Page 81 of 248
Seating and safety restraints
81
Front seat safety belt height
adjustment
To lower the height of the shoulder
belt:
1. Push the control down.
2. Slide down.
To raise the height of the shoulder
belt:
1. Slide up.
2. Pull down on the height adjuster
to make sure that it is locked in
place.
Position the shoulder belt
height adjuster so that the
belt rests across the middle of
your shoulder. Be sure the
shoulder belt is properly
positioned on your shoulder each
time you use the belt. If the
shoulder belt is off your shoulder,
on your upper arm or neck, there
is a greater risk of severe injury in
a collision.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 81
Page 82 of 248

Seating and safety restraints
82
Safety belt indicator light and
warning chime
Illuminates in the instrument
cluster and a chime sounds to
remind the occupants to fasten
their safety belts. Center position three-point
safety belts
If the lower end of the belt has
been unbuckled, pull the belt
steadily from the reel and insert
the small tongue into the small
buckle until a distinct “click” is
heard.
This buckle should be left buckled
except when the seatback is folded
down and cargo that might damage
the seatbelt or get it dirty is being
hauled.
Pull the seat belt across the hips
and insert the big (sliding) tongue
into the appropriate buckle until a
distinct “click” is heard.
Should the center rear belt need to
be unlatched from its anchorage, a
thin probe is required to be
inserted into the hole located on
the underside of the floor mounted
buckle. If the buckle and tongue
are not reconnected, then the belt
is not safe to be used.
Alternative design
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 82
Page 83 of 248

Seating and safety restraints
83 Conditions of operation
If the driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition switch
is turned to the ON position ... The Saftety belt warning light
illuminates for one or 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 Saftety 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 Saftety belt warning light and
warning chime remain off.
If ...Then ...
Belt Minder (if equipped)
The Belt Minder feature is a
supplemental warning to the safety
belt warning function. This feature
provides additional reminders to
the driver that the driver’s safety
Conditions of operation
If the driver’s safety belt is not
buckled approximately 5 seconds
after the safety belt warning light
has turned off...
The belt minder feature is
activated - the Saftety belt warning
light and the warning chime will
cycle at 4 hertz for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately 5 minutes or until
safety belt is buckled.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
while the indicator light is
illuminated and the warning chime
is sounding ...
The belt minder feature will not
activate.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
before the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position ...
The belt minder feature will not
activate.
If ...Then ...
belt is unbuckled by intermittently
sounding a chime and illuminating
the Safety belt warning light in the
instrument cluster.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 83
Page 84 of 248

Seating and safety restraints
841. Turn the ignition switch to the
ON position (DO NOT START THE
ENGINE).
2. Wait until the Saftety belt
warning light turns off
(approximately one minute).
• Steps 3-5 must be completed
within 60 seconds or the procedure
will have to be repeated.
3. Buckle then unbuckle the safety
belt three times, ending with the
safety belt unbuckled. This can be
done before or during Belt Minder
warning activation.
4. Turn on the headlamps, turn off
the headlamps.
5. Buckle then unbuckle the safety
belt three times, ending with the
safety belt unbuckled.
• After step 5, the Saftety belt
warning light will be turned on for
three seconds.
6. Within seven seconds of the
Saftety beltwarning light turning
off, buckle then unbuckle the
safety belt.
• This will enable Belt Minder if it
is currently disabled, or disable
Belt Minder if it is currently
enabled.
To reduce the risk of injury,
do not deactivate/activate
the Belt Minder feature while
driving the vehicle.
Deactivating/activating the Belt
Minder feature
The Belt Minder feature can be
deactivated/activated by
performing the following
procedure:
Before following the procedure,
make sure that:
• the parking brake is set.
• the gearshift is in P (Park)
(automatic transaxle) or the
neutral position (manual
transaxle).
• the ignition switch is in the OFF
position.
• all vehicle doors are closed.
• the driver’s safety belt is
unbuckled.
• the parklamps/headlamps are in
OFF position.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 84
Page 85 of 248

Seating and safety restraints
85
Safety belt extension assembly
The safety belt may be too short
even when fully extended.
Approximately 20 cm (8 inches)
may be added to the length of the
belt with a safety belt extension
(part number 611C22). Safety belt
extensions are available at no cost
from your dealer.
Only use extensions manufactured
by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is
on the label located at the end of
the webbing.
Do not use the extension to change
the fit of the shoulder belt across
the torso.
7. Confirmation of enabling Belt
Minder is provided by flashing the
Saftety beltlight four times per
second for three seconds, followed
by three seconds with the Saftety
beltlight off, then followed by
flashing the Saftety beltlight four
times per second for three seconds
again.
8. Confirmation of disabling Belt
Minder is provided by flashing the
Saftety beltlight four times per
second for three seconds.
9. After receiving confirmation, the
deactivation/activation procedure
is complete.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 85
Page 86 of 248

Seating and safety restraints
86Care of safety belts
Periodically check the belts for
damage or fraying. Check the
security of the anchorage points
and the locking action of the inertia
reels by giving each belt a sharp
tug.
Belts subjected to strain, as in the
result of an accident, should be
replaced and the anchorages
checked by your dealer or a
qualified technician.
Failure to follow these
instructions will affect the
performance of the safety belts
and increase the risk of personal
injury.
Safety belt warning label
A warning label has been placed on
the buckle of each of your vehicle’s
front seat safety belts.
In a collision of sufficient severity
while the safety belt is in use, the
safety belt buckle will pull out of
the sleeve so that all or part of the
orange portion of the lavel is
visible.
Whenever the orange
portion of the label is visible,
the safety belt must be replaced.
WARNING Replace buckle
assembly if this vehicle is in a collision
or if any orange portion of this label
is visible. (See Owner Guide). Failure
to replace this buckle assembly under
the above conditions could result in
severe personal injuries in the event
of collision.
AVERTISSEMENT Remplacer
l'ensemble de boucle de ceinture en
cas de collision avec ce véhicule, ou si
la partie orange de cette étiquette
est visible (Voir le Guide du
proprietaire). Faute de remplacer cet
ensemble de boucle, des blessures
graves pourraient être encourues en
cas de collision.
REPLACE BUCKLE/REMPLACER LA BOUCLE
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 86
Page 87 of 248
Seating and safety restraints
87 Important supplemental
restraint system (SRS)
precautions
The supplemental restraint system
(SRS) is designed to work with the
safety belt to help protect the
driver and right front passenger
from certain upper body injuries.
AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
MIRRORS
OFF LO PNL/FLR
PANEL
A/CFLOOR
DEF FLR
DEF
MAX
A/C HI/
POWER AUDIO AM/FM
SCAN
SEEK 31245ANSSIDE 1-2EJECTVOLUME
000123000010 20 3040506070
80
90
10 0
110
120
13 0MPH20 406055
80120 10 0
14 0
160
18 0
200EF12
03x 1000
4
5
6
7
8BRAKE
CHECK
ENGINEO/D
OFF
CLOCK
TRACTION
TROLCH
Always transport children
12 years old and under in
the back seat and always use
appropriate child restraints.
All occupants of the vehicle
including the driver should
always properly wear their safety
belts even when air bag SRS is
provided.
NHTSA recommends a
minimum distance of at least
25 cm (ten [10] inches) between
an occupant’s chest and the air
bag module.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:15 Uhr Seite 87
Page 88 of 248

Seating and safety restraints
88
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 attempt to service,
repair, or modify the air bag
Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) or its fuses. See your Ford
or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Do not put anything on or
over the air bag module.
Placing objects on or over the air
bag inflation area may cause those
objects to be propelled by the air
bag into your face and torso
causing serious injury.
Never place your arm over
the air bag module as a
deploying air bag can result in
serious arm fractures or other
injuries.
Air bags can kill or injure a
child in a child seat.
NEVER
place a rear-facing child seat in
front of an active air bag. If you
must use a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat, move the
seat all the way back.
14MSSen 24.6.99 15:16 Uhr Seite 88