Occupant Restraint System

A continuous-loop, single-retractor active restraint system is used.

The lap/shoulder safety belt assembly consists of:
- belt webbing.
- tongue.
- retractor.

The dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for front seat passenger and rear seat outboard passengers operates in two ways:

- In the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode, the shoulder belt retractor will allow 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.

- In the automatic locking mode, the shoulder belt retractor will be automatically locked and remain 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 occupant and child safety seat or infant carrier installation restraint.

WARNING: REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS SHOULD NEVER BE PLACED IN THE FRONT SEAT.

The automatic locking mode must be used when installing a child safety seat on the front passenger seat and rear outboard seats where dual locking retractors are provided.

To switch the retractor from the emergency locking mode to the automatic locking mode, perform the following steps:

1. Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt.
2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward until all of the belt is extracted. When allowed to retract, a clicking sound will be heard. At this time, the belt retractor is in the automatic locking mode (child restraint mode).
3. A clicking sound will continue to be heard as the belt is allowed to retract. This indicates that the retractor is in the "automatic locking mode".

NOTE: When the combination lap / shoulder belt is unbuckled and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will switch back to the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.

Safety Belt Buckle
The inboard front safety belt buckle end is secured on the seat track for bucket seat applications or on the slide bar for bench seat applications. This allows the front safety belt buckle end to move with the seat. The rear inboard and belt buckle is secured to the floor pan.

- Attaching the tongue to front safety belt buckle end secures the occupant with both lower and upper restraints.
- This tongue and front safety belt buckle end attachment can be accomplished by a single continuous movement.

Front Lap/Shoulder Safety Belt

WARNING: NEVER INSTALL A REAR-FACING INFANT CARRIER OR CHILD SEAT IN THE RIGHT HAND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. A CHILD IN A REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLED IN THE FRONT SEAT CAN BE BADLY INJURED BY THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IF IT INFLATES. NEVER USE A REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT IN THE FRONT SEAT. IF A FORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT IS SUITABLE FOR YOUR CHILD, ALWAYS MOVE THE PASSENGER SEAT AS FAR BACK AS POSSIBLE. ATTACH BELT TO BUCKLE. TIGHTEN BELT. FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE YOUR OWNER GUIDE AND THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT CAME WITH YOUR CHILD RESTRAINT.

- The front lap/shoulder safety belt extends from a front safety belt retractor and tongue which is located on the B-pillar post for the front seat.
- This front safety belt retractor and tongue is designed to let the belt move in or out at all times, except during hard braking, hard cornering or impacts of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, or when the retractor has been switched to automatic locking retractor mode to secure child restraints (passenger side only).

The front shoulder safety belt is routed through the belt guide, which is mounted on B-pillar and center pillar trim panel. The belt then passes through a D-ring above and behind the occupant's shoulder and is directed downward at the proper angle over the occupant's shoulder and chest and into the retaining lap belt buckle; then the belt continues through the tongue outboard to the sill which acts as a lap belt.

Center Lap Safety Belt
- Lap safety belts are provided for all front center (except vehicles with floor console option) seats and rear center seats.
- Front seat center passenger belts are secured to seat track at the floor. The belts are stowed in a pocket between the seat cushion and seat back. Remove each belt from the stowage pocket before fastening.
- Rear lap safety belts are secured to the rear floor pan.
- The belt may need to be lengthened before fastening it.
- To lengthen the belt, tip the belt tongue at a right angle to the belt. Pull the belt tongue over the occupant's lap until it reaches the buckle.
- To fasten the belt, pull the belt across the occupant's hips and insert the tongue into the correct buckle on the seat until a snap is heard and locking is felt.
- Adjust the belt so that it fits snugly around the occupant's hips.
- If the belt needs to be lengthened, unfasten it and repeat the procedure above.
- If the belt needs to be shortened, pull on the loose end of the webbing.
- While in motion, the shoulder belt adjusts to the occupant's movement. However, if the driver brakes hard, turns hard, or if the vehicle receives an impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, the shoulder belt locks and helps reduce the occupant's forward movement.
- To unfasten the belt, push the red release button on the end of the buckle. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle.

Outboard Rear Lap/Shoulder Safety Belt
- The outboard lap/shoulder rear safety belt extends from a rear safety belt retractor and tongue located on vehicle structure inner quarter panel.
- The rear safety belt is then routed through a D-ring and then through the rear safety belt opening inside roof trim panel and directed downward over occupant's shoulder and chest to lap safety belt buckle.
- The rear safety belt has a slip tongue which latches to the lap belt buckle and then continues through the tongue outboard to the floor.

Center Rear Lap/Shoulder Safety Belt - Sedan
- The safety belt in the center rear seating position of the sedan has a detachable shoulder belt.





- To attach the shoulder belt to the lap belt, insert the lap belt connecting pin into the wide end of the key-slot.
- If the belt is twisted such that the tongue is upside down, it will not snap into the buckle. Remove the twists in the webbing to allow the tongue to snap into the buckle. The rear center tongue can only be used with the rear center buckle.

NOTE: Reverse side of the lap belt and the detachable shoulder strap shown.





- Pull the connecting pin into the narrow end of the key-slot until a snap is heard and latching is felt.
- Make sure the shoulder belt is securely fastened to the lap belt by pulling up on the shoulder belt.
- The lap belt in the center of the sedan rear seat does not adjust automatically. It must be adjusted to fit snugly and as low as possible around the hips. The belt must not be worn around the waist.

Rear Auxiliary Lap/Shoulder Safety Belt

WARNING: NEVER USE THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS IN THE STATION WAGON THIRD SEAT. CHILD SAFETY SEATS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE IN REAR FACING SEATS.

WARNING: MAKE SURE THAT THE LAP BELT IS AS LOW AROUND YOUR HIPS AS POSSIBLE. DO NOT WEAR THE LAP BELT AROUND YOUR WAIST. IF YOU DO NOT USE THE LAP BELTS PROPERLY, THE RISK OF BEING INJURED IN A COLLISION GREATLY INCREASES.

- The lap belts in the auxiliary seat do not adjust automatically. They must be adjusted to fit snugly and as low as possible around the occupant's hips. Do not wear it around the occupant's waist.
- Before the occupant fastens the lap belt, the lap belt may need to be lengthened.
- To lengthen the belt, tip the belt tongue at a right angle to the belt. Pull the belt tongue over the occupant's lap until it reaches the buckle.
- To fasten the belt, pull the belt across the occupant's hips and insert the tongue into the correct buckle on the seat until a snap is heard and locking is felt.
- Adjust the belt so that it fits snugly around the occupant's hips.
- If the belt needs to be lengthened, unfasten it and repeat the procedure above.
- If the belt needs to be shortened, pull on the shoulder strap.
- While in motion, the shoulder belt adjusts to the occupant's movement. However, if the driver brakes hard, turns hard, or if the vehicle receives an impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, the shoulder belt locks and helps reduce the occupant's forward movement.
- To unfasten the belt, push the red release button on the end of the buckle. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle.

Front Seat Shoulder Strap Adjuster
- The front safety belt retractor and tongue uses a shoulder safety belt height adjuster to adjust shoulder strap height to make sure of proper fit.
- To adjust the shoulder safety belt height adjuster, depress the button and raise or lower the shoulder safety belt height adjuster to desired height. It may also be adjusted without depressing the button by pushing up on the assembly.

Unfastening Safety Belts With Retractors
- Push the release button on the end of the buckle. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle.
- While the belt retracts, guide the tongue to its original position to prevent it from striking the technician or the vehicle.

Safety Belt Extension Assembly
A safety belt that is too short even when fully extended can be lengthened. A safety belt extension assembly is available. This assembly will add approximately 20 cm (8 inches) to the length of the safety belt. Safety belt extensions are available at no cost from any authorized Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer. This assembly must not be used in the rear auxiliary seat.