Operating tips
²In humid weather, place the climate control system in DEF before
driving. This will reduce fogging on your windshield. Once the
windshield has been cleared, select any desired position.
²To reduce humidity buildup inside the vehicle, do not drive with the
climate control system in the OFF position.
²Under normal weather conditions, your vehicle's climate control
system should be left in any position other than OFF position when
the vehicle is parked. This allows the vehicle to ªbreatheº through the
outside air inlet duct.
²Under snowy or dirty weather conditions, your vehicle's climate
control system should be left in the OFF position when the vehicle is
parked. This allows the climate control system to be free from
contamination of outside pollutants.
²Do not place objects under the front seat which may interfere with
the airflow to the rear seats.
²Remove any snow, ice, or leaves from the air intake area (at the base
of the windshield and underneath the hood).
²Do not place objects over the defroster outlets. These objects may
block airflow and reduce your visibility through the windshield. Avoid
placing small objects on top of the instrument panel. These objects
can fall into the defroster outlets and block airflow, in addition to,
damaging your climate control system.
Do not place objects on top of the instrument panel, as these
objects may become projectiles in instances of sudden impact or
a sudden stop.
MANUAL HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM (IF
EQUIPPED)
FAN
LOHI
COOLWARM
MAX
A/C NORM
A/CVENTOFF
FLR
MIX
Climate controls
79
²Under normal weather conditions, your vehicle's climate control
system should be left in any position other than the MAX A/C or OFF
when the vehicle is parked. This allows the vehicle to ªbreatheº
through the outside air inlet duct.
²Under snowy or dirty weather conditions, your vehicle's climate
control system should be left in the OFF position when the vehicle is
parked. This allows the climate control system to be free from
contamination of outside pollutants.
²If your vehicle has been parked with the windows closed during warm
weather conditions, the air conditioner will perform more efficiently in
cooling the vehicle if driven for two or three minutes with the
windows open. This will force most of the hot, stale air out of the
vehicle. Once the vehicle has been ªaired outº, operate the climate
control system as desired.
²Do not put objects under the front seat which may interfere with the
airflow to the rear seats (if equipped).
²Remove any snow, ice or leaves from the air intake area (at the
bottom of the windshield and underneath the hood).
²Do not place objects over the defroster outlets. These objects can
block airflow and reduce visibility through your windshield. Avoid
placing small objects on top of the instrument panel. These objects
may fall down into the defroster outlets and block airflow, in addition
to, damaging the climate control system.
To aid in side window defogging/demisting in cold weather conditions:
1. Select the position that distributes air through the Panel and Floor.
2. Set the temperature control to full heat.
3. Set the fan speed to full fan.
4. Direct the outer panel vents towards the side windows.
5. To increase airflow to the outer panel vents, close the central panel
vents.
Do not place objects on top of the instrument panel as these
objects may become projectiles in a collision or sudden stop.
Climate controls
82
REAR BENCH SEAT
To remove the seats:
1. Disengage the lap/shoulder belt
from the seat by inserting a key or
small screwdriver into the slot in the
detachable anchor and lifting
upward (2nd row passenger side
only).
Stow the tongue end of the
detachable anchor (2nd row only).
Seating and safety restraints
119
2. Pull the LH/RH seat latch
handles, located under the seat,
rearward to release the latch hook
ends from the front strikers.
3. Move the seat rearward and lift the seats rear hooks away from the
rear strikers prior to lifting the front hooks out from the front strikers.
4. With assistance, remove the seat assembly.
²To remove the 3rd, 4th, and 5th row seats (if equipped), repeat steps
2 through 4.
To install the seat:
1. Position the seat in the vehicle.
2. Align front hooks to front strikers, prior to lowering the rear hooks
and aligning them with the rear strikers.
3. Engage the LH/RH latch rod hook ends in the front striker locking
holes.
4. Rotate the LH/RH latch handles forward, and at the same time slide
the seat assembly forward to engage the strikers. Continue forward
movement until the seat reaches the end of its travel.
5. Make sure the safety belt is not twisted, then insert the seat belt
tongue into detachable anchor until you hear a ªclickº and feel the latch
engage (2nd row only).
Always latch the vehicle seat to the floor, whether the seat is
occupied or empty. If not latched, the seat may cause injury
during a sudden stop.
Seating and safety restraints
120
Automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will
still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt.
The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.
When to use the automatic locking mode
²Any timea child safety seat is installed in a passenger front or
outboard rear seating position (if equipped). Children 12 years old and
under should be properly restrained in the rear seat whenever
possible. Refer toSafety Restraints for ChildrenorSafety Seats for
Childrenlater in this chapter.
How to use the automatic locking mode
²Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
²Grasp the shoulder portion and
pull downward until the entire
belt is extracted.
²Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the automatic locking
mode.
Seating and safety restraints
123
How to disengage the automatic locking mode
Ford recommends that all safety belt assemblies and attaching
hardware should be inspected by a qualified technician after any
collision. Safety belt assemblies not in use during a collision should also
be inspected and replaced if either damage or improper operation is
noted.
Disconnect the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it to retract
completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and activate the
vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
After any vehicle collision, the front passenger and rear outboard
seat belt systems must be checked by a qualified technician to
verify that the ªautomatic locking retractorº feature for child seats is
still functioning properly. In addition, all seat belts should be checked
for proper function.
BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED if
the seat belt assembly ªautomatic locking retractorº feature or
any other seat belt function is not operating properly when checked
according to the procedures in Workshop Manual.
Failure to replace the Belt and Retractor assembly could
increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Safety belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and
front passenger seating positions.
The safety belt pretensioner is a device which removes excess webbing
from the safety belt system. The safety belt pretensioner uses the same
crash sensor system as the front air bag supplemental restraint system
(SRS). When the safety belt pretensioner deploys, webbing from the lap
and shoulder belt is tightened. The driver and front passenger seat belt
system (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be
replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in
deployment of front air bags and safety belt pretensioners. Refer to the
Safety belt maintenancesection in this chapter.
Seating and safety restraints
124
CLEANING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL
Clean the instrument panel with a damp cloth, then dry with a dry cloth.
Avoid cleaners or polish that increase the gloss of the upper portion of
the instrument panel. The dull finish in this area helps protect the driver
from undesirable windshield reflection.
Do not use chemical solvents or strong detergents when cleaning
the steering wheel or instrument panel to avoid contamination of
the air bag system.
Cleaning the instrument cluster lens
Wipe the cluster area with a soft, damp cotton towel. Dry the area with a
clean, dry towel.
CLEANING THE INTERIOR FABRIC, CARPETS AND CLOTH SEATS
Remove dust and loose dirt with a vacuum cleaner. Remove light stains
and soil with Extra Strength Upholstery Cleaner (E8AZ-19523±AA).
Never saturate the seat covers with cleaning solution.
Do not use household cleaning products or glass cleaners, which
can stain and discolor the fabric and affect the flame retardent
abilities of the seat materials.
If grease or tar is present on the material, spot-clean the area first with
Spot and Stain Remover (F3AZ-19521±WA). Follow up by recleaning the
area with Extra Strength Upholstery Cleaner (E8AZ-19523±AA).
CLEANING LEATHER SEATS (IF EQUIPPED)
All Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles with leather seating surfaces have
a clear, protective coating over the leather.
To clean the leather seats, simply use a soft cloth with Deluxe Leather
and Vinyl Cleaner (F2AZ-19521±WA). Dry the area with a soft cloth.
It is recommended that you use the Deluxe Leather Care Kit
(F8AZ-19G253±AA), available from your authorized Ford, Lincoln or
Mercury dealer. The mild cleaner and special pad available in the kit
cleans the leather and maintains its natural beauty. For best results,
follow the instructions printed on the cleaner label. Regular cleaning of
your leather upholstery helps maintain its resiliency and color.
Cleaning
211