2023 LINCOLN AVIATOR child restraint

10. Before placing the child in the seat,
forcibly move the seat forward and back
to make sure you have the seat
securely held in place. To check this,
grab the seat at the belt path and
attempt to move it side to side and
forward and back. There should be no
more than 1 in (2.5 cm) of movement for
proper installation.
We recommend checking with a NHTSA
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician
to make certain the child restraint is properly
installed. In Canada, check with Transport
Canada for referral to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Using Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren (LATCH)
WARNING: Do not attach two child
safety restraints to the same anchor. In a
crash, one anchor may not be strong
enough to hold two child safety restraint
attachments and may break, causing
serious injury or death.
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 system has three vehicle anchor
points: two lower anchors where the seat
backrest and seat cushion meet (called the
seat bight) and 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 attachthe 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 one came with your child
restraint.
Your vehicle has LATCH lower anchors for
child restraint installation at the seating
positions marked with the child restraint
symbol.
Second Row Bucket Seats and Third Row
Seats
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Child Safety

Second Row Bench Seats and Third Row
Seats
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The LATCH anchors are at the rear section
of the rear seat between the cushion and
seat backrest below the symbols as shown.
Follow the child restraint manufacturer's
instructions to properly install a child restraint
with LATCH attachments.
Follow the instructions on attaching child
restraints with tether straps. See Using
Tether Straps later in this chapter.
Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child
restraint only to the anchors shown.
Use of Inboard Lower Anchors from the
Outermost Seating Positions (Center
Seating Use)
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 bench seat are spaced 20.5 in
(52 cm) apart. The standardized spacing for
LATCH lower anchors is 11 in (28 cm) 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 you have
an adjacent child restraint 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 you secured it to
your vehicle. The child restraint should move
less than 1 in (2.5 cm) if you properly installed
it.
If you do not properly anchor the child
restraint, the risk of injury to a child greatly
increases in a crash.
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Child Safety

Combining Seatbelt and LATCH Lower
Anchors for Attaching Child Restraints
When used in combination, you can attach
either the seatbelt or the LATCH lower
anchors first, provided a proper installation
is achieved. Attach the tether strap afterward,
if included with the child restraint.
Using Tether Straps
E141E141128128Many 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.
The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are
in the following positions (shown from top
view):
Second Row Bucket Seats and Third Row
Seats
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Second Row Bench Seats and Third Row
Seats
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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.
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Child Safety

For second row outermost seating positions,
route the child restraint tether strap over the
seat backrest, under the head restraint and
between the head restraint posts. If needed,
remove the head restraint to improve the fit
of the child restraint or tether strap.
For the second row center seating position,
route the child restraint tether strap over the
top of the head restraint. If needed, remove
the head restraint to improve the fit of the
child restraint or tether strap. See Head
Restraints (page 177).
For third row seating positions, route the
child restraint tether strap over the seat
backrest, under the head restraint and
between the head restraint posts. If needed,
fold the head restraint down to improve the
fit of the child restraint or tether strap. See
Head Restraints (page 177).
1. Route the tether strap.2. Locate the correct anchor for the
selected seating position.
3. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as
shown. The tether hook may be twisted
½ turn to improve installation. If you clip
the tether strap incorrectly, the child
restraint may not be retained properly in
the event of a crash.
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4. Tighten the child restraint tether strap
according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
If the child restraint is not anchored properly,
the risk of injury to a child greatly increases
in a crash.
If your child restraint system has a tether
strap, and the child restraint manufacturer
recommends its use, we also recommend its
use.
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Child Safety

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.
Types of Booster Seats
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• 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

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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.
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Child Safety

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.
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.
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Child Safety

Recommendations for Attaching Child Safety Restraints for Children
Use Any Attachment Method as Indicated Below by X
Combined Weight
of Child and Child
Restraint Restraint TypeSeatbelt 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 facing
child restraint
X X Over 65 lb
(29.5 kg) Forward facing
child restraint
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
176).
CHILD SAFETY LOCKS
When the child safety locks are set, you
cannot open the rear doors from the inside.
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Child Safety