Rear Inflatable Safety Belt (If Equipped)
WARNING
Do not attempt to service, repair, or
modify the rear inflatable safety belt.
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.
• 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.
How does the rear inflatable safety belt
system work?
The rear inflatable safety belts will function
like standard restraints in everyday usage. During a crash of sufficient force, the
inflatable belt will inflate from inside the
webbing.
The fully inflated belt's increased diameter
more effectively holds the occupant in the
appropriate seating position, and spreads
crash forces over more area of the body
than regular safety belts. This helps reduce
pressure on the chest and helps control
head and neck motion for passengers.
WARNING
If the rear inflatable safety belt has
deployed, it will not function again.
The rear inflatable safety belt system must
be replaced by an authorized dealer. 33
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1. Turn the ignition on. Do not start the
vehicle.
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (about one minute). After Step
2, wait an additional five seconds
before proceeding with Step 3. Once
Step 3 is started, the procedure must
be completed within 30 seconds.
3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the
safety belt three times at a moderate
speed, ending in the unbuckled state.
After Step 3, the safety belt warning
light will turn on.
4. While the safety belt warning light is on, buckle and then unbuckle the
safety belt. After Step 4, the safety belt
warning light will flash for confirmation.
• This will disable the feature for that
seating position if it is currently
enabled.
• This will enable the feature for that
seating position if it is currently
disabled.
CHILD RESTRAINT AND SAFETY
BELT MAINTENANCE
Inspect the vehicle safety belts and child
safety seat systems periodically to make
sure they work properly and are not
damaged. Inspect the vehicle and child
seat safety belts to make sure there are
no nicks, tears or cuts. Replace if
necessary. All vehicle safety belt
assemblies, including retractors, buckles,
front safety belt buckle assemblies, buckle
support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped),
shoulder belt height adjusters (if
equipped), shoulder belt guide on seat back (if equipped), rear inflatable safety
belts (if equipped), child safety seat LATCH
and tether anchors, and attaching
hardware, should be inspected after a
collision. Read the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions for additional
inspection and maintenance information
specific to the child restraint.
Ford Motor Company recommends that
all safety belt assemblies in use in vehicles
involved in a collision be replaced.
However, if the collision was minor and an
authorized dealer finds that the belts do
not show damage and continue to operate
properly, they do not need to be replaced.
Safety belt assemblies not in use during a
collision should also be inspected and
replaced if either damage or improper
operation is noted.
Properly care for safety belts. See Vehicle
Care (page 268).
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MKZ (CC9) Safety Belts
PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
WARNINGS
Airbags do not inflate slowly or
gently, and the risk of injury from a
deploying airbag is the greatest close to
the trim covering the airbag module. All occupants of your vehicle,
including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even
when an airbag supplemental restraint
system is provided. Failure to properly
wear your safety belt could seriously
increase the risk of injury or death. Always transport children 12 years
old and under in the back seat and
always properly use appropriate child
restraints. Failure to follow this could
seriously increase the risk of injury or
death. Never place your arm over the
airbag module as a deploying airbag
can result in serious arm fractures or other
injuries. 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 seat upon which the
child seat is installed all the way back. Do not attempt to service, repair, or
modify the airbag supplemental
restraint systems or its fuses as you could
be seriously injured or killed. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible. Several airbag system components
get hot after inflation. To reduce the
risk of injury, do not touch them after
inflation. WARNINGS
If the airbag has deployed, the
airbag will not function again and
must be replaced immediately. If the
airbag is not replaced, the unrepaired area
will increase the risk of injury in a crash. The airbags are a supplemental restraint
system and are designed to work with the
safety belts to help protect the driver and
right front passenger from certain upper
body injuries. Airbags do not inflate slowly;
there is a risk of injury from a deploying
airbag.
Note:
You will hear a loud bang and see
a cloud of harmless powdery residue if an
airbag deploys. This is normal.
The airbags inflate and deflate rapidly
upon activation. After airbag deployment,
it is normal to notice a smoke-like,
powdery residue or smell the burnt
propellant. This may consist of cornstarch,
talcum powder (to lubricate the bag) or
sodium compounds (for example, baking
soda) that result from the combustion
process that inflates the airbag. Small
amounts of sodium hydroxide may be
present which may irritate the skin and
eyes, but none of the residue is toxic.
While the system is designed to help
reduce serious injuries, contact with a
deploying airbag may also cause abrasions
or swelling. Temporary hearing loss is also
a possibility as a result of the noise
associated with a deploying airbag.
Because airbags must inflate rapidly and
with considerable force, there is the risk
of death or serious injuries such as
fractures, facial and eye injuries or internal
injuries, particularly to occupants who are
39
MKZ (CC9) Supplementary Restraints System
not properly restrained or are otherwise
out of position at the time of airbag
deployment. Thus, it is extremely important
that occupants be properly restrained as
far away from the airbag module as
possible while maintaining vehicle control.
Routine maintenance of the airbags is not
required.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER
AIRBAGS
WARNINGS
Never place your arm or any objects
over an airbag module. Placing your
arm over a deploying airbag can result in
serious arm fractures or other injuries.
Objects placed on or over the airbag
inflation area may cause those objects to
be propelled by the airbag into your face
and torso causing serious injury. 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 seat upon which the
child seat is installed all the way back. The driver and front passenger airbags
will deploy during significant frontal and
near frontal crashes.
The driver and passenger front airbag
system consists of:
•
driver and passenger airbag modules.
• front passenger sensing system. · crash sensors and monitoring
system with readiness indicator.
See Crash Sensors and Airbag
Indicator (page 46).
Proper Driver and Front Passenger
Seating Adjustment WARNING
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at
least 10 inches (25 centimeters) between
an occupant’ s chest and the driver airbag
module. To properly position yourself away from
the airbag:
•
Move your seat to the rear as far as
you can while still reaching the pedals
comfortably.
• Recline the seat slightly (one or two
degrees) from the upright position.
After all occupants have adjusted their
seats and put on safety belts, it is very
important that they continue to sit properly.
A properly seated occupant sits upright,
leaning against the seat back, and
centered on the seat cushion, with their
feet comfortably extended on the floor.
Sitting improperly can increase the chance
40
MKZ (CC9) Supplementary Restraints SystemE151127
of injury in a crash event. For example, if
an occupant slouches, lies down, turns
sideways, sits forward, leans forward or
sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is greatly
increased.
Children and Airbags
WARNING
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 seat upon which the
child seat is installed all the way back. Children must always be properly
restrained. Accident statistics suggest that
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating positions
than in the front seating position. Failure
to follow these instructions may increase
the risk of injury in a crash. FRONT PASSENGER SENSING
SYSTEM WARNINGS
Even with Advanced Restraints
Systems, children 12 and under
should be properly restrained in a rear
seating position. Failure to follow this
could seriously increase the risk of injury
or death. Sitting improperly out of position or
with the seat back reclined too far
can take off weight from the seat cushion
and affect the decision of the front
passenger sensing system, resulting in
serious injury or death in a crash. Always
sit upright against your seat back, with
your feet on the floor. Any alteration or modification to the
front passenger seat may affect the
performance of the front passenger
sensing system which could seriously
increase the risk of injury or death. This system works with sensors that are
part of the front passenger’
s seat and
safety belt to detect the presence of a
properly-seated occupant and determine
if the front passenger’ s frontal airbag
should be enabled (may inflate) or not. 41
MKZ (CC9) Supplementary Restraints SystemE142846 E151849
The front passenger sensing system uses
a passenger airbag status indicator that
will illuminate indicating that the front
passenger frontal airbag is either ON
(enabled) or OFF (disabled).
The indicator lamp is located in the center
stack of the instrument panel.
Note:
The passenger airbag status
indicator OFF and ON indicator lamps will
illuminate for a short period of time when
the ignition is first turned on to confirm it
is functional.
The front passenger sensing system is
designed to disable (will not inflate) the
front passenger's frontal airbag when the
front passenger seat is unoccupied, or a
rear facing infant seat, a forward-facing
child restraint, or a booster seat is
detected. Even with this technology,
parents are strongly encouraged 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.
• When the front passenger sensing
system disables (will not inflate) the
front passenger frontal airbag, the
passenger airbag status indicator will
illuminate the OFF lamp and stay lit to
remind you that the front passenger
frontal airbag is disabled.
• If the child restraint has been installed
and the passenger airbag status
indicator illuminates the ON lamp, then
turn the vehicle off, remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and reinstall
the restraint following the child
restraint manufacturer's instructions. The front passenger sensing system is
designed to enable (may inflate) the front
passenger's frontal airbag anytime the
system senses that a person of adult size
is sitting properly in the front passenger
seat.
•
When the front passenger sensing
system enables the front passenger
frontal airbag (may inflate), the
passenger airbag status indicator will
illuminate the ON lamp and remain
illuminated.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the
front passenger’ s seat, but the airbag off
indicator lamp is lit, it is possible that the
person isn ’t sitting properly in the seat. If
this happens:
• Turn the vehicle off and ask the person
to place the seat back in the full
upright position.
• Have the person sit upright in the seat,
centered on the seat cushion, with the
person ’s legs comfortably extended.
• Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for about
two minutes. This will allow the system
to detect that person and enable the
passenger’ s frontal airbag.
• If the indicator OFF lamp remains lit
even after this, the person should be
advised to ride in the rear seat.
42
MKZ (CC9) Supplementary Restraints System
Passenger airbag
Passenger airbag status
indicator
Occupant
Disabled
OFF: Lit
Empty
ON: Unlit Disabled
OFF: Lit
Child
ON: Unlit Enabled
OFF: Unlit
Adult
ON: Lit
Note: When the passenger airbag status
indicator OFF light is illuminated, the
passenger (seat mounted) side airbag may
be disabled to avoid the risk of airbag
deployment injuries.
After all occupants have adjusted their
seats and put on safety belts, it is very
important that they continue to sit properly.
A properly seated occupant sits upright,
leaning against the seat back, and
centered on the seat cushion, with their
feet comfortably extended on the floor.
Sitting improperly can increase the chance
of injury in a crash event. For example, if
an occupant slouches, lies down, turns
sideways, sits forward, leans forward or
sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the
chance of injury during a crash is greatly
increased.
The conditions listed above may cause
the weight of a properly seated occupant
to be incorrectly interpreted by the front
passenger sensing system. The person in
the front passenger seat may appear
heavier or lighter due to the conditions
described in the list above. To know if the front passenger
sensing system is operating
properly, See Crash Sensors
and Airbag Indicator (page 46).
Do not attempt to repair or service the
system. Take your vehicle immediately to
an authorized dealer.
If it is necessary to modify an advanced
front airbag system to accommodate a
person with disabilities, contact the Ford
Customer Relationship Center.
See
Getting the Services You Need (page 232).
SIDE AIRBAGS WARNINGS
Do not place objects or mount
equipment on or near the airbag
cover, on the side of the seatbacks (of the
front seats), or in front seat areas that may
come into contact with a deploying airbag.
Failure to follow these instructions may
increase the risk of personal injury in the
event of a crash.
43
MKZ (CC9) Supplementary Restraints System
•
Side curtain airbags located above the
trim panels over the front and rear side
windows identified by a label or
wording on the headliner or roof-pillar
trim.
• A flexible headliner which opens above
the side doors to allow side air curtain
deployment. Crash sensors and monitoring
system with readiness indicator.
See Crash Sensors and Airbag
Indicator (page 46).
Children 12 years old and under should
always be properly restrained in the back
seats. The side curtain airbags will not
interfere with children restrained using a
properly installed child or booster seat
because it is designed to inflate downward
from the headliner above the doors along
the side window opening.
The design and development of the side
curtain airbags included recommended
testing procedures that were developed
by a group of automotive safety experts
known as the Side Airbag Technical
Working Group. These recommended
testing procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of side
curtain airbags. CRASH SENSORS AND AIRBAG
INDICATOR WARNING
Modifying or adding equipment to
the front end of the vehicle
(including frame, bumper, front end body
structure and tow hooks) may affect the
performance of the airbag system,
increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify
the front end of the vehicle. Your vehicle has a collection of crash and
occupant sensors which provide
information to the restraints control
module. The restraints control module
deploys (activates) the front safety belt
pretensioners, driver airbag, passenger
airbag, knee airbag(s), seat mounted side
airbags, side curtain airbags and optional
rear inflatable safety belts. Based on the
type of crash (frontal impact or side
impact), the restraints control module will
deploy the appropriate safety devices.
The restraints control module also
monitors the readiness of the above safety
devices plus the crash and occupant
sensors. The readiness of the safety
system is indicated by a warning indicator
light in the instrument cluster or by a
backup tone if the warning light is not
working. Routine maintenance of the
airbag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by
one or more of the following:
The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after the
ignition is turned on.
46
MKZ (CC9) Supplementary Restraints SystemE75004