Seat Belt Systems: Description and Operation
Safety Belt System
WARNING: After any crash, all of the following safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware must be inspected to verify correct function:
- Retractors
- Buckles
- Belt tension sensor (BTS) (if equipped)
- Front safety belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if equipped)
- Safety belt shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped)
- Child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
- Automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature for child safety seats (passenger seating positions only)
If any safety belt assembly is damaged, does not operate correctly or does not pass all of the Functional Tests in the Diagnosis and Testing information, a new safety belt assembly must be installed. If any safety belt assembly attaching areas are damaged or distorted, the sheet metal must be restored to its original structural integrity and new safety belt assembly and attaching hardware must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware may increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.
After any crash that results in deployment of the driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt pretensioners, new driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt systems (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt systems increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.
When installing any new active occupant restraint components, use only Ford specified service parts.
The active restraint system consists of the following serviceable items:
- Safety belt shoulder height adjusters attached to the LH and RH B-pillars
- Front safety belt retractors attached to the LH and RH B-pillars
- Rear LH and RH safety belt retractors attached to the body behind the quarter trim panels
- Rear center safety belt retractor attached to the body at the parcel shelf
- Front safety belt buckles attached to the driver and front passenger seat tracks
- Front center safety belt and buckle attached with the seat track rear inboard mounting fasteners on the driver and front passenger seats
- Rear safety belt buckles (LH, RH and center) attached to the floor pan underneath the rear seat cushion
- Child safety seat tether anchors attached to the parcel shelf
- Lower anchors and tethers for children attached to the floor pan underneath the rear seat cushion at the RH and LH rear seating positions
Safety Belt Retractors
The safety belt retractors consist of the following features:
- Safety belt pretensioner (front only)
- Dual locking mode
- Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
- Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) (all except driver seat)
Safety Belt Retractor and Pretensioner
The front safety belt retractors are equipped with pretensioners that operate as part of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). The pretensioner is a pyrotechnic device that deploys when activated by the Restraints Control Module (RCM) to remove excess safety belt webbing from the shoulder and lap safety belt in the event of an impact. If a deployment of the safety belt retractor and pretensioners occurs, a new assembly must be installed. Refer to Safety Belt Retractor and Pretensioner Safety Belt Retractor and Pretensioner.
For safety belt retractor and pretensioner diagnostic and disposal information, refer to Supplemental Restraint System Testing and Inspection.
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
The safety belt retractor is designed to allow the occupant freedom of movement in normal operation. The ELR is a vehicle-sensitive feature designed to activate and lock the safety belt webbing when braking hard, cornering hard or in an impact of approximately 8 km/h (5 mph). The ELR feature helps to reduce the forward movement of the driver and passengers. Refer to the appropriate Functional Test procedure in Safety Belt System Principles Of Operation.
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
The ALR mode is used when locking a child seat in an outboard seating position. The ALR mode is automatically activated when the safety belt webbing is fully extracted from the retractor and then allowed to retract. As the safety belt webbing is retracted back onto the spool, an audible clicking sound is made indicating the safety belt retractor is in ALR mode and the safety belt webbing will not pull back out of the safety belt retractor. To disengage the ALR mode, allow the safety belt webbing to fully retract back onto the spool. The ALR mode is disengaged when the webbing is free to extract and retract back into the retractor. Refer to the appropriate Functional Test procedure in Safety Belt System Principles Of Operation.
Safety Belt Buckles
The front outboard seat safety belt buckles are attached to the front seat tracks and can be serviced separately. The center safety belt and safety belt buckle are attached to the front seat inboard mounting studs and are also serviced separately.
The rear seat safety belt buckles are attached to the floor pan behind the rear seat cushion and can be serviced separately.
Belt Tension Sensor (BTS)
The safety Belt Tension Sensor (BTS) is part of the passenger front safety belt buckle and can only be serviced with a new passenger safety belt buckle. The safety BTS sensor operates as part of the Occupant Classification Sensor (OCS) system on the front passenger seat.
Child Safety Seat Restraints
The child safety seat restraints include the following serviceable items:
- Child safety seat tether anchors located at all rear seating positions, attached to the parcel shelf
- Lower anchors and tethers for children attachments located at the outboard seating positions, mounted to the floor pan behind the rear seat cushion
If a child safety seat was in use during a collision, inspect the vehicle portion of the system for damage. Inspect the vehicle structure at the child safety seat component mounting areas and repair any damage to the original production configuration.