
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.
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During a crash of sufficient force, the
inflatable belt will inflate from inside the
webbing.
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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.
The rear inflatable safety belts are designed
to inflate in frontal or near-frontal crashes
and some side impact crashes. The fact that
the rear inflatable safety belt did not inflate
in a crash does not mean that something is
wrong with the system. Rather, it means the
forces were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation.
Safety Belt Extension Assembly
WARNINGS
Do not use extensions to change the
fit of the shoulder belt across the torso.
37
Safety Belts

Conditions of operation
Then...
If...
The safety belt warning light illuminates 1-2 minutes and the warning
chime sounds 4-8 seconds.
The driver's safety belt is not buckled before the ignition switch is
turned to the on position...
The safety belt warning light and warning chime turn off.
The driver's safety belt is buckled while the indicator light is illuminated
and the warning chime is sounding...
The safety belt warning light and indicator chime remain off.
The driver's safety belt is buckled before the ignition switch is turned
to the on position...
SAFETY BELT MINDER
Belt-Minder™
This feature supplements the safety belt
warning function by providing additional
reminders that intermittently sound a tone
and illuminate the safety belt warning light
when you are in the driver seat or you have
a front seat passenger and a safety belt is
unbuckled. The system uses information from the front
passenger sensing system to determine if a
front seat passenger is present and therefore
potentially in need of a warning. To avoid
activating the Belt-Minder feature for objects
you place in the front passenger seat, only
the front seat passengers receive warnings
as determined by the front passenger
sensing system.
If the Belt-Minder warnings expire (warnings
for about five minutes) for one passenger
(driver or front passenger), the other
passenger can still cause the Belt-Minder
feature to turn on.
39
Safety Belts

Then...
If...
The Belt-Minder feature will not activate.
You and the front seat passenger buckle your safety belts before you
switch the ignition on or less than 1-2 minutes elapse after you switch
the ignition on...
The Belt-Minder feature activates, the safety belt warning light illumin\
-ates and a warning tone sounds for 6 seconds every 25 seconds,
repeating for about 5 minutes or until you and the front seat passenger buckle your safety belts.
You or the front seat passenger do not buckle your safety belts before
your vehicle reaches at least 6 mph (9.7 km/h) and 1-2 minutes elapse
after you switch the ignition on...
The Belt-Minder feature activates, the safety belt warning light illumin\
-ates and a warning tone sounds for 6 seconds every 25 seconds,
repeating for about 5 minutes or until you and the front seat passenger buckle your safety belts.
The safety belt for the driver or front passenger is unbuckled for about\
1 minute while the vehicle is traveling at least 6 mph (9.7 km/h) and more than 1-2 minutes elapse after you switch the ignition on...
40
Safety Belts

Deactivating and Activating the Belt-Minder
Feature
WARNING
While the system allows you to
deactivate it, this system is designed
to improve your chances of being safely
belted and surviving an accident. We
recommend you leave the system activated
for yourself and others who may use the
vehicle.
Note: The driver and front passenger
warnings switch on and off independently.
When you perform this procedure for one
seating position, do not buckle the other
position as this will terminate the process.
Read Steps 1 - 4 thoroughly before
proceeding with the programming
procedure.
Before following the procedure, make sure
that:
• The parking brake is set.
• The transmission is in park (P) or neutral (N). • The ignition is off.
• The driver and front passenger safety
belts are unbuckled.
1. Switch 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 5 seconds before
proceeding with Step 3. Once you start
Step 3, you must complete the procedure
within 30 seconds.
3. For the seating position you are switching off, 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 turns 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
flashes for confirmation.
• This will switch the feature off for that seating position if it is currently on.
• This will switch the feature on for that seating position if it is currently off.
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 crash. Read the
child restraint manufacturer's instructions for
additional inspection and maintenance
information specific to the child restraint.
41
Safety Belts

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.
The Vehicle Personal Safety System consists
of:
• Driver and passenger dual-stage airbagsupplemental restraints.
• Front seat outboard safety belts with pretensioners, energy management
retractors and safety belt usage sensors.
• Driver seat position sensor.
• Front passenger sensing system.
• Passenger airbag off and on indicator lamp.
• Front crash severity sensors.
• Restraints control module with impact and safing sensors. • Restraint system warning light and
backup tone.
• The electrical wiring for the airbags, crash sensors, 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 the safety devices
according to crash severity and occupant
conditions. A collection of crash and
occupant sensors provides information to
the restraints control module. During a crash,
the restraints control module may deploy the
safety belt pretensioners, one or both stages
of the dual-stage airbags based on crash
severity and occupant conditions.
43
Personal Safety System™

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 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.
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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.
46
Supplementary Restraints System

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 personto 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.
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
48
Supplementary Restraints System

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 52).
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 256).
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.
Do not use accessory seat covers. The
use of accessory seat covers may
prevent the deployment of the side airbags
and increase the risk of injury in an accident.
Do not lean your head on the door. The
side airbag could injure you as it
deploys from the side of the seatback.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or
modify the airbag, its fuses or the seat
cover on a seat containing an airbag as you
could be seriously injured or killed. Contact
your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNINGS
If the side airbag has deployed, the
airbag will not function again. The side
airbag system (including the seat) must be
inspected and serviced by an authorized
dealer. If the airbag is not replaced, the
unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury
in a crash.
The side airbags are located on the outboard
side of the seatbacks of the front seats. In
certain sideways crashes, the airbag on the
side affected by the crash will be inflated.
The airbag was designed to inflate between
the door panel and occupant to further
enhance the protection provided occupants
in side impact crashes.
49
Supplementary Restraints System