1998 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manuals

Safety belt assemblies not in use
during a collision should also be
inspected and replaced if either
damage or improper operation is
noted.
Failure to replace the
safety belt assembly under
the above conditions could result
in severe personal injuries in the
event of a collision.
Refer toCleaning and
maintaining the safety beltsin
theMaintenance and care
section.
AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
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6H
C
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E
OFF
OFF
REW
1FF
2SIDE 1-2
3
FM 1VOL – PUSH ON
AM
FMBASS TREBBAL FADE
AUTO
SET CLK
SEEKTUNE
DISCSSCAN4DOLBY SYSTEMEJTAPE CDCOMP5SHUFFLE
6
PUSH
20
1030405060
70
80
90
110
200000000oooo10020406080100
120
140
160
180UNLEADED
FUEL ONLYOD
ON/OFFHHL
OFF ONR. WIPE
• A/C
• MAX
A/C
RSM
SET
ACC
COAST OFF ON
SRS
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73

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 center
front seating position.
All occupants of the
vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety
belts even when air bag SRS is
provided.
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74

Do not place objects or
mount equipment on or
near the air bag cover on the
steering wheel or in front seat
areas that may come into contact
with a deploying air bag. Failure
to follow this instruction may
increase the risk of personal
injury in the event of a collision.
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.
Air bag can kill or injure a
child in a child seat. If you
must use a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat, move seat
all the way back.
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75

How does the air bag
supplemental restraint system
work?
The SRS is designed to activate
when the vehicle sustains
sufficient longitudinal deceleration.
The fact that the air bags did not
inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the forces
were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation.
The air bags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation.
After air bag deployment, it is
normal to notice a smoke-like,
powdery residue or smell the burnt
propellant. This may consist of
cornstarch, talcum powder (to
lubricate the bag) or sodium
compounds (e.g., baking soda) that
result from the combustion process
that inflates the air bag. Small
amounts of sodium hydroxide may
be present which may irritate the
skin and eyes, but none of the
residue is toxic.
Several air bag system
components get hot after
inflation. Do not touch them
after inflation.
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76

If the air bag is inflated,
the air bag will not
function again and must be
replaced immediately.Ifthe
air bag is not replaced, the
unrepaired area will increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
The SRS consists of:
²driver and passenger air bag
modules (which include the
inflators and air bags),
²one or more impact and safing
sensors,
²a readiness light and tone
²and the electrical wiring which
connects the components.
The diagnostic module monitors its
own internal circuits and the
supplemental air bag electrical
system warning (including the
impact sensors), the system wiring,
the air bag system readiness light,
the air bag back up power and the
air bag ignitors.
Determining if the system is
operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in
the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the
system. Refer to theAir bag
readinesssection in the
Instrumentationchapter. Routine
maintenance of the air bag is not
required.
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77

A difficulty with the system is
indicated by one or more of the
following:
²The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
²The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
²A series of five beeps will be
heard. The tone pattern will
repeat periodically until the
problem and light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even
intermittently, have the SRS
serviced at your dealership or by a
qualified technician immediately.
Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event
of a collision.
Disposal of air bags and air bag
equipped vehicles
For disposal of air bags or air bag
equipped vehicles, see your local
dealership or qualified technician.
Air bags MUST BE disposed of by
qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR
CHILDREN
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
Seating and safety restraints
78

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
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79

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:
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
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80