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Your vehicle is equipped with safety belts containing
an adjust tongue at the rear-facing seating positions.
When the adjust tongue of the lap/shoulder
combination seat belt is latched into the buckle, the
tongue will allow the lap portion to become shorter,
but locks the webbing in place to restrict it from
becoming longer.
Before you reach and latch a combination lap and
shoulder belt having an adjust tongue into the
buckle. you may have to lengthen the lap belt
portion of it. To lengthen the lap belt, pull some
webbing out of the shoulder belt retractor. While
holding the webbing below the tongue, grasp the
tongue so that it is parallel to the webbing and slide
the tongue upward. provide enough length so that
the tongue can reach the buckle.
To fasten the belt, pull the combination lap and
shoulder belt from the retractor so that the shoulder
belt portion of the safety belt crosses your shoulder
and chest. Be sure the belt is not twisted. If the belt
is twisted, remove the twist. Insert the tongue into
the proper buckle for your seating position until you
hear a snap and fell it latch. Make sure the tongue is
securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on the
tongue.
The lap belts should fit snugly and as low as
possible around the hips, not around the
waist.
Front and rear seat occupants, including
pregnant women, should wear safety belts
for optimum protection in an accident.
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Each seating position in your vehicle has a
specific safety belt assembly which is made
up of one buckle and one tongue that are designed
to be used as a pair. 1) Use the shoulder belt on
the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder
belt under the arm. 2) Never swing it around your
neck over the inside shoulder. 3) Never use a
single belt for more than one person.
Due to folding rear seats, sometimes the buckles and
tongues toward the center of the vehicle may be
hidden by the rear edge of the seat cushion. Pull
them out so they will be accessible.
While you are fastened in the seat belt, the shoulder
belt adjusts to your movement. However, if you
brake hard, turn hard or your vehicle receives an
impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, the safety belt
will become locked and help reduce your forward
movement.
To unfasten the belt, push the red release button on
the end of the buckle. This allows the tongue to
unlatch from the buckle. While the belt retracts,
guide the tongue to its original position to prevent it
from striking you or the vehicle.
Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt assembly is too short, even when
fully extended, eight inches can be added to the
safety belt assembly by adding a safety belt
extension assembly (part number 611C22). Safety
belt extension assemblies can be obtained from your
dealer at no cost. This assembly is not for use in the
wagon's rear-facing seat.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same
supplier as the safety belt. Manufacturer
identification is located at the end of the webbing on
the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if
the safety belt is too short for you when fully
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extended. Do not use extensions to change the fit of
the shoulder belt across the torso.
Safety belt warning light and indicator chime
The seat belt warning light illuminates in the
instrument cluster and a chime sounds to remind
the occupants to fasten their safety belts.
Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver's safety
belt is not buckled
before the ignition
key is turned to ON...The safety belt indicator
illuminates for one to two
minutes and the warning
chime sounds for four to
eight seconds.
The driver's side
safety belt is buckled
while the indicator
light is illuminated
and the warning
chime is sounding...The safety belt indicator
light and warning chime
turn off.
The driver's safety
belt is buckled before
the ignition key is
turned to ON...The safety belt warning
light and indicator chime
remain off.
Safety belt maintenance
Check the safety belt systems periodically to make
sure they work properly and are not damaged.
Check the safety belts to make sure there are no
nicks, wears or cuts. All safety belt assemblies,
including retractors, buckles, front seat belt buckle
assemblies (slide bar)(if equipped), shoulder belt
height adjusters (if equipped), child safety seat
tether bracket assemblies (if equipped), and
attaching hardware, should be inspected after a
collision. Ford recommends that all safety belt
assemblies used in vehicles involved in a collision be
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replaced. However, if the collision was minor and a
qualified technician finds that the belts do not show
damage and continue to operate properly, they do
not need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies not
in use during a collision should also be inspected
and replaced if either damage or improper operation
is noted.
Refer toCleaning and maintaining the safety
beltsin theMaintenance and Caresection.
IMPORTANT SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT
SYSTEM (SRS) PRECAUTIONS
The supplemental
restraint system is
designed to:
²work with the safety
belt to protect the
driver and right front passenger
²reduce certain upper body injuries
Failure to follow these instructions will
affect the performance of the safety belts
and increase the risk of personal injury.
The right front passenger air bag is not
designed to restrain occupants in the front
seating position.
Do not place objects or mount equipment on
or near the air bag covers that may come
into contact with an inflating air bag.
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Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify
the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
or its fuses. See your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer.
CHILDREN AND AIR BAGS
For additional important safety information, read all
information on safety restraints in this guide.
Children should always wear their safety belts.
Failure to follow these instructions may increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
Rear-facing
child seats or
infant carriers should
never be placed in
the front seats.
HOW DOES THE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM WORK?
The SRS is designed to
activate when the
vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal
deceleration, similar to
hitting a fixed barrier
head on at 12±24 km/h
(8±14 mph).
The fact that the air
bags did not inflate in
a collision does not
mean that something is
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IMPORTANT CHILD RESTRAINT PRECAUTIONS
You are required by law to use safety restraints for
children in the U.S. and Canada. If small children
ride in your vehicle (generally children who are four
years old or younger and who weigh 18 kg [40 lbs]
or less), you must put them in safety seats made
especially for children. Check your local and state or
provincial laws for specific requirements regarding
the safety of children in your vehicle.
Never let a passenger hold a child on his or
her lap while the vehicle is moving. The
passenger cannot protect the child from injury in a
collision.
Always follow the instructions and warnings that
come with any infant or child restraint you might
use.
When possible, place children in the rear seat of
your vehicle. Accident statistics suggest that
children are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seating
position.
CHILDREN AND SAFETY BELTS
Children who are too large for child safety seats (as
specified by your child safety seat manufacturer)
should always wear safety belts.
Follow all the important safety restraint and air bag
precautions that apply to adult passengers in your
vehicle.
If the shoulder belt portion of a combination lap and
shoulder belt can be positioned so it does not cross
or rest in front of the child's face or neck, the child
should wear the lap and shoulder belt. Moving the
child closer to the center of the vehicle may help
provide a good shoulder belt fit.
If the shoulder belt cannot be properly positioned:
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²move the child to one of the seats with a lap belt
only (if equipped)
OR
²if the child is the proper size, restrain the child in
a safety seat.
Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or
pets unattended in your vehicle.
To improve the fit of lap and shoulder belts on
children who have outgrown child safety seats, Ford
recommends use of a belt-positioning booster seat
that is labelled as conforming to all Federal motor
vehicle safety standards. Belt-positioning booster
seats raise the child and provide a shorter, firmer
seating cushion that encourages safer seating
posture and better fit of lap and shoulder belts on
the child. A belt-positioning booster should be used
if the shoulder belt rests in front of the child's face
or neck, or if the lap belt does not fit snugly on both
thighs, or if the thighs are too short to let the child
sit all the way back on the seat cushion when the
lower legs hang over the edge of the seat cushion.
You may wish to discuss the special needs of your
child with your pediatrician.
SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety seats
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size
and weight of the child. Carefully follow all of the
manufacturer's instructions with the cafety seat you
put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the
safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a
sudden stop or collision.
When installing a child safety seat:
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²Use the correct
safety belt buckle
for that seating
position.
²Make sure the
tongue is securely
fastened in the
buckle.
²Keep the buckle release button pointing up and
away from the safety seat, with the tongue
between the child seat and the release button, to
prevent accidental unbuckling.
²Place seatback in upright position.
²Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode.
Refer toUsing the automatic locking mode.
Ford recommends the use of a child safety seat
having a top tether strap. Install the child safety seat
in a seating position which is capable of providing a
tether anchorage. For more information on top
tether straps, refer toAttaching safety seats with
tether straps.
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's
instructions included with the safety seat
you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and
use the safety seat properly, the child may be
injured in a sudden stop or collision.
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