Energy management feature
•This vehicle has a safety belt system with an energy management
feature at the front outboard seating positions to help further reduce
the risk of injury in the event of a head-on collision.
•This safety belt system has a retractor assembly that is designed to
pay out webbing in a controlled manner. This feature is designed to
help reduce the belt force acting on the occupant’s chest.
The front outboard and rear safety restraints in the vehicle are
combination lap and shoulder belts. The front passenger and rear seat
outboard safety belts have two types of locking modes.
Vehicle sensitive mode
The vehicle sensitive mode is the normal retractor mode, allowing 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.
Automatic locking mode
When to use the automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically 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.
This mode should be usedany timea child safety seat (except a
booster) is installed in a passenger front or outboard rear seating
position (if equipped). 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.
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How to use the automatic locking mode
•Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
•Grasp the shoulder portion and
pull downward until the entire
belt is pulled out.
•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
WARNING:Ford Motor Company recommends that all
passenger safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware should
be inspected by an authorized dealer after any collision to verify that
theautomatic locking retractorfeature for child seats is still working
properly. Safety belt assemblies should be inspected by an authorized
dealer and must be replaced if either damage or improper operation is
noted. Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly could
increase the risk of injury in a collision.
Unbuckle the combination lap/shoulder belt and allow it to retract
completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and activate the
vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
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Safety belts with locking cinch tongue (rear center position only)
The locking cinch tongue will slide up and down the belt webbing when
the belt is in the stowed position or while putting safety belts on. When
the locking cinch tongue of the lap/shoulder combination safety belt is
latched into the buckle, the cinch tongue will allow the lap portion to
become shorter, but locks the webbing in place to restrict it from
becoming longer.
Before you can reach and latch a combination lap and shoulder belt
having a cinch tongue into the buckle, you may have to lengthen the lap
belt portion of it.
1. To lengthen the lap belt, pull
some webbing out of the shoulder
belt retractor.
2. While holding the webbing below
the tongue, grasp the tip (metal
portion) of the tongue so that it is
parallel to the webbing and slide the
tongue upward.
3. Provide enough lap belt length so that the tongue can reach the
buckle.
How to fasten the cinch tongue
1. Pull the combination lap and shoulder belt from the retractor so that
the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt crosses your shoulder and
chest.
2. Be sure the belt is not twisted. If the belt is twisted, remove the twist.
3. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for your seating position
until you hear a snap and feel it latch.
4. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on
the tongue.
WARNING:The lap belt should fit snugly and as low as possible
around the hips, not across the waist.
WARNING:Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant
women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an
accident.
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WARNING:Each seating position in your vehicle has a specific
safety belt assembly which is made up of one buckle and one
tongue that are designed to be used as a pair. 1) Use the shoulder belt
on the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder belt under the
arm. 2) Never swing the safety belt around your neck over the inside
shoulder. 3) Never use a single belt for more than one person.
While you are fastened in the safety belt, the combination lap/shoulder
belt with a cinch tongue adjusts to your movement. However, if you
brake hard, turn hard, or if your vehicle receives an impact of 8 km/h
(5 mph) or more, the safety belt will become locked and help reduce
your forward movement.
Front safety belt height adjustment
Adjust the height of the shoulder
belt so the belt rests across the
middle of your shoulder.
To adjust the shoulder belt height,
squeeze the buttons and slide the
height adjuster up or down. Release
the button and 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.
Safety belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and
front outboard passenger seating positions.
The safety belt pretensioner tightens the safety belts firmly against the
occupant’s body at the start of the crash.
WARNING:The driver and 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, seat-mounted side airbags and side air
curtains, and safety belt pretensioners.
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Installing child safety seats with combination lap and shoulder
belts
Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use.
Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating
position whenever possible. If all children cannot be seated and
restrained properly in a rear seating position, properly restrain the
largest child in the front seat.
When installing a child safety seat with combination lap/shoulder belts:
•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 vehicle seat back in upright position.
•Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer to Step 5
below.
Perform the following steps when installing the child seat with
combination lap/shoulder belts:
Note:Although the child seat illustrated is a forward facing child seat,
the steps are the same for installing a rear facing child seat.
1. Position the child safety seat in a
seat with a combination lap and
shoulder belt.
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5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp the
shoulder portion of the belt and pull
downward until all of the belt is
pulled out.
Note:The automatic locking mode
is available on the front passenger
and rear outboard seats only. The
rear center seating position has a
cinch tongue. Refer toInstalling
child safety seats in cinch tongue
combination lap shoulder belt seating positions (rear center position
only)in this chapter.
6. Allow the belt to retract to remove slack. The belt will click as it
retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode.
7. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is
in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt
out). If the retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat Steps 5
and 6.
8. Remove remaining slack from the
belt. Force the seat down with extra
weight, e.g., by pressing down or
kneeling on the child restraint while
pulling up on the shoulder belt in
order to force slack from the belt.
This is necessary to remove the
remaining slack that will exist once
the additional weight of the child is
added to the child restraint. It also
helps to achieve the proper
snugness of the child seat to the vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean
towards the buckle will additionally help to remove remaining slack from
the belt.
9. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat is equipped). Refer to
Attaching child safety seats with tether strapslater in this chapter.
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STARTING
Positions of the ignition
1. Off — locks the steering wheel,
automatic transmission gearshift
lever and allows key removal. This
position also shuts the engine and
all electrical accessories off.
2. Accessory—allows the electrical
accessories such as the radio to
operate while the engine is not
running.
3. On— all electrical circuits operational. Warning lights illuminated. Key
position when driving.
4. Start— cranks the engine. Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.
Preparing to start your vehicle
Engine starting is controlled by the powertrain control system.
This system meets all Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment
standard requirements regulating the impulse electrical field strength of
radio noise.
When starting a fuel-injected engine, don’t press the accelerator before
or during starting. Only use the accelerator when you have difficulty
starting the engine. For more information on starting the vehicle, refer to
Starting the enginein this chapter.
WARNING:Extended idling at high engine speeds can produce
very high temperatures in the engine and exhaust system,
creating the risk of fire or other damage.
WARNING:Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass
or other dry ground cover. The emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust system, which can start a fire.
WARNING:Do not start your vehicle in a closed garage or in
other enclosed areas. Exhaust fumes can be toxic. Always open
the garage door before you start the engine. SeeGuarding against
exhaust fumesin this chapter for more instructions.
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ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (IF EQUIPPED)
An engine block heater warms the engine coolant which aids in starting
and allows the heater/defroster system to respond quickly. If your vehicle
is equipped with this system, your equipment includes a heater element
which is installed in your engine block and a wire harness which allows
the user to connect the system to a grounded 120 volt a/c electrical
source. The block heater system is most effective when outdoor
temperatures reach below 0°F (-18°C).
WARNING:Failure to follow engine block heater instructions
could result in property damage or physical injury.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use
your heater with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged
(cheater) adapters.
Prior to using the engine block heater, follow these recommendations for
proper and safe operation:
•For your safety, use an outdoor extension cord that is product
certified by Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) or Canadian Standards
Association (CSA). Use only an extension cord that can be used
outdoors, in cold temperatures, and is clearly markedSuitable for Use
with Outdoor Appliances.Never use an indoor extension cord
outdoors; it could result in an electric shock or fire hazard.
•Use a 16 gauge outdoor extension cord, minimum.
•Use as short an extension cord as possible.
•Do not use multiple extension cords. Instead, use one extension cord
which is long enough to reach from the engine block heater cord to
the outlet without stretching.
•Make certain that the extension cord is in excellent condition (not
patched or spliced). Store your extension cord indoors at
temperatures above 32°F (0°C). Outdoor conditions can deteriorate
extension cords over a period of time.
•To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater with
ungrounded electrical systems or two pronged (cheater) adapters.
Also ensure that the block heater, especially the cord, is in good
condition before use.
•Make sure that when in operation, the extension cord plug /engine
block heater cord plug connection is free and clear of water in order
to prevent possible shock or fire.
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