2000 FORD CONTOUR belt

Introduction
4Vehicle symbol glossary
These are some of the symbols you
may have on your vehicle.
Safety Alert
Fasten Safety Belt
Airbag - Side
Child Seat Installation
Warning
Brake System
Brake Fluid -
Non-Petroleum Based
Master Lighting Switch
Fog Lamps - Front
Fuel Pump Reset
Windshield Defrost/Demist
Power Windows
Front/Rear
See Owner’s Guide
Airbag - Front
Child Seat
Child Seat Tether
Anchorage
Anti-Lock Brake System
Traction Control
Hazard Warning Flasher
Fuse Compartment
Windshield Wash/Wipe
Rear Window
Defrost/Demist
Power Window Lockout
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Instrumentation
9 High beams
Illuminates when the headlamp
high beams are on. Charging system
Briefly illuminates when the
ignition is turned on and the engine
is off. The light also illuminates
when the battery is not charging
properly and the vehicle may
require electrical system service.
Safety belt
Illuminates when the ignition is
switched on as a reminder to
fasten the safety belts. For more
information, refer to
Safety belt
indicator light and warning
chime in the Seating and safety
restraints chapter.
Alternative design
Alternative design
Alternative design
Air bag secondary warning
Flashes periodically when there is
a malfunction with the air bag
system.
For more information, refer to the
Seating and safety restraints
chapter.
O/D
OFFTRACTION
CONTROL
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Instrumentation
19 Headlamps on warning chime
Sounds when the headlamps are
on, the ignition is off (and the key
is not in the ignition) and the
driver’s door is open. Testing the warning and
indicator lights and chimes
Turn the ignition key to the on
position without starting the
engine. The following warning and
indicator lights will illuminate
briefly: charging system, safety belt
(does not illuminate, if the driver’s
safety belt is fastened), traction
control, ABS, brake, low coolant,
low fuel, engine oil pressure, check
engine and air bag readiness.
If any of these lights do not
illuminate, see your dealer or
qualified service technician.
Key-in-ignition warning chime
Sounds when the key is left in the
off/lock or accessory position and
the driver’s door is open.
Safety belt warning chime
For information on the safety belt
warning chime, refer to the
Seating and safety restraints
chapter.
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Seating and safety restraints
76
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
Important safety restraints
precautions
The use of safety belts helps to
restrain both driver and passenger
in case of a collision. In most states
and Canada, the law requires the
use of safety belts.
Always drive and ride with
your seatback upright and
the lap belt snug and low across
the hips.
Lock the doors of your
vehicle before driving to
lessen the risk of the door coming
open in a collision.
Cargo should always be
secured to prevent it from
shifting and causing damage to the
vehicle or harm to passengers.
To prevent the risk of injury,
make sure children sit where
they can be properly restrained.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS
Front and rear seat
occupants including
pregnant women, should wear
safety belts for optimum
protection in an accident.
Always transport children 12
years old and under in the
back seat and always use
appropriate child restraints.
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Seating and safety restraints
78
Combination lap and shoulder
belt
Insert the tongue into the slot in
the buckle to fasten.
Push the red release button and
remove the tongue from the slot to
unfasten.
The passenger safety restraints in
the vehicle are combination lap and
shoulder belts. The front and rear
seat passenger safety belts have
two types of locking modes.
Using safety restraints properly
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.
Use the shoulder belt on the
outside shoulder only. Never wear
the shoulder belt under the arm.
Never swing it around your neck
over the inside shoulder.
Never use a single belt for more
than one person.
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Seating and safety restraints
79 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 driver’s 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
80Using automatic locking mode
The automatic locking mode must
be used when installing a child
safety seat in any passenger seat.
1. Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder belt portion
and pull downward until the entire
belt is extracted.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the
belt retracts, you will hear a
clicking sound. This indicates that
the safety belt is now in the
automatic locking mode.
Canceling automatic locking
mode
Disconnect the combination lap
and shoulder belt and allow it to
completely retract. This will cancel
the automatic locking mode and
activate the vehicle sensitive
(emergency) locking mode.
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