Mercury Mountaineer 2009 Owner's Manuals

Automatic locking mode
When to use the automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will
still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt. The automatic
locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.
This mode should be usedany timea child safety seat, except a
booster, is installed in passenger front or rear seating positions. Children
12 years old and under should be properly restrained in the rear seat
whenever possible. Refer toSafety restraints for childrenorSafety
seats for childrenlater in this chapter.
How to use the automatic locking mode
•Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
•Grasp the shoulder portion and
pull downward until the entire
belt is pulled out.
•Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking
sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the automatic locking
mode.
How to disengage the automatic locking mode
Unbuckle the combination lap and shoulder belt and allow it to retract
completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and activate the
vehicle sensitive mode.
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WARNING:After any vehicle collision, the combination lap and
shoulder belt system at all passenger seating positions must be
checked by an authorized dealer to verify that the “automatic locking
retractor” feature for child seats is still functioning properly, in addition
to other checks for proper safety belt system function.
WARNING:BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE
REPLACED if the safety belt assembly “automatic locking
retractor” feature or any other safety belt function is not operating
properly. In addition, all safety belts should be checked for proper
function. Failure to replace the belt and retractor assembly could
increase the risk of injury in collisions.
Safety belt pretensioner
Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and
right front passenger seating positions.
The safety belt pretensioner tightens the safety belts firmly against the
occupant’s body at the start of the crash.
When the Safety Canopy
system, seat-mounted side airbags, and/or the
front airbags are activated, the safety belt pretensioners for the driver
and right front passenger seating positions will be activated when the
respective seatbelt is properly buckled.
WARNING:The driver and front passenger safety belt system
(including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be
replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in
deployment of front airbags, seat-mounted side airbags and Safety
Canopy
, and safety belt pretensioners.
Refer to theSafety belt maintenancesection in this chapter.
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Front safety belt height adjustment
Your vehicle has safety belt height
adjustments at the front outboard
seating positions. Adjust the height
of the shoulder belt so the belt rests
across the middle of your shoulder.
To adjust the shoulder belt height,
squeeze and hold the buttons on the
side and slide the height adjuster up
or down. Release the buttons and
pull down on the height adjuster to
make sure it is locked in place.
WARNING:Position the safety belt height adjusters so that the
belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust
the safety belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the safety
belt and increase the risk of injury in a collision.
Second row comfort guide
The second row outboard
lap/shoulder belt is equipped with a
belt comfort guide. This guide is
attached to the quarter trim panel
and is used to adjust the comfort of
the shoulder belt for smaller
occupants in the outboard second
row seats.
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To adjust the comfort guide:
1. Slip the shoulder belt into the
belt guide.
2. Slide the guide up or down along
the webbing so that the belt is
centered on the occupant’s shoulder.
WARNING:Position the safety belt comfort guide so that the
belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust
the safety belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the safety
belt and increase the risk of injury in a collision.
Safety belt extension assembly
If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, there is an 8 inch
(20 cm) safety belt extension assembly that can be added (part number
611C22). This assembly can be obtained from an authorized dealer.
Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on
the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too
short for you when fully extended.
WARNING:Do not use extensions to change the fit of the
shoulder belt across the torso.
Safety belt warning light and indicator chime
The safety belt warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster and a
chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.
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Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the on
position...The safety belt warning light
illuminates 1-2 minutes and the
warning chime sounds 4-8 seconds.
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled while the indicator
light is illuminated and the
warning chime is sounding...The safety belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the on
position...The safety belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
Belt-Minder
The Belt-Minder
feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt
warning function. This feature provides additional reminders by
intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning
light in the instrument cluster when the driver’s and front passenger’s
safety belt is unbuckled.
The Belt-Minder
feature uses information from the front passenger
sensing system to determine if a front seat passenger is present and
therefore potentially in need of a warning. To avoid activating the
Belt-Minder
feature for objects placed in the front passenger seat,
warnings will only be given to large front seat occupants as determined
by the front passenger sensing system.
Both the driver’s and passenger’s safety belt usages are monitored and
either may activate the Belt-Minder
feature. The warnings are the same
for the driver and the front passenger. If the Belt-Minder
warnings have
expired (warnings for approximately five minutes) for one occupant
(driver or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the
Belt-Minder
feature.
When the Belt-Minder
feature is activated, the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime sounds for six seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for approximately five minutes or until the safety
belts are buckled.
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The Belt-Minder
feature uses two different warning chimes. During the
first minute of activation, the warning chime will sound once every
second. The remaining warning chimes will sound twice every second
while the system is activated.
If... Then...
The driver’s and front
passenger’s safety belts are
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the on
position or less than
1-2 minutes have elapsed since
the ignition switch has been
turned on...The Belt-Minder
feature will not
activate.
The driver’s or front
passenger’s safety belt is not
buckled when the vehicle has
reached at least 3 mph
(5 km/h) and 1-2 minutes have
elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned to on...The Belt-Minder
feature is activated
- the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for six seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately five minutes or until
the safety belts are buckled.
The driver’s or front
passenger’s safety belt becomes
unbuckled for approximately
1 minute while the vehicle is
traveling at least 3 mph
(5 km/h) and more than
1-2 minutes have elapsed since
the ignition switch has been
turned to on...The Belt-Minder
feature is activated
- the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for six seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately five minutes or until
the safety belts are buckled.
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The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts
(All statistics based on U.S. data):
Reasons given... Consider...
“Crashes are rare events”36700 crashes occur every day.The
more we drive, the more we are exposed
to “rare” events, even for good drivers.
1 in 4 of us will be seriously injured
in a crash during our lifetime.
“I’m not going far”3of4fatal crashes occur within25
miles (40 km) of home.
“Belts are uncomfortable” We design our safety belts to enhance
comfort. If you are uncomfortable - try
different positions for the safety belt
upper anchorage and seatback which
should be as upright as possible; this can
improve comfort.
“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 deathto front seat
occupants by45% in cars,and by60%
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.
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Reasons given... Consider...
“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.Peoplewho 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
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the safety belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minder
is disabled for
the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minder
feature will enable during
the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time
disable.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minderfeature
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder
are
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
Note: The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder
features must be
disabled/enabled separately. Both cannot be disable/enabled during the
same key cycle.
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The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder
features 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 front 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. For the seating position being disabled, 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
seconds with the light off, then followed by the safety belt warning
light flashing four times per second for three seconds again.
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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.
WARNING:The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 inches
(25 cm) between an occupant’s chest and the driver airbag module.
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