Child Restraints

Use a child restraint (sometimes called an infant carrier, convertible seat, or toddler seat) for infants, toddlers, or children weighing
40 lb (18 kg) or less (generally age four 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 upon which the child restraint will be installed in the upright position.
- 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.

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

- Pull down on the shoulder belt and then grasp the shoulder belt and lap belt together.

- While holding the shoulder and lap belt portions together, route the tongue through the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions. Be sure the belt webbing is not twisted.

- 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 the tongue is latched securely by pulling on it.

- 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.
- Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt clicks as it retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode.
- 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 is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat Steps 5 and 6.

- Remove remaining slack from the belt. Force the seat down with extra weight, for example, by pressing down or kneeling on the child restraint while pulling up on the shoulder belt in order 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 helps to remove remaining slack from the belt.
- Attach the tether strap (if the child restraint is equipped).

- Before placing the child in the seat, forcibly move the seat forward and back to make sure the seat is 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 certain the child restraint is properly installed. In Canada, check with Transport Canada for referral to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Using Cinch Tongue Lap and Shoulder Belts (All Front Center, Super Cab and Crew Cab Rear Center Positions)
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 use both the lap and shoulder portion of the seatbelt in the center seating position. |
The belt webbing below the tongue is the lap portion of the combination lap and shoulder belt. The belt webbing above the tongue is the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap and shoulder belt.

- Position the child restraint in the front center seat.

- Slide the tongue up the webbing.

- While holding both shoulder and lap portions next to the tongue, route the tongue and webbing through the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions. Be sure that the belt webbing is not twisted.

- 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 the tongue is latched securely by pulling on it.

- While pushing down with your knee on the child restraint, pull up on the shoulder belt portion to tighten the lap belt portion of the combination lap and shoulder belt.
- Allow the seatbelt to retract and remove any slack in the belt to securely tighten the child restraint in the vehicle.
- Attach the tether strap (if the child restraint is equipped).

- Before placing the child in the seat, forcibly move the seat forward and back to make sure the seat is 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.
- Check from time to time to be sure that there is no slack in the lap and shoulder belt. The shoulder belt must be snug to keep the lap belt tight during a crash.
We recommend checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician to make certain the child restraint is properly installed. In Canada, check with Transport Canada for referral to a Child Car Seat Clinic.
Using Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
The LATCH system is composed of three vehicle anchor points: two lower anchors where the vehicle seat backrest and seat cushion meet (called the seat bight) and one top tether anchor behind that seating position. Your vehicle does not have the lower anchor points in the seat bight. For this vehicle, use the vehicle seatbelt and upper tether to secure a 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.
The passenger seats of your vehicle may have built-in tether strap anchors behind the seats as described below.
The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the following positions (shown from top view):
F-Series Regular Cab

F-Series Crew Cab

Attach the tether strap only to the appropriate tether anchor as shown. The tether strap may not work properly if attached somewhere other than the correct tether anchor.
Once you install the child restraint using the seatbelt, you can attach the top tether strap.
Tether Strap Attachment
- Route the child restraint tether strap over the back of the seat.
Note:
For vehicles with adjustable head restraints, route the tether strap under the head restraint and between the head restraint posts, otherwise route the tether strap over the top of the seat backrest. If the top of the child restraint hits the head restraint, raise the head restraint to let the child restraint fit further rearward.
- Locate the correct anchor for the selected seating position.
- You may need to pull the seat backrest forward to access the tether anchors. Make sure the seat is locked in the upright position before installing the child restraint.

- Remove the tether cover.

- Clip the tether strap to the anchor as shown.
If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, the child restraint may not be retained properly in the event of a crash.
6. Tighten the child restraint tether strap according to the manufacturer's instructions.
If you do not anchor the child restraint properly, the risk of a child being injured in a crash greatly increases.
If your child restraint system has a tether strap and the child restraint manufacturer recommends its use, we also recommend its use.