2001 Mercury Villager child seat

7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle and
pull up on the shoulder belt while
pushing down with your knee on the
child seat.
8. Allow the safety belt to retract to
remove any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly tilt the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
10. 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
two through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use.
Installing child safety seats in the lap belt seating positions
1. Lengthen the lap belt. To lengthen the belt, hold the tongue so that its
bottom is perpendicular to the direction of webbing while sliding the
tongue up the webbing.
2. Place the child safety seat in the center seating position.
3. Route the tongue and webbing through the child seat according to the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for the center seating
position until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is
securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on tongue.
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141

5. Push down on the child seat while pulling on the loose end of the lap
belt webbing to tighten the belt.
6. Before placing the child into the child seat, forcibly tilt the child seat
from side to side and in forward direction to make sure that the seat is
held securely in place. If the child seat moves excessively, repeat steps 5
through 6, or properly install the child seat in a different position.
Attaching safety seats with tether straps
Most new forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap that
goes over the back of the vehicle seat and hooks to an anchoring point.
Tether straps are available as an accessory for many older safety seats.
Contact the manufacturer of your child safety seat for information about
ordering a tether strap.
Children should be placed in the rear in an appropriate child
safety seat that is properly secured to the vehicle.
Most new forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which
goes over the back of the seat and hooks to an anchoring point. 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.
Tether strap anchors have been
provided in your vehicle. The left
side of the figure is the front of the
vehicle.
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142

Second row seats
1. Position the child safety seat on the seat cushion.
2. Route the child safety seat tether
strap over the back of the seat.
3. Grasp the tether strap and
position it to the seat frame.
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143

4. Rotate the tether strap.
5. Clip the tether strap to the seat
tether slot bracket at the lower rear
portion of the seatback.
If the tether strap is clipped
incorrectly (as shown) the child
safety seat may not be retained
properly in the event of a
collision.
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144

6. Rotate the tether strap clip.
7. Refer to the instructions in this
section underInstalling child
safety seats in combination lap
and shoulder belt seating
positionsto secure the child safety
seat.
8. Tighten the child safety seat
tether strap according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
Third row seats
The third row seat child tether anchors are located on the bottom back
side of the seat. Refer toSecond row seatslisted previously for
installation instructions.
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145

Attaching child safety seats with Lower Anchor and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) attachments
Some child safety seats are labeled as LATCH or LATCH-compatible child
seats. These seats include two rigid or webbing mounted attachments
that connect to two anchors at specific seating positions in your vehicle.
This type of child seat eliminates the need to use seat belts to attach the
child seat. For forward-facing child seats, the tether strap must also be
attached to the proper tether anchor point. For information on using
tether straps with the child safety seats, refer toAttaching safety seats
with tether strapsin this chapter.
LATCH anchors for child seat
installation have been provided in
your vehicle at the following
locations:
The anchors at the center of the
rear seat are further apart than the
sets of lower anchors for child seat
installation at other seating
positions. A child seat with rigid
LATCH attachments cannot be
installed at this seating position. A
LATCH compatible child seat (with
attachments on belt webbing) can
be used at this seating position only
if the child seat instructions state
that the child seat can be installed
to anchors that are 400 mm apart. Do not attach a child seat to any
lower anchor if an adjacent child seat is attached to that anchor.
Do not attach a child seat to any lower anchors used for child
seat installation if an adjacent child seat is attached to that
anchor. In a crash, one anchor may not be strong enough to hold two
child seat attachments and may break, causing serious injury or death.
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146

The lower anchors for child seat
installation are located at the rear
section of the rear seat between the
cushion and seat back. Each lower
anchor for child seat installation is
located 2±3 inches below the locator
symbols.
Follow the child seat manufacturer's
instructions to properly install safety
seats with LATCH lower anchors
and LATCH-compatible attachments.
Attach the lower anchors for child seat installation or lower
anchors for child seat installation-compatible child seats only to
the appropriate locations shown.
If you install a child seat with rigid LATCH attachments, do not tighten
the tether strap enough to lift the child seat off the seat when the child
is seated in it. Keep the tether strap just snug without raising the front
of the child seat. Keeping the child seat just touching the front of the
vehicle seat gives the best protection in a severe crash. Once you have
installed the lower anchors for child seat installation safety seat, assure
that the seat is properly attached to the lower anchors for child seat
installation and tether anchors. Also, test the safety seat before you
place the child in it. Tilt the seat from side to side. Also try to tug the
seat forward. Check to see if the anchors hold the seat in place.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child
being injured in a collision greatly increases.
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147

Cleaning and maintaining the safety belts
Clean the safety belts with a mild soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpets. Do not bleach or dye the belts, because
these actions may weaken the belt webbing.
Check the safety belt system periodically to make sure there are no
nicks, tears or cuts. If your vehicle has been involved in an accident,
refer to theSafety belt maintenancesection in theSeating and safety
restraintschapter.
Cleaning leather seats (if equipped)
To clean, simply use a soft cloth dampened with water and a mild soap.
Wipe the leather again with a damp cloth to remove soap residue. Dry
with a soft cloth. For tougher soiling concerns, Ford recommends using
the Deluxe Leather Care Kit F8AZ-19G253±AA, which is available from
your Ford Dealer. This mild cleaner and special pad, cleans the leather
and maintains its natural beauty. Follow the instructions on the cleaner
label. Regular cleaning of your leather upholstery helps maintain its
resiliency and color.
Do not use household cleaning products, alcohol solutions,
solvents or cleaners intended for rubber, vinyl or plastics.
Cleaning the interior fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt with a whisk broom or a vacuum cleaner.
Remove fresh spots immediately. Do not use household or glass cleaners.
These agents can stain and discolor the fabric. Use a mild soap and
water solution if necessary.
Cleaning the built-in child seat (if equipped)
Clean with mild soap and water. Do not use household cleaning products
because they may weaken the safety belt webbing or damage the vinyl
parts of the seat.
The child seat liner is removable and may be machine-washed and air
dried.
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231