
•The driver’s safetybelt is unbuckled.
•The parklamps/headlamps are in OFF position (If vehicle is equipped
with Autolamps, this will not affect the procedure).
To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate/activate the Belt
Minder feature while driving the vehicle.
BeltMinder activation and deactivation procedure
1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT
START THE ENGINE.)
2. Wait until the safetybelt warning light turns off. (Approximately1–2
minutes.)
•Steps 3–5 must be completed within 60 seconds or the procedure will
have to be repeated.
3. Buckle then unbuckle the safetybelt three times, ending with the
safetybelt unbuckled. This can be done before or during BeltMinder
warning activation.
4. Turn on the parklamps/headlamps, turn off the parklamps/headlamps.
5. Buckle then unbuckle the safetybelt three times, ending with the
safetybelt unbuckled.
•After step 5 the safetybelt warning light will be turned on for three
seconds.
6. Within seven seconds of the safetybelt warning light turning off,
buckle then unbuckle the safetybelt.
•This will disable BeltMinder if it is currentlyenabled, or enable
BeltMinder if it is currentlydisabled.
7. Confirmation of disabling BeltMinder is provided bythe safetybelt
warning light flashing four times per second for three seconds.
8. Confirmation of enabling BeltMinder is provided by:
•The safetybelt warning light flashing four times per second for three
seconds.
•Followed bythree seconds with the safetybelt warning light off.
•Once again, the safetybelt warning light will flash four times per
second for three seconds.
9. After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is
complete.
Seating and Safety Restraints
77

Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
To properlyposition yourself awayfrom the air bag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightlyone or two degrees from the upright position.
Do not put anything on or over the air bag module. Placing
objects on or over the air bag inflation area maycause those
objects to be propelled bythe air bag into your face and torso causing
serious injury.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modifythe air bag
supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. See your Ford or
Lincoln Mercurydealer.
The front passenger air bag is not designed to offer protection to
an occupant in the center front seating position.
Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of the vehicle
(including frame, bumper, front end bodystructure and tow
hooks) mayaffect the performance of the air bag system, increasing
the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle.
Additional equipment such as snowplow equipment mayeffect
the performance of the air bag sensors increasing the risk of
injury. Please refer to the Body Builders Lay out Book for instructions
about the appropriate installation of additional equipment.
Removing the blocker beam without installing snow plow
attachment hardware mayeffect air bag deployment in a crash.
Do not operate the truck unless either the blocker beam or snow plow
attachment hardware is installed on the vehicle.
Children and air bags
For additional important safetyinformation, read all information on
safetyrestraints in this guide.
Seating and Safety Restraints
80

restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time of air bag
deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be properly
restrained as far awayfrom the air bag module as possible while
maintaining vehicle control.
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not
touch them after inflation.
If the air bag has deployed,the air bag will not function
again and must be replaced immediately.If the air bag is not
replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injuryin a
collision.
The SRS consists of:
•driver and passenger (if equipped) air bag modules (which include the
inflators and air bags),
•one or more impact and safing sensors,
•a readiness light and tone
•and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the
supplemental air bag electrical system warning (including the impact
sensors), the system wiring, the air bag system readiness light, the air
bag back up power and the air bag ignitors.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer toAir bag readinesssection
in theInstrument clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the air bag is
not required.
A difficultywith the system is indicated byone or more of the following:
•The readiness light will either
flash or staylit.
•The readiness light will not
illuminate immediatelyafter
ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodicallyuntil the problem and/or light are repaired.
Seating and Safety Restraints
82

If anyof these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your dealership or by a qualified technician immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a
collision.
Disposal of air bags and air bag equipped vehicles
(including pretensioners)
See your local dealership or qualified technician. Air bags MUST BE
disposed of byqualified personnel.
Passenger air bag ON/OFF switch
An air bag ON/OFF switch
has been installed in this
vehicle. Before driving,always
look at the face of the switch to
be sure the switch is in the proper
position in accordance with these
instructions and warnings. Failure
to put the switch in a proper
position can increase the risk of
serious injuryor death in a
collision.
Turning the passenger air bag off
1. Insert the ignition key, turn the
switch to OFF position and hold in
OFF position while removing the
key.
2. When the ignition is turned to the
ON position the OFF light
illuminates briefly, momentarily
shuts off and then turns back on.
This indicates that the passenger air
bag is deactivated.
If the light fails to illuminate when the passenger air bag switch
is in the OFF position and the ignition switch is in ON, have the
passenger air bag switch serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer immediately.
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
OFF ON
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
OFF ON
Seating and Safety Restraints
83

In order to avoid inadvertent activation of the switch, always
remove the ignition keyfrom the passenger air bag ON/OFF
switch.
Turning the passenger air bag back on
The passenger air bag remains OFF until you turn it back ON.
1. Insert the ignition keyand turn
the switch to ON.
2. The OFF light will briefly
illuminate when the ignition is
turned to On. This indicates that the
passenger air bag is operational.
If the OFF light is illuminated when the passenger air bag switch
is in the ON position and the ignition switch is in ON, have the
passenger air bag switch serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer immediately.
The passenger side air bag should always be ON (the air bag OFF light
shouldnotbe illuminated) unless the passenger is a person who meets
the requirements stated either in Category1, 2 or 3 of the
NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation criteria which follows.
The safetybelts for the driver and right front passenger seating
positions have been specificallydesigned to function together
with the air bags in certain types of crashes. When you turn OFF your
air bag, you not only lose the protection of the air bag, you also may
reduce the effectiveness of your safety belt system, which was
designed to work with the air bag. If you are not a person who meets
the requirements stated in the NHTSA/Transport Canada deactivation
criteria turning OFF the air bag can increase the risk of serious injury
or death in a collision.
PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF
OFF ON
Seating and Safety Restraints
84

STARTING
Positions of the ignition
1. ACCESSORY, allows the electrical
accessories such as the radio to
operate while the engine is not
running.
2. LOCK, locks the steering wheel,
automatic transmission gearshift
lever and allows keyremoval. For
vehicle equipped with a manual
transmission, you must depress the
ignition release lever to release the
key.
3. OFF, shuts off the engine and all accessories without locking the
steering wheel. This position also allows the automatic transmission shift
lever to be moved from the P (Park) position without the brake pedal
being depressed.
In the ignition OFF position, the automatic transmission shift
lever can be moved from the P (Park) position without the brake
pedal depressed. To avoid unwanted vehicle movement, always set the
parking brake.
4. ON, all electrical circuits operational. Warning lights illuminated. Key
position when driving.
5. START, cranks the engine. Release the keyas soon as the engine
starts.
Preparing to start your vehicle
Engine starting is controlled bythe powertrain control system. This
system meets all Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment standard
requirements regulating the impulse electrical field strength of radio
noise.
When starting a fuel-injected engine, don’t press the accelerator before
or during starting. Onlyuse the accelerator when you have difficulty
starting the engine. For more information on starting the vehicle, refer to
Starting the enginein this chapter.
3
1
2
5
4
Driving
98

•Turn the keyto 4 (ON) without
turning the keyto 5 (START).
Make sure the corresponding lights illuminate or illuminate briefly. If a
light fails to illuminate, have the vehicle serviced.
•If the driver’s safetybelt is fastened, the
light maynot illuminate.
Starting the engine
1. Turn the keyto 4 (ON) without
turning the keyto 5 (START).
2. Turn the keyto 5 (START), then
release the keyas soon as the
engine starts. Excessive cranking
could damage the starter.
Note:If the engine does not start within five seconds on the first try,
turn the keyto 3 (OFF), wait 10 seconds and tryagain. If the engine still
fails to start, press the accelerator to the floor and tryagain; this will
allow the engine to crank with the fuel shut off in case the engine is
flooded with fuel.
1
2
34
5
3
2
1
5
4
Driving
101

emergencystops bykeeping the rear brakes from locking. The front
wheels, however, maystill lock since theyare not controlled bythe
RABS. Noise from the ABS pump motor and brake pedal pulsation may
be observed during ABS braking; this is normal.
RABS warning lamp
The
ABSwarning lamp in the instrument cluster momentarilyilluminates
when the ignition is turned to the ON position. If the light does not
illuminate momentarilyat start up, remains on or continues to flash, the
ABS needs to be serviced.
With the ABS light on, the anti-lock
brake system is disabled and normal
braking is still effective unless the
brake warning light also remains
illuminated with parking brake released. (If your brake warning lamp
illuminates, have your vehicle serviced immediately.)
Using RABS
In an emergency, apply ing full pressure may cause the front wheels to
lock.If the front brakes lock, the vehicle cannot be steered.Yo u
should applythe brakes with steadilyincreasing force, as if “squeezing”
the brakes. If you feel the front wheels begin to lock, momentarily
release the pedal and repeat the “squeeze” technique.
Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS) (if equipped)
Your vehicle maybe equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).
This system helps you maintain steering control during emergency stops
bykeeping the brakes from locking. Noise from the ABS pump motor
and brake pedal pulsation maybe observed during ABS braking; any
pulsation or mechanical noise you may feel or hear is normal.
ABS warning lamp
ABS
TheABSlamp in the instrument cluster momentarilyilluminates when
the ignition is turned to ON. If the light does not illuminate during start
up, remains on or flashes, the ABS maybe disabled and the ABS may
need to be serviced.
Even when the ABS is disabled,
normal braking is still effective. (If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system serviced immediately.)
Driving
103