Child Restraint: Description and Operation

Safety Belt System

WARNING: After any crash, all of the following safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware must be inspected by an authorized dealer to verify correct function:
- Retractors
- Buckles
- Belt tension sensor (BTS) (if equipped)
- Front safety belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if equipped)
- Safety belt shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped)
- Child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
- Automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature for child safety seats (passenger seating positions only)
If any safety belt assembly is damaged, does not operate correctly or does not pass all of the Functional Tests in the Diagnosis and Testing, a new safety belt assembly must be installed. If any safety belt assembly attaching areas are damaged or distorted, the sheet metal must be restored to its original structural integrity and new safety belt assembly and attaching hardware must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware may increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

After any crash that results in deployment of the driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt pretensioners, new driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt systems (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt systems increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

When replacing any active occupant restraint components, use only the replacement parts specified in the Ford Catalog Advantage(TM) or equivalent.

The active restraint system consists of the following:

- Front safety belt shoulder height adjusters
- Front row safety belt buckle and pretensioners attached to the inboard side of the seats
- Front row adaptive load limiting safety belt retractors located behind the lower B-pillar trim panels
- Rear center safety belt retractor attached to the parcel shelf sheet metal and safety belt buckle assembly attached to the floor pan under the rear seat cushion
- Second row dual safety belt buckle assembly attached to the floor pan under the LH seat cushion
- Lower anchors and tethers for children at all 3 rear seating positions, attached below the rear seat cushion
- The child safety seat tether anchors are welded to the parcel shelf sheet metal for all 3 rear seating positions



Child Safety Seat Restraints

Child Safety Seat Tether Anchors

The child safety seat tether anchors are a structural member of the parcel shelf sheet metal.

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children

The lower anchors and tethers for children system is a standardized and uniform attachment system for installing child safety seats in passenger seating locations. Lower anchors and tethers for children-equipped child safety seats have 2 lower attachments that connect to 2 attachment points (6-mm wires) that protrude from the bight-line between the seat cushion and seat backrest.

If any of the lower anchors and tethers for children attachment points (6-mm wires) are damaged, a new component(s) must be installed.