Page 119 of 345

A programmed memory position can be recalled:
•in any gearshift position if the ignition isnoton.
•only in P (Park) or N (Neutral) if the ignition is on.
A memory seat position may be programmed at any time.
The memory positions are also recalled when you press your remote
entry transmitter
button (if the transmitter is programmed to a
memory position) or, when you enter a valid personal entry code that is
programmed to a memory position. The mirrors will move to the
programmed position and the seat will move to the easy entry position.
The seat will move to the final position when the key is in the ignition (if
easy entry feature is enabled).
Heated and cooled seats
Heated seats
WARNING:Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes, spinal cord
injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaustion, or other physical
conditions, must exercise care when using the seat heater. The seat
heater may cause burns even at low temperatures, especially if used
for long periods of time. Do not place anything on the seat that
insulates against heat, such as a blanket or cushion, because this may
cause the seat heater to overheat. Do not puncture the seat with pins,
needles, or other pointed objects because this may damage the heating
element which may cause the seat heater to overheat. An overheated
seat may cause serious personal injury.
Note:Do not do the following:
•Place heavy objects on the seat
•Operate the seat heater if water or any other liquid is spilled on the
seat. Allow the seat to dry thoroughly.
The heated seats will only function when the engine is running.
To operate the heated seats:
Press once to activate the high heat setting (three indicator lights).
Continue pressing to scroll through the other settings; medium heat (two
indicator lights), low heat (one indicator light) or off.
Seating and Safety Restraints
119
2011 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 122 of 345

•the key is placed in the ignition.
The easy entry feature can be turned off or on through the vehicle
message center. Refer toMessage centerin theInstrument Cluster
chapter.
REAR SEATS
Second-row adjustable head restraints
Your vehicle is equipped with outboard and center head restraints that
are vertically adjustable.
WARNING:To minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
crash, the driver and passenger occupants should not sit in
and/or operate the vehicle, until the head restraint is placed in its
proper position. The driver should never adjust the head restraint
while the vehicle is in motion.
Outboard head restraints
The outboard adjustable head
restraints consist of:
•a trimmed energy absorbing foam
and structure (1),
•two steel stems (2),
•a guide sleeve adjust/release
button (3),
•and a guide sleeve unlock/remove
button (4).
To adjust the outboard head restraints, do the following:
1. Raise the head restraint by pulling up on the head restraint.
2. Lower the head restraint by pressing and holding the guide sleeve
adjust/release button and pushing down on the head restraint.
Properly adjust the head restraint so that the top of the head restraint is
even with the top of your head and positioned as close as possible to the
back of your head. For occupants of extremely tall stature, adjust the
head restraint to its full up position.
1
2
3
4
Seating and Safety Restraints
122
2011 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 123 of 345

WARNING:The adjustable head restraint is a safety device.
Whenever possible it should be installed and properly adjusted
when the seat is occupied.
To remove the outboard head restraints, do the following:
1. Pull up the head restraint until it reaches the highest adjustment
position.
2. Simultaneously press and hold both the adjust release button and the
unlock/remove button, then pull the head restraint upward. (You may
have to fold the seat slightly in order to pull the headrest out.)
3. Store the head restraint in a secure location, such as the trunk of the
vehicle.
To reinstall the outboard head restraints, do the following:
1. Insert the two stems into the guide sleeve collars.
2. Push the head restraint down until it locks.
Properly adjust the head restraint so that the top of the head restraint is
even with the top of your head and positioned as close as possible to the
back of your head. For occupants of extremely tall stature, adjust the
head restraint to its full up position.
WARNING:To minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
crash, head restraints must be installed properly.
Seating and Safety Restraints
123
2011 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 124 of 345

Center head restraint
The center head restraint consists
of:
•a trimmed energy absorbing foam
and structure (1),
•two steel stems (2),
•a guide sleeve adjust/release
button (3),
•and a guide sleeve with a pin hole
for removing the head restraint
(4).
To adjust the head restraint, do the following:
1. Raise the head restraint by pulling up on the head restraint.
2. Lower the head restraint by pressing and holding the guide sleeve
adjust/release button and pushing down on the head restraint.
Properly adjust the head restraint so that the top of the head restraint is
even with the top of your head and positioned as close as possible to the
back of your head. For occupants of extremely tall stature, adjust the
head restraint to its full up position.
WARNING:The adjustable head restraint is a safety device.
Whenever possible it should be installed and properly adjusted
when the seat is occupied.
To remove the center head restraint, do the following:
1. Pull up the head restraint until it reaches the highest adjustment
position.
2. Insert and push a tool, such as a large paper clip, into the pin hole
located on the side of the guide sleeve and press the adjust/release
button, then pull the head restraint upward.
2
1
4
3
2
Seating and Safety Restraints
124
2011 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 125 of 345
3. Store the head restraint in a secure location, such as the trunk of the
vehicle.
To reinstall the center head restraint, do the following:
1. Insert the two stems into the guide sleeve collars.
2. Push the head restraint down until it locks.
Properly adjust the head restraint so that the top of the head restraint is
even with the top of your head and positioned as close as possible to the
back of your head. For occupants of extremely tall stature, adjust the
head restraint to its full up position.
WARNING:To minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
crash, head restraints must be installed properly.
Split-folding rear seatbacks
One or both rear seatbacks can be folded down to provide additional
cargo space.
To lower the seatback(s), pull the
release handle(s) located inside the
trunk.
Seating and Safety Restraints
125
2011 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 126 of 345
Fold the seatback(s) down.
Note:If the front seats interfere
with folding the seatbacks, you will
need to remove the rear seat head
restraints. To remove the rear seat
head restraints, see removal
instructions underSecond-row
adjustable head restraintsin this
chapter.
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.
Make sure that the safety belt for the rear center passenger is properly
routed over the rear seatback.
Seating and Safety Restraints
126
2011 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 127 of 345

Seat-mounted cup holders and armrest storage compartment
To access the cup holders, fold the
armrest down.
WARNING:Use only soft cups in the cup holder. Hard objects
can injure you in a collision.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS
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
•“Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp
•Front crash severity sensor.
•Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors.
•Restraint system warning light and back-up 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.
Seating and Safety Restraints
127
2011 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Page 129 of 345

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:Always transport children 12 years old and under in
the back seat and always properly use appropriate child
restraints.
The front passenger sensing system can automatically turn off the front
passenger airbag and passenger seat-mounted side airbag. The system is
designed to help protect small (child size) occupants from frontal airbag
deployments when they are seated or restrained in the front passenger
seat contrary to proper child-seating or restraint usage
recommendations. Even with this technology, parents areSTRONGLY
encouraged to always properly restrain children in the rear seat. The
sensor also turns off the passenger front airbag and passenger
seat-mounted side airbag when the passenger seat is empty and the
safety belt is unbuckled, or when a child or a small person occupies the
front passenger seat and the safety belt is unbuckled.
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.
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
Seating and Safety Restraints
129
2011 MKZ(378)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)