FORD CONTOUR 1997 2.G Owners Manual

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Fastening the front seat lap and shoulder belt
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NOTE: Be sure to read and understandImportant Safety Belt
Informationin this chapter.
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[SS05100(ALL)12/95]
To adjust the lap part of the belt,pull up on the shoulder belt
until the lap belt fits snugly and as low as possible around your
hips.
[SS05200(ALL)12/95]
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Unfastening the combination lap and shoulder belts
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While the belt retracts, guide the tongue to its original position
to prevent it from striking you or the vehicle.
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Seating and Safety Restraints
91
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Dual Locking Mode Lap/Shoulder Belt Retractor
[SS05500(ALL)12/95]
The front passenger seat and the rear outer seat combination lap
and shoulder belts are equipped with a dual locking mode
retractor on theshoulderbelt portion of the lap/shoulder belt.
This retractor can be switched from vehicle sensitive
(emergency) locking mode to automatic locking mode by pulling
the belt webbing all of the way out of the retractor. The
retractor modes function as follows.
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Vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode
[SS05700(ALL)12/95]
In this operating mode, the lap/shoulder belt retractor will
allow the occupant freedom of movement, locking tight only on
hard braking, hard cornering or impacts of approximately
5 mph (8 km/h) or more.
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Automatic locking mode
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This mode must be used when installing a child seat on the
front passenger seat and rear 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:
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RWARNING
Rear-facing child seats or infant carriers should never be
placed in the front seats.
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[SS06100(ALL)02/96]1.
Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt.
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[SS06200(ALL)12/95]2.
Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and pull downward
until all of the belt is extracted and a click is heard. At this
time, the retractor is in the automatic locking mode (child
restraint mode).
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[SS06300(ALL)12/95]3.
Allow the belt to retract. A clicking sound will be heard as
the belt retracts. This indicates that the retractor is in the
automatic locking mode.
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92
[SS06400(ALL)12/95]4.
Pull up on the shoulder belt to remove slack in the lap belt.
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NOTE: When the combination lap/shoulder belt is unbuckled
and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will
switch to the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking
mode. See the detailed instructions underSafety Seats
for Childrenin this chapter.
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Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment
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Driver and right front passenger
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You can adjust the shoulder belt height to one of four (4)
positions.
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To adjust the belt down, push the release button (see figures 1
and 2). To adjust the belt up, slide the adjuster up. (You do not
have to push the release button.)
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Figure 1 Ð The shoulder belt height adjuster
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Figure 2 Ð Adjusting the shoulder belt height
[SS07200(ALL)12/95]
Make sure the adjuster is firmly in one of the four positions.
The belt should be adjusted up or down until the belt rests on
your shoulder near your neck.
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RWARNING
Position the shoulder belt height adjuster so that the belt
rests across the middle of your shoulder. Be sure the
shoulder belt is properly positioned on your shoulder
each time you use the belt. If the shoulder belt is off
your shoulder, on your upper arm or neck, there is a
greater risk of severe injury in a collision.
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Lap Belts
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The lap belt in the center of the rear seat does not adjust
automatically. You must adjust it to fit snugly and as low as
possible around your hips. Do not wear it around your waist.
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Pull the belt across your hips andinsert the tongue into the
correct buckleon your seat until you hear a snap and feel it
lock. Make sure the buckle is securely fastened.
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94
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If you need to lengthen the belt, unfasten it and tip the belt
tongue at a right angle to the belt. Pull the belt tongue over
your lap until it reaches the buckle.
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If you need to shorten the belt, pull on the loose end of the
webbing until the belt fits snugly.
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To unfasten the belt, push the release button on the end of the
buckle. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle.
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Unfastening the lap belt in center rear seating position
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Safety Belt Extension Assembly
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For some people, the safety belt may be too short even when it
is fully extended. You can add about eight inches (20 cm) to the
belt length with a safety belt extension assembly (part number
611C22). Safety belt extensions are available at no cost from
your dealer.
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[SS08300(ALL)01/96]
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.
Do not use extension to change the fit of the shoulder belt
across the torso.
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95
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RWARNING
Failure to follow these instructions will affect the
performance of the safety belts and increase the risk of
personal injury.
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Safety Belt Maintenance
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[SS08600(ALL)02/96]
Check the safety belt systems periodically to make sure that
they work properly and are not damaged.
[SS08700(ALL)12/95]
Ford recommends that all safety belt assemblies and attaching
hardware, should be inspected after any collision. Ford
recommends that all safety belt assemblies used in vehicles
involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was
minor and a qualified technician finds that the belts do not
show damage and continue to operate properly, they do not
need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in use during a
collision should also be inspected and replaced if either damage
or improper operation is noted.
[SS08800(ALL)12/95]
Safety Belt Warning Label
[SS08900(ALL)12/95]
A warning label has been placed on the buckle of each of your
vehicle's front seat safety belts.
[SS09000(ALL)12/95]
In a collision of sufficient severity while the safety belt is in use,
the safety belt buckle will pull out of the sleeve so that all or
part of the orange portion of the label is visible.
[SS09100(ALL)12/95]
RWARNING
Whenever the orange portion of the label is visible, the
safety belt must be replaced.
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The warning label on the front seat safety belt buckle
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Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS)
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Important Air Bag Precautions
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Your vehicle is equipped with a supplemental restraint system
designed to work with the safety belts to help protect you and
your right front seat passenger in the event of a collision. The
Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System is primarily designed to
reduce certain upper body injuries.
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97
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RWARNING
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should
always wear their safety belts, failure to do so may
increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a
collision.
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RWARNING
The right front passenger air bag is not designed to
restrain occupants in the center front seating position.
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RWARNING
Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the
air bag covers that may come into contact with an
inflating air bag. Failure to follow these instructions may
increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a
collision.
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RWARNING
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag
Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your
Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
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RWARNING
If you are close to an inflating air bag, it could seriously
injure you. Position your seat such that it is as far back
from the steering wheel as possible but still allows you
to properly control the vehicle.
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Children and Air Bags
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NOTE: For additional important safety information on the
proper use of seat belts, child seats, and infant seats,
please read the entire Safety Restraints section in this
owner guide.
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[SS10501(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Children should always wear their safety belts. Failure to
follow these instructions may increase the risk of
personal injury in the event of a collision.
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RWARNING
Rear-facing infant seats must always be secured in the
rear seat.
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How Does the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
Work?
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The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System is designed to
activate when the vehicle is in a collision similar to hitting a
fixed barrier head on at 8-14 mph (13-23 km/h). The fact that
the air bags did not inflate 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 acitivation.
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If the vehicle is in a moderate or severe frontal collision, the
system is activated and the air bags inflate rapidly. After the air
bag inflates, it will quickly deflate. After the air bag
deployment, you may notice a smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This is normal. The residue may
consist of cornstarch or talcum powder (which is used to
lubricate the air bag) or sodium compounds, such as sodium
carbonates (e.g. baking soda) that result from the combustion
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99 process that inflates the air bag. Small amounts of sodium
hydroxide may be present which may irritate the skin and eyes,
but none of the residue is toxic. The Air Bag Supplemental
Restraint System will reduce, but not eliminate all injuries in an
accident.
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[SS11001(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation.
Do not try to touch them after inflation.
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[SS11101(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
The air bag will inflate only once. The system is
designed to function on a one-time-only basis. If the air
bag is inflated, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT FUNCTION
AGAIN AND MUST BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. If
the air bag is not replaced, this will increase the risk of
injury in a subsequent collision.
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The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System consists of:
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driver and passenger air bag modules (which include the
inflators and air bags),
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one or more impact and safing sensors,
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a system diagnostic module,
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a readiness light and tone,
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n
and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
[SS11751(ALL)04/96]
The diagnostic module monitors its own circuits, the air bag
electrical system, the air bag readiness light, the air bag power
and the air bag inflators.
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