2022 FORD ESCAPE child seat

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 (Lower Anchors and Tethers
for CHildren) system has three vehicle
anchor points.
• Two lower anchors where the seat backrest and seat cushion meet, called
the seat bight.
• 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 a top tether
strap has been provided with your child
restraint.
Follow the instructions on attaching child
restraints with tether straps.
INSTALLING A CHILD RESTRAINT
IN A CENTER SEAT
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 rear seat are spaced 18 in
(46 cm) apart. 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 your vehicle. The seat should
move less than 1 in (2.5 cm).
If you did not properly anchor the child
restraint, the risk of a child being injured in
a crash greatly increases.
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Child Safety

COMBINING THE SEATBELT AND
LOWER ANCHORS FOR
ATTACHING CHILD RESTRAINTS
When used in combination, you may attach
either the seatbelt or the LATCH lower
anchors first, provided a proper installation
is achieved. Attach the tether strap
afterward, if it is 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.
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. 1. Route the child restraint tether strap
over the back of the seat. For the
outermost seating positions, route the
tether strap under the head restraint
and between the head restraint posts.
For the center seating position, route
the tether strap over the top of the
head restraint. If needed, you can also
remove the head restraints.
E193589E193589
2. Locate the correct anchor behind thegap cover for the selected seating
position.
E142539
3. Clip the tether strap to the anchor asshown.
4. Tighten the child restraint tether strap according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
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Child Safety

If your child restraint system has a tether
strap, and the child restraint manufacturer
recommends its use, we also recommend
its use.
BOOSTER SEATS
Use a belt-positioning booster seat for
children who have outgrown or no longer
properly fit in a child restraint and meet
the following criteria.
• Generally children who are less than57 in (1.45 m) tall.
• Are greater than age four (4) and less than age twelve (12).
• Are between 40 lb (18 kg) and 80 lb (36 kg) and upward to 100 lb (45 kg).
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:
E142595
• 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
E68924
• 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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Child Safety

E70710
• High-back booster seatsIf, 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 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.
E142596
42597
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Child Safety

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 use any item thicker
than this under the booster seat. Check
with the booster seat manufacturer's
instructions.
CHILD SAFETY LOCKS
WARNING: You cannot open the
rear doors from inside if you have put the
child safety locks on.
E238364E238364
A child safety lock is on the rear edge of
each rear door. You must switch the child
safety lock separately on each door.
Left-Hand Side
Turn the key clockwise to switch the child
lock on and counterclockwise to switch it
off.
Right-Hand Side
Turn the key counterclockwise to switch
the child lock on and clockwise to switch
it off.
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Child Safety

SEATBELT PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Always drive and ride
with your seatback upright and the lap
belt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING: Children must always
be properly restrained.
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: All occupants of your
vehicle, including the driver, should
always properly wear their seatbelts,
even when an airbag supplemental
restraint system is provided. Failure to
properly wear your seatbelt could
seriously increase the risk of injury or
death.
WARNING: It is extremely
dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside
or outside of a vehicle. In a crash, people
riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow
people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and
seatbelts. Make sure everyone in your
vehicle is in a seat and properly using a
seatbelt. 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
seatbelt.
WARNING: Each seating position
in your vehicle has a specific seatbelt
assembly made up of one buckle and
one tongue designed to be used as a pair.
Use the shoulder belt on the outside
shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder
belt under the arm. Never use a single
seatbelt for more than one person.
WARNING: Even with advanced
restraints systems, properly restrain
children 12 and under in a rear seating
position. Failure to follow this could
seriously increase the risk of injury or
death.
WARNING: Seatbelts and seats
may be hot in a vehicle that is in the
sunshine. The hot seatbelts or seats may
burn a small child. Check seat covers and
buckles before you place a child
anywhere near them.
WARNING: If your vehicle is
involved in a crash, have the seatbelts
and associated components inspected
as soon as possible. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in personal injury
or death.
All seating positions in this vehicle have
lap and shoulder seatbelts. All occupants
of the vehicle should properly wear their
seatbelts, even when an airbag
supplemental restraint system is provided.
The seatbelt system consists of:
• Lap and shoulder seatbelts.
• A shoulder seatbelt with automatic locking mode, except driver seatbelt.
• Height adjusters at the front outermost seating positions.
39
Seatbelts

When the initial warning expires for the
driver, more warnings are provided for the
driver and front passenger. This warning
tone sounds if you or your front passenger
do not fasten the seatbelt buckle and the
vehicle speed exceeds 6 mph (10 km/h).
This tone also sounds if an occupant
unfastens the rear seatbelt buckle or it
becomes unfastened.
SWITCHING THE SEATBELT
REMINDER ON AND OFF
WARNING: While the system
allows you to deactivate it, this system
is designed to improve your chances of
being safely belted and surviving an
accident. We recommend you leave the
system activated for yourself and others
who may use the vehicle.
Note: The driver and front passenger
warnings switch off independently. When
you perform this procedure for one seating
position, do not buckle the other position as
this cancels the process.
Read Steps 1 - 4 before proceeding with
the programming procedure.
Make sure that:
• You set the parking brake.
• The transmission is in park (P).
• The ignition is off.
• You close all vehicle doors.
• You unfasten the driver and front passenger seatbelts.
1. Switch the ignition on. Do not start the engine. 2. Wait about one minute until the
seatbelt warning light switches off.
After Step 2, wait an additional five
seconds before proceeding with Step
3. Once you start Step 3, you must
complete the procedure within 30
seconds.
3. For the seating position you are switching off, fasten then unfasten the
seatbelt three times at a moderate
speed, ending in the unfastened state.
After Step 3, the seatbelt warning light
switches on.
4. When the seatbelt warning light is on, fasten then unfasten the seatbelt. After
Step 4, the seatbelt warning light
flashes for confirmation.
This switches the feature off for that
seating position if it is currently on.
This switches the feature on for that
seating position if it is currently off.
CHECKING THE SEATBELTS
Check the seatbelts and child restraints
periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged. Make sure
there are no nicks, tears or cuts. Replace if
necessary.
Check the following seatbelt assemblies
after a crash.
• Retractors.
• Buckles.
• Front seatbelt buckle assemblies.
• Shoulder belt height adjusters.
• Shoulder belt guide on seat backrest.
• Child restraint LATCH and tether anchors.
• Attaching hardware.
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Seatbelts

Read the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions for additional inspection and
maintenance information specific to the
child restraint.
We recommend that all seatbelt
assemblies in use in vehicles involved in a
crash be replaced. However, if the crash
was minor and an authorized dealer finds
that the belts do not show damage and
continue to operate properly, they do not
need to be replaced. Seatbelt assemblies
not in use during a crash should also be
checked and replaced if either damage or
improper operation is noted.
Properly care for seatbelts. See Cleaning
Seatbelts (page 353).
SEATBELT EXTENSIONS
WARNING: Persons who fit into
the vehicle's seatbelt should not use an
extension. Unnecessary use could result
in serious personal injury in the event of
a crash.
WARNING: Only use extensions
provided free of charge by our dealers.
The dealer will provide an extension
designed specifically for this vehicle,
model year and seating position. The use
of an extension intended for another
vehicle, model year or seating position
may not offer you the full protection of
your vehicle's seatbelt restraint system.
WARNING: Never use seatbelt
extensions to install child restraints.
WARNING: Do not use extensions
to change the way the seatbelt fits
across the torso, over the lap or to make
the seatbelt buckle easier to reach. If, because of body size or driving position,
it is not possible to properly fasten the
seatbelt over your lap and shoulder, an
extension that is compatible with the
seatbelts is available free of charge from
our dealers. Only use our seatbelt
extensions made by the original equipment
seatbelt manufacturer with our seatbelts.
Ask your authorized dealer if your extension
is compatible with your vehicle restraint
system.
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Seatbelts