Child Seat Tether Attachment: Service and Repair
Child Safety Seat Tether Strap Anchor Kit InstallationGeneral Instructions
Some manufacturers make safety seats with a tether strap that goes over the back of the vehicle seat and attaches to an anchoring point behind the vehicle seat.
Ford recommends placement of tethered safety seats in a rear seating position with the tether strap attached to the tether anchoring point.
You can attach a tether strap anchor bracket to the rear floor by using a tether anchor kit available at no charge from any Ford dealership.
1. On four-door models, if a tethered seat is installed in the front seat, it should be located only at the center front seating position, with the tether strap secured to the webbing of the buckled center rear lap belt behind the child seat. The rear lap/shoulder belts should not be used to secure the tether strap of a safety seat located in the front seat.
WARNING: FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE PRECAUTIONS COULD INCREASE THE CHANCE AND/OR SEVERITY OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
Installation
1. Open the liftgate. Remove the rear floor scuff plate by removing the six attaching screws. Fold back the rear floor carpet and lift the filler panel to expose the floor sheet metal.
2. A. Two-Door Models - From inside the cargo area locate the two drill dimples in the floor near the embossed letter "T". The two dimples are approximately 7.25 inches (18 cm) inboard from the rear trim panels and along a line 42 cm (16.5 inches) forward from the liftgate opening.
B. Four-Door Models - From inside the cargo area, locate the three drill dimples in the floor near the embossed letter "T". The two dimples for the outboard seating positions are approximately 17 cm (6.75 inches) inboard from the rear trim panels and along a long 56 cm (22 inches) from the liftgate opening. Refer to the following illustration. The center drill dimple is located between the outboard dimples along a line 56 cm (22 inches) from the liftgate opening.
3. Lower and remove the spare tire.
4. From inside the cargo area, drill a 9 m (3/8 inch) hole through the desired dimple(s).
5. An assistant will be needed underneath the vehicle to attach the tether anchor. Before installing the tether hardware read the instructions on the package containing thread locking material, then open the capsule and apply thread locking material to all threads on the tether attachment bolt. Install the child tether hardware as shown in the following illustrations. It is important that the tether attachment bolt be torqued to 22-34 N.m (26-25 lb-ft).
WARNING: THE TETHER BRACKET MUST BE BOLTED DIRECTLY TO THE FLOOR SHEET METAL. INTERIOR TRIM MUST NOT BE TRAPPED BETWEEN THE ANCHOR BRACKET AND THE SHEET METAL. FAILURE TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE ANCHOR BRACKET COULD RESULT IN IMPROPER ATTACHMENT PERFORMANCE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.
6. For each tether kit installed, punch out the perforated area in the filler panel and pull out the perforated area of insulation in the rear carpet. Refer to the following illustration.
7. Make a "U" shaped cut in the carpet to allow access to the tether bracket. Refer to the following illustration.
8. Reposition the rear carpet and filler panel. Reinstall the rear scuff plate. Reinstall the spare tire.
9. Follow the child seat manufacturer's instructions to attach the tether strap to the tether bracket.
WARNING:
- THE THREADED HOLE IN THE TETHER ANCHOR HAS AN 8 MM METRIC THREAD. A WRENCH WILL BE NEEDED TO TIGHTEN THE 8 MM BOLT TO THE REQUIRED TORQUE. SOME CHILD RESTRAINTS COME WITH A NON-METRIC BOLT WITH A DIFFERENT THREAD. DO NOT USE A NON-METRIC BOLT AS IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SCREW IT ALL THE WAY INTO THE HOLE, RESULTING IN INADEQUATE RETENTION OF THE CHILD RESTRAINT. USE ONLY THE METRIC ANCHOR BOLT SUPPLIED IN THIS KIT. IF YOU NEED A REPLACEMENT METRIC BOLT OR ASSISTANCE, ANY FORD DEALER WILL BE HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU.
- IF THE ANCHOR BOLT(S) ARE EVER REMOVED, THE HOLE(S) IN THE FLOOR MUST BE SEALED TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.