2011 FORD EXPLORER Owners Manual

WARNING: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 or if the seat is tumbled,
the seat may cause injury during a sudden stop.
Stowing the third row seat (manual seat)
1. Remove all objects from the seat
and stowage tub.
2. Fold the head restraints by
pulling the head restraint release
strap.
3. From the rear of the vehicle, fold
the seatback by pulling and holding
the number 1 strap while pushing
the seatback forward. Release strap
once seatback starts rotating
forward.
4. 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.
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Note: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.
Note:Ensure that the area under the seat is free of objects before
stowing it.
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.
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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 positions.
WARNING:Ensure seat is latched to vehicle floor by
pushing/pulling on seat. If not latched, the seat may cause injury
during a sudden stop.
WARNING: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.
WARNING:Do not drive
the vehicle when the third
row seat is rotated backwards.
During a sudden stop, the safety
belts are not functional in this
position, and during a sudden
stop, the third row seat can
rapidly tip back to the forward
position, all of which may result in
serious injury.
Note:Do not use seat in this position or damage to seat may occur.
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PowerFoldthird-row seat (if equipped)
The third row seat features a power one-touch operation that allows you
to adjust the Left, Right, or Both seats into a NORMAL, STOW or FOLD
position with just one touch of a button. The third row seat also includes
obstacle detection that allows the seat to stop and reverse direction if it
hits an obstacle so that the obstacle can be removed.
The third row power seat buttons are located behind the third row seats
on the left-hand quarter trim panel.
Note:The power fold seats work only when the vehicle is in P (Park)
and the tailgate is open. If the ignition is off and the feature is still
running, the battery saver will turn it off after 10 minutes. You can
reactivate the power seats by pressing
on the remote entry key
transmitter or by using the unlock procedure on the keyless entry
keypad. Refer to theLocks and Securitychapter.
Press the seat selection button (4) to select either right-hand seat, the
left-hand seat or both. First select the seat you would like to adjust, then
select one of the following:
•Press the NORMAL button (1) to return the seat to the normal
seating position.
•Press the STOW button (2) to stow the seat into the tub floor.
•Press the FOLD button (3) (the top portion of the button) to fold
down the seatback.
Note:Pressing a different button while the power seat feature is already
being performed may cause the first selected seat movement to be
cancelled. Allow the first seat movement to be completed before pressing
a button for another function.
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.
1234
NORMAL
STOWRH
BOTH
LHFOLD
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Note:In order to allow the seat to complete the stowed position, do not
place objects under the seat before stowing. Remove all objects from the
seat and stowage tub.
Note:In the unlikely event that the third row power seat stops
prematurely, or travels to an unexpected position, press the FOLD
button (3) to reset the seat and return it to a normal position.
Folding the head restraints manually
The head restraints can also be folded manually without folding/stowing
the seat.
•Fold:Pull the head restraint
release strap to fold the head
restraints forward.
•Unfold:Pull the head restraints
back to the upright position.
WARNING:To minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
crash, passenger occupants should not sit in the vehicle until the
head restraint is placed in its proper position.
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.
•Front passenger sensing system
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•Passenger airbag off/on indicator lamp
•Front crash severity sensors.
•Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors.
•Restraint system warning light and backup 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
(SRS)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.
WARNING: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.
WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
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.
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Front safety belt pretensioners
The safety belt pretensioners at the front outboard seating positions are
designed to tighten the safety belts firmly against the occupant’s body
during frontal collisions, and in side collisions and rollovers. This helps
increase the effectiveness of the safety belts. In frontal collisions, the
safety belt pretensioners can be activated alone or, if the collision is of
sufficient severity, together with the front airbags.
Front safety belt energy management retractors
The front outboard safety belt energy management retractors allow
webbing to be pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and controlled
manner in response to the occupant’s forward momentum. This helps
reduce the risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s chest by
limiting the load on the occupant. Refer toEnergy management
feature- front outboardsection in this chapter.
Determining if the Personal Safety System is operational
The Personal Safety System uses a warning light in the instrument
cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer
to theWarning lights and chimessection in theInstrument Cluster
chapter. Routine maintenance of the Personal Safety System is not
required.
The Restraints Control Module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the airbag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, rear outboard
inflatable belt (if equipped), driver seat position sensor, and front
passenger sensing system. In addition, the RCM also monitors the
restraints warning light in the instrument cluster. A difficulty with the
system is indicated by one or more of the following.
•The warning light will either flash or stay lit.
•The warning 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 warning light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the Personal
Safety System serviced at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a
collision.
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