2009 FORD EXPEDITION EL warning light

Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver 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 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 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.
When 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 the safety
belts are buckled.
The Belt-Minder
feature uses two different warning chimes. During the
first minute of activation, the warning chime will sound once every
second. The remaining warning chimes will sound twice every second
while the system is activated.
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If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is
not buckled approximately
five seconds after the safety
belt warning light has
turned off... The Belt-Minder
feature is activated -
the safety belt warning light illuminates
and the warning chime sounds for six
seconds every 30 seconds, repeating for
approximately five 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.
The purpose of the Belt-Minder
is to remind occasional wearers to wear
safety belts all of the time.
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” 3of4 fatal crashes occur within 25 miles
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.
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Reasons given... Consider...
“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 death to front seat
occupants by 45% in cars, and by 60%
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. People who are ejected
are 40 times more likely to DIE.
Safety belts help prevent ejection, WE
CAN’T “PICK OUR CRASH”.
WARNING: Do not sit on top 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, Belt-Minder
will be disabled for that ignition cycle
only.
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Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder  feature (if equipped)
Read Step s1-4t horoughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The driver Belt-Minder
feature can be deactivated/activated by
performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
• The parking brake is set
• The gearshift is in P (Park)
• The ignition switch is in the off position
• The driver and passenger safety belts are unbuckled
WARNING: 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.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the on position. DO NOT START THE
ENGINE.
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (Approximately one
minute).
• Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
3. At a moderate speed, buckle then unbuckle the safety belt nine times,
ending in the unbuckled state. Step 3 must be completed within
50 seconds after the safety belt warning light turns off.
• After Step 3, the safety belt warning light will be turned on for three
seconds.
4. Within approximately seven seconds of the light turning off, buckle
then unbuckle the safety belt.
• This will disable the Belt-Minder
feature for that seating position if it
is currently enabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds.
• This will enable the Belt-Minder
feature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three
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seconds with the light off, then followed by the safety belt warning
light flashing four times per second for three seconds again.
AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
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.
WARNING: 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.
WARNING: When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
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WARNING: 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.
WARNING: Never place your arm over the airbag module as a
deploying airbag 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.
WARNING: Do not put anything on or over the airbag module.
Placing objects on or over the airbag inflation area may cause
those objects to be propelled by the airbag into your face and torso
causing serious injury.
WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING: The front passenger airbag is not designed to offer
protection to an occupant in the center front seating position.
WARNING: Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of
the vehicle (including frame, bumper, front end body structure
and tow hooks) may affect the performance of the airbag system,
increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the
vehicle.
WARNING: Additional equipment may affect the performance of
the airbag sensors increasing the risk of injury.
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• one or more impact and safing sensors and diagnostic monitor (RCM),
• a readiness light and tone
• the electrical wiring which connects the components.
The RCM (restraints control 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 to Airbag readiness section
in the Instrument Cluster chapter. 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, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible. Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event of a collision.
Seat-mounted side airbag system
WARNING: Do not place objects or mount equipment on or
near the airbag cover on the side of the seatbacks of the front
seats or in front seat areas that may come into contact with a
deploying airbag. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the
risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.
WARNING: Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of
accessory seat covers may prevent the deployment of the side
airbags and increase the risk of injury in an accident.
WARNING: Do not lean your head on the door. The side airbag
could injure you as it deploys from the side of the seatback.
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WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag SRS, its fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an
airbag. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle should always wear
their safety belts even when an airbag SRS is provided.
How does the side airbag system work?
The design and development of the side airbag system included
recommended testing procedures that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as the Side Airbag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of side airbags.
The side airbag system consists of
the following:
• An inflatable nylon bag (airbag)
with an inflator concealed behind
the outboard bolster of the driver
and front passenger seatbacks.
• A special seat cover designed to
allow airbag deployment.
• The same warning light,
electronic control and diagnostic
unit as used for the front airbags.
• Crash sensors located on the
front doors and C pillars (one
sensor on each pillar on each side
of the vehicle).
Side airbags, in combination with
safety belts, can help reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of a
significant side impact collision.
The side airbags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the
front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the airbag on the side affected by
the collision will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate between
the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection provided
occupants in side impact collisions.
The airbag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral
deceleration sufficient to cause the sensors to close an electrical circuit
that initiates airbag inflation.
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