
•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.
Safety belt height adjustment
Your vehicle has safety belt height
adjustments for the front outboard
seating positions.
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 button 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.
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Seating and Safety Restraints
160

Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. NEVER place a
rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If you must use a
forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the vehicle seat all the
way back.
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.
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 help 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.
2009 Taurus(500)
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Seating and Safety Restraints
187

4. Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle (the buckle closest to
the direction the tongue is coming
from) for that seating position until
you hear a snap and feel the latch
engage. Make sure the tongue is
latched securely by pulling on it.
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.
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, 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
2009 Taurus(500)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
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Seating and Safety Restraints
189

A
Accessory delay ..........................99
AdvanceTrac ..............................236
Air cleaner filter ...............322–323
Air conditioning ....................76, 78
Airbag supplemental restraint
system ........................167, 176, 178
and child safety seats ............169
description ..............167, 176, 178
disposal ....................................182
driver airbag ............169, 177, 179
indicator light .................175, 181
operation .................169, 177, 179
passenger airbag .....169, 177, 179
side airbag ...............................176
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................247
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................302
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................234
Anti-theft system ..............139, 143
arming the system ..................143
disarming a triggered
system .....................................144
Audio system
(see Radio) ......................18, 22, 29
Automatic transaxle
fluid, refill capacities ..............324
fluid, specification ..................324
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................242
fluid, adding ............................320
fluid, checking ........................320
Auxiliary input jack (Line in) ....37
B
Battery .......................................299acid, treating emergencies .....299
jumping a disabled battery ....270
maintenance-free ....................299
replacement, specifications ...323
servicing ..................................299
Belt-Minder.............................162
Booster seats .............................195
Brakes ........................................234
anti-lock ...................................234
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................235
fluid, checking and adding ....319
fluid, refill capacities ..............324
fluid, specifications .................324
lubricant specifications ..........324
parking ....................................235
shift interlock ..........................241
Bulbs ............................................87
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....324
Cargo cover ...............................121
Cargo net ...................................122
Cell phone use ..............................8
Changing a tire .........................262
Child safety seats ......................186
attaching with tether straps ..192
in front seat ............................187
in rear seat ..............................187
LATCH .....................................190
recommendations ...................184
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................195
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............287
instrument panel ....................289
interior .....................................289
2009 Taurus(500)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Index
331

storage .....................................262
Jump-starting your vehicle ......270
K
Keyless entry system ...............138
autolock ...................................125
keypad .....................................138
locking and unlocking doors ..139
programming entry code .......138
Keys ...................................123, 141
positions of the ignition .........229
L
Lamps
autolamp system .......................82
bulb replacement
specifications chart ..................87
daytime running light ...............84
fog lamps ...................................83
headlamps .................................82
headlamps, flash to pass ..........84
instrument panel, dimming .....84
interior lamps .....................86, 88
replacing bulbs .............88–89, 92
LATCH anchors .........................190
Liftgate ......................................133
Lights, warning and indicator ....12
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..........235
Load limits .................................220
Locks
autolock ...................................125
childproof ................................129
doors ........................................125
Lubricant specifications ...........324
Lug nuts ....................................269
Lumbar support, seats .............146
M
Message center .........................111english/metric button .............117
system check button ..............116
warning messages ...................118
Mirrors .................................99–100
automatic dimming rearview
mirror ........................................99
fold away .................................101
heated ......................................101
programmable memory ..........133
side view mirrors (power) .....100
Moon roof ..................................107
Motorcraft parts ........291, 307, 323
N
Navigation system .......................73
O
Octane rating ............................311
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................296
Overdrive ...................................242
P
Parking brake ............................235
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....323
Passenger Occupant
Classification Sensor .................155
Power adjustable foot pedals ...101
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ...............................259
Power door locks ......................125
Power mirrors ...........................100
Power point .................................96
Power steering ..........................240
fluid, checking and adding ....319
fluid, refill capacity ................324
2009 Taurus(500)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Index
334

fluid, specifications .................324
Power Windows ...........................97
R
Radio ................................18, 22, 29
Rear seat entertainment
system ..........................................45
Recommendations for attaching
safety restraints for children.....184
Relays ........................................255
Remote entry system .......131–132
illuminated entry ............136–137
locking/unlocking doors..132–133
opening the trunk ...................133
panic alarm .............................133
replacement/additional
transmitters .............................135
replacing the batteries ...........134
Reverse sensing system ...........245
Roadside assistance ..................253
S
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................153, 157–160
Safety Canopy ...................176, 178
Safety defects, reporting ..283–284
Safety restraints ........153, 157–161
Belt-Minder...........................162
extension assembly ................161
for adults .........................158–160
for children .............................182
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................155
warning light and
chime ...............................161–162
Safety restraints - LATCH
anchors ......................................190Safety seats for children ..........186
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................327
Satellite Radio Information ........42
Seats ..........................................145
child safety seats ....................186
front seats .......................145, 147
heated ................................78, 150
memory seat ...................133, 151
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ........................................139
Servicing your vehicle ..............292
Setting the clock
AM/FM single CD .....................23
AM/FM/In-dash 6 CD ................30
Spare tire
(see Changing the Tire) ...........265
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................323, 326
Specification chart,
lubricants ...................................324
Speed control ............................102
Starting your vehicle ........229–231
jump starting ..........................270
Steering wheel
controls ....................................105
tilting .........................................94
SYNC ............................................73
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................94
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Roadside Emergencies ...........262
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....214
2009 Taurus(500)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Index
335