1998 Mercury Villager warning

WARNING
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation.
Do not touch them after inflation.
WARNING
The air bag will inflate only once. The system is designed
to function on a one-time-only basis. If the air bag is
inflated, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT FUNCTION AGAIN
AND MUST BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. If the air
bag is not replaced, this will increase the risk of injury in
a subsequent collision.
The location of air bags and warning labels
Seating and Safety Restraints
147

Safety Restraints for Children
In the U.S. and Canada, you are required by law to use safety
restraints for children. If small children ride in your vehicle Ð this
generally includes children who are four years old or younger
and who weigh 40 pounds (18 kg) or less Ð you must put them
in safety seats that are made specially for children. Safety
belts alone do not provide maximum protection for these children.
Check your local and state laws for specific requirements.
WARNING
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.
WARNING
To prevent the risk of injury, make sure children sit where
they can be properly restrained.
WARNING
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.
Seating and Safety Restraints
151

WARNING
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.
WARNING
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.
WARNING
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.
WARNING
Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets
unattended in your vehicle.
152

WARNING
Rear-facing child seats or infant carriers should never be
placed in the front seats.
WARNING
If you do not properly secure the safety seat, the child
occupying the seat may be injured during a collision or
sudden stop. An unsecured safety seat could also injure
other passengers.
The passenger side quick-release second row captain seat is
adjustable along a track and may be adjusted very close to the
front passenger seat to allow easier entry and exit to third row seats.
WARNING
The quick-release seat must be adjusted to the rearmost
position when using an untethered forward-facing child
safety seat.
WARNING
The third row seat must be adjusted to the rearmost
position when using an untethered forward facing child
safety seat.
154

WARNING
Always keep the buckle release button pointing upward
and away from the child seat, with the tongue between the
child seat and the release button as shown in the
following illustration.
WARNING
Failure to follow all instructions on the proper use of
child seats or the vehicle restraint systems can result in
serious injury or death in the event of a sudden stop or
collision.
Safety belt buckle placement for child seats
Seating and Safety Restraints
155

WARNING
Only use the tether attachment hole locations shown in
the illustrations. The tether anchor may not perform
properly if the wrong mounting location is used.
WARNING
Follow these precautions to decrease the chance of injury
in an accident.
WARNING
If the anchor bolt(s) is ever removed, the hole(s) in the
floor must be sealed to prevent the possibility of exhaust
fumes entering the passenger compartment.
Seating and Safety Restraints
163

Safety Belts for Children
Children who are too large for child safety seats should always
wear safety belts. (See instructions with your child seat, or contact
its manufacturer, to determine maximum size of a child that
will fit safely in the safety seat.)
WARNING
If safety belts are not properly worn and adjusted as
described, the risk of serious injury to the child in a
collision will be much greater.
166

WARNING
If the shoulder belt portion of one of the lap/shoulder
belts can be positioned so that it does not cross or rest in
front of the child's face or neck, the child should wear
the lap/shoulder belt. Moving the child closer to the center
of the vehicle may help provide a good shoulder belt
fit.
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 specific
needs of your child with your pediatrician.
WARNING
Do not use a belt-positioning booster with a lap-only belt.
WARNING
The lap belt portion of combination lap/shoulder belts
should always be worn snugly and below the hips, touching
the child's thighs.
Seating and Safety Restraints
167