1999 Mercury Villager ECU

5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp the
shoulder portion of the belt and pull
downward until all of the belt is
extracted and a click is heard.
6. Allow the belt to retract. The belt will click as it retracts to indicate it
is in the automatic locking mode.
7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle and
pull up on the shoulder belt while
pushing down with your knee on the
child seat.
8. Allow the safety belt to retract to
remove any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly tilt the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
10. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is
in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt
out). If the retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat steps
two through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use.
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140

Installing child safety seats in the lap belt seating positions
1. Lengthen the lap belt. To lengthen the belt, hold the tongue so that its
bottom is perpendicular to the direction of webbing while sliding the
tongue up the webbing.
2. Place the child safety seat in the center seating position.
3. Route the tongue and webbing through the child seat according to the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for the center seating
position until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is
securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on tongue.
5. Push down on the child seat while pulling on the loose end of the lap
belt webbing to tighten the belt.
6. Before placing the child into the child seat, forcibly tilt the child seat
from side to side and in forward direction to make sure that the seat is
held securely in place. If the child seat moves excessively, repeat steps 5
through 6, or properly install the child seat in a different position.
Attaching safety seats with tether straps
Some manufacturers make safety seats that include a tether strap that
goes over the back of the vehicle seat and attaches to an anchoring
point. Other manufacturers offer the tether strap as an accessory.
Contact the manufacturer of your child safety seat for information about
ordering a tether strap.
Children should be placed in the rear in an appropriate child
safety seat that is properly secured to the vehicle.
Rear-facing infant seats must always be secured in the rear seat.
In vehicles without a rear seat, a rear-facing infant seat should
be secured in the front seat only if your vehicle does not have a
passenger side air bag or your vehicle is equipped with a passenger air
bag deactivate switch and the switch is turned to ªOFF.º
When using forward-facing child safety seats in vehicles with
only two seating positions so the forward-facing child safety seat
cannot be placed in the rear of the vehicle, move the passenger seat as
far back from the instrument panel as possible.
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141

6. Rotate the tether strap clip.
7. Refer to the instructions in this
section underInstalling child
safety seats in combination lap
and shoulder belt seating
positionsto secure the child safety
seat.
8. Tighten the child safety seat
tether strap according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
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145

Third row seat and tether anchorage hardware
The tether has to be attached to the
anchorage locations on the floor
behind the third row seating
position (third row seat only) with a
tether anchorage hardware kit.
Tether anchorage hardware kits (part number 613D20) including
instructions, may be obtained at no charge from any Ford or
Lincoln-Mercury dealer. All vehicles built for sale in Canada include a
tether anchor hardware kit.
Be sure to follow the child safety seat manufacturer's instructions.
To gain access to the anchoring bolt, cut through the U-shaped tether
location outlines on the carpet of the luggage area. Remove the bolt that
is currently in the anchor location.
Tighten the anchor according to specifications. Otherwise, the
safety seat may not be properly secured and the child may be
injured in a sudden stop or collision.
To properly use child safety tethers in the 3rd row seat position,
REMOVE THE PARCEL SHELF and tether child safety seat to
the tether anchor located on the floor behind the 3rd row seat.
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146

Third row bench in second row position
To attach a tether strap to a lap/shoulder belt:
1. Route the tether strap under the
head restraint and between the
head restraint supports.
2. Hook the tether strap hook into
the large hole at the end of the seat
belt tongue of the lap/shoulder belt
directly behind the child seat
position.
3. Adjust the tether strap length until the hook is about one foot behind
the seatback.
4. Pull the shoulder belt until all of the belt is fully extended and a click
is heard. At this time the belt is in automatic locking mode (child
restraint mode).
5. Let the retractor wind up the slack from the lap/shoulder belt. A
clicking sound should be heard as the belt retracts, indicating that the
retractor is in automatic locking mode. Tighten the tether strap to
remove any slack.
6. Before placing a child in the child restraint, use force to tilt the child
restraint from side to side and tug it forward to make sure it is securely
held in place.
7. Check that the retractor is in automatic locking mode by trying to pull
more belt out of the retractor. If you cannot pull any more belt webbing
out of the retractor, the belt is in automatic locking mode.
8. Check to make sure the child restraint is properly secured prior to
each use. If the belt is not locked, repeat steps 4 through 7.
For additional important safety information on the proper use of
seatbelts, child seats and infant seats, please read the entireSeating
and safety restraintschapter in this owner's guide.
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147

BUILT-IN CHILD SEATS
Built-in child safety seat (if equipped)
The 2nd row 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 for information on the
built-in child seat.
Use the built-in child seatonlyif the child is at least 1 year old, weighs
10±27 kg (22±60 lb) and the child's shoulders (top) are below the
shoulder harness slots in the built-in child seat.
Children not meeting these requirements should be secured in an
approved aftermarket seat. Refer toChild and infant or child safety
seatsin this chapter.
Built-in child seat retractors
The belts on built-in child seats are equipped with a retractor that locks
when both tongues are latched into the crotch safety belt buckle. The
retractor will automatically snug the belts around the child. If the belts
do not remain snug, take the vehicle to the dealer for child seat repair.
The belts will not snug during a collision.
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 restraint system.
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148

The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned ON) until the
parking brake is released.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in P (Park).
The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle.
However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the
rear brakes, the vehicle's stopping distance will increase greatly and the
handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected.
Push the pedal downward again to
release the parking brake. Driving
with the parking brake on will cause
the brakes to wear out quickly and
reduce fuel economy.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with power steering. Power steering uses energy
from the engine to help steer the vehicle.
To prevent damage to the power steering pump:
²Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme right or the extreme left
for more than a few seconds when the engine is running.
²Do not operate the vehicle with a low power steering pump fluid level.
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, the condition could be caused by any of
the following:
²underinflated tire(s) on any wheel(s)
P!
BRAKE
FUSES
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159

Understanding gearshift positions
To account for customer driving habits and conditions, your automatic
transaxle electronically controls the shift feel by using an adaptive
learning strategy. During the first few hundred kilometers (miles) of
operation, it is normal for your transaxle to have abrupt shifts. The
adaptive learning strategy is maintained by power from the battery.
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the
transaxle must relearn its adaptive strategy. Optimal shifting will resume
within a few hundred kilometers (miles) of operation.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park). Make
sure the gearshift is securely latched
in P (Park). This locks the transaxle and prevents the front wheels from
rotating.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
securely latched in P (Park).
Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is running.
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift in R (Reverse),
the vehicle will move backward. You
should always come to a complete
stop before shifting into and out of R (Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift in the N
(Neutral) position, the vehicle can
be started and is free to roll. Hold
the brake pedal down while in this position.
Overdrive Ð column mounted gearshift with O/D off switch
The Overdrive position with the O/D
OFF switchnotdepressed is the
normal driving position for this
P RND21
P RND21
P RND21
P RND21
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161