2023 Ford Explorer Owners Manual - Child Safety

Child Safety

General Information

See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety restraints for children.

WARNING:  Always make sure your child is secured properly in a device that is appropriate for their height, age and weight. Child safety restraints must be bought separately from your vehicle. Failure to follow these instructions and guidelines may result in an increased risk of serious injury or death to your child.    WARNING:  All children are shaped differently. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other safety organizations, base their recommendations for child restraints on probable child height, age and weight thresholds, or on the minimum requirements of the law. We recommend that you check with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) to make sure that you properly install the child restraint in your vehicle and that you consult your pediatrician to make sure you have a child restraint appropriate for your child. To locate a child restraint fitting station and CPST, contact NHTSA toll free at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov. In Canada, contact Transport Canada toll free at 1-800-333-0371 or go to www.tc.gc.ca to find a Child Car Seat Clinic in your area. Failure to properly restrain children in child restraints made especially for their height, age and weight, may result in an increased risk of serious injury or death to your child.    WARNING:  On hot days, the temperature inside the vehicle can rise very quickly. Exposure of people or animals to these high temperatures for even a short time can cause death or serious heat related injuries, including brain damage. Small children are particularly at risk.

Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children

• You are required by law to properly use child restraints for infants and toddlers in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
• Many states and provinces require that small children use approved booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 57 in (1.45 m) tall, or 80 lb (36 kg). Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements about the safety of children in your vehicle.
• When possible, properly restrain children 12 years of age and under in a rear seating position of your vehicle. Accident statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in a front seating position.   See   Front Passenger Sensing System. 
• When installing a rear facing child restraint, adjust the vehicle seats to avoid interference between the child restraint and the vehicle seat in front of the child restraint.

Installing Child Restraints

Child Seats

Use a child restraint (sometimes called an infant carrier, convertible seat, or toddler seat) for Infants, toddlers and children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less (generally four-years-old or younger).

Using Lap and Shoulder Belts

WARNING:  Do not place a rearward facing child restraint in front of an active airbag. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.    WARNING:  Properly secure children 12 years old and under in a rear seating position whenever possible. If you are unable to properly secure all children in a rear seating position, properly secure the largest child on the front seat. If you must use a forward facing child restraint on the front seat, move the seat as far back as possible. Failure to follow these instructions could result in personal injury or death.    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.

When installing a child restraint with combination lap and shoulder belts:

• Use the correct seatbelt 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.
• Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the child restraint, with the tongue between the child restraint and the release button, to prevent accidental unbuckling.
• Place the vehicle seat in the upright position before you install the child restraint.
• For second row seating positions, adjust the recliner slightly to improve child restraint fit. If needed, remove the head restraints.
• For third row seating positions, stow the head restraints to improve child restraint fit. See  Head Restraints . 
• Put the seatbelt in the automatic locking mode. See Step 5 in the procedure that follows. This vehicle does not require the use of a locking clip.

Perform the following steps when installing the child restraint with combination lap and shoulder belts:

Note:   Although the child restraint illustrated is a forward facing child restraint, the steps are the same for installing a rear facing child restraint.

Note:   Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint regarding the necessary and proper use of the lock-off device. In some instances, the manufacturer provides these devices only for use in vehicles with seatbelt systems that would otherwise require a locking clip.

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

1. After positioning the child restraint in the proper seating position, pull down on the shoulder belt and then grasp the shoulder belt and lap belt together behind the belt tongue.

1. While holding the shoulder and lap belt portions together, route the tongue through the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions. Make sure you do not twist the belt webbing.

1. 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 that you securely latch the tongue by pulling on it.

1. To put the retractor in the automatic locking mode, grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward until you pull all of the belt out.

Note:   The automatic locking mode is available on the front passenger and rear seats.

1. Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt clicks as it retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode.

1. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is in the automatic locking mode. You should not be able to pull more belt out. If the retractor did not lock, unbuckle the belt and repeat Steps 5 and 6.

1. Remove remaining slack from the belt. Force the seat down with extra weight, for example, by pressing down or kneeling on the child restraint as you pull up on the shoulder belt to force slack from the belt. This is necessary to remove the remaining slack that exists once you add the extra weight of the child to the child restraint. It also helps to achieve the proper snugness of the child restraint to your vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean toward the buckle provides extra help to remove remaining slack from the belt.

1. If the child restraint has a tether strap, attach it now.

1. Before placing the child in the seat, forcibly move the seat forward and back to make sure you have the seat securely held in place. To check this, grab the seat at the belt path and attempt to move it side to side and forward and back. There should be no more than 1 in (2.5 cm) of movement for proper installation.

We recommend checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to make sure you properly installed the child restraint. In Canada, check with Transport Canada for referral to a Child Car Seat Clinic.

Using Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)

WARNING:  Do not attach two child safety restraints to the same anchor. In a crash, one anchor may not be strong enough to hold two child safety restraint attachments and may break, causing serious injury or death.    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 LATCH system has three vehicle anchor points: two lower anchors where the seat backrest and seat cushion meet (called the seat bight) and one top tether anchor behind that seating position.

LATCH compatible child restraints 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 seatbelts to attach the child restraint. However, you can still use the seatbelt to attach the child restraint. For forward-facing child restraints, you must also attach the top tether strap to the proper top tether anchor if one came with your child restraint.

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

Second Row Bucket Seats and Third Row Seats

Second Row Bench Seats and Third Row Seats

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

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

Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child restraint 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 (280 mm) center to center. Do not use LATCH lower anchors for the center seating position unless the child restraint 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. You cannot install a child restraint with rigid LATCH attachments at the center seating position. You can only use LATCH compatible child restraints with attachments on belt webbing at this seating position provided that the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions permit use with the anchor spacing stated. Do not attach a child restraint to any lower anchor if you have an adjacent child restraint attached to that anchor.

Each time you use the child restraint, check that you properly attached the seat to the lower anchors and tether anchor, if applicable. Tug the child restraint from side to side and forward and back where you secured it to your vehicle. The child restraint should move less than 1 in (2.5 cm) if you properly install the seat.

If you do not properly anchor the child restraint, the risk of injury to a child greatly increases in a crash.

Combining Seatbelt and LATCH Lower Anchors for Attaching Child Restraints

When used in combination, you can attach either the seatbelt or the LATCH lower anchors first, provided you achieve a proper installation. Attach the tether strap afterward, if 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 your vehicle.

Once you install the child restraint using either the seatbelt, 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 Bucket Seats and Third Row Seats

Second Row Bench Seats and Third Row Seats

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

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

For second row outermost seating positions, route the child restraint tether strap over the seat backrest, under the head restraint and between the head restraint posts. If needed, remove the head restraint to improve the fit of the child restraint or tether strap.

For the second row center seating position, route the child restraint tether strap over the top of the head restraint. If needed, remove the head restraint to improve the fit of the child restraint or tether strap. See  Head Restraints . 

For third row seating positions, route the child restraint tether strap over the seat backrest, under the head restraint and between the head restraint posts. If needed, fold the head restraint down to improve the fit of the child restraint or tether strap. See  Head Restraints . 

1. Route the tether strap.

1. Locate the correct anchor for the selected seating position.

1. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as shown.The tether hook may be twisted ½ turn to improve installation.If you clip the tether strap incorrectly, the child restraint may not be retained properly in the event of a crash.

1. Tighten the child restraint tether strap according to the manufacturer's instructions.

If you do not properly anchor the child restraint, the risk of injury to a child increases greatly in a crash.

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

Second Row Bucket Seats

Second Row Bench Seats

Third Row Seats

Note:   The cargo tie downs at the rear edge of the floor are not tether anchors.

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:

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

Children and booster seats vary in size and shape. Choose a booster that keeps the lap belt low and snug across the hips, never up across the stomach, and lets you adjust the shoulder belt to cross the chest and rest snugly near the center of the shoulder. The following drawings compare the ideal fit (center) to a shoulder belt uncomfortably close to the neck and a shoulder belt that could slip off the shoulder. The drawings also show how the lap belt should be low and snug across the child's hips.

If the booster seat slides on the vehicle seat upon which it is being used, placing a rubberized mesh sold as shelf or carpet liner under the booster seat may improve this condition. Do not introduce any item thicker than this under the booster seat. Check with the booster seat manufacturer's instructions.

Child Restraint Positioning



WARNING:  Do not place a rearward facing child restraint in front of an active airbag. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.    WARNING:  Properly secure children 12 years old and under in a rear seating position whenever possible. If you are unable to properly secure all children in a rear seating position, properly secure the largest child on the front seat. If you must use a forward facing child restraint on the front seat, move the seat as far back as possible. Failure to follow these instructions could result in personal injury or death.    WARNING:  Always carefully follow the instructions and warnings provided by the manufacturer of any child restraint to determine if the restraint device is appropriate for your child's size, height, weight, or age. Follow the child restraint manufacturer's instructions and warnings provided for installation and use in conjunction with the instructions and warnings provided by your vehicle manufacturer. A safety seat that is improperly installed or utilized, is inappropriate for your child's height, age, or weight or does not properly fit the child may increase the risk of serious injury or death.    WARNING:  Do not allow a passenger to hold a child on their lap when your vehicle is moving. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death in the event of a sudden stop or crash.    WARNING:  Do not use pillows, books or towels to boost your child's height. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.    WARNING:  Properly secure child restraints or booster seats when they are not in use. They could become projectiles in a sudden stop or crash. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.    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.    WARNING:  Do not leave children or pets unattended in your vehicle. Failure to follow this instruction could result in personal injury or death.

Recommendations for Attaching Child Safety Restraints for Children

Note:   The child restraint must rest tightly against the vehicle seat upon which it is installed. It may be necessary to lift or remove the head restraint. 

Child Safety Locks

WARNING:  You cannot open the rear doors from inside if you have put the child safety locks on.

 A child safety lock is on the rear edge of each rear door. You must set the child safety lock separately on each door.

Left-Hand Side

Turn the key clockwise to switch the child lock on and counter clockwise to switch it off.

Right-Hand Side

Turn the key counter clockwise to switch the child lock on and clockwise to switch it off.

Note:   To make sure the child safety lock is on, pull the inside door handle twice to verify the door does not open.

Note:   To open the rear doors from inside the vehicle when the child lock is engaged, roll down the rear window and use the outside door handle. Or have someone outside the vehicle open the door.