Seat Belt Systems: Description and Operation
Safety Belt Buckle
The RH and LH front safety belt buckle ends are mounted separately on the inboard side of each front seat.
The RH and LH rear safety belt and buckles are serviced as one assembly. The rear safety belt and buckle is mounted under the rear seat cushion and cover.
Safety Belt, Lap/Shoulder - Front
The active restraints for the front seats are a three-point safety belt system. Manual fastening of the continuous safety belt employs both the lap and shoulder belt. Safety belts should always be worn by the driver and passenger(s). Each seating position has:
- Safety Belt Buckle
- Safety Belt Tongue
- Continuous Safety Belt
- Locking Retractor Mechanism
- Safety Belt Guide
- Anchor Hardware
The safety belt system allows freedom of movement, with the retractor mechanism locking only on hard braking, hard cornering, or impact to the vehicle of approximately 8 km/h (5 mph) or more.
The front passenger seat combination lap/shoulder belt has an automatic locking mode for child seat installation. This mode is activated whenever all of the belt webbing is pulled out of the retractor. While in this mode, the belt will retract (tighten) but cannot be pulled back out to obtain more length. The automatic locking mode can be disengaged by unbuckling the belt and allowing the webbing to retract fully.
The front safety belt retractor is mounted to the quarter panel. The front safety belt retractor and tongue extends from a retractor mounted to the quarter panel, through a belt guide, up to the center body pillar anchor and down to the floor anchor.
Safety Belt, Lap/Shoulder - Rear
WARNING: WHEN USING ANY INFANT OR CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER CONCERNING ITS INSTALLATION AND USE. ACCORDING TO ACCIDENT STATISTICS, CORRECTLY RESTRAINED CHILDREN ARE SAFER IN THE REAR SEAT THAN IN THE FRONT SEAT. CHILD RESTRAINT USE IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
The rear safety belt and buckle is an assembly that includes buckles for the RH and LH rear safety belt retractor and tongue. The assembly is mounted to the center floor pan under the rear seat cushion and cover.
The rear safety belt retractor and tongue extends from a retractor mounted on the quarter panel and the rear strut tower, up through a belt guide, and down to the rear safety belt anchor bolt in the outer pivot pin bracket for the fold down rear seat back cover and cushion.
The safety belt retractors are designed to allow the safety belt to move in and out freely, but lock during hard braking, hard cornering, or impact to the vehicle of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more.
The rear combination lap/shoulder belts have an automatic locking mode for child seat installation. This mode is activated whenever all of the belt webbing is pulled Out of the retractor. While in this mode, the belt will retract (tighten) but cannot be pulled back out to obtain more length. The automatic locking mode can be disengaged by unbuckling the belt and allowing the webbing to retract fully.
Unfastening Safety Belts with Retractors
Fastening the front safety belt tongue into the front safety belt buckle end secures the occupant with both the lap and shoulder restraint. This is accomplished by pulling the safety belt tongue across the occupant and locking it in the proper front safety belt buckle end. Pushing the release button on the front safety belt buckle end allows the safety belt tongue to be unlatched from the front safety belt buckle end.
Safety Belt Extension Assembly
A safety belt assembly that is too short when fully extended over the lap of a stocky vehicle occupant can be lengthened approximately 203 mm (8 inches) with a safety belt extension assembly which is available at no charge from Ford dealers. The safety belt extension assembly is only available with black webbing and standard buckle and must be of the same manufacture as the safety belt system to which it is attached.
Warning System, Safety Belt
The safety belt system incorporates a safety belt warning chime and safety belt warning indicator. The safety belt warning chime is incorporated as part of the Central Processor Unit (CPU) and is not serviced separately. The safety belt warning chime is grounded by the safety belt warning indicator switch in the front safety belt buckle end for the driver's safety belt. The safety belt warning chime will sound for approximately eight seconds unless the driver's safety belt is fastened. The safety belt warning indicator remains on for approximately 60 seconds after the ignition switch is turned ON, unless the driver's safety belt is fastened.