Get Child Safety Guide for Ford Fusion 4 Door Second Generation (2013-2020)

Child Safety

WARNINGS

GENERAL INFORMATION

Technician (CPST) to make sure that you

properly install the child restraint in your

vehicle and that you consult your

pediatrician to make sure you have a child

restraint appropriate for your child. To

locate a child restraint fitting station and

CPST, contact NHTSA toll free at

1-888-327-4236 or go to

www.nhtsa.dot.gov. In Canada, contact

Transport Canada toll free at

1-800-333-0371 or go to www.tc.gc.ca to

find a Child Car Seat Clinic in your area.

Failure to properly restrain children in child

restraints 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 National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration and other safety

On hot days, the temperature inside

the vehicle can rise very quickly.

Exposure of people or animals to

organizations, base their recommendations

for child restraints on probable child height,

age and weight thresholds, or on the

minimum requirements of the law. We

recommend that you check with a NHTSA

Certified Child Passenger Safety

these high temperatures for even a short

time can cause death or serious heat

related injuries, including brain damage.

Small children are particularly at risk.

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Child Safety

Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children

Child

Child size, height, weight, or age

Recommended restraint

type

Use a child safety seat

(sometimes called an

infant carrier, convertible

seat, or toddler seat).

Infants or

toddlers

Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less

(generally age four or younger).

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.

Small 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 seatback

upright.

Larger children

•

You are required by law to properly use

safety seats for infants and toddlers in

the United States and Canada.

INSTALLING CHILD

RESTRAINTS

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 lb (36 kg). Check your local

and state or provincial laws for specific

requirements about the safety of

children in your vehicle.

Child Restraints

•

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 40).

E142594

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Child Safety

Use a child safety restraint (sometimes

•

Place the vehicle seat upon which the

child restraint will be installed in the

upright position.

called an infant carrier, convertible seat,

or toddler seat) for infants, toddlers, or

children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less

(generally age four or younger).

Put the seatbelt in the automatic

locking mode. See Step 5. This vehicle

does not require the use of a locking

clip.

Using Lap and Shoulder Belts

WARNINGS

Perform the following steps when

installing the child restraint with

combination lap and shoulder belts:

Airbags can kill or injure a child in a

child restraint. Never place a

rear-facing child restraint in front of

an active airbag. If you must use a

forward-facing child restraint in the front

seat, move the seat upon which the child

restraint is installed all the way back.

Note: Although the child restraint

illustrated is a forward facing child restraint,

the steps are the same for installing a rear

facing child restraint.

Airbags can kill or injure a child in a

child restraint. Properly restrain

children 12 and under 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 seatbelt buckle

assemblies and LATCH lower anchors,

rendering those features potentially

unusable. To avoid risk of injury, make sure

occupants only use seating positions

where they are able to be properly

restrained.

E142528

1. Position the child safety restraint in a

seat with a combination lap and

shoulder belt.

When installing a child safety restraint with

combination lap and shoulder belts:

•

Use the correct seatbelt 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

restraint, with the tongue between the

child restraint and the release button,

to prevent accidental unbuckling.

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Child Safety

2. Pull down on the shoulder belt and

then grasp the shoulder belt and lap

belt together.

E142875

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.

E142530

3. While holding the shoulder and lap belt

portions together, route the tongue

through the child restraint according

to the child restraint manufacturer's

instructions. Be sure the belt webbing

is not twisted.

Note: The automatic locking mode is

available on the front passenger and rear

seats.

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.

E142533

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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,

for example, 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 restraint

to your vehicle. Sometimes, a slight

lean toward the buckle will additionally

help to remove remaining slack from

the belt.

WARNINGS

Do not attach two child safety

restraints to the same anchor. In a

crash, one anchor may not be strong

enough to hold two child safety restraint

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 seatbelt buckle

assemblies and LATCH lower anchors,

rendering those features potentially

unusable. To avoid risk of injury, make sure

occupants only use seating positions

where they are able to be properly

restrained.

9. Attach the tether strap (if the child

restraint is equipped).

The LATCH system is composed of three

vehicle anchor points: two lower anchors

located where the seatback and seat

cushion meet (called the seat bight) and

one top tether anchor located behind that

seating position.

LATCH compatible child safety restraints

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 method eliminates the need

to use seatbelts to attach the child

restraint, however the seatbelt can still be

used to attach the child restraint. For

forward-facing child restraints, 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

restraint.

E142534

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

approximately 1 in (3 cm) of

movement for proper installation.

Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA

Certified Child Passenger Safety

Technician 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 in (280 mm)

center to center. Do not use LATCH

lower anchors for the center seating

position unless the child restraint

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 restraint installation at the seating

positions marked with the child restraint

symbol.

The lower anchors at the center of the

second row rear seat are spaced 18 in

(46 cm) apart. A child restraint with rigid

LATCH attachments cannot be installed

at the center seating position. LATCH

compatible child restraints (with

attachments on belt webbing) can only be

used at this seating position provided that

the child restraint manufacturer's

instructions permit use with the anchor

spacing stated. Do not attach a child

restraint to any lower anchor if an adjacent

child restraint is attached to that anchor.

Each time you use the safety restraint,

check that the seat is properly attached to

the lower anchors and tether anchor, if

applicable. Tug the child restraint from side

to side and forward and back where it is

secured to your vehicle. The seat should

move less than approximately 1 in (3 cm)

when you do this for a proper installation.

E169083

The LATCH anchors are located at the rear

section of the rear seat between the

cushion and seatback above the symbols

as shown. Follow the child restraint

manufacturer's instructions to properly

install a child restraint with LATCH

attachments. Follow the instructions on

attaching child safety restraints with tether

straps.

If the safety restraint is not anchored

properly, the risk of a child being injured in

a crash greatly increases.

Attach LATCH lower attachments of the

child restraint only to the anchors shown.

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Child Safety

Combining Seatbelt and LATCH Lower

Anchors for Attaching Child Safety

Restraints

When used in combination, either the

seatbelt 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

restraint.

Using Tether Straps

E142537

Many forward-facing child safety

restraints include a tether strap

which extends from the back of

Perform the following steps to install a

child safety restraint with tether anchors:

the child safety restraint and hooks to an

anchoring point called the top tether

anchor. Tether straps are available as an

accessory for many older safety restraints.

Note: If you install a child restraint with rigid

LATCH attachments, do not tighten the

tether strap enough to lift the child restraint

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 restraint.

Keeping the child restraint just touching your

vehicle seat gives the best protection in a

severe crash.

Contact the manufacturer of your child

restraint for information about ordering a

tether strap, or to obtain a longer tether

strap if the tether strap on your safety

restraint does not reach the appropriate

top tether anchor in your vehicle.

Four Door

The rear seats of your vehicle are equipped

with built-in tether strap anchors located

behind the seats as described below.

1. Route the child safety restraint 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.

Four door: The tether anchors in your

vehicle are located under a cover marked

with the tether anchor symbol (shown with

title).

Five door: The tether anchors in your

vehicle are located on the back panel of

the rear seat.

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.

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Child Safety

3. Open the tether anchor cover.

E144275

4. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as

shown. If the tether strap is clipped

incorrectly, the child safety restraint

may not be retained properly in the

event of a crash.

E164077

2. Locate the correct anchor for the

selected seating position.

5. Tighten the child safety restraint tether

strap according to the manufacturer's

instructions. If the safety restraint is not

anchored properly, the risk of a child

being injured in a crash greatly

increases.

If your child restraint system is equipped

with a tether strap, and the child restraint

manufacturer recommends its use, we also

recommend its use.

E142539

Five Door

3. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as

shown. If the tether strap is clipped

incorrectly, the child safety restraint

may not be retained properly in the

event of a crash.

1. Route the child safety restraint 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 position, route

the tether strap over the top of the

head restraint.

4. Tighten the child safety restraint tether

strap according to the manufacturer’s

instructions.

If the safety restraint is not anchored

properly, the risk of a child being injured in

a crash 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.

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Child Safety

•

Can the child sit all the way back

BOOSTER SEATS

against their vehicle seat back with

knees bent comfortably at the edge of

the seat cushion?

WARNING

Never place, or allow a child to place,

the shoulder belt under a child's arm

or behind the back because it

•

Can the child sit without slouching?

Does the lap belt rest low across the

hips?

reduces the protection for the upper part

of the body and may increase the risk of

injury or death in a crash.

•

Is the shoulder belt centered on the

shoulder and chest?

Can the child stay seated like this for

the whole trip?

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

Always use booster seats in conjunction

with your vehicle lap and shoulder belt.

Types of Booster Seats

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 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

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Child Safety

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.

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 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.

E70710

•

High back booster seats

E142596

E142597

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Child Safety

If the booster seat slides on the vehicle

WARNINGS

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

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.

manufacturer's instructions.

CHILD RESTRAINT

POSITIONING

Never let a passenger hold a child on

his or her lap while your vehicle is

moving. The passenger cannot

protect the child from injury in a crash,

which may result in serious injury or death.

WARNINGS

Airbags can kill or injure a child in a

child seat. Never place a rear-facing

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.

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

the way back. When possible, all children

age 12 and under should be properly

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.

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

Always carefully follow the

instructions and warnings provided

by the manufacturer of any child

reduces the protection for the upper part

of the body and may increase the risk of

injury or death in a crash.

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

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

Use any attachment method as indicated below by X

LATCH

(lower

anchors

and top

tether

LATCH

(lower

anchors

only)

Safety belt Safety belt Safety belt

Combined

weight of

child and

child seat

and top

tether

and LATCH

(lower

only

Restraint

Type

anchor

anchors

and top

tether

anchor)

Rear facing Up to 65 lb

child seat (29.5 kg)

X

Rear facing Over 65 lb

child seat

(29.5 kg)

Forward

facing

child seat

Up to 65 lb

(29.5 kg)

X

Forward

facing

child seat

Over 65 lb

(29.5 kg)

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

111).

CHILD SAFETY LOCKS

When these locks are set, the rear doors

cannot be opened from the inside.

E112197

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Child Safety

The childproof locks are located on the

rear edge of each rear door and must be

set separately for each door.

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 Fusion 4 Door Second Generation (2013-2020)

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