2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT seats

SPECIAL NOTICES
Special instructions
For your added safety, your vehicle is fitted with sophisticated electronic
controls.
Please read the sectionSupplemental Restraint System (SRS)
in theSeating and safety restraintschapter. Failure to follow
the specific warnings and instructions could result in personal injury.
Front seat mounted rear facing child or infant seats should
NEVERbe used in front of a passenger side air bag unless the
air bag can be and is turned OFF.
Data Recording
Computers in your vehicle are capable of recording detailed data
potentially including but not limited to information such as:
•the use of restraint systems including seat belts by the driver and
passengers,
•information about the performance of various systems and modules in
the vehicle, and
•information related to engine, throttle, steering, brake or other system
status.
Any of this information could potentially include information regarding
how the driver operates the vehicle potentially including but not limited
to information regarding vehicle speed, brake or accelerator application
or steering input. This information may be stored during regular
operation or in a crash or near crash event.
This stored information may be read out and used by:
•Ford Motor Company.
•service and repair facilities.
•law enforcement or government agencies.
•others who may assert a right or obtain your consent to know such
information.
2003 U207 Explorer Sport(u27)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Introduction
6

MANUAL HEATING AND AIR
CONDITIONING SYSTEM
1.Fan speed adjustment:Controls
the volume of air circulated in the
vehicle.
2.Temperature selection:
Controls the temperature of the
airflow in the vehicle.
3.Air flow selections:Controls the direction of the airflow in the
vehicle. See the following for a brief description on each control.
MAX A/C (if equipped):Uses recirculated air to cool the vehicle. Air
flows from the instrument panel vents only.
A/C (if equipped):Uses outside air to cool the vehicle. Air flows from
the instrument panel vents only.
:Distributes outside air through the instrument panel vents.
O (OFF):Outside air is shut out and the fan will not operate.
:Distributes outside air through the instrument panel vents and the
floor vents.
:Distributes outside air through the floor vents.
:Distributes outside air through the windshield defroster vents and
floor vents.
:Distributes outside air through the windshield defroster vents.
Operating tips
•To reduce fog build up on the windshield during humid weather, place
the air flow selector in the
position.
•To reduce humidity build up inside the vehicle: do not drive with the
air flow selector in the OFF or MAX A/C position.
•Under normal weather conditions, do not leave the air flow selector in
MAX A/C or OFF when the vehicle is parked. This allows the vehicle
to “breathe” using the outside air inlet vents.
•Do not put objects under the front seats that will interfere with the
airflow to the back seats.
•Remove any snow, ice or leaves from the air intake area at the base of
the windshield.
2003 U207 Explorer Sport(u27)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Climate Controls
26

FRONT SEATS
Notes:
Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to slide under the
seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal injuries in the
event of a collision.
Do not pile cargo higher than the seatbacks to avoid injury in a
collision or sudden stop.
Adjustable head restraints (if equipped)
Head restraints help to limit head motion in the event of a rear collision.
The seats in your vehicle may have adjustable head restraints. Adjust
your head restraint so that it is located directly or as close as possible
behind your head.
To adjust the head restraint:
•Raise the head restraint by
pulling it upward.
To lower the head restraint:
•Push the release control.
•Push down on the head restraint.
2003 U207 Explorer Sport(u27)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
63

Reclining the seats
Pull the lever located on the outside
of the seat to recline the seatback.
Release the lever to lock the
seatback in place.
Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to slide under the
seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal injuries in the
event of a collision.
Never adjust the driver’s seat or seatback when the vehicle is
moving.
Power lumbar (if equipped)
Push the button forward to inflate,
or rearward to deflate.
Heated seats (if equipped)
To operate the heated seats:
•Push control to activate.
•Push again to deactivate.
The indicator light on the control will illuminate when activated.
2003 U207 Explorer Sport(u27)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
65

Tip Slide
Do not drive the vehicle with the tip slide seat unlatched. This
may result in loss of vehicle control and severe personal injury.
To operate the feature:
1. Lift the seatback control (1) on
the side of the seat or push forward
control (2). The seatback will tilt
forward.
2. Push the seatback to move the
seat forward.
3. Reposition the seatback to the
desired position and pull control (1)
or push control (2) to lock/latch the
seat. The seatback and seat track
will not return to the original
position automatically and must be
adjusted.
Once the tip slide feature has been activated, the seat will not re-latch
until the seatback is moved into the latched upright position by lifting
the seatback control (1). This will engage the seat track locking levers.
The tip slide feature can also be activated from the rear seat position.
Push the lower control on the rear outboard side of the front seat (2)
with your foot and follow steps 2 and 3 listed previously.
REAR SEATS
Adjustable rear head restraints
Lift the head restraint so that it is located directly or as close as possible
behind your head.
1
2
2003 U207 Explorer Sport(u27)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
66

Push or pull the head restraint to
the desired position.
Folding rear seats
The rear seat adjustable head restraints should be placed in the full
down position before folding the seat back down.
1. Pull the release up to unlatch the
seatback.
2. While holding the latch handle,
pull the seat cushion up and flip it
forward. The seatback will follow
and fold into the load floor position.
2003 U207 Explorer Sport(u27)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
67

Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the
vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from
injury in a collision.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag (SRS) is
provided.
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.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a safety belt.
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. 1) Use the shoulder belt on the
outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder belt under the arm. 2)
Never swing the safety belt around your neck over the inside shoulder.
3) Never use a single belt for more than one person.
Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
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.
Energy Management Feature
•This vehicle has a safety belt system with an energy management
feature at the front seating positions to help further reduce the risk of
injury in the event of a head-on collision.
2003 U207 Explorer Sport(u27)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
69

•Grasp the shoulder portion and
pull downward until the entire
belt is extracted.
•Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. When you hear the clicking sound, the safety belt is now in the
automatic locking mode.
How to disengage the automatic locking mode
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 safety belt systems at all outboard
seating positions (except the driver position, which doesn’t have
this feature) must be checked by a qualified technician to verify that
the automatic locking retractor 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 “automatic locking retractor” 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.
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.
This mode should be usedany 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.
2003 U207 Explorer Sport(u27)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
71