Ford Police Interceptor Utility (2018 year). Manual — part 5

WARNINGS

Depending on where you secure a
child restraint, and depending on the
child restraint design, you may block

access to certain safety belt buckle
assemblies or LATCH lower anchors,
rendering those features potentially
unusable. To avoid risk of injury, occupants
should only use seating positions where
they are able to be properly restrained.

The LATCH system is composed of three
vehicle anchor points: two lower anchors
located where the seatback and seat
cushion meet (called the seat bight) and
one top tether anchor located behind that
seating position.

LATCH compatible child safety seats 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 safety belts to attach the child seat,
however the safety belt can still be used
to attach the child seat. For forward-facing
child seats, the top tether strap must also
be attached to the proper top tether
anchor, if a top tether strap has been
provided with your child seat.

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Your vehicle has LATCH lower anchors for
child seat installation at the seating
positions marked with the child seat
symbol.

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The LATCH anchors are located at the rear
section of the rear seat between the
cushion and seatback below the symbols
as shown. Follow the child seat
manufacturer's instructions to properly
install a child seat with LATCH
attachments.

Follow the instructions on attaching child
safety seats with tether straps. See Using
Tether Straps later in this chapter.

Attach LATCH lower attachments of the
child seat only to the anchors shown.

Use of Inboard Lower Anchors from the
Outboard Seating Positions (Center
Seating Use)

WARNING

The standardized spacing for LATCH
lower anchors is 11 in (28 cm) center
to center. Do not use LATCH lower

anchors for the center seating position
unless the child seat 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. A child seat with rigid
LATCH attachments cannot be installed
at the center seating position. LATCH
compatible child seats (with attachments
on belt webbing) can only be used at this
seating position provided that the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions permit
use with the anchor spacing stated. Do not
attach a child seat to any lower anchor if
an adjacent child seat is attached to that
anchor.

Each time you use the safety seat, check
that the seat is properly attached to the
lower anchors and tether anchor, if
applicable. Tug the child seat from side to
side and forward and back where it is
secured to your vehicle. The seat should
move less than one inch when you do this
for a proper installation.

If the safety seat is not anchored properly,
the risk of a child being injured in a crash
greatly increases.

Combining Safety Belt and LATCH
Lower Anchors for Attaching Child
Safety Seats

When used in combination, either the
safety belt or the LATCH lower anchors
may be attached first, provided a proper
installation is achieved. Attach the tether
strap afterward, if included with the child
seat.

Using Tether Straps

Many forward-facing child safety
seats include a tether strap
which extends from the back of

the child safety seat and hooks to an
anchoring point called the top tether
anchor. Tether straps are available as an
accessory for many older safety seats.

Contact the manufacturer of your child
seat for information about ordering a
tether strap, or to obtain a longer tether
strap if the tether strap on your safety seat
does not reach the appropriate top tether
anchor in your vehicle.

Once the child safety seat has been
installed using either the safety belt, 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 seats

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Note: If you install a child seat with rigid
LATCH attachments, do not tighten the
tether strap enough to lift the child seat 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 seat.
Keeping the child seat just touching your
vehicle seat gives the best protection in a
severe crash.

Placement of the tether strap

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Perform the following steps to install a
child safety seat with tether anchors:

1.

Route the child safety seat tether strap
over the seatback.

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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 the
tether strap is clipped incorrectly, the
child safety seat may not be retained
properly in the event of a crash.

4. Tighten the child safety seat tether

strap according to the manufacturer's
instructions.

If the safety seat is not anchored properly,
the risk of a child being injured in a crash
greatly increases.

If your child restraint system is equipped
with a tether strap, and the child restraint
manufacturer recommends its use, we also
recommend its use.

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:

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•

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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•

High back booster seats

If, with a backless booster seat, you cannot
find a seating position that adequately
supports your child's head, a high back
booster seat would be a better choice.