FORD EXPLORER 2020 Owner's Guide

Using Lower Anchors and Tethers
for CHildren (LATCH)
WARNING: 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. WARNING: 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.
The LATCH system has three vehicle
anchor points: two lower anchors where
the seat backrest and seat cushion meet
(called the seat bight) and one top tether
anchor behind that seating position.
LATCH compatible child 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, you can still use the
seatbelt to attach the child restraint. For
forward-facing child restraints, you must
also attach the top tether strap to the
proper top tether anchor if one came with
your child restraint.
Your vehicle has LATCH lower anchors for
child restraint installation at the seating
positions marked with the child restraint
symbol. Second Row Bucket Seats and Third
Row Seats
Second Row Bench Seats and Third
Row Seats
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The LATCH anchors are at the rear section
of the rear seat between the cushion and
seat backrest below 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
restraints with tether straps. See Using
Tether Straps later in this chapter.
Attach LATCH lower attachments of the
child restraint only to the anchors shown.
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.
The lower anchors at the center of the
second row bench seat are spaced 20.5 in
(52 cm)
apart. The standardized spacing
for LATCH lower anchors is 11 in (28 cm)
center to center. You cannot install a child
restraint with rigid LATCH attachments at
the center seating position. You can only
use LATCH compatible child restraints with
attachments on belt webbing 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 you have an adjacent child
restraint attached to that anchor. Each time you use the child restraint, check
that you properly attached the seat to the
lower anchors and tether anchor, if
applicable. Tug the child restraint from side
to side and forward and back where you
secured it to your vehicle. The child
restraint should move less than
1 in
(2.5 cm) if you properly install the seat.
If you do not properly anchor the child
restraint, the risk of injury to a child greatly
increases in a crash.
Combining Seatbelt and LATCH Lower
Anchors for Attaching Child Restraints
When used in combination, you can attach
either the seatbelt or the LATCH lower
anchors first, provided you achieve a proper
installation. Attach the tether strap
afterward, if included with the child
restraint.
Using Tether Straps Many forward-facing child
restraints include a tether strap
which extends from the back of
the child restraint and hooks to an
anchoring point called the top tether
anchor. Tether straps are available as an
accessory for many older child restraints.
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 child
restraint does not reach the appropriate
top tether anchor in your vehicle.
Once you install the child restraint using
either the seatbelt, 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):
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Second Row Bucket Seats and Third
Row Seats
Second Row Bench Seats and Third
Row Seats
Perform the following steps to install a
child restraint with tether anchors:
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. For second row outermost seating
positions, route the child restraint tether
strap over the seat backrest, under the
head restraint and between the head
restraint posts. If needed, remove the head
restraint to improve the fit of the child
restraint or tether strap.
For the second row center seating position,
route the child restraint tether strap over
the top of the head restraint. If needed,
remove the head restraint to improve the
fit of the child restraint or tether strap. See
Head Restraints (page 144).
For third row seating positions, route the
child restraint tether strap over the seat
backrest, under the head restraint and
between the head restraint posts. If
needed, fold the head restraint down to
improve the fit of the child restraint or
tether strap. See
Head Restraints (page
144).
1. Route the tether strap.
2. Locate the correct anchor for the selected seating position.
3. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as shown. The tether hook may be
twisted ½ turn to improve installation.
If you clip the tether strap incorrectly,
the child restraint may not be retained
properly in the event of a crash. 30
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4. Tighten the child restraint tether strap
according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
If you do not properly anchor the child
restraint, the risk of injury to a child
increases greatly in a crash. If your child restraint system has a tether
strap, and the child restraint manufacturer
recommends its use, we also recommend
its use.
Second Row Bucket Seats 31
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Second Row Bench Seats
Third Row Seats
Note:
The cargo tie downs at the rear edge
of the floor are not tether anchors.
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BOOSTER SEATS
WARNING: Do not put the shoulder
section of the seatbelt or allow the child
to put the shoulder section of the
seatbelt under their arm or behind their
back. Failure to follow this instruction
could reduce the effectiveness of the
seatbelt and 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 restraint
(generally children who are less than 57 in
(1.45 m) tall, are greater than age 4 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). Many state and
provincial laws require that children use
approved booster seats until they reach
age eight, a height of
57 in (1.45 m) 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 their vehicle seat backrest 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.
Types of Booster Seats •
Backless booster seats
If your backless booster seat has a
removable shield, remove the shield. If a
vehicle seating position has a low seat
backrest 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 backrest
or head restraint and lap and shoulder
belts, or consider using a high back booster
seat.
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•
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.
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.
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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
manufacturer's instructions.
CHILD RESTRAINT
POSITIONING
WARNING: Do not place a
rearward facing child restraint in front of
an active airbag. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury
or death. WARNING:
Properly secure
children 12 years old and under in a rear
seating position whenever possible. If
you are unable to properly secure all
children in a rear seating position,
properly secure the largest child on the
front seat. If you must use a forward
facing child restraint on the front seat,
move the seat as far back as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions could
result in personal injury or death. WARNING: 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.
WARNING:
Do not allow a
passenger to hold a child on their lap
when your vehicle is moving. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death in the event of a
sudden stop or crash. WARNING:
Do not use pillows,
books or towels to boost your child's
height. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in personal injury or death. WARNING:
Properly secure child
restraints or booster seats when they are
not in use. They could become projectiles
in a sudden stop or crash. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death. WARNING: Do not put the shoulder
section of the seatbelt or allow the child
to put the shoulder section of the
seatbelt under their arm or behind their
back. Failure to follow this instruction
could reduce the effectiveness of the
seatbelt and increase the risk of injury or
death in a crash. WARNING:
Do not leave children
or pets unattended in your vehicle.
Failure to follow this instruction could
result in personal injury or death.
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Recommendations for Attaching Child Safety Restraints for Children
Use Any Attachment Method as Indicated Below by X
Combined Weight ofChild and Child
Restraint
Restraint
Type Seatbelt
Only
Seatbelt
and LATCH (Lower
Anchors and Top Tether
Anchor)
Seatbelt
and Top Tether
Anchor
LATCH
(Lower
Anchors Only)
LATCH
(Lower
Anchors and Top Tether
Anchor)
X
X
Up to 65 lb
(29.5 kg)
Rear facing
child
restraint
X
Over
65 lb
(29.5 kg)
Rear facing
child
restraint
X
X
X
Up to
65 lb
(29.5 kg)
Forward
facingchild
restraint
X
X
Over
65 lb
(29.5 kg)
Forward
facingchild
restraint
Note: The child restraint 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
144
).
CHILD SAFETY LOCKS
When these locks are set, you cannot open
the rear doors from the inside.
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A child safety lock is on the rear edge of
each rear door. You must set the child
safety lock separately on each door.
Left-Hand Side
Turn the key clockwise to switch the child
lock on and counter clockwise to switch it
off.
Right-Hand Side
Turn the key counter clockwise to switch
the child lock on and clockwise to switch
it off.
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