Ford Escort 1997 Owner's Manual page 76

Seating and safety restraints
Ensure that the latch release
buttons are in the full up (locked)
position.
When the latch release buttons are
in full up (locked) position and the
built-in child seat is open, the rear
seatback cannot be unlocked or
folded down.
1. Pull down the top portion of the
child seat.
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