1998 Mercury Mystique Owner's Manuals

Seating and safety restraints
65
Built-in child safety seat
(if equipped)
The rear seat may include a built-in
child seat. This child seat conforms
to all Federal and local motor
vehicle safety standards. Read the
labels located on the child seat
cushion and shoulder belt for
information on the built-in child
seat.
Use the built-in child seat only if
the child is at least one year old,
weighs 10-27 kg (22-60 lbs) and
the child’s shoulders fit below the
shoulder harness slots on the built-
in child seat.
Children not meeting these
requirements should be secured in
an aftermarket seat. Refer to Child
safety seatsin this chapter. Built-in child seat
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.
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Seating and safety restraints
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Built-in child seat retractors
The belts on built-in child seats are
equipped with a retractor. The
retractor will automatically snug
the belts around the child. If the
belts do not remain snug, take the
vehicle to your dealer or a qualified
technician for child seat repair. The
belts will not remain snug during a
collision if the retractor is not
functioning properly.
Child seat interlock safety
feature
The interlock ensures that a child
is not placed in the integrated child
seat when the folding seatback is
not securely latched.
It prevents the seatback from being
unlatched while the child seat is in
use. When the child seat is
deployed, the seatback cannot be
released.
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1. Make sure that the seatback is
securely latched in place.
2. Grasp the child seat cushion and
pull the top forward to release the
latch. Continue to unfold the child
seat until it rests on the seat in the
fully open position.
Placing your child in the built-in
child seat
Failure to follow all of the
instructions on the use of
this child restraint system can
result in your child striking the
vehicle’s interior during a sudden
stop or crash.
Never use the built-in child
seat as a booster cushion
with the adult safety belts. A child
using the adult belts could slide
forward and out from under the
safety belts.
The rear seatback must be
fully locked before operating
the child safety restraint system.
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Seating and safety restraints
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4. If connected, squeeze the tabs
on the top and bottom of the chest
clip and pull the halves apart to
open the chest clip. Then release
the lower half of belt by pressing
the red button.
5. Place the child on the child seat
and position the shoulder belts
over each shoulder. 3. Read all the information and
warnings on the child seat cushion
and shoulder safety belt. Make sure
the child is not too large for the
child seat.
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Seating and safety restraints
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If both tongues do not latch
in the buckle, do not use the
child seat. See your dealer for
repairs.
7. Fasten both halves of the chest
clip below the child’s shoulders and
adjust it to comfortably hold the
shoulder belts in place on the
child’s chest. The color green must
appear in the indicator window
when fastened.
8. Pull the lap portion of the belts
toward you to make sure the crotch
safety belt buckle is properly
fastened and the retractor is
locked.
9. If the belts become too tight,
unbuckle the crotch safety belt
buckle to unlock the retractors,
then reinsert both belt tongues. 6. Insert either the left or the right
safety belt tongue into the single
opening of the crotch safety belt
buckle (it doesn’t matter which
tongue is inserted first). Insert the
other tongue. The color green must
appear in the indicator window on
each tongue when buckled. Allow
belts to retract and fit snugly.
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To stow the built-in child seat
Return the child seat cushion to
the upright position, then press
firmly in the center and top of the
child seat.
Inspecting the built-in child seat
after a collision
All built-in child restraints,
including seats, buckles, retractors,
seat latches, interlocks and
attaching hardware should be
inspected by your dealer or a
qualified technician after any
collision. If the child seat was in
use during a collision, Ford
recommends replacing it. Built-in
child restraints not in use during a
collision should be inspected and
replaced if either damage or
improper operation is noted.
Removing your child from the
built-in child seat
1. Squeeze the tabs on the top and
the bottom of the chest clip and
pull the halves apart to open the
chest clip.
2. Press the release button on the
crotch safety belt buckle.
3. Slide the shoulder belts off the
child’s shoulders and remove the
child.
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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.
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 see Attaching safety seats
with tether strapsin this chapter.
When installing a child safety seat:
•Use the correct safety belt buckle
for that seating postion.
•Make sure the tongue is securely
fastened in the buckle.
•Keep 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.
•Put the safety belt in the
automatic locking mode. Refer to
Using automatic locking mode
in this chapter. Child safety seats
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AIRBAGInstalling child safety seats in
combination lap and shoulder
belt seat positions
1. Position the child safety seat in a
seat with a combination lap and
shoulder belt.
2. Pull down on the shoulder belt
and then grasp the shoulder belt
and lap belt together.
3. While holding the shoulder and
lap belt portions together, route
the tongue through the child seat
according to the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions. Be
sure the belt webbing is not
twisted.
When using forward-facing
child seats move the
passenger seat as far back from
the instrument panel as possible.
Never secure rear-facing infant
seats in the front seat.
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