warning FORD EXPLORER 2009 4.G Workshop Manual
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POSITIVE RETENTION FLOOR MAT
WARNING:Do not install additional floor mats on top of the
factory installed floor mats as they may interfere with the
accelerator or the brake pedals.
Position the driver floor mat so that
the eyelet is over the pointed end of
the retention post and rotate
forward to lock in. Make sure that
the mat does not interfere with the
operation of the accelerator or the
brake pedal. To remove the floor
mat, reverse the installation
procedure.
CARGO COVER (IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a cargo area cover that covers the
luggage compartment of your vehicle.
To install the cover:
Push both ends of the cover into the
depressions (right side first) in the
trim panels behind the second row
seat.
WARNING:To reduce the
risk of injuries, the cargo
area cover must be properly
installed on the rear trim panels.
WARNING:Do not place any objects on the cargo area cover.
They may obstruct your vision or strike occupants of the vehicle
in the case of a sudden stop or collision.
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•To open the liftgate window, press
the control on the remote entry
transmitter or, with the liftgate
unlocked, push the control button
on theright sideunder the
license plate lamp shield.
•To open the liftgate, unlock the
liftgate (with the power door
locks, the remote entry or the
keyless entry pad) and pull the
middlelever under the license
plate lamp shield.
To lock the liftgate and the liftgate window, use the power door locks.
The liftgate door and window should be closed before driving. If not,
possible damage may occur to your vehicle.
WARNING:Always close liftgate window before opening liftgate.
Liftgate glass and liftgate should never be open at the same
time. Failure to observe this warning may result in personal injury or
damage to your vehicle.
WARNING:Make sure the liftgate door and/or window are closed
to prevent exhaust fumes from being drawn into the vehicle. This
will also reduce the risk of passengers and cargo falling out.
LUGGAGE RACK
Your vehicle is equipped with a roof rack for transporting items on the
exterior of the vehicle.
The maximum recommended load to
be carried on the roof rack is 100 lb
(45 kg), evenly distributed. The
cross-bars (if equipped) can be
adjusted by using the thumbwheels
at each end. Use the tie-down loops
on the thumbwheels to secure load.
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To adjust cross-bar position (if
equipped):
1. Loosen the thumbwheel at both
ends of the cross-bar (If the
thumbwheel is too tight to release
by hand, a small screwdriver or
similar device can be used to release
the torque by inserting the shaft
into the tie-down loop and twisting
the thumbwheel counterclockwise).
Both cross-bars are adjustable.
2. Slide the cross-bar to the desired location.
3. Firmly retighten the thumbwheel at both ends of the cross-bar.
Be sure to check that the thumbwheels are tight each time load is added
or removed from the roof rack, and periodically while traveling. Always
ensure that the load is secure before traveling.
Note:When the cross-bars are not in use, they can either be removed or
adjusted so that the rear crossbar is fully rearward, and the front
crossbar is 10 inches from the front end-cap to decrease wind noise.
Ford Motor Company recommends loading the roof rack only when
equipped with (optional) crossbars, to avoid unintended damage to the
roof panel.
WARNING:Loaded vehicles, with a higher center of gravity,
may handle differently than unloaded vehicles. Extra
precautions, such as slower speeds and increased stopping distance,
should be taken when driving a heavily loaded vehicle.
WARNING:Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as
utility and four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel drive
vehicles are not designed for cornering at speeds as high as passenger
cars any more than low-slung sport cars are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive
speed and abrupt maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive
cautiously could result in an increase risk of loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
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SEATING
WARNING:Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to
slide under the seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal
injuries in the event of a collision.
WARNING:Do not pile cargo higher than the seatbacks to
reduce the risk of injury in a collision or sudden stop.
WARNING:Before returning the seatback to its original
position, make sure that cargo or any objects are not trapped
behind the seatback. After returning the seatback to its original
position, pull on the seatback to ensure that it has fully latched. An
unlatched seat may become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or
collision.
Adjustable head restraints
Your vehicle is equipped with front row outboard head restraints that are
vertically adjustable.
WARNING:To minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
crash, the driver and passenger occupants should not sit in
and/or operate the vehicle, until the head restraint is placed in its
proper position. The driver should never adjust the head restraint
while the vehicle is in motion.
The adjustable head restraints
consist of :
•a trimmed energy absorbing foam
and structure (1),
•two steel stems (2),
•a guide sleeve adjust/release
button (3),
•and a guide sleeve unlock/remove
button (4).
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To adjust the head restraint, do the following:
1. Adjust the seatback to an upright driving/riding position.
2. Raise the head restraint by
pulling up on the head restraint.
3. Lower the head restraint by
pressing and holding the guide
sleeve adjust/release button and
pushing down on the head restraint.
Properly adjust the head restraint so that the top of the head restraint is
even with the top of your head and positioned as close as possible to the
back of your head. For occupants of extremely tall stature, adjust the
head restraint to its full up position.
WARNING:The adjustable head restraint is a safety device.
Whenever possible it should be installed and properly adjusted
when the seat is occupied.
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WARNING:To minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
crash, head restraints must be installed properly.
Adjusting the front manual seat (if equipped)
WARNING:Never adjust the driver’s seat or seatback when the
vehicle is moving.
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
Lift handle to move seat forward or
backward.
Pull lever up to adjust seatback.
WARNING:Before
returning the seatback to its
original position, make sure that
cargo or any objects are not
trapped behind the seatback. After
returning the seatback to its
original position, pull on the
seatback to ensure that it has fully
latched. An unlatched seat may
become dangerous in the event of
a sudden stop or collision.
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Using the manual lumbar support (if equipped)
For more lumbar support, turn the
lumbar support control toward the
front of vehicle.
For less lumbar support, turn the
lumbar support control toward the
rear of vehicle.
Adjusting the front power seat (if equipped)
WARNING:Never adjust the driver’s seat or seatback when the
vehicle is moving.
WARNING:Do not pile cargo higher than the seatbacks to avoid
injuring people in a collision or sudden stop.
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING:Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to
slide under the seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal
injuries in the event of a collision.
WARNING:Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat
back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion
and affect the decision of the passenger sensing system, resulting in
serious injury or death in a crash. Always sit upright against your
seatback, with your feet on the floor.
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WARNING:To reduce the risk of possible serious injury: Do not
hang objects off seat back or stow objects in the seatback map
pocket (if equipped) when a child is in the front passenger seat. Do
not place objects underneath the front passenger seat or between the
seat and the center console (if equipped). Check the “passenger airbag
off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp for proper airbag status. Refer
toFront passenger sensing systemsection for additional details.
Failure to follow these instructions may interfere with the front
passenger seat sensing system.
The control is located on the outboard side of the seat cushion.
Press front to raise or lower the
front portion of the seat cushion.
Press rear to raise or lower the rear
portion of the seat cushion.
Press the control to move the seat
forward, backward, up or down.
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Deactivating/activating the easy access/easy out feature
The easy entry/exit feature can be turned off or on through the vehicle
message center (if equipped). If your vehicle does not have a message
center, the feature can be turned off or on through the following process:
1. Put the key into the ignition (The driver seat may move forward if the
easy entry/exit feature is activated).
2. Place the ignition key into the on position (do not start the vehicle).
When the vehicle is in the on position, the interior and exterior lights,
the climate controls, and the radio are functional without the engine
started. SeeProgramming remote transmittersfor ignition switch
diagram.
3. Turn the ignition key to the off position.
4. Cycle the ignition key between the off position and the on position a
total of three times ending with the ignition in the off position.
5. Engage the forward or rearward seat switch.
6. Remove the ignition key from the ignition switch. (The driver seat
may move rearward if the easy entry/exit feature is activated).
Steps 2 through 6 must be performed within a 20 second period. The
easy entry/exit feature will be deactivated. Repeating the above process
will also reactivate the easy entry/exit feature.
Heated seats (if equipped)
WARNING:Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin
because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes, spinal cord
injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaustion, or other physical
conditions, must exercise care when using the seat heater. The seat
heater may cause burns even at low temperatures, especially if used
for long periods of time. Do not place anything on the seat that
insulates against heat, such as a blanket or cushion, because this may
cause the seat heater to overheat. Do not puncture the seat with pins,
needles, or other pointed objects because this may damage the heating
element which may cause the seat heater to overheat. An overheated
seat may cause serious personal injury.
Note:Do not do the following:
•Place heavy objects on the seat
•Operate the seat heater if water or any other liquid is spilled on the
seat. Allow the seat to dry thoroughly.
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If needed, when installing some high back child restraints, the head
restraints of the second row seating positions can be removed. Insert a
thin pointed object, such as a paper clip or pushpin, into the hole of
each head restraint guide and while lifting up remove the head restraint.
Store the head restraint in a secure location in the vehicle. To re-install
the head restraint, line the posts up in the holes on the seat back with
the head restraint strap facing the outside of the vehicle and push down
until the head restraint locks into place. Lift gently to ensure it is locked
into place.
Refer toSafety seats for childrenlater in this chapter.
WARNING:If the head restraint has been removed from a
seating position to accommodate a high back child restraint, the
head restraint must be re-installed prior to use of the seat by any other
occupant in order to reduce the risk of personal injury in the event of
a collision.
Folding down the 2nd row 60/40 seats and bucket seats
Ensure that the head restraint is in the down position and no objects
such as books, purses or briefcases are on the floor in front of the
second row seats before folding them down.
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