Congratulations on your purchase of the only child car seat you'll ever need.
The Alpha Omega from Costco.
Costco offers many other fine products for your infant and growing child.
The Alpha Omega is just one in a long tradition of quality juvenile products.
We pride ourselves on our innovation and in the value we provide in both our juvenile
and housewares products and believe the Alpha Omega illustrates the success of our efforts.
In addition, Costco is the only car seat manufacturer that conducts dynamic crash testing in its
own test facility.
That's because at Costco, quality and safety are our most important concerns.
The Alpha Omega comes in two models, the overhead shield and the five point harness.
In this video, we will use the overhead shield model for most of our descriptions, but we
will also describe any differences for the five point harness model.
This overview will help you to identify some of the features and benefits of the new Costco
Alpha Omega car seat, as well as instruct you in some aspects of its installation and
operation.
This video is not meant as a substitute for the instruction booklet.
You must read the entire instruction booklet before using your car seat.
Look on the rear of the car seat to find the instruction booklet.
Always store the instruction booklet in its holder.
If your instruction booklet is missing or you have any questions, call 1-800-544-1108
during normal business hours, Eastern Standard Time.
The Alpha Omega has some outstanding features.
The easy to adjust harness height system never requires rethreading.
Therefore you had to disassemble the harness to adjust it for changes in the size of the
child.
With the Alpha Omega, the harness height system can be easily adjusted up or down.
The four position adjustable shield allows for different size children and for seasonal
changes in clothing.
A third unique feature of the Alpha Omega is the one hand three position recline to
accommodate children at different stages of development.
Costco has divided the three stages of development as follows.
5 to 35 pounds, 22 to 40 pounds, and 30 to 80 pounds.
The reason for the overlap is to allow the parent some leeway in determining the best
position for their growing child.
Let's take a look at how to install and use the Alpha Omega car seat for an infant 5 to
35 pounds.
The seat must be in a recline position to allow the baby's wider, stronger back to
absorb the force in the event of a crash or sudden stop.
The car seat must also be in the rear facing position.
As long as the seat belts can be properly secured, Costco recommends the vehicle's
center rear seating position for maximum safety.
Never put a rear facing car seat in front of an airbag or your baby could be injured
or killed.
Press on the buckle release button to raise the shield.
For the five point model, press on the buckle to release the harness.
Thread the vehicle's lap or lap shoulder belt through the rear facing belt path.
Push down on the seat as shown and tighten the vehicle's lap belt.
The belt should not have any slack.
Not all vehicle seat belts are the same.
You need to read all of the seat belt information in both your vehicle and car seat instruction
booklets.
Put your infant into the seat.
The infant insert is specifically for infants.
It helps maintain a comfortable position for the infant's head.
The car seat's harness slots should be at or below the infant's shoulders.
If they are above the infant's shoulders, you must lower the headrest.
Make sure the headrest is locked in position.
Now bring the shield down carefully over the infant's head and latch the buckle.
For the five point model, place your child's arms through the harness and buckle.
Make sure the harness is not twisted.
Pull on the buckle to make sure it's locked.
Pull on the strap end to tighten.
Fasten the harness retainer at the level of the infant's armpits.
The harness should be snug.
There should be just enough room for one finger between the harness and the baby's chest.
Stand up on the metal lever and pull on the shoulder harnesses to loosen.
You can adjust the shield to a comfortable position by pressing in on the adjustment
button and moving the shield in or out.
The position of the shield will depend on the size of the child and the bulkiness of
the clothing they're wearing.
The car seat must be rear-facing until the child is at least 22 pounds.
Between 22 and 35 pounds, the seat can remain rear-facing, especially if the baby is less
than one year old, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Remember, first and always, read and follow the instructions fully.
Next, never use the rear-facing position with an airbag.
Always make sure the vehicle belt is tight before every ride.
And last, make sure the car seat's restraint system is securely fastened.
Children who weigh between 22 and 35 pounds may ride forward-facing in the toddler position.
Children 35 to 40 pounds must ride forward-facing.
It will be easier to change your car seat to the toddler position if you take it out
of the vehicle.
If you haven't already removed it, you will need to take out the infant insert.
Simply separate the strips by the belt guides and slip the insert off.
Put your toddler in the seat while it is out of the vehicle so that you can adjust the
position of the headrest more easily.
The harness should be just at or slightly above the child's shoulders.
The Alpha Omega can be installed forward-facing, either upright or reclined, according to the
comfort of the child.
If your model comes with a pillow, you can attach it to this fastening strip on the back
of the seat.
Thread the lap or lap shoulder belt through the forward-facing belt path.
Push down on the seat, as shown, and tighten the vehicle's lap belt.
The belt should not have any slack.
All other installation procedures, such as tightening and checking the harness and adjusting
the shield, are the same as for infants.
The back seat is generally the safest, but if your only option for using a forward-facing
seat is an airbag seating location, be sure that the vehicle's seat is back as far as
possible to reduce the potential risk.
Again, remember, always read and follow the instructions fully.
Next, when using the seat with an airbag, make sure the vehicle seat is back as far
as possible.
Always make sure the vehicle belt is tight before every ride.
And last, make sure the car seat restraint system is securely fastened.
When your child reaches 40 pounds, you must convert the Alpha Omega to an auto booster.
Also, if your child is between 30 and 40 pounds and his shoulders are above the slots with
the headrest in the fourth highest position, you must convert the Alpha Omega to an auto
booster.
Otherwise, you should continue to use the toddler shield harness mode.
To use the seat as an auto booster, first remove the seat from the vehicle.
Next, you will need to detach the base.
An attachment rod secures the seat to the base.
Depress the tab that holds it in and push the rod completely through from the other
side.
Lift the seat off the base.
Replace the rod in the base for future use.
From the back of the car seat, pull out the reclined stand and push up firmly until it
locks into place.
If you have a shield model, you will need to remove the shield.
First, detach the harness from the harness bracket.
Pull the harness through from the front.
Then unbuckle the harness and rotate the shield all the way back.
Undo the clips that hold the seat pad on.
Work the pad off over the shoulder belt guides and pull the pad down away from the shell.
Adjust the headrest.
Push the tab on the white lock and rotate it counterclockwise until it pops off.
Rotate the shield up so the holes line up and pull each arm out to disengage.
The springs should come off by themselves or you can take them off.
Store the springs and locks in the storage compartment in the base for future use.
Reattach the fabric on both sides of the seat.
To change the five-point harness model into the auto booster seat, detach the harness
from the harness bracket.
From the front, pull one harness through and remove the harness cover.
Unthread it from the harness retainer and the buckle.
Then pull the harness through from the other side until it comes out through the shell.
You may take out the buckle if you wish.
From underneath the seat, remove one of the screws holding the buckle.
Slide the harness off the metal plate.
Replace the screw.
Then from the front, pull the buckle out.
You can keep the parts in the storage compartment.
The harness bracket can be stored by lifting up the release lever to lengthen the harness
and hanging the harness bracket over the inside of the seat.
Replace the headrest so that it's in its highest position.
You must use the auto booster with both a lap and shoulder belt, preferably in the back
seat.
If you must use the auto booster with an airbag, push the vehicle seat as far back as possible.
Never use the booster seat if there is only a lap belt available.
Put the child in the auto booster.
Fasten the lap shoulder belt.
Then thread the vehicle shoulder belt through one of the three positions on the belt guide.
Use the position that directs the belt comfortably across the child's body, not over the neck
or face.
To summarize the auto booster position instructions, always read and follow the instructions fully.
When using the auto booster forward-facing with an airbag, make sure the vehicle seat
is back as far as possible.
Do not use the auto booster position with a lap belt only.
Always make sure the vehicle belt is tight before every ride.
So there you have it.
These are the three stages of the Alpha Omega Car Seat.
We hope you found this video helpful.
Refer to your instruction booklet for details on the installation and operation of your
award-winning Alpha Omega Car Seat.
Costco has utilized years of experience and advanced technology to develop what many consumers
have long demanded, a car seat that grows with the child.
And remember to visit the Costco website for information about all our quality products.