1997 FORD EXPLORER Owners Manual

If both tongues do not
latch in the buckle, do not
use the child seat. See your
dealer for repairs.
8. Fasten the right and left chest
clip halves together and adjust the
clip to comfortably hold the
shoulder belts in place over the
child's chest.
The chest clip is designed to easily
pull apart in a collision. the clip
helps to keep belts snug on a
sleeping or squirming child.
9. Pull on the safety belt tongues
to ensure that they are both
securely latched. If they are not
properly latched, repeat steps
seven and eight.
If necessary, the shoulder belt may
be put in automatic locking mode
(ALR) to limit the child's
movement in the seat. The ALR
mode should be used if the child is
sleeping or attempting to get out
of the seat.
If not placed in ALR mode, the
child seat shoulder belts are in
vehicle sensitive (emergency
locking) mode, which allow some
movement of the shoulder belts
(like adult shoulder belts).
In emergency locking mode, the
shoulder belts of the child seat will
lock in response to hard braking,
hard cornering or if your vehicle is
involved in a collision with an
impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more.
uno_alr_in_seat
Seating and safety restraints
106

Activating the automatic locking
mode (ALR) on the built-in child
safety seat
1. Fully extend the right shoulder
belt.
2. Allow the belts to tighten snugly
against the child's shoulders.
Deactivating the automatic
locking mode (ALR) on the
built-in child safety seat
1. Disconnect the chest clip and
remove the left and right safety
belt tongues from the crotch
buckle.
2. Allow the shoulder belts to fully
retract.
Removing your child from the
built-in child safety seat
1. Disconnect the chest clip by
squeezing the release tabs together
and pulling the two sides apart.
2. Press the release button on the
crotch buckle.
3. Slide the shoulder belts off the
child's shoulders and remove the
child from the seat.
²If ALR is activated, hold either
left or right shoulder belt out
fully while helping the child
slide arms out of the belts.
uno_canceling_alr_in_seat
uno_removing_child_from_seat
Seating and safety restraints
107

4. Fold the cushion protector flap
onto the child seat cushion. Slide
the belt tongues up and out of the
way of the cushion, then return
the child seat cushion to the
stowed (upright) position.
5. Slide the Velcrotstraps through
the D-rings on the child seat
cushion and attach.
6. Slide the head restraint down
until the top of the head restraint
is flush with the top of the adult
seat back.
7. Press firmly on the top center of
the built-in child safety seat head
restraint to ensure it is stowed
properly.
Inspecting the built-in child
safety seat after a collision
Ford recommends that all
safety belt assemblies and
attaching hardware should be
inspected by a qualified
technician after any collision.
Safety belt assemblies not in use
during a collision should also be
inspected and replaced if either
damage or improper operation is
noted.
uno_inspecting_seat
Seating and safety restraints
108

All built-in child restraints,
including seats, buckles,
retractors, seat latches,
interlocks, and attaching
hardware should be inspected by
a qualified dealer technician after
any collision.
Seating and safety restraints
109

Important safety precautions
A computer system controls the
engine's idle revolutions per
minute (RPM). When the engine
starts, the idle RPM runs faster to
warm the engine. If the engine idle
speed does not slow down
automatically, have the vehicle
checked. Do not allow the vehicle
to idle for more than ten minutes.
Extended idling at high
engine speeds can produce
very high temperatures in the
engine and exhaust system,
creating the risk of fire or other
damage.
Do not park, idle, or drive
your vehicle in dry grass
or other dry ground cover. The
emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust
system, which can start a fire.
Do not start your vehicle
in a closed garage or in
other enclosed areas. Exhaust
fumes can be toxic. Always open
the garage door before you start
the engine. SeeGuarding
against exhaust fumesin this
chapter for more instructions.
com_important_precautions.05
Starting
110

If you smell exhaust fumes
inside your vehicle, have
your dealer inspect your vehicle
immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes.
Important ventilating
information
If the engine is idling while the
vehicle is stopped in an open area
for long periods of time, open the
windows at least 2.5 cm (one
inch).
Adjust the heating or air
conditioning to bring in fresh air.
OFF
A/C
MAX
A/C
UL DOOR LOCK
WINDOW LOCK
AUTO
uno_ventilation_info
Starting
111

Improve vehicle ventilation by
keeping all air inlet vents clear of
snow, leaves and other debris.
Guarding against exhaust
fumes
Although odorless and colorless,
carbon monoxide is present in
exhaust fumes. Take precautions
to avoid its dangerous effects.
If you ever smell exhaust
fumes of any kind inside
your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect and fix your vehicle
immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes. These
fumes are harmful and could kill
you.
Have the exhaust and body
ventilation systems checked
whenever:
²the vehicle is raised for service
²the sound of the exhaust system
changes
²the vehicle has been damaged in
a collision
Preparing to start the vehicle
Engine starting is controlled by the
spark ignition system. This system
meets all Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment
com_guarding_exhaust.01
uno_preparing_start
Starting
112

standard requirements regulating
the impulse electrical field strength
of radio noise.
When starting a fuel-injected
engine, avoid pressing the
accelerator before or during
starting. Only use the accelerator
when you have difficulty starting
the engine. For more information
on starting the vehicle, refer to
Starting the vehiclein this
chapter.
Before starting the vehicle:
1. Make sure all vehicle occupants
have buckled their safety belts. For
more information on safety belts
and their proper usage, refer to
theSeating and safety restraints
chapter.
2. Make sure the headlamps and
vehicle accessories are off.
OFF
Starting
113