
Safety belt maintenance
Inspect the safety belt systems periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged. Inspect the safety belts to make sure
there are no nicks, tears or cuts. Replace if necessary. All safety belt
assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front safety belt buckle
assemblies, buckle support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped), shoulder
belt height adjusters (if equipped), shoulder belt guide on seatback (if
equipped), child safety seat LATCH and tether anchors, and attaching
hardware, should be inspected after a collision. Ford Motor Company
recommends that all safety belt assemblies in use in vehicles involved in
a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and an
authorized dealer finds that the belts do not show damage and continue
to operate properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt
assemblies not in use during a collision should also be inspected and
replaced if either damage or improper operation is noted.
Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the safety belt
assembly under the above conditions could result in severe
personal injuries in the event of a collision.
For proper care of soiled safety belts, refer toInteriorin theCleaning
chapter.
Safety belt warning light and indicator chime
The safety belt warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster and a
chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.
Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition switch
is turned to the ON position...The safety belt warning light
illuminates 1-2 minutes and the
warning chime sounds 4-8
seconds.
The driver’s safety belt is buckled
while the indicator light is
illuminated and the warning chime
is sounding...The safety 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 safety belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
2007 MKX(mkx)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
150

Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child. They can
slide around and increase the likelihood of injury or death in a
collision.
SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety seats
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions with the
safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the
safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden stop or
collision.
When installing a child safety seat:
•Review and follow the information
presented in theAirbag
Supplemental Restraint System
section in this chapter.
•Use the correct safety belt buckle
for that seating position.
•Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle until you hear a
snap and feel it latch. Make sure
the tongue is securely fastened in
the buckle.
•Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the safety
seat, with the tongue between the child seat and the release button,
to prevent accidental unbuckling.
•Place seat back in upright position.
•Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer toAutomatic
locking mode.
•LATCH lower anchors are recommended for use by children up to 48
lb (22 kg) in a child restraint. Top tether anchors can be used for
children up to 60 lb (27 kg) in a child restraint, and to provide upper
torso restraint for children up to 80 lb (36 kg) using an upper torso
harness and a belt-positioning booster.
Ford Motor Company recommends the use of a child safety seat having a
top tether strap. Install the child safety seat in a seating position with
LATCH and tether anchors. For more information on top tether straps
2007 MKX(mkx)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
174

and anchors, refer toAttaching safety seats with tether strapsin this
chapter. For more information of LATCH anchors refer toAttaching
safety seats with LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children)
attachmentsin this chapter.
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions included
with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install
and use the safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden
stop or collision.
Rear-facing child seats or infant carriers should never be placed
in front of an active passenger airbag.
Installing child safety seats with combination lap and shoulder
belts
Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.NEVERplace a
rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If you must use
a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the seat all the way
back.
Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in the rear
seat whenever possible.
1. Position the child safety seat in a
seat with a combination lap and
shoulder belt.
2007 MKX(mkx)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
175

Attaching child safety seats with tether straps
Most new forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which
goes over the back of the seat and hooks to an anchoring point. Tether
straps are available as an accessory for many older safety seats. Contact
the manufacturer of your child seat for information about ordering a
tether strap.
The rear seats of your vehicle are equipped with built-in tether strap
anchors located behind the seats as described below.
The tether anchors in your vehicle are located under the second row
seat gap cover marked with tether anchor symbols (shown with title).
The tether strap anchors in your
vehicle are in the following positions
(shown from top view):
Attach the tether strap only to the appropriate tether anchor as
shown. The tether strap may not work properly if attached
somewhere other than the correct tether anchor.
Do not use seat anchors as cargo tie downs.
1. Position the child safety seat on the seat cushion.
2. Route the child safety seat tether strap over the back of the seat.
For vehicles with adjustable head restraints, route the tether strap under
the head restraint and between the head restraint posts, otherwise route
the tether strap over the top of the seatback.
3. Locate the correct anchor behind
the gap cover for the selected
seating position.
2007 MKX(mkx)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
178

A
Accessory delay ..........................81
AdvanceTrac ..............................219
Air cleaner filter ...............302–303
Air conditioning ..............54, 56, 58
Airbag supplemental restraint
system ........................155, 164, 167
and child safety seats ............157
description ..............155, 164, 167
disposal ....................................170
driver airbag ............157, 165, 168
indicator light .........163, 166, 169
operation .................157, 165, 168
passenger airbag .....157, 165, 168
side airbag ...............................164
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................229
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................283
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................218
Anti-theft system ..............123, 127
arming the system ..................127
disarming a triggered
system .....................................128
Audio system (see Radio) .........16
Automatic transaxle
fluid, adding ............................300
fluid, checking ........................300
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................225
fluid, refill capacities ..............304
fluid, specification ..................304
Auxiliary input jack (Line in) ....22
Auxiliary power point .................78Axle
lubricant specifications ..........304
B
Battery .......................................281
acid, treating emergencies .....281
jumping a disabled battery ....251
maintenance-free ....................281
replacement, specifications ...303
servicing ..................................281
Belt-Minder.............................151
Booster seats .............................171
Brakes ........................................217
anti-lock ...................................218
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................218
fluid, checking and adding ....300
fluid, refill capacities ..............304
fluid, specifications .................304
lubricant specifications ..........304
parking ....................................219
shift interlock ..........................223
Bulbs ............................................68
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....304
Cargo management system ......107
Cell phone use ..............................7
Changing a tire .................245, 248
Child safety restraints ..............171
child safety belts ....................171
Child safety seats ......................174
attaching with tether straps ..178
in front seat ............................175
in rear seat ..............................175
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................171
2007 MKX(mkx)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
312