Ford Thunderbird (2004 year). Manual — part 24

Never put the shoulder belt under a child’s arm or behind the
back because it eliminates the protection for the upper part of

the body and may increase the risk of injury or death in a collision.

Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child. They can
slide around and increase the likelihood of injury or death in a

collision.

SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN

Child and infant or child safety seats

Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions with the
safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the
safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden stop or
collision.

When installing a child safety seat:
• Review and follow the information

presented in the Air Bag
Supplemental Restraint System
section in this chapter.

• Use the correct safety belt buckle

for that seating position.

• Insert the belt tongue into the

proper buckle until you hear a
snap and feel it latch. Make sure
the tongue is securely fastened in
the buckle.

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100

• Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the safety

seat, with the tongue between the child seat and the release button,
to prevent accidental unbuckling.

• Place seat back in upright position.
• Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer to Automatic

locking mode.

• LATCH lower anchors are recommended for use by children up to 22 kg

(48 pounds) in a child restraint. Top tether anchors can be used for
children up to 27 kg (60 pounds) in a child restraint, and to provide
upper torso restraint for children up to 36 kg (80 pounds) using an
upper torso harness and a belt-positioning booster.

Ford recommends the use of a child safety seat having a top tether
strap. Install the child safety seat in a seating position with LATCH and
tether anchors. For more information on top tether straps and anchors,
refer to Attaching safety seats with tether straps in this chapter. For
more information of LATCH anchors refer to Attaching safety seats with
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) attachments in this
chapter.

Carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions included
with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install

and use the safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden
stop or collision.

Rear-facing child seats or infant carriers should never be placed
in the front seat unless the airbag On/Off switch is in the Off

position.

Installing child safety seats with combination lap and shoulder
belts

Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. NEVER place a

rear-facing child seat in front of an active air bag. If you must

use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the seat all the
way back and turn the passenger air bags OFF.

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1. Position the child safety seat in a
seat with a combination lap and
shoulder belt.

2. Pull down on the shoulder belt
and then grasp the shoulder belt
and lap belt together.

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. Be sure
the belt webbing is not twisted.

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4. Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle (the buckle closest to
the direction the tongue is coming
from) for that seating position until
you hear a snap and feel the latch
engage. Make sure the tongue is
latched securely by pulling on it.

5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp the
shoulder portion of the belt and pull
downward until all of the belt is
extracted and a click is heard.

6. Allow the belt to retract. The belt will click as it retracts to indicate it
is in the automatic locking mode.

7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle and
pull up on the shoulder belt while
pushing down with your knee on the
child seat.

8. Allow the safety belt to retract to remove any slack in the belt.

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