1998 FORD CONTOUR belt

Seating and safety restraints
54
Front seat safety belt height
adjustment
To lower the height of the shoulder
belt:
1. Push the control down.
2. Slide down.
To raise the height of the shoulder
belt:
1. Slide up.
2. Pull down on the height adjuster
to make sure that it is locked in
place.
Position the shoulder belt
height adjuster so that the
belt rests across the middle of
your shoulder. Be sure the
shoulder belt is properly
positioned on your shoulder each
time you use the belt. If the
shoulder belt is off your shoulder,
on your upper arm or neck, there
is a greater risk of severe injury in
a collision.
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Seating and safety restraints
55 Safety belt indicator light and
warning chime
Illuminates in the instrument
cluster and a chime sounds to
remind the occupants to fasten
their safety belts.
Center position three-point
safety belts
If the lower end of the belt has
been unbuckled, pull the belt
steadily from the reel and insert
the small tongue into the small
buckle until a distinct “click” is
heard.
This buckle should be left buckled
except when the seatback is folded
down and cargo that might damage
the seatbelt or get it dirty is being
hauled.
Pull the seat belt across the hips
and insert the big (sliding) tongue
into the appropriate buckle until a
distinct “click” is heard.
Should the center rear belt need to
be unlatched from its anchorage, a
thin probe is required to be
inserted into the hole located on
the underside of the floor mounted
buckle. If the buckle and tongue
are not reconnected, then the belt
is not save to be used.
Alternative design
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Seating and safety restraints
56
Conditions of operation
If the driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition key is
turned to on, the safety belt
indicator illuminates for
1-2 minutes and the warning chime
sounds for 4-8 seconds.
If the driver’s safety belt is buckled
while the indicator light is
illuminated and the reminder
chime is sounding, the safety belt
indicator light and reminder turn
off.
Safety belt extension assembly
The safety belt may be too short
even when fully extended.
Approximately 20 cm (8 inches)
may be added to the length of the
belt with a safety belt extension
(part number 611C22). Safety belt
extensions are available at no cost
from your dealer.
Only use extensions manufactured
by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is
on the label located at the end of
the webbing.
Do not use the extension to change
the fit of the shoulder belt across
the torso.
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Seating and safety restraints
57 Care of safety belts
Periodically check the belts for
damage or fraying. Check the
security of the anchorage points
and the locking action of the inertia
reels by giving each belt a sharp
tug.
Belts subjected to strain, as in the
result of an accident, should be
replaced and the anchorages
checked by your dealer or a
qualified technician.
Failure to follow these
instructions will affect the
performance of the safety belts
and increase the risk of personal
injury.
Safety belt warning label
A warning label has been placed on
the buckle of each of your vehicle’s
front seat safety belts.
In a collision of sufficient severity
while the safety belt is in use, the
safety belt buckle will pull out of
the sleeve so that all or part of the
orange portion of the label is
visible.
Whenever the orange
portion of the label is visible,
the safety belt must be replaced.
WARNING Replace buckle
assembly if this vehicle is in a collision
or if any orange portion of this label
is visible. (See Owner Guide). Failure
to replace this buckle assembly under
the above conditions could result in
severe personal injuries in the event
of collision.
AVERTISSEMENT Remplacer
l'ensemble de boucle de ceinture en
cas de collision avec ce véhicule, ou si
la partie orange de cette étiquette
est visible (Voir le Guide du
proprietare). Faute de remplacer cet
ensemble de boucle, des blessures
graves pourraient être encourues en
cas de collision.
REPLACE BUCKLE/REMPLACER BOUCLE
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Seating and safety restraints
58Important supplemental
restraint system (SRS)
precautions
The supplemental restraint system
is designed to:
•work with the safety belt to
protect the driver and right front
passenger.
•reduce certain upper body
injuries.
AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
MIRRORS
HM:
I0 20
OFF LOPNL/FLR
PANEL
A/CFLOOR
DEF FLR
DEF
MAX
A/C HI/
POWERAUDIOAM/FM
SCAN
SEEK 312645ANSSIDE1-2EJECTVOLUME
000123000010 20 3040506070
80
90
100
110
120
130MPH20 406055
80120 100
140
160
180
200EF 1
/
2UNLEADED FUEL ONLY12
03x 1000
4
5
6
7
8
NORMALBRAKE
CHECK
ENGINE TRACTION
CONTROLO/D
OFF
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Seating and safety restraints
59
Do not attempt to service,
repair, or modify the air bag
Supplemental Restraint System or
its fuses. See your Ford or
Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
AIRBAG
When installing forward-
facing child seats in the
front seat always move the
passenger seat as far back from
the instrument panel as possible.
Never install rear-facing child
seats or rear-facing infant seats in
the front seat.
Children and air bags
For additional important safety
information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.
Children should always wear safety
belts. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk
of injury in a collision.
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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Seating and safety restraints
64
Safety belts and seats can
become hot in a vehicle that
has been closed up in sunny
weather; they could burn a small
child. Check seat covers and
buckles before you place a child
anywhere near them.
Do not leave children,
unreliable adults, or pets
unattended in your vehicle.
To prevent the risk of injury,
make sure children sit where
they can be properly restrained.
CHILDREN AND SAFETY
RESTRAINTS
It is extremely dangerous to
ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are
more likely to be seriously injured
or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats
and safety belts. Be sure everyone
in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a safety belt properly.
Whenever possible, put
children in one of the rear
seats in your vehicle. Accident
statistics indicate that children are
safer when properly restrained in
the rear seats than in the front
seats.
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Seating and safety restraints
66Children and safety belts
Children who are too large for child
safety seats (as specified by the
child safety seat manufacturer)
should always wear safety belts.
Follow all the important safety
restraints 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:
•move the child to one of the seats
with a lap belt only (if equipped),
OR
•if the child is the appropriate
size, restrain the child in a safety
seat.
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