Section 5-Seat Belt Procedure After an Accident

NOTE: ALL SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING RETRACTORS AND ATTACHING HARDWARE SHOULD BE INSPECTED AFTER ANY COLLISION. FORD RECOMMENDS THAT ALL SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES IN USE DURING A COLLISION BE REPLACED UNLESS THE COLLISION WAS MINOR AND THE BELTS SHOW NO DAMAGE AND CONTINUE TO OPERATE PROPERLY. SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES NOT IN USE DURING A COLLISION SHOULD ALSO BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF EITHER DAMAGE OR IMPROPER OPERATION IS NOTED.

Before installing the new seat belt assembly, the seat belt attaching areas must be inspected for damage and distortion, and if the attaching points are damaged or distorted, the sheet metal must be reworked back to its original shape and structural integrity.

Install the new seat belt assembly in matched sets using the appropriate instructions; then functionally test as described previously in this article.