2021 FORD F-450 Owners Manual

The lower anchors at the center of the
second row rear seat are spaced 26 in
(652 mm) apart. The standardized spacing
for LATCH lower anchors is 11 in (280 mm)
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 an adjacent child restraint is
attached to that anchor.
Each time you use the child 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 the vehicle. The seat should
move less than
1 in (2.5 cm) when you do
this for a proper installation.
If you did not properly anchor the child
restraint, the risk of a child being injured in
a crash greatly increases.
Combining Seatbelt and LATCH
Lower Anchors for Attaching Child
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
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 safety seats. 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 the vehicle.
The passenger seats of your vehicle may
have built-in tether strap anchors behind
the seats as described below.
The tether anchors in your vehicle may be
loops of webbing above the seat backrest
or an anchor bracket behind the seat on
the rear edge of the seat cushion.
The rear seat in the Crew Cab and Super
Cab has three straps along the top of the
seat backrest that function as both routing
loops for the tether straps and anchor
loops.
The tether strap anchors in your vehicle
are in the following positions (shown from
top view):
Regular Cab
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Crew Cab Super Cab
Attach the tether strap only to the
appropriate tether anchor as shown. The
tether strap may not work properly if
attached somewhere other than the
correct tether anchor.
If you install a child restraint with rigid
LATCH attachments, do not tighten the
tether strap enough to lift the child
restraint 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 restraint. Keeping the child
restraint just touching the vehicle seat
gives the best protection in a severe crash.
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.
Front Seat Tether Strap
Attachment (Regular Cab)
Note:
For vehicles with adjustable head
restraints, route the tether strap under the
head restraint and between the head
restraint posts, otherwise route the tether
strap over the top of the seat backrest.
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1. Route the child restraint tether strap
over the back of the seat and under the
head restraint.
2. Locate the correct anchor for the selected seating position. You may
need to pull the seat backrest forward
to access the tether anchors. Make sure
the seat is locked in the upright position
before installing the child restraint.
3. Clip the tether strap to the anchor.
4. Tighten the child restraint tether strap according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
Regular Cab Passenger and Center
Seats (located on back panel) If you clip the tether strap incorrectly, the
child restraint may not be retained properly
in the event of a crash.
If you did not properly anchor the child
restraint, the risk of a child being injured in
a crash greatly increases.
If your child restraint system has a tether
strap, and the child restraint manufacturer
recommends its use, we also recommend
its use. Rear Seat Tether Strap
Attachment (Crew Cab and Super
Cab)
There are three loops of webbing just
above the back of the rear seat (along the
bottom edge of the rear window). Use
these loops as both routing loops and
anchor loops for up to three child restraint
tether straps.
For example, you can use the center loop
as a routing loop for a child restraint in the
center rear seat and as an anchoring loop
for child restraints installed in the outboard
rear seats.
Many tether straps cannot be tightened if
the tether strap is hooked to the loop
directly behind the child restraint.
To provide a tight tether strap:
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1.
Route the vehicle tether loop between
the head restraint posts, then route the
child restraint tether strap through the
loop, forward of the head restraint.
2. Hook the strap to the vehicle tether anchor loop in the adjacent seating
position. If using the driver side, pass
the strap behind the shoulder belt for
the center seat. Always put the tether
strap through the routing loop. The
head restraint support post holds the
child restraint tightly, but the head
restraint post is not strong enough to
hold the child restraint during a crash.
3. Tighten the tether strap according to the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions.
If the child restraint is not anchored
properly, the risk of a child being injured in
a crash greatly increases.
If your child restraint system has a tether
strap, and the child restraint manufacturer
recommends its use, we also recommend
its use.
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.
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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. •
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. 34
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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.
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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.
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
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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
151).
CHILD SAFETY LOCKS
(IF
EQUIPPED)
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.
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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