Seat Belt Systems: Description and Operation
WARNING:^ ALL SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING RETRACTORS, BUCKLES, FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE SUPPORT ASSEMBLIES (SLIDE BAR), IF EQUIPPED, SHOULDER BELT HEIGHT ADJUSTERS, IF EQUIPPED, CHILD SAFETY SEAT TETHER BRACKET ASSEMBLIES, IF EQUIPPED, AND ATTACHING HARDWARE SHOULD BE INSPECTED AFTER ANY COLLISION. ALL BELT ASSEMBLIES SHOULD BE REPLACED UNLESS A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN FINDS THE ASSEMBLIES SHOW NO DAMAGE AND OPERATE PROPERLY. BELT ASSEMBLIES NOT IN USE DURING A COLLISION SHOULD ALSO BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF EITHER DAMAGE OR IMPROPER OPERATION IS NOTED.
^ EACH SEATING POSITION IN THE VEHICLE HAS A SPECIFIC SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY WHICH CONSISTS OF ONE BUCKLE AND ONE TONGUE. THE SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY IS DESIGNED TO BE USED AS A PAIR AND IS NOT TO BE USED ACROSS SEATING POSITIONS.
The active restraint system consists of:
^ the front safety belt retractors and tongues secured to the body behind the B-pillar trim panels.
^ the front driver and outboard passenger safety belt buckle and pretensioners secured to the front seat cushion frame assembly.
^ the rear outboard safety belt retractors secured to the body behind the quarter trim panel.
^ the rear center safety belt and driver side safety belt buckle assembly secured to the floor pan under the rear seat cushion.
^ the rear center and passenger side safety belt buckle assembly secured to the floor pan under the seat cushion.
^ the child safety seat tether anchors attached to the roof near the rear liftgate door.
The outboard safety belt for the front and rear seats is a continuous-loop, three-point system. The combination lap and shoulder belt (continuous-loop) uses a common sliding tongue and retractor.
The rear center seating position uses a two-point cinch style safety belt buckle and sliding tongue.
Safety Belt Buckle and Pretensioner Assembly - Front
The driver and front outboard passenger safety belt buckle and pretensioner are secured to the front seat cushion frame assembly. This allows the front safety belt buckle end to move with the front seat.
The belt and buckle assembly pretensioner is a pyrotechnic device that removes excess webbing from the safety belt system. The belt and buckle assembly pretensioner uses the same crash sensor system as the air bag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). When the belt and buckle assembly pretensioner deploys, the buckle moves downward, pulling excess webbing from the lap and shoulder safety belts.
If the safety belt buckle and pretensioner assembly is deployed, a new assembly must be installed.
Safety Belt, Lap/Shoulder - Dual Locking Mode
WARNING: REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS SHOULD NEVER BE PLACED IN THE FRONT SEATS.
The dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for the front outboard passenger and both rear outboard seating positions, operates in two ways. The driver single locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt works only in the vehicle sensitive mode.
1. In the vehicle-sensitive (emergency locking) mode, the shoulder belt retractor allows the occupant freedom of movement, locking tight only on hard braking, hard cornering or impacts of approximately 8 km/h (5 mph) or more. The front and rear outboard seat belt retractors can also be made to lock by pulling/jerking on the belt.
2. In the automatic locking mode, the shoulder belt retractor automatically locks and remains locked when the combination lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled and does not allow the occupant freedom of movement. This mode provides tight lap/shoulder belt fit on the occupant and on a child safety seat.
3. When the combination lap/shoulder belt is unbuckled and allowed to retract completely, the retractor switches to the vehicle-sensitive (emergency) locking mode.
The automatic locking mode must be used when installing a child safety seat in the front outboard passenger and both rear outboard passenger seating positions.
Safety Belt Extension
A safety belt that is too short even when fully extended can be lengthened. The safety belt extension is available. This assembly will add approximately 20 cm (8 inches) to the length of the safety belt. Use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too short when fully extended. Do not use the safety belt extension to change the fit of the shoulder belt across the torso. Safety belt extensions are available at no cost from any authorized Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Attaching Safety Seats With Tether Straps
Some manufacturers make child safety seats that include a tether strap that goes over the back of the vehicle seat and attaches to an anchoring point. Other manufacturers offer the tether strap as an accessory. Contact the manufacturer of the child safety seat for information about ordering a tether strap.
Child safety seat tether anchors are manufactured into the vehicle. See the owners manual for locations.
Safety Belt Warning System
The safety belt warning indicator illuminates and a chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.
The conditions of operation for the safety belt warning indicator and chime are as follows:
^ If the driver's safety belt is not buckled before the ignition switch is turned to RUN, the safety belt warning indicator illuminates for 1-2 minutes and the warning chime sounds for 4-8 seconds.
^ If the driver's safety belt is buckled while the warning indicator is illuminated and the reminder chime is sounding, the safety belt warning indicator and reminder chime turn off.
^ If the driver's safety belt is buckled before the ignition switch is turned to RUN, the safety belt warning indicator and reminder chime remain off.
Belt Minder
The Belt Minder feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt warning function. This feature provides additional reminders to the driver that the driver's safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning lamp in the instrument cluster.
To activate or deactivate the Belt Minder feature, refer to Instrument Panel, Gauges and Warning Indicators.