2009 FORD EXPEDITION Owners Manual

•Front and rear seats
2. To unfasten, push the release button and remove the tongue from the
buckle.
•Front and rear seats
The front outboard and rear safety restraints in the vehicle are
combination lap and shoulder belts. The front outboard passenger and
rear seat safety belts have three types of locking modes described as
follows:
Vehicle sensitive mode
This is the normal retractor mode, which allows free shoulder belt length
adjustment to your movements and locking in response to vehicle
movement. For example, if the driver brakes suddenly or turns a corner
sharply, or the vehicle receives an impact of approximately 5 mph
(8 km/h) or more, the combination safety belts will lock to help reduce
forward movement of the driver and passengers.
Webbing extraction sensitive mode
The webbing sensitive locking mode locks the webbing and prevents
more belt from being pulled out if the belt is pulled out too quickly. The
belt will unlock when you stop pulling on it.
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Automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is pre-locked. The belt will still retract to
remove any slack in the shoulder belt.
The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.
When to use the automatic locking mode
•Anytimea child safety seat (except a booster) is installed in the
vehicle. Children 12 years old and under should be properly restrained
in the rear seat whenever possible. Refer toSafety restraints for
childrenorSafety seats for childrenlater in this chapter.
How to use the automatic locking mode
1. Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion and
pull downward until the entire belt
is pulled out.
3. Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the automatic locking
mode.
How to disengage the automatic locking mode
Unbuckle the combination lap and shoulder belt and allow it to retract
completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and return to the
vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
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WARNING:After any vehicle collision, the combination lap and
shoulder belt system at all passenger seating positions must be
checked by an authorized dealer to verify that the “automatic locking
retractor” feature for child seats is still functioning properly, in addition
to other checks for proper safety belt system function.
WARNING:BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE
REPLACED if the safety belt assembly “automatic locking
retractor” feature or any other safety belt function is not operating
properly. In addition, all safety belts should be checked for proper
function. Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly could
increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Safety belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and
right front passenger seating positions.
The safety belt pretensioner removes some slack from the safety belt
system at the start of a crash. The safety belt pretensioner uses the
same crash sensor system as the front airbags and Safety Canopy

system. When the safety belt pretensioner deploys, the lap and shoulder
belt are tightened.
When the Safety Canopy
system and/or the front airbags are activated,
the safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger
seating positions will be activated when the respective seatbelt is
properly buckled.
WARNING:The driver and the right front passenger safety belt
system (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must
be replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in
deployment of front airbags or Safety Canopy
and safety belt
pretensioners.
Refer to theSafety belt maintenancesection in this chapter.
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Safety belt height adjustment
Your vehicle has safety belt height
adjustments for the driver and right
front passenger. Adjust the height of
the shoulder belt so the belt rests
across the middle of your shoulder.
To lower the shoulder belt height,
squeeze the side release buttons
with your thumb and finger and
slide the height adjuster down. To
raise the height of the shoulder belt,
squeeze the side release buttons
and slide the height adjuster up. Pull down on the height adjuster to
make sure it is locked in place.
WARNING:Position the safety belt height adjusters so that the
belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust
the safety belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the seat belt
and increase the risk of injury in a collision.
Second row comfort guide
The second row outboard
lap/shoulder belt is equipped with a
belt comfort guide. This guide is
attached to the quarter trim panel
and is used to adjust the comfort of
the shoulder belt for smaller
occupants in the outboard second
row seats.
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To adjust the comfort guide:
1. Slip the shoulder belt into the
belt guide. (The portion of the belt
between the latch tongue and the
D-ring, not the portion where the
belt exits from the quarter trim
panel.)
2. Slide the guide up or down along
the webbing so that the belt is
centered on the occupant’s shoulder.
WARNING:Position the safety belt comfort guide so that the
belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust
the safety belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the safety
belt and increase the risk of injury in a collision.
Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, there is an 8 inch
(20 cm) safety belt extension assembly that can be added (part number
611C22). This assembly can be obtained from an 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.
WARNING:Do not use extensions to change the fit of the
shoulder belt across the torso.
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.
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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.1in4ofuswillbe
seriously injured in a crash during
our lifetime.
“I’m not going far”3of4fatal crashes occur within25
miles of home.
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Reasons given... Consider...
“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 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.Peoplewho are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE.Safety belts help prevent
ejection, WE CAN’T “PICK OUR
CRASH”.
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