2023 FORD EXPLORER child seat

Recommendations for Attaching Child Safety Restraints for Children
Use Any Attachment Method as Indicated Below by X
CombinedWeight ofChild andChildRestraint
RestraintType
SeatbeltOnlySeatbeltand LATCH(LowerAnchorsand TopTetherAnchor)
Seatbeltand TopTetherAnchor
LATCH(LowerAnchorsOnly)
LATCH(LowerAnchorsand TopTetherAnchor)
XXUp to 65 lb(29.5 kg)
Rear facingchildrestraint
XOver 65 lb(29.5 kg)
Rear facingchildrestraint
XXXUp to 65 lb(29.5 kg)
Forwardfacingchildrestraint
XXOver 65 lb(29.5 kg)
Forwardfacingchildrestraint
Note:The child restraint must rest tightlyagainst the vehicle seat upon which it isinstalled. It may be necessary to lift orremove the head restraint. See Seats (page144).
CHILD SAFETY LOCKS
WARNING: You cannot open therear doors from inside if you have put thechild safety locks on.
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PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNING: Always drive and ridewith your seatback upright and the lapbelt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING: Children must alwaysbe properly restrained.
WARNING: Do not allow apassenger to hold a child on their lapwhen your vehicle is moving. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death in the event of asudden stop or crash.
WARNING: All occupants of yourvehicle, including the driver, shouldalways properly wear their seatbelts,even when an airbag supplementalrestraint system is provided. Failure toproperly wear your seatbelt couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: It is extremelydangerous to ride in a cargo area, insideor outside of a vehicle. In a crash, peopleriding in these areas are more likely to beseriously injured or killed. Do not allowpeople to ride in any area of your vehiclethat is not equipped with seats andseatbelts. Make sure everyone in yourvehicle is in a seat and properly using aseatbelt. Failure to follow this warningcould result in serious personal injury ordeath.
WARNING: In a rollover crash, anunbelted person is significantly morelikely to die than a person wearing aseatbelt.
WARNING: Each seating positionin your vehicle has a specific seatbeltassembly made up of one buckle andone tongue designed to be used as a pair.Use the shoulder belt on the outsideshoulder only. Never wear the shoulderbelt under the arm. Never use a singleseatbelt for more than one person.
WARNING: Even with advancedrestraints systems, properly restrainchildren 12 and under in a rear seatingposition. Failure to follow this couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Seatbelts and seatsmay be hot in a vehicle that is in thesunshine. The hot seatbelts or seats mayburn a small child. Check seat covers andbuckles before you place a childanywhere near them.
All seating positions in your vehicle havelap and shoulder seatbelts. All occupantsof the vehicle should always properly weartheir seatbelts, even when an airbagsupplemental restraint system is provided.
The seatbelt system consists of:
•Lap and shoulder seatbelts.
•Shoulder seatbelt with automaticlocking mode, (except driver seatbelt).
•Height adjuster at the front outermostseating positions.
•Seatbelt pretensioners at the frontoutermost and second row outermostseating positions.
•Belt tension sensor at the frontoutermost passenger seating position.
•Seatbelt warning light and chime.
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Pregnant women should always wear theirseatbelt. Position the lap belt portion of acombination lap and shoulder belt lowacross the hips below the belly and wornas tight as comfort allows. Position theshoulder belt to cross the middle of theshoulder and the center of the chest.
Seatbelt Locking Modes
WARNING: If your vehicle isinvolved in a crash, have the seatbeltsand associated components inspectedas soon as possible. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injuryor death.
All safety restraints in the vehicle arecombination lap and shoulder belts. Thedriver seatbelt has the first type of lockingmode, and the front outboard passengerand rear seat seatbelts have both types oflocking modes described as follows:
Vehicle Sensitive Mode
This is the normal retractor mode, whichallows free shoulder belt lengthadjustment to your movements andlocking in response to vehicle movement.For example, if the driver brakes suddenlyor turns a corner sharply, or the vehiclereceives an impact of about 5 mph(8 km/h) or more, the combinationseatbelts lock to help reduce forwardmovement of the driver and passengers.
In addition, the design of the retractor is tolock if you pull the webbing out too quickly.If the seatbelt retractor locks, slowly lowerthe height adjuster to allow the seatbeltto retract. If the retractor does not unlock,pull the seatbelt out slowly then feed a
small length of webbing back toward thestowed position. For rear seatbelts, reclinethe rear seat backrest or push the seatbackrest cushion away from the seatbelt.Feed a small length of webbing backtoward the stowed position.
Automatic Locking Mode
In this mode, the shoulder beltautomatically pre-locks. The belt retractsto remove any slack in the shoulder belt.The automatic locking mode is notavailable on the driver seatbelt.
When to Use the Automatic LockingMode
Use this mode any time you install a childsafety seat, except a booster, in passengerfront or rear seating positions. Properlyrestrain children 12 years old and under ina rear seating position whenever possible.See Child Safety (page 23).
How to Use the Automatic LockingMode
1.Buckle the combination lap andshoulder belt.
2.Grasp the shoulder portion and pulldownward until you pull the entire beltout. Allow the belt to retract. As thebelt retracts, you will hear a clickingsound. This indicates the seatbelt isnow in the automatic locking mode.
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Seatbelt fastened.A
Seatbelt not fastened.B
Seatbelt recently unfastened.C
FaultD
Deactivating and Activating theBelt-Minder Feature - Front outermostseats only
WARNING: While the systemallows you to deactivate it, this systemis designed to improve your chances ofbeing safely belted and surviving anaccident. We recommend you leave thesystem activated for yourself and otherswho may use the vehicle.
Note:The driver and front passengerwarnings switch on and off independently.When you perform this procedure for oneseating position, do not buckle the otherposition as this terminates the process.
Read Steps 1 - 4 before starting theprocedure.
Make sure that:
•You set the parking brake.
•The transmission is in park (P).
•The ignition is off.
•You close all vehicle doors.
•You unbuckle the driver and frontpassenger seatbelts.
1.Switch the ignition on. Do not start theengine.
2.Wait until the seatbelt warning lampturns off (about one minute). AfterStep 2, wait an additional five secondsbefore proceeding with Step 3. Onceyou start Step 3, you must completethe procedure within 60 seconds.
3.For the seating position you areswitching off, buckle then unbuckle theseatbelt three times at a moderatespeed, ending in the unbuckled state.After Step 3, the seatbelt warning lampturns on.
4.When the seatbelt warning lamp is on,buckle then unbuckle the seatbelt.After Step 4, the seatbelt warning lampflashes for confirmation.
•This switches the feature off if it iscurrently on.
•This switches the feature on if it iscurrently off.
CHILD RESTRAINT AND
SEATBELT MAINTENANCE
Inspect the vehicle seatbelts and childsafety seat systems periodically to makesure they work properly and are notdamaged. Inspect the vehicle and childrestraint seatbelts to make sure there areno nicks, tears or cuts. Replace ifnecessary. All vehicle seatbelt assemblies,including retractors, buckles, front seatbeltbuckle assemblies, buckle supportassemblies (slide bar-if equipped),shoulder belt height adjusters (ifequipped), shoulder belt guide on seatbackrest (if equipped), child safety seatLATCH and tether anchors, and attachinghardware, should be inspected after acrash. Read the child restraintmanufacturer's instructions for additionalinspection and maintenance informationspecific to the child restraint.
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We recommend that all seatbeltassemblies in use in vehicles involved in acrash be replaced. However, if the crashwas minor and an authorized dealer findsthat the belts do not show damage andcontinue to operate properly, they do notneed to be replaced. Seatbelt assembliesnot in use during a crash should also beinspected and replaced if either damageor improper operation is noted.
Properly care for seatbelts. See VehicleCare (page 339).
SEATBELT EXTENSIONS
WARNING: Persons who fit intothe vehicle's seatbelt should not use anextension. Unnecessary use could resultin serious personal injury in the event ofa crash.
WARNING: Only use extensionsprovided free of charge by our dealers.The dealer will provide an extensiondesigned specifically for this vehicle,model year and seating position. The useof an extension intended for anothervehicle, model year or seating positionmay not offer you the full protection ofyour vehicle's seatbelt restraint system.
WARNING: Never use seatbeltextensions to install child restraints.
WARNING: Do not use extensionsto change the way the seatbelt fitsacross the torso, over the lap or to makethe seatbelt buckle easier to reach.
If, because of body size or driving position,it is not possible to properly fasten theseatbelt over your lap and shoulder, anextension that is compatible with theseatbelts is available free of charge fromour dealers. Only use our seatbeltextensions made by the original equipmentseatbelt manufacturer with our seatbelts.Ask your authorized dealer if your extensionis compatible with your vehicle restraintsystem.
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2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingSeatbelts

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNING: Airbags do not inflateslowly or gently, and the risk of injuryfrom a deploying airbag is the greatestclose to the trim covering the airbagmodule.
WARNING: All occupants of yourvehicle, including the driver, shouldalways properly wear their seatbelts,even when an airbag supplementalrestraint system is provided. Failure toproperly wear your seatbelt couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Even with advancedrestraints systems, properly restrainchildren 12 and under in a rear seatingposition. Failure to follow this couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Do not place your armson the airbag cover or through thesteering wheel. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injury.
WARNING: Keep the areas in frontof the airbags free from obstruction. Donot affix anything to or over the airbagcovers. Objects could become projectilesduring airbag deployment or in a suddenstop. Failure to follow this instructioncould result in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Airbags can kill or injurea child in a child restraint. Never place arear-facing child restraint in front of anactive airbag. If you must use aforward-facing child restraint in the frontseat, move the seat upon which the childrestraint is installed all the way back.
WARNING: Do not attempt toservice, repair, or modify thesupplementary restraint system orassociated components. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
WARNING: Several airbag systemcomponents get hot after inflation. Toreduce the risk of injury, do not touchthem after inflation.
WARNING: If a supplementaryrestraint system component hasdeployed, it will not function again. Havethe system and associated componentsinspected as soon as possible. Failure tofollow this instruction could result inpersonal injury or death.
The airbags are a supplemental restraintsystem and are designed to work with theseatbelts to help protect the driver andright front passenger from certain upperbody injuries. Airbags do not inflate slowly;there is a risk of injury from a deployingairbag.
Note:You will hear a loud bang and see acloud of harmless powdery residue if anairbag deploys. This is normal.
The airbags inflate and deflate rapidlyupon activation. After airbag deployment,it is normal to notice a smoke-like, powderyresidue or smell the burnt propellant. Thismay consist of cornstarch, talcum powder(to lubricate the bag) or sodiumcompounds (for example, baking soda)that result from the combustion processthat inflates the airbag. Small amounts ofsodium hydroxide may be present whichmay irritate the skin and eyes, but none ofthe residue is toxic.
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2023 Explorer (CTW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202209, First-PrintingSupplementary Restraints System

While the system is designed to helpreduce serious injuries, contact with adeploying airbag may also cause abrasionsor swelling. Temporary hearing loss is alsoa possibility as a result of the noiseassociated with a deploying airbag.Because airbags must inflate rapidly andwith considerable force, there is the risk ofdeath or serious injuries such as fractures,facial and eye injuries or internal injuries,particularly to occupants who are notproperly restrained or are otherwise out ofposition at the time of airbag deployment.Thus, it is extremely important thatoccupants be properly restrained as faraway from the airbag module as possiblewhile maintaining vehicle control.
Routine maintenance of the airbags is notrequired.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER
AIRBAGS
WARNING: Do not place your armson the airbag cover or through thesteering wheel. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injury.
WARNING: Keep the areas in frontof the airbags free from obstruction. Donot affix anything to or over the airbagcovers. Objects could become projectilesduring airbag deployment or in a suddenstop. Failure to follow this instructioncould result in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Airbags can kill or injurea child in a child restraint. Never place arear-facing child restraint in front of anactive airbag. If you must use aforward-facing child restraint in the frontseat, move the seat upon which the childrestraint is installed all the way back.
The driver and front passenger airbags willdeploy during significant frontal and nearfrontal crashes.
The driver and passenger front airbagsystem consists of:
•Driver and passenger airbag modules.
•Front passenger sensing system.
· Crash sensors and monitoringsystem with readiness indicator.See Crash Sensors and AirbagIndicator (page 52).
Proper Driver and Front PassengerSeating Adjustment
WARNING: National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)recommends a minimum distance of atleast 10 in (25 cm) between anoccupant's chest and the driver airbagmodule.
To properly position yourself away fromthe airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as youcan while still reaching the pedalscomfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly (one or twodegrees) from the upright position.
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After all occupants have adjusted theirseats and put on seatbelts, it is veryimportant that they continue to sitproperly. A properly seated occupant sitsupright, leaning against the seatback, andcentered on the seat cushion, with theirfeet comfortably extended on the floor.Sitting improperly can increase the chanceof injury in a crash event. For example, ifan occupant slouches, lies down, turnssideways, sits forward, leans forward orsideways, or puts one or both feet up, thechance of injury during a crash is greatlyincreased.
Children and Airbags
WARNING: Airbags can kill or injurea child in a child restraint. Never place arear-facing child restraint in front of anactive airbag. If you must use aforward-facing child restraint in the frontseat, move the seat upon which the childrestraint is installed all the way back.
Children must always be properlyrestrained. Accident statistics suggest thatchildren are safer when properly restrainedin the rear seating positions than in thefront seating position. Failure to followthese instructions may increase the risk ofinjury in a crash.
FRONT PASSENGER SENSING
SYSTEM
WARNING: Even with advancedrestraints systems, properly restrainchildren 12 and under in a rear seatingposition. Failure to follow this couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
WARNING: Sitting improperly, outof position or with the seatback reclinedtoo far can take weight off the seatcushion and affect the decision of thepassenger sensing system, resulting inserious injury or death in the event of acrash. Always sit upright against yourseat back, with your feet on the floor.
WARNING: Any alteration ormodification to the front passenger seatmay affect the performance of the frontpassenger sensing system. This couldseriously increase the risk of injury ordeath.
This system works with sensors that arepart of the front passenger seat andseatbelt to detect the presence of aproperly-seated occupant and determineif the front passenger frontal airbag shouldbe enabled (may inflate) or not.
The front passenger sensing system usesa passenger airbag status indicator thatilluminates indicating that the frontpassenger frontal airbag is either on(enabled) or off (disabled).
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