belt FORD EXPEDITION EL 2009 Owner's Manual

Reasons given... Consider...
“I was in a hurry” Prime time for an accident.
Belt-Minder
reminds us to take a few
seconds to buckle up.
“Safety belts don’t work” Safety belts, when used properly,
reduce risk of death to front seat
occupants by 45% in cars, and by 60%
in light trucks.
“Traffic is light” Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in
single-vehicle crashes, many when no
other vehicles are around.
“Belts wrinkle my clothes” Possibly, but a serious crash can do much
more than wrinkle your clothes,
particularly if you are unbelted.
“The people I’m with don’t
wear belts” Set the example, teen deaths occur 4
times more often in vehicles with TWO or
MORE people. Children and younger
brothers/sisters imitate behavior they see.
“I have an airbag” Airbags offer greater protection when
used with safety belts. Frontal airbags are
not designed to inflate in rear and side
crashes or rollovers.
“I’d rather be thrown clear” Not a good idea. People who are ejected
are 40 times more likely to DIE.
Safety belts help prevent ejection, WE
CAN’T “PICK OUR CRASH”.
WARNING: Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a
latchplate into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minder
chime. To
do so may adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s air bag
system
One-time disable
Any time the safety belt is buckled and then unbuckled during an
ignition on cycle, Belt-Minder
will be disabled for that ignition cycle
only.
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Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder  feature (if equipped)
Read Step s1-4t horoughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The driver Belt-Minder
feature can be deactivated/activated by
performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
• The parking brake is set
• The gearshift is in P (Park)
• The ignition switch is in the off position
• The driver and passenger safety belts are unbuckled
WARNING: While the design allows you to deactivate your
Belt-Minder
, this system is designed to improve your chances of
being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you
leave the Belt-Minder
system activated for yourself and others who
may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not
deactivate/activate the Belt-Minder
feature while driving the vehicle.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the on position. DO NOT START THE
ENGINE.
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (Approximately one
minute).
• Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
3. At a moderate speed, buckle then unbuckle the safety belt nine times,
ending in the unbuckled state. Step 3 must be completed within
50 seconds after the safety belt warning light turns off.
• After Step 3, the safety belt warning light will be turned on for three
seconds.
4. Within approximately seven seconds of the light turning off, buckle
then unbuckle the safety belt.
• This will disable the Belt-Minder
feature for that seating position if it
is currently enabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds.
• This will enable the Belt-Minder
feature for that seating position if it
is currently disabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three
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seconds with the light off, then followed by the safety belt warning
light flashing four times per second for three seconds again.
AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)
Important SRS precautions
The SRS is designed to work with
the safety belt to help protect the
driver and right front passenger
from certain upper body injuries.
Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly;
there is a risk of injury from a
deploying airbag.
WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an air
bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
WARNING: When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
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WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
airbag SRS, its fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an
airbag. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.
WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle should always wear
their safety belts even when an airbag SRS is provided.
How does the side airbag system work?
The design and development of the side airbag system included
recommended testing procedures that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as the Side Airbag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of side airbags.
The side airbag system consists of
the following:
• An inflatable nylon bag (airbag)
with an inflator concealed behind
the outboard bolster of the driver
and front passenger seatbacks.
• A special seat cover designed to
allow airbag deployment.
• The same warning light,
electronic control and diagnostic
unit as used for the front airbags.
• Crash sensors located on the
front doors and C pillars (one
sensor on each pillar on each side
of the vehicle).
Side airbags, in combination with
safety belts, can help reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of a
significant side impact collision.
The side airbags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the
front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the airbag on the side affected by
the collision will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate between
the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection provided
occupants in side impact collisions.
The airbag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral
deceleration sufficient to cause the sensors to close an electrical circuit
that initiates airbag inflation.
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WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the
Safety Canopy
system, its fuses, the A, B, C or D pillar trim, or
the headliner on a vehicle containing a Safety Canopy
. See your
authorized dealer.
WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety belts even when an airbag SRS
and Safety Canopy
system is provided.
WARNING: To reduce risk of injury, do not obstruct or place
objects in the deployment path of the inflatable Safety Canopy
.
How does the Safety Canopy  system work?
The design and development of the
Safety Canopy
system included
recommended testing procedures
that were developed by a group of
automotive safety experts known as
the Side Airbag Technical Working
Group. These recommended testing
procedures help reduce the risk of
injuries related to the deployment of
side airbags (including the Safety
Canopy
).
The Safety Canopy
system consists
of the following:
• An inflatable nylon curtain with a
gas generator concealed behind
the headliner and above the doors
(one on each side of vehicle).
• A headliner designed to flex open above the side doors to allow Safety
Canopy
deployment.
• The same readiness airbag light, electronic control and diagnostic unit
as used for the front airbags.
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• Two crash sensors mounted in the front doors (one on each side of
the vehicle).
• Two crash sensors located at the C pillar behind the rear doors (one
on each side of the vehicle).
• Rollover sensor in the restraints control module (RCM).
The Safety Canopy
system, in combination with safety belts, can help
reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact
collision or rollover event.
Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in
the second or third row seats. The Safety Canopy
will not interfere with
children restrained using a properly installed child or booster seat
because it is designed to inflate downward from the headliner above the
doors along the side window opening.
The Safety Canopy
system is designed to activate when the vehicle
sustains lateral deceleration sufficient to cause the side crash sensor to
close an electrical circuit that initiates Safety Canopy
inflation or when
a certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.
The Safety Canopy
is mounted to roof side-rail sheet metal, behind the
headliner, along the entire side of the vehicle. In certain lateral collisions
or rollover events, the Safety Canopy
system will be activated,
regardless of which seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy
is designed
to inflate between the side window area and occupants to further
enhance protection provided in side impact collisions and rollover events.
The fact that the Safety Canopy
did not activate in a collision does not
mean that something is wrong with the system. Rather, it means the
forces were not of the type sufficient to cause activation. The Safety
Canopy
is designed to inflate in certain side impact collisions or rollover
events, not in rear impact, frontal or near-frontal collisions, unless the
collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration or rollover.
WARNING: Several Safety Canopy
system components get hot
after inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.
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WARNING: If the Safety
Canopy
system has
deployed, the Safety Canopy
will
not function again unless replaced.
The Safety Canopy
system
(including the A, B, C, and D
pillar trim and headliner) must be
inspected and serviced by an
authorized dealer. If the Safety
Canopy
is not replaced, it will
not function again, which will
increase the risk of injury in a
future collision.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to the Airbag readiness
section in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the
airbag is not required.
Any difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the
following:
• The readiness light (same light as for front airbag system) will either
flash or stay lit.
• The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
turned on.
• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible. Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event of a collision or rollover event.
S.O.S. Post Crash Alert
The S.O.S Post Crash Alert automatically flashes the turn signal lamps
and sounds the horn three times at four second intervals in the event of
a serious impact that deploys an airbag (front, side, side curtain or
Safety Canopy
) or the safety belt pretensioners.
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Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children
Child size, height, weight, or age Recommended re-
straint type
Infants
or tod-
dlers Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less
(generally age four or younger) Use a child safety
seat (sometimes
called an infant car-
rier, convertible seat,
or toddler seat).
Small
chil-
dren Children who have outgrown or no
longer properly fit in a child safety
seat (generally children who are less
than 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall,
are greater than age four (4) and less
than age twelve (12), and between
40 lbs (18 kg) and 80 lbs (36 kg) and
upward to 100 lbs (45 kg) if recom-
mended by your child restraint manu-
facturer) Use a belt-positioning
booster seat.
Larger
chil-
dren Children who have outgrown or no
longer properly fit in a belt-positioning
booster seat (generally children who
are at least 4 feet 9 inches
(1.45 meters) tall or greater than 80 lb
(36 kg) or 100 lb (45 kg) if recom-
mended by child restraint manufac-
turer) Use a vehicle safety
belt having the lap
belt snug and low
across the hips,
shoulder belt cen-
tered across the
shoulder and chest,
and seatback upright.
• You are required by law to properly use safety seats for infants and
toddlers in the U.S. and Canada.
• Many states and provinces require that small children use approved
booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 4 ft 9 in
(1.45 meters) tall, or 80 lb (36 kg). Check your local and state or
provincial laws for specific requirements regarding the safety of
children in your vehicle.
• When possible, always properly restrain children twelve (12) years of
age and under in a rear seating position of your vehicle. Accident
statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in
the rear seating positions than in a front seating position.
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Recommendations for attaching child safety restraints for children
Re-
straint
Type Child
Weight Use any attachment method as indicated be-
low by “X”
LATCH
(lower
anchors
and top
tether
anchor) LATCH
(lower
anchors
only) Safety
belt
and
top
tether
anchor Safety
belt and
LATCH
(lower
anchors
and top
tether
anchor) Safety
belt
only
Rear fac-
ing child
seat Up to
48 lb
(21 kg) XX
Forward
facing
child seat Up to
48 lb
(21 kg) XXX
Forward
facing
child seat Over
48 lb
(21 kg) XX
WARNING: Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.
NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active air
bag. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move
the vehicle seat all the way back. When possible, all children age 12
and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position. If
all children cannot be seated and restrained properly in a rear seating
position, properly restrain the largest child in the front seat.
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WARNING: Always carefully follow the instructions and
warnings provided by the manufacturer of any child restraint to
determine if the restraint device is appropriate for your child’s size,
height, weight, or age. Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions and warnings provided for installation and use in
conjunction with the instructions and warnings provided by the vehicle
manufacturer. A safety seat that is improperly installed or utilized, is
inappropriate for your child’s height, age, or weight or does not
properly fit the child may increase the risk of serious injury or death.
WARNING: Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap
while the vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the
child from injury in a collision, which may result in serious injury or
death.
WARNING: Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child.
They can slide around and increase the likelihood of injury or
death in a collision.
WARNING: Always restrain an unoccupied child seat or booster
seat. These objects may become projectiles in a collision or
sudden stop, which may increase the risk of serious injury.
WARNING: Never place, or allow a child to place, the shoulder
belt under a child’s arm or behind the back because it reduces
the protection for the upper part of the body and may increase the risk
of injury or death in a collision.
WARNING: Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets
unattended in your vehicle.
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