>>>Which child safety seat can I use in my vehicle?

Child Safety Seats – ISOFIX and I-Size

Prior and during the installation of your child seat it is important to read and follow the instructions from both:

The Owner’s Guide for your Ford vehicle (you can access the Owner Guide information at the following site http://www.ford.ie/FordService/Owners-Manual )
The material supplied by the child seat manufacturer

The Owner’s Guide for your Ford vehicle provides details of the child restraints recommended by Ford for your model.

UK Legal Requirements

Information on UK legal requirements on the use of child seats and booster seats is available from the UK Government website:

https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules/using-a-child-car-seat-or-booster-seat

Please note that these legal requirements apply to the UK only. Legal requirements vary by country, so you should check the local legal requirements when travelling abroad.

Choosing a Child Seat

The Owner’s Guide for your Ford vehicle provides details of the child restraints recommended by Ford for your model.

When you are purchasing an ISOFIX child restraint, make sure that you know that you know your child’s correct weight and height, or for i-Size child restraints the correct height, for the intended seating locations.

Some child restraints (known as semi-universal child restraints) cannot be fitted to certain vehicles. Therefore, it’s important that you make sure that the child seat manufacturer lists your vehicle as suitable for use with the type of semi-universal child seat you are planning to buy.

For further advice on selecting child seats see the RoSPA website (produced with the support of the Department for Transport)

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/choosing-using/

ISOFIX Child Restraints

ISOFIX seats are not fitted with the car’s seat belts. Instead they have connecting arms that slot into ISOFIX points which were built into the vehicle when it was manufactured. An additional top tether or support leg is used to prevent the restraint from tilting or rotating in an impact.

To find out if your vehicle has ISOFIX points, check your vehicle’s Owner Guide.

ISOFIX child restraints can be identified by the following symbol.

Top Tether Points

This symbol indicates the top tether anchor points in your vehicle. Please refer to your Owner Guide for details.

ECE 129 i-SIZE Child Restraints

i-Size (ECE 129) is the name of a new safety legislation. Increasing the safety level of child car seats, it most notably states that babies must travel in rearward facing car seats for at least the first 15 months, instead of 9 to 12 months as the previous regulation advised.

i-Size does not replace the current ECE 44 car seat legislation, but will run side by side with it for the foreseeable future. This means you do not need to upgrade your existing child car seat and car seats complying with ECE 44 may continue to be sold and used safely. The introduction of i-Size simply means that you now have an additional option when buying a car seat for your child.

All i-Size car seats will fit into any i-Size approved car, using the ISOFIX connectors.

Vehicles and child restraints meeting the more severe i-Size requirements can be identified by the new i-Size symbol.

There is a length classification for easier selection of the right car seat, similar to clothing sizes.

Compatibility of Child Restraints with Inflatable Seat Belts

ISOFIX and i-Size Child Restraints can be used in seats equipped with inflatable seat belts, provided these seats do not incorporate an impact shield.

Universal ECE group 0, 0+ and I child restraints may not be installed using the inflatable seat belt. Use the rear centre seat or front passenger seat with disabled airbag when installing these child seats.

Universal ECE group II/III booster seats where the child is restrained by the adult seat belt (e.g. without table top / impact shield or integral child harnesses) may be used in these seating positions.

Additional notes for Customer Assistance Centre

The child restraints recommended by Ford vary by Ford model. Please refer to the Owner’s Guide for the vehicle in question.

http://www.ford.ie/FordService/Owners-Manual

Foam Fillers

It is safe to use a child seat with support leg in vehicles which have underfloor storage compartments (prior model C-MAX, Kuga, S-MAX and Galaxy), provided that a foam filler is fitted within the storage compartment when required.

If the foam filler is missing, customers can purchase new ones. If a Dealer is unable to locate the product please contact Accessories Marketing (01277 254131). In the meantime, customers are still able to use child seats with the support leg, provided they remove the storage compartment lid and extend the support leg and secure it to the bottom of the storage compartment.