2012 FORD EXPLORER warning

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 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.
PowerFold3rd-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.
Seating and Safety Restraints
174
2012 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

•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
•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.
Seating and Safety Restraints
176
2012 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

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.
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.
Seating and Safety Restraints
178
2012 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

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.
SAFETY BELT SYSTEM
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit
where they can be properly restrained.
Seating and Safety Restraints
179
2012 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

WARNING:Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap
while the vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the
child from injury in a collision.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an air
bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
WARNING:It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped
with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
WARNING:In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
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.
WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
WARNING:Safety belts and seats can become hot in a vehicle
that has been closed up in sunny weather; they could burn a
small child. Check seat covers and buckles before you place a child
anywhere near them.
WARNING:Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant
women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an
accident.
Seating and Safety Restraints
180
2012 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Combination lap and shoulder belts (standard belts shown, 2nd
row inflatable belts similar-if equipped)
1. Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle (the buckle closest to
the direction the tongue is coming
from) until you hear a snap and feel
it latch. Make sure the tongue is
securely fastened in the buckle.
2. To unfasten, press the release
button and remove the tongue from
the buckle.
Restraint of pregnant women
WARNING:Always ride and drive with your seatback upright
and the safety belt properly fastened. The lap portion of the
safety belt should fit snug and be positioned low across the hips. The
shoulder portion of the safety belt should be positioned across the
chest. Pregnant women should also follow this practice. See figure
below.
Seating and Safety Restraints
181
2012 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

How to use the automatic locking mode
Non-inflatable safety belts
•Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
•Grasp the shoulder portion of the
belt and pull downward until the
entire belt is pulled out. As the
belt retracts, you will hear a
clicking sound. This indicates the
safety belt is now in the
automatic locking mode.
Rear outboard inflatable safety belts (second row only—if
equipped)
•Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
•Grasp the lap portion of the belt
and pull upward 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:After any vehicle collision, the safety 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, all safety belts should be
checked for proper 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 when checked by an authorized dealer. Failure to replace the
belt and retractor assembly could increase the risk of injury in
collisions.
Seating and Safety Restraints
183
2012 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)

Disconnect 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.
Rear Inflatable Safety Belt (if equipped)
The rear inflatable safety belts are
fitted in the shoulder portion of the
safety belts of the second-row
outboard seating positions.
Note:The rear inflatable safety
belts are compatible with most
infant and child safety car seats and
belt positioning booster seats when
properly installed. This is because
they are designed to fill with a
cooled gas at a lower pressure and
at a slower rate than traditional
airbags. After inflation, the shoulder
portion of the safety belt remains
cool to the touch.
The rear inflatable safety belt consists of the following:
•An inflatable bag located in the shoulder safety belt webbing.
•Lap safety belt webbing with automatic locking mode.
•Seat mounted buckles with gas generators concealed under the seat
cushions.
•The same warning light, electronic control and diagnostic unit as used
for the front safety belts.
•Impact sensors located in various parts of the vehicle.
WARNING:Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the rear
inflatable safety belt.
Seating and Safety Restraints
184
2012 Explorer(exp)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)