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Controls and features
26
¥ FLR/DEF Ð Distributes outside
air through the floor ducts and the
windshield defroster ducts.
¥ DEF Ð Distributes outside air
through the windshield defroster
ducts. It can be used to clear ice or
fog from the windshield.
Operating tips
¥ In humid weather, select DEF
before driving. This will help to
prevent your windshield from
fogging. After a few minutes, select
any desired position.
¥ To prevent humidity buildup
inside the vehicle, donÕt drive with
the climate control system in the
OFF position.
¥ DonÕt put objects under the front
seat that will interfere with the
airflow to the back seats.
¥ Remove any snow, ice or leaves
from the air intake area (at the
bottom of the windshield under the
hood).
¥ When placing objects on top of
your instrument panel, be careful
to not place them over the
defroster outlets. These objects
can block airflow and reduce your
ability to see through your
windshield. Also, avoid placing
small objects on top of your
instrument panel. These objects
can fall down into the defroster
outlets and block airflow and
possibly damage your climate
control system.
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Controls and features
30
¥ DEF Ð Distributes outside air
through the windshield defroster
ducts. It can be used to clear ice or
fog from the windshield. If the
temperature is about 10¡C (50¡F)
or higher, the air conditioner will
automatically dehumidify the air to
prevent fogging.
Operating tips
¥ In humid weather, select DEF
before driving. This will prevent
your windshield from fogging. After
a few minutes, select any desired
position.
¥ To prevent humidity buildup
inside the vehicle, donÕt drive with
the climate control system in the
OFF position.
¥ DonÕt put objects under the front
seat that will interfere with the
airflow to the back seats.
¥ Remove any snow, ice or leaves
from the air intake area (at the
bottom of the windshield under the
hood).
¥ If your vehicle has been parked
with the windows closed during hot
weather, the air conditioner will do
a much faster job of cooling if you
drive for two or three minutes with
the windows open. This will force
most of the hot, stale air out of the
vehicle. Then operate your air
conditioner as you would normally.
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Seating and safety restraints
72
Adjusting the head restraints
Push or pull the head restraint to
the desired height.
SEATING
Manually adjusting the seats
Pull the lever located at the front
edge of the seat to move the seat
forward or backward.
Reclining the seats
Pull the lever on the outside of the
seat to recline the seat.
HEAD RESTRAINTS
(if equipped)
Never adjust the driverÕs
seat or seat back when the
vehicle is moving.
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Seating and safety restraints
73
Adjusting the power seats
(if equipped)
Move the relevant control in the
respective direction to adjust the
seat as follows:
1
2
3
4
Seat
(1) Forward and backward
(2) Height of the entire seat
(3) Height of the front of the seat
(4) Height of the rear of the seat
Lumbar support
Pull the lever to adjust lumbar
support.
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Seating and safety restraints
74
Folding rear seats (if equipped)
Pull the release knob located in the
luggage compartment. Fold down
the seat. The seat back cannot be
released while the built-in child
seat (if equipped) is open.
If you are carrying objects that
might damage the center rear
three-point safety belt, you can
unbuckle the end of the belt from
the small buckle on the seat
cushion and let the retractor reel it
up. Reconnect the belt tongue to
the buckle when you fold the seat
back up. Refer to Center position
three-point safety beltsin this
chapter.
To raise the rear seat back, push
the seat back upward until it locks
in place. Make sure it is firmly
latched by pushing forward and
back on it.
Check to see that the seat
and seat back are latched
securely in position. Keep luggage
area free of objects that would
prevent proper engagement.
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Seating and safety restraints
77
Automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is
automatically prelocked; however,
the belt will react to remove any
slack in the shoulder belt.
The automatic locking mode is not
available on the driverÕs safety belt.
When to use the automatic
locking mode
¥ When a tight lap and shoulder
belt fit is desired.
¥ Any time a child safety seat is
installed in the vehicle. For
information on the proper use of a
child safety seat, refer to Child
safety seatslater in this chapter.
Vehicle sensitive (emergency)
locking mode
The vehicle sensitive mode is the
normal retractor mode which locks
the belts in response to vehicle
movement. For example, if the
driver brakes suddenly, turns a
corner sharply or your vehicle
receives an impact of 8 km/h
(5 mph) or more the combination
safety belts will lock to help reduce
the forward movement of the
driver and passengers.
The retractor can be made to lock
by pulling sharply on the belt.
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Seating and safety restraints
84
Do not attempt to service,
repair, or modify the air bag
Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) or its fuses. See your Ford
or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
When installing forward-
facing child seats in the
front seat, always move the
passenger seat as far back from
the instrument panel as possible.
Never install rear-facing child
seats or rear-facing infant seats in
the front seat.
Children and air bags
For additional important safety
information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.
Children should always wear safety
belts. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk
of injury in a collision.
Do not place objects or
mount equipment on or near
the air bag covers that may come
into contact with an inflating air
bag.
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Seating and safety restraints
89
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.
Do not leave children,
unreliable adults, or pets
unattended in your vehicle.
To prevent the risk of injury,
make sure children sit where
they can be properly restrained.
CHILDREN AND SAFETY
RESTRAINTS
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.
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.
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