Child Safety Seat Installation

Use a child safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the child. Always follow the child safety seat manufacturer's instructions when installing and using the child safety seat. When installing a child safety seat be sure to use the correct safety belt buckle for that seating position and make sure the tongue is securely fastened in the buckle.

These vehicles are equipped with a dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for the front and rear seat passengers, except on Bronco only has a locking "cinch tongue" for rear outboard passengers.

If it is chosen to install a forward-facing child safety seat or infant carrier in the front seating positions, move vehicle seat as far back as possible.

For seating positions equipped with a dual locking mode retractor, use the following procedure:

1. Position the child seat in the center of the passenger seat.

2. Pull down on the shoulder belt, then grasp the shoulder belt and lap belt together. See illustration below.

   
   
   
   
   

3. While holding the shoulder and lap belt portions together, route the tongue through the child seat according to the child seat manufacturer's instructions. See illustration below. Make sure the belt webbing is not twisted.

   
   
   
   
   

4. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for that seating position until you hear and feel the latch engage. See illustration below. Make sure the tongue is latched securely to the buckle by pulling on the tongue.

   
   
   
   
   

5. NOTE: The dual locking mode retractor must be in the "automatic locking mode" to properly restrain a child seat.

   Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward until all of the belt is extracted and a click is heard. At this time, the retractor is in the "automatic locking mode" (child restraint mode). See illustration below.

   
   
   
   
   

6. Allow the belt to retract. A clicking sound will be heard as the belt retracts. This indicates the retractor is in the "automatic locking mode." Pull the lap belt portion across the child seat toward the buckle and continue to pull up on the shoulder belt portion, while pushing down on the child seat allowing the shoulder belt to retract, to remove any slack in the seat belt. See two illustrations below.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

7. Before placing the child into the child seat, forcibly tilt the seat from side to side and forward to make sure the seat is securely held in place. See illustration below.

   
   
   
   
   

8. Double check that the retractor is in the "automatic locking mode." Try to pull more belt out of the retractor. If you cannot, the belt is in the "automatic locking mode." See illustration below.

   
   
   
   
   

9. Make sure the child seat is properly secured prior to each use. If the retractor is not locked, repeat Steps 6 through 8.

   To remove the retractor from the automatic locking mode, allow the seat belt to retract fully to its stowed position and the retractor will automatically switch back to the vehicle sensitive locking mode for normal adult usage.

Installing Child Safety Seats, Cinch Tongues, Bronco, Rear Outboard Seat Positions Only

This vehicle is equipped with rear safety belts containing a "cinch tongue." The rear outboard safety belts will have the label shown below.

To install a child safety seat in a rear outboard seating position having a combination lap and shoulder belt with a "cinch tongue," perform the following steps:

1. NOTE: The belt webbing below the tongue is the lap belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder belt, and the belt webbing above the tongue is the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder belt.

   Grasp the belt webbing below the tongue and pull as much of the belt out of the retractor as possible. Hold the belt out. See illustration below.

   
   
   
   
   

2. With the other hand, grasp the tip (metal portion) of the tongue (not the cover) and slide the tongue up the webbing as far as it will go. Release the tongue, but do not let go of the lap portion of the belt webbing.

3. While still holding the belt webbing below the tongue in one hand, use the other hand to grasp the tip (metal portion) of the tongue and belt webbing together, and again pull out as much of the belt as possible. Then, let go of the lap portion of the belt webbing.

4. While holding the shoulder and lap belt portions together, route the tongue and webbing through the child seat according to the child seat manufacturer's instructions. See illustration below. Make sure the belt webbing is not twisted. For instructions on how to remove a twist, refer to Safety Belt Twisted at the Safety Belt Guide in the Service Procedures portion of this section.

   
   
   
   
   

5. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for that seating position until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely latched to the buckle by pulling on the tongue. See illustration below.

   
   
   
   
   

6. Push down on the child seat and pull up on the shoulder belt portion to tighten the lap belt portion of the combination lap and shoulder belt. See illustration below.

   
   
   
   
   

7. Grasp the belt close to the child seat and pull on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder belt. Allow the belt to retract and remove all slack to securely tighten the child safety seat in the vehicle. See illustration below.

   
   
   
   
   

8. Before placing the child into the child seat, forcibly tilt the child seat from side to side and forward to make sure the seat is held securely in place. See two illustrations below. If the child seat moves excessively, repeat Steps 6 through 8, or properly install the child seat in a different seating position.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

9. Check from time to time to be sure there is no slack in the lap/shoulder belt. The shoulder belt must be snug to keep the lap belt tight during a collision.