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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 child safety seats with tether straps
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.
Children should be placed in the rear in an appropriate child
safety seat that is properly secured to the vehicle.
The tether anchors in your vehicle
are in the positions shown:
The tether can be attached directly to the rear of all passenger seating
except the front passenger seat
equipped with power adjustment. The front passenger seat with manual
adjustment does have a tether anchor.
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Front passenger seating position (manual adjusting seats only)
1. Position the child safety seat on
the passenger seat cushion.
2. Route the child safety seat tether
strap over the back of the seat. If
the head restraint is adjustable,
route the tether strap under the
head restraint and between the
head restraint posts. If the top of
the safety seat hits the head
restraint, raise the head restraint to
let the child seat fit further
rearward.
3. Grasp the tether strap and
position it to the seat frame.
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4. Rotate the tether hook, and clip
the tether strap to the seat frame.
If the tether strap is clipped
incorrectly (as shown) the
child safety seat may not be
retained properly in the event of a
collision.
5. Rotate the tether strap clip.
6. Refer to the instructions in this
section underInstalling child
safety seats in cinch tongue
combination lap and shoulder belt
seating positionsto secure the
child safety seat.
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7. Tighten the child safety seat
tether strap according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
Rear seating positions
Follow steps 1±8 as described above for the following available seats:
²2nd row bucket
²2nd row bench
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²3rd row bench
For additional important safety information on the proper use of
seatbelts, child seats and infant seats, please read the entireSeating
and safety restraintschapter in this owner's guide.
Attaching safety seats with LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren) attachments for child seat anchors
Some child safety seats have two rigid or webbing mounted attachments
that connect to two anchors at certain 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. SeeAttaching safety seats with
tether strapsin this chapter.
Your vehicle has LATCH anchors for child seat installation at the seating
positions marked with the child seat symbol.
The anchors on both sides of the
center of the rear seat are provided
primarily for child seats at the
outboard seats, and are further
apart than the pairs of lower
anchors for child seat installation at
other seating positions. A child seat
with rigid LATCH attachments
cannot be installed at the center
rear seat. A child seat with LATCH
attachments on belt webbing can be
used at the center rear seat unless a
child seat at an outboard rear seat is
attached to one of these lower
anchors.
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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.
The lower anchors for child seat
installation are located at the rear
section of the rear seat between the
cushion and seat back.
Follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions to properly install a
child seat with LATCH attachments. Two plastic LATCH guides can be
obtained at no charge from any Ford or Lincoln-Mercury 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.
Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child seat only to the
anchors shown.
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If you install a child seat with rigid LATCH attachments, 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. Adjusting the
seat back angle may allow the tether strap to be tight without lifting the
child seat.
Each time you use the safety seat, check that the seat is properly
attached to the lower anchors and tether anchor. Try to tilt the child
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 crash greatly increases.
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A
Accessory delay ..........................87
AdvanceTrac ..............................183
Air bag supplemental
restraint system ........155±156, 160
and child safety seats ............157
description ......................156, 160
disposal ....................................162
driver air bag ..................158, 161
indicator light ...................12, 158
operation .........................158, 161
passenger air bag ...........158, 161
side air bag ..............................160
Air cleaner filter .......................277
Air conditioning
manual heating and air
conditioning system .................60
Air filter, cabin ............................66
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................252
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................180
Anti-theft system ......................127
arming the system ..................128
disarming a triggered
system .....................................128
warning light .............................14
Audio system (see Radio) .........44
Automatic transaxle .................186
driving with .............................187
fluid, adding ............................269
fluid, checking ........................269
fluid, refill capacities ..............278
fluid, specification ..................280
Auxiliary power point ...........86, 94
Axle
lubricant specifications ..........279B
Battery .......................................249
acid, treating emergencies .....249
charging system
warning light .............................12
jumping a disabled battery ....218
maintenance-free ....................249
replacement,
specifications ..........................277
servicing ..................................249
Belt minder ...............................150
Brakes ........................................179
anti-lock ...................................180
anti-lock brake system
(ABS) warning light .........12, 181
brake warning light ..................12
fluid, checking and adding ....268
fluid, refill capacities ..............278
fluid, specifications .........279±280
lubricant
specifications ..................279±280
parking ....................................181
pedals (see Power
adjustable foot pedals) ............90
shift interlock ..........................186
Break-in period .............................6
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....278
Cargo net ...................................111
Cellular telephone (see your
Cellular Phone Guide) ................94
Certification Label ....................282
Child safety restraints ..............163
child safety belts ....................163
Child safety seats ......................164
in front seat ............................165
Index
287