Ford 2009 Escape Owner's Manual page 149

Seating and Safety Restraints
Attaching child safety seats with LATCH
(Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) attachments for child
seat anchors
The LATCH system is composed of three vehicle anchor points: two
lower anchors located where the vehicle seat back and seat cushion meet
(called the "seat bight") and one top tether anchor located behind that
seating position.
LATCH compatible child safety seats 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 safety belts to attach the child seat,
however the safety belt can still be used to attach the child seat if the
lower anchors are not used. For forward-facing child seats, the top tether
strap must also be attached to the proper top tether anchor, if a top
tether strap has been provided with your child seat. See Attaching child
safety seats with tether straps in this chapter for more information.
LATCH lower anchors are recommended for use with children up to
48 lb (22 kg) in a child restraint. Top tether anchors can be used for
children up to 60 lb (27 kg) in a child restraint secured with the safety
belt, and to provide upper torso restraint for children up to 80 lb (36 kg)
using an upper torso harness and a belt-positioning booster. Ford Motor
Company recommends the use of a child safety seat having a top tether
strap. For more information on top tether straps and anchors, refer to
Attaching child safety seats with tether straps in this chapter.
Your vehicle has LATCH anchors for child seat installation at the
following locations:
149
2009 Escape (204)
Owners Guide (own2002), 2nd Printing
USA (fus)