your vehicle. i-Size is a car seat type approval within car seat regulation 129/03. i-Size car seats are automatically compatible with i-Size vehicles.
The easiest way to check whether your car, or a car you are thinking of purchasing, has ISOFIX connectors is to check the vehicle handbook or user manual. Or, look out for ISOFIX labels or the fitting points between the base and the back of your car seats.
To check if your car and chosen child car seat are compatible, you can also visit our market-leading vehicle compatibility checker, which will give you info on which car seats will fit into your specific vehicle make and model. If your car is not listed, our Car Safety Experts are on hand to answer any questions you may have through our Remote Vehicle Approval service.
1. Locate the ISOFIX anchors in your car
Once you have determined that your chosen child car seat is compatible with your vehicle, locate the ISOFIX anchors (two metal loops between the base and back of your car’s seat). Look out for any labels on your seats that may indicate their location.
2. Extend the ISOFIX arms on your child car seat and connect
Extend the ISOFIX arms on your child car seat and clip them into your vehicles’ connector points. You should hear a distinct ‘click’ and the indicators will turn green once secured correctly. Be aware that ISOFIX arm extensions vary between products, so it’s always best to consult the product’s instruction manual whilst installing your car seat.
3. Push the child car seat firmly towards the vehicle seat
Once both ISOFIX arms are connected, push the child seat or base firmly back toward the vehicle seat. If your child’s car seat includes a support leg like our Motion All Size 360 or Dream i-Size base, the height should be adjusted into the vertical position using the button on the back until it is firmly in contact with the floor. The support leg’s indicator will turn green once fitted correctly.
4. Attach the top tether
If your child car seat includes a top tether like our Balance i-Size, this should be attached to the anchor point which is usually on the reverse of the vehicle seat or in the boot. The indicator will turn green once the correct tension is achieved.
The support leg or top tether is an anti-rotation device – always check the car seat instruction manual to understand when this must be used.
To remove your ISOFIX child car seat from your vehicle, follow the simple steps below.
For more detailed instruction and illustration, consult your car safety product’s instruction manual, which can all be found on our car safety information pages and on the Silver Cross app – available on the App Store and Google Play.
Our award-winning car safety collection offers a range of different baby, toddler and child car seats to suit every stage of your little one’s growth and development and keep them safe on every journey.
Kat Gemmell joined our car safety team with over a decade of experience supporting parents to choose, fit and use their child car seats safely. She has worked for a national child seat campaign, provided product training for child seat manufacturers, and ran online information websites to support parents in making a truly informed choice. As well as her background in car safety, Kat also spent many years as a breastfeeding peer supporter, having worked for a local feeding charity as well as the maternity ward her children were born in.
