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Lap belts
Adjusting the lap belt
The lap belt does not adjust automatically.
The lap belts should fit snugly and as low as
possible around the hips, not around the
waist.
Insert the tongue into
the correct buckle. To
lengthen the belt, turn
the tongue at a right
angle to the belt and
pull across your lap
until it reaches the
buckle. To tighten the
belt, pull the loose end
of the belt through the
tongue until it fits
snugly across the hips.
Shorten and fasten the
belt when not in use.
Safety belts for rear-facing occupants (wagon
only)
Never use child safety seats in the third seat
of a wagon.
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belts containing
an adjust tongue at the rear-facing seating positions.
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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 feel 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, 20 cm (8 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.
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
extended. Do not use extensions to change the fit of
the shoulder belt across the torso.
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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 switch is
turned to the ON
position...The safety belt warning
light illuminates for one
to two minutes and the
warning chime sounds
for four to eight
seconds.
The driver's safety belt
is buckled while the
indicator light is
illuminated and the
warning chime is
sounding...The safety belt warning
light and warning chime
turn off.
The driver's safety belt
is buckled before the
ignition switch is turned
to the ON position...The safety belt warning
light and indicator chime
remain off.
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Safety belt maintenance
Inspect the safety belt systems periodically to make
sure they work properly and are not damaged.
Inspect the safety belts to make sure there are no
nicks, wears or cuts, replacing if necessary. 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 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.
Failure to inspect and if necessary replace
the safety belt asembly 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 caresection.
AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM
(SRS)
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78
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Important supplemental restraint system (SRS)
precautions
The supplemental
restraint system is
designed to work with
the safety belt to help
protect the driver and
right front passenger
from certain upper
body injuries.
Air bags DO NOT
inflate slowly or gently
and the risk of injury
from a deploying air bag is greatest close to the trim
covering the air bag module.
All occupants of the vehicle including the
driver should always properly wear their
safety belts even when air bag SRS is provided.
Always transport children 12 years old and
under in the back seat and always use
appropriate child restraints.
NHTSA recommends a minimum distance of
at least 25.4 cm (ten [10] inches) between
an occupant's chest and the air bag module.
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67
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![Mercury Sable 1998 Owners Manuals 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 s](/manual-img/33/11164/w960_11164-72.png "Mercury Sable 1998 Owners Manuals 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 s")
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
If the child is the proper size, restrain the child in a
safety seat.
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.
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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 safety seat you
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