2023 FORD RANGER Owners Manual

Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children
Recommended RestraintTypeChild Size, Height, Weight, or AgeChild
Use a child restraint(sometimes called aninfant carrier, convertibleseat, or toddler seat).
Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less(generally age four or younger).Infants ortoddlers
Use a belt-positioningbooster seat.
Children who have outgrown or no longerproperly fit in a child restraint (generallychildren who are less than 57 in (1.45 m)tall, are greater than age four and lessthan age 12, and between 40 lb (18 kg)and 80 lb (36 kg) and upward to 100 lb(45 kg) if recommended by your childrestraint manufacturer).
Small children
Use a vehicle seatbelthaving the lap belt snugand low across the hips,shoulder belt centeredacross the shoulder andchest, and seat backrestupright.
Children who have outgrown or no longerproperly fit in a belt-positioning boosterseat (generally children who are at least57 in (1.45 m) tall or greater than 80 lb(36 kg) or 100 lb (45 kg) if recommendedby child restraint manufacturer).
Larger children
•You are required by law to properly usechild restraints for infants and toddlersin the United States, Canada andMexico.
•Many states and provinces require thatsmall children use approved boosterseats until they reach age eight, aheight of 57 in (1.45 m) tall, or 80 lb(36 kg). Check your local and state orprovincial laws for specificrequirements about the safety ofchildren in your vehicle.
•When possible, properly restrainchildren 12 years of age and under in arear seating position of your vehicle.Accident statistics suggest thatchildren are safer when properlyrestrained in the rear seating positionsthan in a front seating position. SeeFront Passenger Sensing System(page 43).
•When installing a rear facing childrestraint, adjust the vehicle seats toavoid interference between the childrestraint and the vehicle seat in frontof the child restraint.
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INSTALLING CHILD
RESTRAINTS
Child Restraints
Use a child restraint (sometimes called aninfant carrier, convertible seat, or toddlerseat) for infants, toddlers, or childrenweighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less (generallyage four or younger).
Using Lap and Shoulder Belts
WARNING: Do not place arearward facing child restraint in front ofan active airbag. Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injuryor death.
WARNING: Properly securechildren 12 years old and under in a rearseating position whenever possible. Ifyou are unable to properly secure allchildren in a rear seating position,properly secure the largest child on thefront seat. If you must use a forwardfacing child restraint on the front seat,move the seat as far back as possible.Failure to follow these instructions couldresult in personal injury or death.
WARNING: Depending on whereyou secure a child restraint, anddepending on the child restraint design,you may block access to certain seatbeltbuckle assemblies and LATCH loweranchors, rendering those featurespotentially unusable. To avoid risk ofinjury, make sure occupants only useseating positions where they are able tobe properly restrained.
When installing a child restraint withcombination lap and shoulder belts:
•Use the correct seatbelt buckle for thatseating position.
•Insert the belt tongue into the properbuckle until you hear a snap and feel itlatch. Make sure the tongue is securelyfastened in the buckle.
•Keep the buckle release buttonpointing up and away from the childrestraint, with the tongue between thechild restraint and the release button,to prevent accidental unbuckling.
•Place the vehicle seat upon which thechild restraint will be installed in theupright position.
•Put the seatbelt in the automaticlocking mode. This vehicle does notrequire the use of a locking clip.
Perform the following steps wheninstalling the child restraint withcombination lap and shoulder belts:
Note:Although the child restraintillustrated is a forward facing child restraint,the steps are the same for installing a rearfacing child restraint.
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1.Position the child restraint in a seatwith a combination lap and shoulderbelt.
2.Pull down on the shoulder belt andthen grasp the shoulder belt and lapbelt together.
3.While holding the shoulder and lap beltportions together, route the tonguethrough the child restraint accordingto the child restraint manufacturer'sinstructions. Make sure the beltwebbing is not twisted.
4.Insert the belt tongue into the properbuckle (the buckle closest to thedirection the tongue is coming from)for that seating position until you heara snap and feel the latch engage. Makesure the tongue is latched securely bypulling on it.
5.To put the retractor in the automaticlocking mode, grasp the shoulderportion of the belt and pull downwarduntil you pull all of the seatbelt out.
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Note:The automatic locking mode isavailable on the front passenger and rearseats. This vehicle does not require the useof a locking clip.
6.Allow the belt to retract to removeslack. The belt clicks as it retracts toindicate it is in the automatic lockingmode.
7.Try to pull the seatbelt out of theretractor to make sure the retractor isin the automatic locking mode (youshould not be able to pull more beltout). If the retractor is not locked,unbuckle the belt and repeat Steps 5and 6.
8.Remove remaining slack from the belt.Force the seat down with extra weight,for example, by pressing down orkneeling on the child restraint as youpull up on the shoulder belt to forceslack from the belt. This is necessaryto remove the remaining slack thatexists once you add the extra weightof the child to the child restraint. It alsohelps to achieve the proper snugnessof the child restraint to your vehicle.Sometimes, a slight lean toward thebuckle helps to remove remaining slackfrom the belt.
9.Attach the tether strap (if the childrestraint is equipped).
10.Before placing the child in the seat,forcibly move the seat forward andback to make sure the seat is securelyheld in place.
To check this, grab the seat at the belt pathand attempt to move it side to side andforward and back. There should be nomore than 1 in (2.5 cm) of movement forproper installation.
We recommend checking with a NHTSACertified Child Passenger SafetyTechnician to make certain the childrestraint is properly installed. In Canada,check with Transport Canada for referralto a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Using Lower Anchors and Tethersfor CHildren (LATCH)
WARNING: Do not attach two childsafety restraints to the same anchor. Ina crash, one anchor may not be strongenough to hold two child safety restraintattachments and may break, causingserious injury or death.
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WARNING: Depending on whereyou secure a child restraint, anddepending on the child restraint design,you may block access to certain seatbeltbuckle assemblies and LATCH loweranchors, rendering those featurespotentially unusable. To avoid risk ofinjury, make sure occupants only useseating positions where they are able tobe properly restrained.
The LATCH system is composed of threevehicle anchor points: two lower anchorswhere the vehicle seat backrest and seatcushion meet (called the seat bight) andone top tether anchor behind that seatingposition.
LATCH compatible child restraints havetwo rigid or webbing mountedattachments that connect to the two loweranchors at the LATCH equipped seatingpositions in your vehicle. This type ofattachment method eliminates the needto use seatbelts to attach the childrestraint. However, you can still use theseatbelt to attach the child restraint if thelower anchors are not used.
For forward-facing child restraints, youmust also attach the top tether strap tothe proper top tether anchor if a top tetherstrap has been provided with your childrestraint.
Your vehicle has LATCH lower anchors forchild restraint installation at the followingseating positions.
SuperCrew
For SuperCrew vehicles, the lower LATCHanchors are at the rear section of the rearseat between the cushion and the seatbackrest.
SuperCab
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For SuperCab vehicles, the lower LATCHanchors are at the back panel behind therear seats.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer'sinstructions to properly install a childrestraint with LATCH attachments.
Follow the instructions later in this chapteron attaching child restraints with tetherstraps.
Attach LATCH lower attachments of thechild restraint only to the anchors shown.
Use of Inboard Lower Anchorsfrom the Outermost SeatingPositions (Center Seating Use)
WARNING: The standardizedspacing for LATCH lower anchors is 11 in(280 mm) center to center. Do not useLATCH lower anchors for the centerseating position unless the child restraintmanufacturer's instructions permit andspecify using anchors spaced at least asfar apart as those in this vehicle.
The lower anchors at the center of thesecond row rear seat are spaced 25.7 in(652 mm) apart. The standardized spacingfor LATCH lower anchors is 11.0 in(280 mm) center to center. You cannotinstall a child restraint with rigid LATCHattachments at the center seating position.LATCH compatible child restraints (withattachments on belt webbing) can only be
used at this seating position provided thatthe child restraint manufacturer'sinstructions permit use with the anchorspacing stated. Do not attach a childrestraint to any lower anchor if an adjacentchild restraint is attached to that anchor.
Each time you use the child restraint, checkthat the seat is properly attached to thelower anchors and tether anchor, ifapplicable. Tug the child restraint from sideto side and forward and back where it issecured to the vehicle. The seat shouldmove less than 1 in (2.5 cm) when you dothis for a proper installation.
If the child restraint is not anchoredproperly, the risk of a child being injured ina crash greatly increases.
Combining Seatbelt and LATCHLower Anchors for Attaching ChildRestraints
When used in combination, either theseatbelt or the LATCH lower anchors maybe attached first, provided a properinstallation is achieved. Attach the tetherstrap afterward, if included with the childrestraint.
Using Tether Straps
Many forward-facing child restraintsinclude a tether strap which extends fromthe back of the child restraint and hooksto an anchoring point called the top tetheranchor. Tether straps are available as anaccessory for many older child restraints.Contact the manufacturer of your childrestraint for information about ordering atether strap, or to obtain a longer tetherstrap if the tether strap on your childrestraint does not reach the appropriatetop tether anchor in the vehicle.
The passenger seats of your vehicle mayhave built-in tether strap anchors behindthe seats.
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For SuperCrew vehicles, the tether anchorsare anchor brackets behind the seat on therear edge of the seat cushion.
For SuperCab vehicles, the tether anchorsin your vehicle are loops of webbing abovethe seat backrest.
The rear seat in the SuperCab has twostraps along the top of the seat backrestthat function as both routing loops for thetether straps and anchor loops.
The tether strap anchors in your vehicleare in the following positions (shown fromtop view):
SuperCrew
SuperCab
For SuperCab vehicles without rear seats,use either of the two passenger side rearrigid anchors on the back panel as a toptether for the front passenger seat.
Attach the tether strap only to theappropriate tether anchor as shown. Thetether strap may not work properly ifattached somewhere other than thecorrect tether anchor.
If you install a child restraint with rigidLATCH attachments, do not tighten thetether strap enough to lift the childrestraint off the vehicle seat cushion whenthe child is seated in it. Keep the tetherstrap just snug without lifting the front ofthe child restraint. Keeping the childrestraint just touching the vehicle seatgives the best protection in a severe crash.
Once you have installed the child restraintusing either the seatbelt, the lower anchorsof the LATCH system, or both, you canattach the top tether strap.
Front Seat Tether StrapAttachment (SuperCab)
If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, thechild restraint may not be retained properlyin the event of a crash.
If the child restraint is not anchoredproperly, the risk of a child being injured ina crash greatly increases.
If your child restraint system has a tetherstrap, and the child restraint manufacturerrecommends its use, we also recommendits use.
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1.Route the child restraint tether strapover the back of the seat and under thehead restraint.
Note:For vehicles with adjustable headrestraints, route the tether strap under thehead restraint and between the headrestraint posts, otherwise route the tetherstrap over the top of the seat backrest.
2.Locate the correct anchor for theselected seating position. Make surethe seat is locked in the upright positionbefore installing the child restraint.
3.Clip the tether strap to either of theanchors on the back panel.
4.Tighten the child restraint tether strapaccording to the manufacturer'sinstructions.
If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, thechild restraint may not be retained properlyin the event of a crash.
If the child restraint is not anchoredproperly, the risk of a child being injured ina crash greatly increases.
If your child restraint system has a tetherstrap, and the child restraint manufacturerrecommends its use, we also recommendits use.
Rear Seat Tether StrapAttachment (SuperCab)
There are two loops of webbing just abovethe back of the rear seat (along the bottomedge of the rear window). Use these loopsas both routing loops and anchor loops forup to two child restraint tether straps.
For example, you can use the driver sideloop as a routing loop for a child restraintin the driver side rear seat and as ananchoring loop for child restraints installedin the passenger side rear seat.
Many tether straps cannot be tightened ifthe tether strap is hooked to the loopdirectly behind the child restraint.
To provide a tight tether strap:
1.Route the vehicle tether loop betweenthe head restraint posts. Then routethe child restraint tether strap throughthe loop, forward of the head restraint.
2.Hook the strap to the vehicle tetheranchor loop in the adjacent seatingposition. Always put the tether strapthrough the routing loop. The headrestraint support post holds the childrestraint tightly, but the head restraintpost is not strong enough to hold thechild restraint during a crash.
3.Tighten the tether strap according tothe child restraint manufacturer'sinstructions.
If the child restraint is not anchoredproperly, the risk of a child being injured ina crash greatly increases.
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