What model year(s) 2nd row bench seats that have a factory LATCH system will fit in a 2002 Ford Excursion to replace the seat that is missing the anchors that are between seat bottom and seat back?

Thanks!

 

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe any of them offered the LATCH system in these or the super duty series even through the 2016 trucks

 

I used the latch in some other vehicles, but just the square on the back bottom of our 2003 and a seat belt worked fine until we went to a booster. Just stretch the strap and hook it in the bottom corner and good to go.

 

Is required in all cars, minivans, and pick-up trucks after September 1, 2002 (model year 2003). and in many made before that date.
Requirements apply to all passenger cars, trucks, and multipurpose passenger vehicles under 8500 lbs.

 

Believe all year Excursions have the same latch system or should I say lack there of.


It's a real shame. Who knew so many parents would have kids in car seats in their Excursions.

 

This explains why it's not in any Excursions or Super Duty trucks.

 

I too have wished for LATCH in my truck. Glad my little one in nearing the point of just needing a booster.

 

Don't need the LATCH system, just use the seat belts. After bringing up a child seat topic here a while back, I looked deeper into child seat safety and proper install. Seat belts still give you the best possible install, any other system came up because people are lazy and don't know how to do a proper install. The LATCH system was a way to make it somewhat idiot proof.

 

When you swap seats between cars, it makes the install go a lot faster.

I have two seats for my Ex and two for my wife's van (LATCH Equipped)
When handing the kids off to the grandparents or picking up friend's kids (also LATCH Equipped) it's so much easier to transfer the seats between the LATCH equipped vehicles.

 

Agreed. I can get our car seats in there a lot tighter with Latch which makes them safer. I am not happy with how my daughter's seat fits in the Ex. I break a sweat installing our seats so that they don't move/wiggle at all. If we need to switch seating positions then it's a real PIA!

 

This sounds awfully familiar, weren't you and I going back and forth on that a little bit until I posted the info that said it was easier, not safer?

Try reclining the Excursion seat back when you're tightening the seatbelt, allows more tension on the belt when you return the Ex seat upright. That's how I install my daughter's car seat and it's always extremely snug. I tighten the top strap down once the seat is upright. I also kneel on the car seat during all of this to really push it down on the cushion for the tightest fit.

 

You are correct. Once you mentioned that I started looking a little deeper into it. I admit, it is a lot easier but the studies show using the belt is a safer option. The car seats are usually in the wife's Outback which is LATCH equipped but we still use the belts now.

 

It's a little sad to me how so many people messed up installing car seats that the LATCH was pioneered in the first place. Whenever it comes to any of my kids safety, I read instructions quite thoroughly. That and most fire stations have qualified members to inspect your install and verify it has been done properly and safely.

I had to teach my ex's boyfriend how to do it, as well as my ex. One too many times I'd meet up to pick up my daughter and the car seat was loose. Quick lesson and how-to and it hasn't been an issue.

I totally agree on LATCH being faster to swap back and forth, but even WITH the system in place I have found a large number of vehicles or seats themselves still do not allow for a tight fit. Anchor placements, seat contours and LATCH clip designs that do not allow for full harness tightening... To be fair, seat belt latches cause the same issues in different vehicles. I can achieve a far tighter fit with the LATCH in my parent's car for example, than I can with the seat belt. So for that, I use the LATCH. The truck however, I use the center belt as its so much easier to work with having no shoulder harness - along with the carseat's top tether. Luckily the stepsons are both in boosters, so it makes it a pinch fitting all three in the middle row.

 

I appreciate the knowledge you two have. I am the car seat **** among my friends and family and totally agree that it's a shame people are so lazy to do it right. Something like 70% arent installed correctly. I would always get ours inspected and officer would tell me he's never seen them so tight. The key is the tightness. I have not heard of a safety difference between the two methods as long as they are both installed properly. Does the LATCH fail before the seat belt in a crash?

A little sensitive area when I see friends with loose seats. My youngest is 6 and I put her in a booster in the Ex. The Britax 5 point harness seat I have for her goes up to 80 lbs I think but sits horrible in Ex. Too tall. May give it a go again after this discussion.

 

Quoting myself from a previous discussion we had on this: