2008 FORD TAURUS X Owners Manual

Before returning the seatback to its original position, make sure
that cargo or any objects are not trapped behind the seatback.
After returning the seatback to its original position, pull on the
seatback to ensure that it has fully latched. An unlatched seat may
become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or collision.
2nd row power fold and tumble seat
Ensure that the seat is unoccupied when folding it down.
Folding the seat while occupied could result in occupant injury
or damage to the seat.
Note:The power feature is operational when the vehicle is in park and
the lifgate has been open for less than 10 minutes.
Press the control one time to fold
the seat back down and tumble the
seat forward for access to the 3rd
row.
Exiting the third row seat
Stow the head restraint by pushing the head restraint release button
while sliding the head restraint fully down.
Pull on the strap located on the
back of the second row seat. This
will fold the seatback forward. Pull
the strap a second time to tumble
the seat forward, allowing easy exit
from the 3rd row seat.
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To return the seatback to the floor
from tumbled position, rotate the
seat down until you hear it latching
to the floor.
To return the seatback to the
upright position
•Lift the seatback toward the rear
of the vehicle, and
•Rotate the seatback until you
hear a click, locking it in the
upright position.
Note:The seatback will not raise if
the rear latch hooks are not
properly engaged to the floor
striker.
•Pull the head restraint back up to its normal adjusted position.
Before returning the seatback to its original position, make sure
that cargo or any objects are not trapped behind the seatback.
After returning the seatback to its original position, pull on the
seatback to ensure that it has fully latched. An unlatched seat may
become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or collision.
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Ensure that the rear latch hooks are
properly engaged with the floor
striker.
Note: Ensure that the seat and
seatback are latched securely in
position. Keep floor area free of
objects that would prevent proper
seat engagement. Do not adjust or
release the seat floor latch while
vehicle is in motion. Do not operate
the vehicle with seats in tumbled position.
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.
Rear heated seats (if equipped)
The heated seat control is located on the back of the front console.
To operate the heated seats:
•Push the indicated side of the
control for maximum heat.
•Push again to deactivate.
•Push the indicated side of the
control for minimum heat.
•Push again to deactivate.
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Stowing the third row bench or split bench seat (if equipped)
1. Stow the head restraints by
pushing the head restraint release
buttons while sliding the head
restraints fully down. Remove all
objects from the seat and stowage
tub.
2. From the rear of the vehicle, fold seatback by pulling and holding the
number 1 strap while pushing the seatback forward. Release strap once
seatback starts rotating forward.
3. Release the cushion latches by pulling the number 2 strap while
pulling on the strap located at the top of the seatback to tumble the seat
all the way into the tub in the floor.
2008 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Do not use the seat anchors as cargo tie downs.
Note:Do not use the third row seatback as a load floor when the
seatback is folded.
Unstowing the third row seat
Note:Ensure that there are no objects such as books, purses or brief
cases on the load floor before unstowing the seat. Failure to remove all
objects from the top of the load floor prior to unstowing it may cause
damage to the seat.
Note:Ensure the area under the load floor is free of objects before
unstowing it.
1. Unlatch and lift the seat out of the tub in the floor by squeezing and
pulling up on the handle. Once the seat is at a vertical position, push the
seat over, letting it fall onto the latches.
2. To return the seatback to upright
position, pull the number 1 strap,
then while holding the number 1
strap, pull the long strap located on
the seatback to raise the seatback.
3. Pull the head restraints up to
their normal adjusted positions.
Ensure seat is latched to vehicle floor by pushing/pulling on seat.
If not latched, the seat may cause injury during a sudden stop.
2008 Taurus X(219)
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Before returning the seatback to its original position, make sure
that cargo or any objects are not trapped behind the seatback.
After returning the seatback to its original position, pull on the
seatback to ensure that it has fully latched. An unlatched seat may
become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or collision.
The third row seat is NOT
designed to be used in
Tailgate mode. Placing the seat in
this position could result in
damage to the seat, surrounding
components, or injury.
The tailgate position is not a
position suitable for driving.
Do not drive the vehicle with the
seat in the tailgate position. The
safety belts are not functional
when the seat is in the tailgate
position.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS
Personal Safety System™
The Personal Safety System™ provides an improved overall level of
frontal crash protection to front seat occupants and is designed to help
further reduce the risk of airbag-related injuries. The system is able to
analyze different occupant conditions and crash severity before activating
the appropriate safety devices to help better protect a range of
occupants in a variety of frontal crash situations.
Your vehicle’s Personal Safety System™ consists of:
•Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints.
•Front outboard safety belts with pretensioners, energy management
retractors (first row only), and safety belt usage sensors.
•Driver’s seat position sensor.
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•Front passenger sensing system
•“Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp
•Front crash severity sensor.
•Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors.
•Restraint system warning light and back-up tone.
•The electrical wiring for the airbags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position
sensor, front passenger sensing system, and indicator lights.
How does the Personal Safety System™ work?
The Personal Safety System™ can adapt the deployment strategy of your
vehicle’s safety devices according to crash severity and occupant
conditions. A collection of crash and occupant sensors provides
information to the Restraints Control Module (RCM). During a crash, the
RCM activates the safety belt pretensioners and/or either one or both
stages of the dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints based on crash
severity and occupant conditions.
The fact that the pretensioners or airbags did not activate for both front
seat occupants in a collision does not mean that something is wrong with
the system. Rather, it means the Personal Safety System™ determined
the accident conditions (crash severity, belt usage, etc.) were not
appropriate to activate these safety devices. Front airbags are designed
to activate only in frontal and near-frontal collisions (not rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts) unless the collision causes sufficient
longitudinal deceleration. The pretensioners are designed to activate in
frontal and near-frontal collisions, and in side collisions and rollovers.
Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints
The dual-stage airbags offer the capability to tailor the level of airbag
inflation energy. A lower, less forceful energy level is provided for more
common, moderate-severity impacts. A higher energy level is used for
the most severe impacts. Refer toAirbag supplemental restraints
section in this chapter.
Front crash severity sensor
The front crash severity sensor enhances the ability to detect the
severity of an impact. Positioned up front, it provides valuable
information early in the crash event on the severity of the impact. This
allows your Personal Safety System™ to distinguish between different
levels of crash severity and modify the deployment strategy of the
dual-stage airbags and safety belt pretensioners.
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Driver’s seat position sensor
The driver’s seat position sensor allows your Personal Safety System™ to
tailor the deployment level of the driver dual-stage airbag based on seat
position. The system is designed to help protect smaller drivers sitting
close to the driver airbag by providing a lower airbag output level.
Front passenger sensing system
For airbags to do their job they must inflate with great force, and this
force can pose a potentially deadly risk to occupants that are very close
to the airbag when it begins to inflate. For some occupants, this occurs
because they are initially sitting very close to the airbag. For other
occupants, this occurs when the occupant is not properly restrained by
safety belts or child safety seats and they move forward during pre-crash
braking. The most effective way to reduce the risk of unnecessary
injuries is to make sure all occupants are properly restrained. Accident
statistics suggest that children are much safer when properly restrained
in the rear seating positions than in the front.
Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.NEVERplace a
rear-facing child seat in front of an active air bag. If you must
use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the seat all the
way back.
Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
The front passenger sensing system can automatically turn off the
passenger front airbag. The system is designed to help protect small
(child size) occupants from airbag deployments when they are
improperly seated or restrained in the front passenger seat contrary to
proper child-seating or restraint usage recommendations. Even with this
technology, parents areSTRONGLYencouraged to always properly
restrain children in the rear seat. The sensor also turns off the passenger
front airbag and seat-mounted side airbag when the passenger seat is
empty to prevent unnecessary replacement of airbag(s) after a collision.
Front safety belt usage sensors
The front safety belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger safety belts are fastened. This information
allows your Personal Safety System™ to tailor the airbag deployment
and safety belt pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage.
Refer toSafety beltsection in this chapter.
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