Get Seating and Safety Restraints -> SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN Guide for Ford Explorer SUV Fifth Generation (2005-2011)

Seating and Safety Restraints

Follow all the safety restraint and airbag precautions that apply to adult

passengers in your vehicle.

If the child is the proper height, age, and weight (as specified by your

child safety seat or booster manufacturer), fits the restraint and can be

restrained properly, then restrain the child in the child safety seat or

with the belt-positioning booster. Remember that child seats and

belt-positioning boosters vary and may be designed to fit children of

different heights, ages and weights. Children who are too large for child

safety seats or belt-positioning boosters (as specified by your child safety

seat manufacturer) should always properly wear safety belts.

SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN

Infant and/or toddler seats

Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the

child.

When installing a child safety seat:

• Review and follow the information

presented in the Airbag

supplemental restraint system

(SRS) section in this chapter.

• Carefully follow all of the

manufacturer’s instructions

included with the safety seat you

put in your vehicle. If you do not

install and use the safety seat

properly, the child may be injured

in a sudden stop or collision.

Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. NEVER place a

rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If you must use a

forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the vehicle seat all the

way back.

Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating

position whenever possible. If all children cannot be seated and

restrained properly in a rear seating position, properly restrain the

largest child in the front seat.

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Installing child safety seats with combination lap and shoulder

belts

If needed, when installing some high back child restraints, the head

restraints of the second row seating positions can be removed. Insert a

thin pointed object, such as a paper clip or pushpin, into the hole of

each head restraint guide and while lifting up remove the head restraint.

Store the head restraint in a secure location in the vehicle, such as on

the floor against the rear of the front seats. To re-install the head

restraint, line the posts up in the holes on the seat back with the head

restraint strap facing the outside of the vehicle and push down until the

head restraint locks into place. Lift gently to ensure it is locked into

place.

WARNING: If the head restraint has been removed from a

seating position to accommodate a high back child restraint, the

head restraint must be re-installed prior to use of the seat by any other

occupant in order to reduce the risk of personal injury in the event of

a collision.

Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use.

Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating

position whenever possible. If all children cannot be seated and

restrained properly in a rear seating position, properly restrain the

largest child in the front seat.

When installing a child safety seat with combination lap/shoulder belts:

• Use the correct safety belt buckle for that seating position.

• Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle until you hear a snap

and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened in the

buckle.

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• Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the safety

seat, with the tongue between the child seat and the release button,

to help prevent accidental unbuckling.

• Place vehicle seat back in upright position.

• Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer to Step 5

below. This vehicle does not require the use of a locking clip.

WARNING: Depending on where you secure a child restraint,

and depending on the child restraint design, you may block

access to certain safety belt buckle assemblies and/or LATCH lower

anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of

injury, occupants should only use seating positions where they are able

to be properly restrained.

Perform the following steps when installing the child seat with

combination lap/shoulder belts:

Note: Although the child seat illustrated is a forward facing child seat,

the steps are the same for installing a rear facing child seat.

1. Position the child safety seat in a

seat with a combination lap and

shoulder belt.

2. Pull down on the shoulder belt

and then grasp the shoulder belt

and lap belt together.

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3. While holding the shoulder and

lap belt portions together, route the

tongue through the child seat

according to the child seat

manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure

the belt webbing is not twisted.

4. Insert the belt tongue into the

proper buckle (the buckle closest to

the direction the tongue is coming

from) for that seating position until

you hear a snap and feel the latch

engage. Make sure the tongue is

latched securely by pulling on it.

5. To put the retractor in the

automatic locking mode, grasp the

shoulder portion of the belt and pull

downward until all of the belt is

pulled out.

6. Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt will click as it

retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode.

7. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is

in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt

out). If the retractor is not locked, repeat Steps 5 and 6.

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8. Remove remaining slack from the

belt. Force the seat down with extra

weight, e.g., by pressing down or

kneeling on the child restraint while

pulling up on the shoulder belt in

order to force slack from the belt.

This is necessary to remove the

remaining slack that will exist once

the additional weight of the child is

added to the child restraint. It also

helps to achieve the proper

snugness of the child seat to the vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean

towards the buckle will additionally help to remove remaining slack from

the belt.

9. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat is equipped). Refer to

Attaching child safety seats with tether straps later in this chapter.

10. Before placing the child in the

seat, forcibly move the seat forward

and back to make sure the seat is

securely held in place. To check

this, grab the seat at the belt path

and attempt to move it side to side

and forward and back. There should

be no more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) of

movement for proper installation.

Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger

Safety Technician (CPST) to make certain the child restraint is properly

installed. In Canada, check with your local St. John Ambulance office for

referral to a CPST.

Attaching child safety seats with LATCH

(Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) attachments

The LATCH system is composed of three vehicle anchor points: two (2)

lower anchors located where the vehicle seat back and seat cushion meet

(called the “seat bight”) and one (1) top tether anchor located behind

that seating position.

LATCH compatible child safety seats have two rigid or webbing mounted

attachments that connect to the two lower anchors at the LATCH

equipped seating positions in your vehicle. This type of attachment

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method eliminates the need to use safety belts to attach the child seat,

however the safety belt can still be used to attach the child seat. For

forward-facing child seats, the top tether strap must also be attached to

the proper top tether anchor, if a top tether strap has been provided

with your child seat.See Attaching child safety seats with tether straps

and Recommendations for attaching safety restraints for children in

this chapter for more information.

Your vehicle has LATCH lower anchors for child seat installation at the

following seating positions. In addition, six passenger and seven

passenger LATCH lower anchor positions are marked with the child seat

symbol.

• Second row bench seats (applicable to five and seven-passenger

vehicles)

• Second row bucket seats (applicable to six-passenger vehicles)

WARNING: Never attach two LATCH child safety seats to the

same anchor. In a crash, one anchor may not be strong enough

to hold two child safety seat attachments and may break, causing

serious injury or death.

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The LATCH anchors for child seat

installation are located at the rear

section of the second row seat

between the cushion and seatback.

The LATCH anchors are below the

locator symbols on the seat back on

6 and 7–passenger vehicles. The

5–passenger vehicle does not

require the symbol, however, the

anchor itself is located in the same

area. Follow the child seat

manufacturer’s instructions to

properly install a child seat with

LATCH attachments.

Follow the instructions on attaching child safety seats with tether straps.

Refer to Attaching child safety seats with tether straps later in this

chapter.

Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child seat only to the anchors

shown.

Plastic LATCH guides can be obtained from an authorized dealer. They

snap onto the LATCH lower anchors in the seat to help attach a child

seat with rigid attachments. The guides hold the seat trim away to

expose the anchor and make it easier to attach some child seats.

WARNING: Never attach two child safety seats to the same

anchor. In a crash, one anchor may not be strong enough to hold

two child safety seat attachments and may break, causing serious

injury or death.

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WARNING: Depending on where you secure a child restraint,

and depending on the child restraint design, you may block

access to certain safety belt buckle assemblies and/or LATCH lower

anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of

injury, occupants should only use seating positions where they are able

to be properly restrained.

Use of inboard lower anchors from the outboard seating positions

(center seating use)

The lower anchors at the center of the second row rear seat are spaced

592 mm (23 inches) apart. The standardized spacing for LATCH lower

anchors is 280 mm (11 inches) center to center. A child seat with rigid

LATCH attachments cannot be installed at the center seating position.

LATCH compatible child seats (with attachments on belt webbing) can

only be used at this seating position provided that the child seat

manufacturer’s instructions permit use with the anchor spacing stated.

Do not attach a child seat to any lower anchor if an adjacent child seat is

attached to that anchor.

WARNING: The standardized spacing for LATCH lower anchors

is 280 mm (11 inches) center to center. Do not use LATCH

lower anchors for the center seating position unless the child seat

manufacturer’s instructions permit and specify using anchors spaced at

least as far apart as those in this vehicle.

If you install a child seat with rigid LATCH attachments, and have

attached the top tether strap to the proper top tether anchor, do not

tighten the tether strap enough to lift the child seat off the vehicle seat

cushion when the child is seated in it. Keep the tether strap just snug

without lifting the front of the child seat. Keeping the child seat just

touching the vehicle seat gives the best protection in a severe crash.

Each time you use the safety seat, check that the seat is properly

attached to the lower anchors and tether anchor, if applicable. Tug the

child seat from side to side and forward and back where it is secured to

the vehicle. The seat should move less than one inch when you do this

for a proper installation.

If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being

injured in a crash greatly increases.

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Attaching child safety seats with tether straps

Many forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which

extends from the back of the child safety seat and hooks to an anchoring

point called the top tether anchor. Tether straps are available as an

accessory for many older safety seats. Contact the manufacturer of your

child seat for information about ordering a tether strap, or to obtain a

longer tether strap if the tether strap on your safety seat does not reach

the appropriate top tether anchor in the vehicle.

The rear seats of your vehicle are equipped with built-in tether strap

anchors located behind the seats as described below.

The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the following positions

(shown from top view):

• 5–passenger vehicle

For the center seat, use either of

the two tether anchors/cargo

tie-downs in the scuff plate along

the back edge of the floor.

• 6–passenger vehicle

• 7–passenger vehicle

Attach the tether strap only to the appropriate tether anchor as shown.

The tether strap may not work properly if attached somewhere other

than the correct tether anchor.

Once the child safety seat has been installed using either the safety belt

or the lower anchors of the LATCH system, you can attach the top tether

strap.

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Perform the following steps to install a child safety seat with tether

anchors:

1. Route the tether strap under the head restraint and between the head

restraint posts.

For vehicles with adjustable head restraints, route the tether strap under

the head restraint and between the head restraint posts, otherwise route

the tether strap over the top of the seatback.

2. Locate the correct anchor for the selected rear seating position.

When placing a child safety seat in the 2nd row center seating position

of the 5–passenger vehicle, the tether straps may be attached to either

of the tether anchors located at the rear of the cargo area.

• Behind 2nd row seat

• At the rear of the cargo area

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3. Clip the tether strap to the

anchor as shown.

If the tether strap is clipped

incorrectly, the child safety seat may

not be retained properly in the

event of a collision.

4. Tighten the child safety seat tether strap according to the

manufacturer’s instructions.

If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being

injured in a collision greatly increases.

If your child restraint system is equipped with a tether strap, and the

child restraint manufacturer recommends its use, Ford also recommends

its use.

Child booster seats

The belt-positioning booster (booster seat) is used to improve the fit of

the vehicle safety belt. Children outgrow a typical child seat (e.g.,

convertible or toddler seat) when they weigh about 40 lb (18 kg) and are

around four (4) years of age. Consult your child safety seat owner guide

for the weight, height, and age limits specific to your child safety seat.

Keep your child in the child safety seat if it properly fits the child,

remains appropriate for their weight, height and age AND if properly

secured to the vehicle.

Although the lap/shoulder belt will provide some protection, children

who have outgrown a typical child seat are still too small for lap/shoulder

belts to fit properly, and wearing an improperly fitted vehicle safety belt

could increase the risk of serious injury in a crash. To improve the fit of

both the lap and shoulder belt on children who have outgrown child

safety seats, Ford Motor Company recommends use of a belt-positioning

booster.

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Booster seats position a child so that vehicle lap/shoulder safety belts fit

better. They lift the child up so that the lap belt rests low across the hips

and the knees bend comfortably at the edge of the cushion, while

minimizing slouching. Booster seats may also make the shoulder belt fit

better and more comfortably. Try to keep the belt near the middle of the

shoulder and across the center of the chest. Moving the child closer (a

few centimeters or inches) to the center of the vehicle, but remaining in

the same seating position, may help provide a good shoulder belt fit.

When children should use booster seats

Children need to use booster seats from the time they outgrow the

toddler seat until they are big enough for the vehicle seat and

lap/shoulder belt to fit properly. Generally this is when they reach a

height of at least 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall (around age eight to

age twelve and between 40 lb (18 kg) and 80 lb (36 kg) or upward to

100 lb (45 kg) if recommended by your child restraint manufacturer).

Many state and provincial laws require that children use approved

booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 4 feet 9 inches

(1.45 meters) tall, or 80 lb (36 kg).

Booster seats should be used until you can answer YES to ALL of these

questions when seated without a booster seat:

• Can the child sit all the way back

against the vehicle seat back with

knees bent comfortably at the

edge of the seat cushion?

• Can the child sit without

slouching?

• Does the lap belt rest low across the hips?

• Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?

• Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

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Types of booster seats

There are generally two types of belt-positioning booster seats: backless

and high back. Always use booster seats in conjunction with the vehicle

lap/shoulder belt.

• Backless booster seats

If your backless booster seat has a

removable shield, remove the

shield. If a vehicle seating position

has a low seat back or no head

restraint, a backless booster seat

may place your child’s head (as

measured at the tops of the ears)

above the top of the seat. In this

case, move the backless booster

to another seating position with a

higher seat back or head restraint and lap/shoulder belts, or consider

using a high back booster seat.

• High back booster seats

If, with a backless booster seat,

you cannot find a seating position

that adequately supports your

child’s head, a high back booster

seat would be a better choice.

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Children and booster seats vary in size and shape. Choose a booster that

keeps the lap belt low and snug across the hips, never up across the

stomach, and lets you adjust the shoulder belt to cross the chest and

rest snugly near the center of the shoulder. The drawings below compare

the ideal fit (center) to a shoulder belt uncomfortably close to the neck

and a shoulder belt that could slip off the shoulder. The drawings below

also show how the lap belt should be low and snug across the child’s

hips.

If the booster seat slides on the vehicle seat, placing a rubberized mesh

sold as shelf or carpet liner under the booster seat may improve this

condition. Do not introduce any item thicker than this under the booster

seat. Check with the booster seat manufacturer’s instructions.

The importance of shoulder belts

Using a booster without a shoulder belt increases the risk of a child’s

head hitting a hard surface in a collision. For this reason, you should

never use a booster seat with a lap belt only. It is generally best to use a

booster seat with lap/shoulder belts in the back seat.

Move a child to a different seating location if the shoulder belt does not

stay positioned on the shoulder during use.

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Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer of the booster seat.

WARNING: Never place, or allow a child to place, the shoulder

belt under a child’s arm or behind the back because it reduces

the protection for the upper part of the body and may increase the risk

of injury or death in a collision.

Child restraint and safety belt maintenance

Inspect the vehicle safety belts and child safety seat systems periodically

to make sure they work properly and are not damaged. Inspect the

vehicle and child seat safety belts to make sure there are no nicks, tears

or cuts. Replace if necessary. All vehicle safety belt assemblies, including

retractors, buckles, front safety belt buckle assemblies, buckle support

assemblies (slide bar-if equipped), shoulder belt height adjusters (if

equipped), shoulder belt guide on seatback (if equipped), child safety

seat LATCH and tether anchors, and attaching hardware, should be

inspected after a collision. Refer to the child restraint manufacturer’s

instructions for additional inspection and maintenance information

specific to the child restraint. Ford Motor Company recommends that all

safety belt assemblies in use in vehicles involved in a collision be

replaced. However, if the collision was minor and an authorized dealer

finds that the belts do not show damage and continue to operate

properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in

use during a collision should also be inspected and replaced if either

damage or improper operation is noted.

For proper care of soiled safety belts, refer to Interior in the Cleaning

chapter.

WARNING: Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the

safety belt assembly or child restraint system under the above

conditions could result in severe personal injuries in the event of a

collision.

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Seating and Safety Restraints -> SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN for Your Ford Explorer SUV Fifth Generation (2005-2011)

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Seating and Safety Restraints