2015 FORD EXPLORER Owners Manual

•Second-row bench seats and
third-row passenger side
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.
SeeUsing Tether Strapslater in this chapter.
Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child seat 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 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.
The lower anchors at the center of the second row bench seat are
spaced 20.5 inches (52 centimeters) apart. The standardized spacing for
LATCH lower anchors is 11 inches (28 centimeters) center to center. 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.
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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.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being
injured in a crash greatly increases.
Combining Safety Belt and LATCH Lower Anchors for Attaching
Child Safety Seats
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 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.
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):
•Second-row bucket seats and
third-row passenger side
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•Second-row bench seats and
third-row passenger side
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.
1. Route the tether strap.
•Second-row outboard seat positions: Route the child safety seat tether
strap over the seat back, under the head restraint and between the
head restraint posts. If needed, remove the head restraint to improve
the fit of the child safety seat or tether strap.
•Second-row center seat positions: Route the child safety seat tether
strap over the top of the head restraint. If needed, remove the head
restraint to improve the fit of the child safety seat or tether strap. See
Rear Seatsin this chapter for head restraint information.
•Third-row seat position: Route the child safety seat tether strap over
the seat back, under the head restraint and between the head
restraint posts. If needed, fold the head restraint down to improve the
fit of the child safety seat or tether strap. SeeRear seatsin theSeats
chapter for head restraint information.
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2. Locate the correct anchor for the selected rear seating position.
•Second-row bucket (40/40)
•Second-row bench (60/40)
•Third-row seat
Note:The cargo tie-downs at the rear edge of the floor are not tether
anchors.
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3. Clip the tether hook to the anchor as shown. The tether hook may be
twisted 1/2 turn to improve installation.
If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, the child safety seat may not be
retained properly in the event of a crash.
4. Tighten the child safety seat tether strap according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
If the safety seat 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 LOCKS
When these locks are set, the rear doors cannot be opened from the
inside.
The childproof locks are located on
the rear edge of each rear door and
must be set separately for each
door.
•Insert the key and turn to the
lock position (key horizontal) to
engage the childproof locks.
•Insert the key and turn to the
unlock position (key vertical) to
disengage the childproof locks.
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PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING:Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap
while the vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the
child from injury in a crash, which may result in serious injury or death.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit
where they can be properly restrained.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an
airbag supplemental restraint system is provided. Failure to properly
wear your safety belt could seriously increase the risk of injury or
death.
WARNING:Do not allow people to travel in any area of your
vehicle that does not have seats and safety belts. Riding in a
cargo area, inside or outside of the vehicle, is extremely dangerous. In a
crash, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Make sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a safety belt correctly. Failure to follow this warning could result
in serious personal injury or death.
WARNING:In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a safety
belt.
WARNING:Each seating position in your vehicle has a specific
safety belt assembly which is made up of one buckle and one
tongue that are designed to be used as a pair. 1) Use the shoulder belt
on the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder belt under the
arm. 2) Never swing the safety belt around your neck over the inside
shoulder. 3) Never use a single belt for more than one person.
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WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position. Failure
to follow this could seriously increase the risk of injury or death.
WARNING:Safety belts and seats can become hot in a vehicle
that has been closed up in sunny weather; they could burn a
small child. Check seat covers and buckles before you place a child
anywhere near them.
WARNING:Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant
women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an
accident.
All seating positions in this vehicle have lap and shoulder safety belts. All
occupants of the vehicle should always properly wear their safety belts,
even when an airbag supplemental restraint system is provided.
The safety belt system consists of:
•Lap and shoulder safety belts.
•Shoulder safety belt with automatic locking mode (except driver and
rear inflatable safety belt).
•Height adjuster at the front outboard seating positions.
•Safety belt pretensioner at the front outboard seating positions.
•Belt tension sensor at the front outboard passenger seating position.
•Safety belt warning light and chime. SeeSafety Belt
Warning Light and Indicator Chimelater in this chapter.
•Crash sensors and monitoring system with readiness
indicator. SeeCrash Sensors and Airbag Indicatorin the
Supplemental Restraint Systemchapter.
The safety belt pretensioners and rear inflatable safety belts are designed
to activate in frontal, near-frontal and side crashes, and in rollovers. The
safety belt pretensioners at the front seating positions are designed to
tighten the safety belts firmly against the occupant’s body when
activated. This helps increase the effectiveness of the safety belts. In
frontal crashes, the safety belt pretensioners can be activated alone or, if
the crash is of sufficient severity, together with the front airbags.
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