Get Child Safety Guide for Ford Fiesta 4 Door Sixth Generation (2009-2016)

Child Safety

WARNINGS

GENERAL INFORMATION

requirements of law. Ford recommends

checking with a NHTSA Certified Child

Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and

consult your pediatrician to make sure your

child seat is appropriate for your child, and

is compatible with and properly installed

in your vehicle. To locate a child seat fitting

station and CPST, contact the NHTSA toll

free at 1-888-327-4236 or go to

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov. In Canada,

check with your local St. John Ambulance

office for referral to a CPST or for further

information, contact your provincial

ministry of transportation, locate your local

St. John Ambulance office by searching for

St. John Ambulance on the internet, or

Transport Canada at 1-800-333-0371

(http://www.tc.gc.ca). Failure to properly

restrain children in safety seats made

especially for their height, age, and weight

may result in an increased risk of serious

injury or death to your child.

See the following sections for directions

on how to properly use safety restraints

for children.

WARNINGS

Always make sure your child is

secured properly in a device that is

appropriate for their height, age and

weight. Child safety restraints must be

bought separately from your vehicle.

Failure to follow these instructions and

guidelines may result in an increased risk

of serious injury or death to your child.

All children are shaped differently.

The recommendations for safety

restraints are based on probable

child height, age and weight thresholds

from National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration and other safety

organizations, or are the minimum

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Child Safety

Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children

Child

Child size, height, weight, or age

Recommended restraint

type

Infants or

toddlers

Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less

(generally age four or younger).

Use a child safety seat

(sometimes called an

infant carrier, convertible

seat, or toddler seat).

Small children Children who have outgrown or no longer

properly fit in a child safety seat (gener-

ally children who are less than 4 ft. 9 in.

(1.45 m) tall, are greater than age four

and less than age 12, and between 40 lb

(18 kg) and 80 lb (36 kg) and upward to

100 lb (45 kg) if recommended by your

child restraint manufacturer).

Use a belt-positioning

booster seat.

Larger children Children who have outgrown or no longer Use a vehicle safety belt

properly fit in a belt-positioning booster

seat (generally children who are at least

4 ft. 9 in. (1.45 m) tall or greater than 80

lb (36 kg) or 100 lb (45 kg) if recom-

mended by child restraint manufacturer).

having the lap belt snug

and low across the hips,

shoulder belt centered

across the shoulder and

chest, and seat back

upright.

•

You are required by law to properly use

safety seats for infants and toddlers in

the United States and Canada.

INSTALLING CHILD SEATS

Child Seats

Many states and provinces require that

small children use approved booster

seats until they reach age eight, a

height of 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters)

tall, or 80 pounds (36 kilograms).

Check your local and state or provincial

laws for specific requirements about

the safety of children in your vehicle.

•

When possible, always properly

restrain children 12 years of age and

under in a rear seating position of your

vehicle. Accident statistics suggest that

children are safer when properly

restrained in the rear seating positions

than in a front seating position. See

Front Passenger Sensing System

(page 36).

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Child Safety

Use a child safety seat (sometimes called

•

Place your vehicle seat back in the

upright position.

an infant carrier, convertible seat, or

toddler seat) for infants, toddlers, or

children weighing 40 pounds (18

kilograms) or less (generally age four or

younger).

Put the safety belt in the automatic

locking mode. See Step 5. This vehicle

does not require the use of a locking

clip.

Perform the following steps when

installing the child seat with combination

lap and shoulder belts:

Using Lap and Shoulder Belts

WARNINGS

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 seat all the way

back.

Note: Although the child seat illustrated is

a forward facing child seat, the steps are

the same for installing a rear facing child

seat.

Children 12 and under should be

properly restrained in the rear seat

whenever possible.

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 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.

E142528

1. Position the child safety seat in a seat

with a combination lap and shoulder

belt.

When installing a child safety seat with

combination lap and 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.

•

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 prevent

accidental unbuckling.

E142529

2. Pull down on the shoulder belt and

then grasp the shoulder belt and lap

belt together.

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Child Safety

E142530

E142875

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.

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.

Note: The automatic locking mode is

available on the front passenger and rear

seats. This vehicle does not require the use

of a locking clip.

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, unbuckle the

belt and repeat Steps 5 and 6.

E142531

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.

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Child Safety

8. Remove remaining slack from the belt.

Using Lower Anchors and Tethers

for Children (LATCH)

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 extra weight of the child

is added to the child restraint. It also

helps to achieve the proper snugness

of the child seat to your vehicle.

WARNINGS

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.

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 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.

Sometimes, a slight lean toward the

buckle will additionally help to remove

remaining slack from the belt.

9. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat

is equipped). See Using Tether

Straps later in this section.

The LATCH system is composed of three

vehicle anchor points: two lower anchors

located where your vehicle seat back and

seat cushion meet (called the seat bight)

and one top tether anchor located behind

that seating position.

LATCH compatible child safety seats have

two rigid or webbing mounted

E142534

attachments that connect to the two lower

anchors at the LATCH equipped seating

positions in your vehicle. This type of

attachment 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.

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 centimeters) 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 Certified

Passenger Seat Technician.

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Child Safety

Use of Inboard Lower Anchors from the

Outboard Seating Positions (Center

Seating Use)

WARNING

The standardized spacing for LATCH

lower anchors is 11 inches (28

centimeters) 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.

E142535

Your vehicle has LATCH lower anchors for

child seat installation at the seating

positions marked with the child seat

symbol.

The lower anchors at the center of the

second row rear seat are spaced 15 inches

(39 centimeters) apart. 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.

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 your vehicle. The seat should

move less than one inch when you do this

for a proper installation.

E144054

The LATCH anchors are located at the rear

section of the rear seat between the

cushion and seat back below the symbols

as shown. 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.

If the safety seat is not anchored properly,

the risk of a child being injured in a crash

greatly increases.

Attach LATCH lower attachments of the

child seat only to the anchors shown.

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Child Safety

Combining Safety Belt and LATCH

Lower Anchors for Attaching Child

Safety Seats

Perform the following steps to install a

child safety seat with tether anchors:

Note: If you install a child seat with rigid

LATCH attachments, do not tighten the

tether strap enough to lift the child seat off

your 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 your

vehicle seat gives the best protection in a

severe crash.

When used in combination, either the

safety belt or the LATCH lower anchors

may be attached first, provided a proper

installation is achieved. Attach the tether

strap afterward, if included with the child

seat.

Using Tether Straps

Many forward-facing child safety

seats include a tether strap

which extends from the back of

Four Door

The tether anchors in your vehicle are

located under a cover marked with the

tether anchor symbol.

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.

1. Route the child safety seat tether strap

over the back of the seat. For outboard

seating positions, route the tether strap

under the head restraint and between

the head restraint posts. For the center

seating positions, route the tether strap

over the top of the head restraint. If

needed, the head restraints can also

be removed.

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 your vehicle.

Once the child safety seat has been

installed using either the safety belt, the

lower anchors of the LATCH system, or

both, you can attach the top tether strap.

The tether strap anchors in your vehicle

are in the following positions (shown from

top view):

E144274

2. Locate the correct anchor for the

selected seating position, then open

the tether anchor cover.

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E144275

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Child Safety

3. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as

shown.

4. Tighten the child safety seat tether

strap according to the manufacturer's

instructions. If your child restraint

system is equipped with a tether strap,

and the child restraint manufacturer

recommends its use, Ford also

recommends its use.

Five Door

E142539

The tether anchors in your vehicle are

located on the back panel of the rear seat.

These are marked with the tether anchor

symbol.

3. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as

shown.

4. Tighten the child safety seat tether

strap according to the manufacturer's

instructions. If your child restraint

system is equipped with a tether strap,

and the child restraint manufacturer

recommends its use, Ford also

1. Route the child safety seat tether strap

over the back of the seat. For outboard

seating positions, route the tether strap

under the head restraint and between

the head restraint posts. For the center

seating positions, route the tether strap

over the top of the head restraint. If

needed, the head restraints can also

be removed.

recommends its use.

BOOSTER SEATS

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 crash.

Use a belt-positioning booster seat for

children who have outgrown or no longer

properly fit in a child safety seat (generally

children who are less than 4 feet 9 inches

(1.45 meters) tall, are greater than age four

(4) and less than age twelve (12), and

between 40 pounds (18 kilograms) and

80 pounds (36 kilograms) and upward to

100 pounds (45 kilograms) if

E164077

2. Locate the correct anchor on the back

panel of the rear seat for the selected

seating position.

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Child Safety

recommended by your child restraint

Types of Booster Seats

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 pounds (36 kilograms).

Booster seats should be used until you can

answer YES to ALL of these questions

when seated without a booster seat:

E68924

•

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 and shoulder belts,

or consider using a high back booster seat.

E142595

•

Can the child sit all the way back

against their 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?

Always use booster seats in conjunction

with your vehicle lap and shoulder belt.

E70710

•

High back booster seats

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Child Safety

If, with a backless booster seat, you cannot

shoulder. The following drawings 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 also show how the

lap belt should be low and snug across the

child's hips.

find a seating position that adequately

supports your child's head, a high back

booster seat would be a better choice.

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

E142596

E142597

If the booster seat slides on the vehicle

seat upon which it is being used, 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

CHILD SEAT POSITIONING

WARNINGS

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

upon which the child seat is installed all

manufacturer's instructions.

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Child Safety

WARNINGS

the way back. When possible, all children

age 12 and under should be properly

Never let a passenger hold a child on

his or her lap while your vehicle is

restrained in a rear seating position. If all

children cannot be seated and restrained

properly in a rear seating position, properly

restrain the largest child in the front seat.

moving. The passenger cannot

protect the child from injury in a crash,

which may result in serious injury or death.

Never use pillows, books, or towels

to boost a child. They can slide

around and increase the likelihood

of injury or death in a crash.

Always carefully follow the

instructions and warnings provided

by the manufacturer of any child

restraint to determine if the restraint device

is appropriate for your child's size, height,

weight, or age. Follow the child restraint

manufacturer's instructions and warnings

provided for installation and use in

conjunction with the instructions and

warnings provided by your vehicle

manufacturer. A safety seat that is

improperly installed or utilized, is

inappropriate for your child's height, age,

or weight or does not properly fit the child

may increase the risk of serious injury or

death.

Always restrain an unoccupied child

seat or booster seat. These objects

may become projectiles in a crash or

sudden stop, which may increase the risk

of serious injury.

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 crash.

To avoid risk of injury, do not leave

children or pets unattended in your

vehicle.

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Child Safety

Recommendations for attaching child safety restraints for children

Restraint Combined

Use any attachment method as indicated below by X

Type

weight of

child and

child seat

LATCH

(lower

anchors

and top

tether

LATCH

(lower

anchors

only)

Safety belt Safety belt Safety belt

and top

tether

and LATCH

(lower

only

anchor

anchors

and top

tether

anchor)

Rear facing Up to 65 lb

child seat (29 kg)

X

Rear facing Over 65 lb

child seat (29 kg)

Forward Up to 65 lb

X

facing

(29 kg)

child seat

Forward

facing

Over 65 lb

(29 kg)

child seat

Note: The child seat must rest tightly

against the vehicle seat upon which it is

installed. It may be necessary to lift or

remove the head restraint. See Seats (page

103).

CHILD SAFETY LOCKS

WARNING

You cannot open the rear doors from

inside if you have put the child safety

locks on.

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Child Safety

E156821

Left-Hand Side

Turn counterclockwise to lock and

clockwise to unlock.

Right-Hand Side

Turn clockwise to lock and

counterclockwise to unlock.

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Child Safety for Your Ford Fiesta 4 Door Sixth Generation (2009-2016)

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