1998 Mercury Mountaineer belt

7. Insert the left and right safety
belt tongues into the left and right
slots of the crotch buckle. Verify
that the indicator window on each
tongue is green to ensure proper
safety belt connections.
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.
Seating and safety restraints
90

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 m.p.h.) or
more.
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
Seating and safety restraints
91

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.
If ALR is activated, hold either the
left or right shoulder belt out fully
while helping the child slide arms
out of the belts.
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.
Seating and safety restraints
92

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.
If you smell exhaust fumes
inside your vehicle, have
your dealer inspect your vehicle
immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes.
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.
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.
Starting
95

Make sure the corresponding lights
illuminate briefly. If a light fails to
illuminate, have the vehicle
serviced.
²If the driver's safety belt is
fastened, the light (
) will not
illuminate.
STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Turn the key to 5 (START)
without pressing the accelerator
pedal and release as soon as the
engine starts. The key will return
to 4 (ON).
2. If the engine does not start
within five seconds, wait ten
seconds and try again.
3. If the engine does not start in
two attempts OR if the
temperature is below -12ÉC (10ÉF),
depress the accelerator and start
the engine while holding the
accelerator down. Release the
accelerator when the engine starts.
4. After idling for a few seconds,
apply the brake and release the
parking brake.
Using the engine block heater
(if equipped)
An engine block heater warms the
engine coolant, which improves
starting, warms up the engine
faster and allows the
3
2
1
5
4
Starting
97

If the vehicle is towed by other
means or incorrectly, vehicle
damage may occur.
Do not tow with slingbelt
equipment. Ford Motor Company
has not developed or approved a
slingbelt towing procedure.
When calling for a tow truck, tell
the operator what kind of vehicle
you have. A towing manual is
available from Ford Motor
Company for all authorized tow
truck operators. Have your tow
truck driver refer to this manual
for proper hook-up and towing
procedures for your vehicle.
Roadside emergencies
153

Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when the wear
band is visible through the tire
treads.
When replacing full size
tires, never mix radial,
bias-belted, or bias-type tires.
Use only the tire sizes that are
listed on the tire pressure decal.
Make sure that all tires are the
same size, speed rating, and
load-carrying capacity. Use only
the tire combinations
recommended on the decal. If
you do not follow these
precautions, your vehicle may
not drive properly and safely.
Make sure that all
replacement tires are of
the same size, type, load-carrying
capacity and tread design (e.g.,
ªAll Terrainº, etc.), as originally
offered by Ford.
Failure to follow these
precautions may adversely
affect the handling of the vehicle
and make it easier to lose control
and roll over.
Maintenance and care
181

Cleaning and maintaining the
safety belts
Clean the safety belts with a mild
soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpets. Do
not bleach or dye the belts,
because these actions may weaken
the belt webbing.
Check the safety belt system
periodically to make sure there are
no nicks, wear or cuts. If your
vehicle has been involved in an
accident, refer to theSafety belt
maintenancesection in the
Seating and safety restraints
chapter.
Cleaning the built-in child seat
(if equipped)
Clean with mild soap and water.
Do not use household cleaning
products because they may
weaken the safety belt webbing or
damage the vinyl parts of the seat.
The child seat liner is removable
and may be machine-washed and
air dried.
Underbody
Flush the complete underside of
vehicle frequently. Keep body
drain holes unplugged. Inspect for
road damage.
Cleaning leather seats
(if equipped)
For routine cleaning, wipe the
surface with a soft, damp cloth.
For more thorough cleaning, wipe
the surface with a mild soap.
Maintenance and care
201