2008 FORD SUPER DUTY light

Lap belts
Adjusting the lap belt
The lap belt should fit snugly and as low as possible around the
hips, not across the waist.
•1st row center seating position on Super Cab and Crew Cab
The lap belt does not adjust automatically.
Insert the tongue into the correct
buckle (the buckle closest to the
direction the tongue is coming
from). To lengthen the belt, turn the
tongue at a right angle to the belt
and pull across your lap until it
reaches the buckle. To tighten the
belt, pull the loose end of the belt
through the tongue until it fits
snugly across the hips.
Shorten and fasten the belt when
not in use.
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.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
166

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.
Belt-Minder
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 belt is unbuckled by intermittently
sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning lamp in the
instrument cluster.
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the vehicle has
reached at least 3 mph (5 km/h)
and 1-2 minutes have elapsed
since the ignition switch has been
turned to ON...The Belt-Minder
feature is
activated - the safety belt warning
light illuminates and the warning
chime sounds 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 safety belt indicator light
is illuminated and the safety belt
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.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
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The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts
(All statistics based on U.S. data):
Reasons given... Consider...
“Crashes are rare
events”
36700 crashes occur every day.The more we
drive, the more we are exposed to “rare” events,
even for good drivers.1 in 4 of us will be
seriously injured in a crash during our lifetime.
“I’m not going far”3of4fatal crashes occur within25miles (40 km)
of home.
“Belts are
uncomfortable”We design our safety belts to enhance comfort. If
you are uncomfortable - try different positions for
the safety belt upper anchorage and seatback
which should be as upright as possible; this can
improve comfort.
“I was in a hurry”Prime time for an accident.Belt-Minder

reminds us to take a few seconds to buckle up.
“Safety belts don’t
work”Safety belts,when used properly,reduce risk of
deathto front seat occupants by45% in cars,
and by60% in light trucks.
“Traffic is light”Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in single-vehicle
crashes,many when no other vehicles are around.
“Belts wrinkle my
clothes”Possibly, but a serious crash can do much more
than wrinkle your clothes, particularly if you are
unbelted.
“The people I’m
with don’t wear
belts”Set the example, teen deaths occur 4 times more
often in vehicles with TWO or MORE people.
Children and younger brothers/sisters imitate
behavior they see.
“I have an airbag” Airbags offer greater protection when used with
safety belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers.
“I’d rather be
thrown clear”Not a good idea.Peoplewho areejected are 40
times more likely to DIE.Safety belts help
prevent ejection, WE CAN’T “PICK OUR CRASH”.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
168

Do not sit on tope of a buckled safety belt or insert a latchplate
into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minder
chime. To do so may
adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s air bag system
One-time disable
Any time the safety belt is buckled and then unbuckled during an
ignition ON cycle, the Belt-Minder
will be disabled for that ignition
cycle only.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minderfeature (Driver only)
Read Steps1-5thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The Belt-Minder
feature can be deactivated/activated by performing the
following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that the following conditions
are met:
•the parking brake is set
•the gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or the neutral
position (manual transmission)
•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 the OFF position (If the vehicle is
equipped with Autolamps, this will not affect the procedure)
While the design allows you to deactivate your Belt-Minder
,this
system is designed to improve your chances of being safely
belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you leave the
Belt-Minder
system activated for yourself and others who may use the
vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate/activate the
Belt-Minder
feature while driving the vehicle.
Belt-Minder
activation and deactivation procedure
1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT
START THE ENGINE)
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1
minute)
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
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•Step 3 must be completed within 60 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
3. At a moderate speed, buckle then unbuckle the safety belt 9 times,
ending with the safety belt in the unbuckled state.
•After Step 3 is complete, the safety belt warning light will be turned
on for 3 seconds.
•If Step 4 does not occur within 10 seconds at the end of Step 3,
Belt-Minder
will automatically exit programming mode without
changing its enable status.
4. Within 7 seconds of the light turning on, at a moderate speed, buckle
then unbuckle the safety belt.
•This will disable the Belt-Minder
feature if it is currently enabled. As
confirmation, the safety belt warning light will flash 4 times per
second for 3 seconds.
•This will enable the Belt-Minder
feature if it is currently disabled. As
confirmation, the safety belt warning light will flash 4 times per
second for 3 seconds, followed by 3 seconds with the light off, then
followed by the safety belt warning light flashing 4 times per second
for 3 seconds again.
5. After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is
complete.
Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, there isa8inch
(20 cm) safety belt extension assembly that can be added (part number
611C22). This assembly can be obtained from your authorized dealer.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on
the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too
short for you when fully extended.
Do not use extensions to change the fit of the shoulder belt
across the torso.
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
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
170

Important SRS precautions
The SRS is designed to work with
the safety belt to help protect the
driver and right front passenger
from certain upper body injuries.
Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly;
there is a risk of injury from a
deploying airbag.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag
supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between an occupant’s chest and the driver airbag module.
Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
To properly position yourself away from the airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly one 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 may cause those
objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso causing
serious injury.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
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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 injury in a
collision.
The SRS consists of:
•driver and passenger airbag modules (which include the inflators and
airbags),
•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 airbag electrical system wiring (including the impact
sensors), the system wiring, the airbag system readiness light, the airbag
back up power and the airbag 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 toAirbag readinesssection
in theInstrument Clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the airbag is
not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event of a collision.
Disposal of airbags and airbag equipped vehicles
See your local authorized dealer. Airbags MUST BE disposed of by
qualified personnel.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
175

Passenger airbag ON/OFF switch (if equipped)
An airbag 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 injury or death in a
collision.
Turning the passenger airbag 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
airbag 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 authorized dealer
immediately.
In order to avoid inadvertent activation of the switch, always
remove the ignition key from the passenger air bag ON/OFF
switch.
2008 F-250/350/450/550(f23)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
176