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 Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren (LATCH) system has three
vehicle anchor points:
•
Two lower anchors where the vehicle
seat backrest and seat cushion meet,
called the seat bight.
•
One top tether anchor behind that
seating position.
LATCH compatible child restraints have
two rigid or webbing mounted
attachments. These attachments 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
attach the child restraint.
However, you can still use the seatbelt to
attach the child restraint if the lower
anchors are not used. For forward-facing
child restraints, you must also attach the
top tether strap to the proper top tether
anchor if a top tether strap has been
provided with your child restraint.
Follow the instructions later in this chapter
on attaching child restraints with tether
straps.
Combining the Seatbelt and Lower
Anchors for Attaching Child
Restraints
When used in combination, you may attach
either the seatbelt or the LATCH lower
anchors first, provided a proper installation
is achieved. Attach the tether strap
afterward, if it is included with the child
restraint.
Using Tether Straps
Many 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 the vehicle.
Attach the tether strap only to the
appropriate tether anchor. The tether strap
may not work properly if attached
somewhere other than the correct tether
anchor.
If you install a child restraint with rigid
LATCH attachments, do not tighten the
tether strap enough to lift the child
restraint off the 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 the vehicle seat
gives the best protection in a severe crash.
Once you have installed the child restraint
using either the seatbelt, the lower anchors
of the LATCH system, or both, you can
attach the top tether strap.
13
Mustang Mach-E (CGW) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 202008, First-Printing
Child Safety
