warning FORD CONTOUR 1997 2.G Owner's Guide

Seating and Safety Restraints
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.
*
[SS11001(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation.
Do not try to touch them after inflation.
*
[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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[SS11201(ALL)03/96]
The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System consists of:
*
[SS11301(ALL)03/96]
n
driver and passenger air bag modules (which include the
inflators and air bags),
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[SS11401(ALL)03/96]
n
one or more impact and safing sensors,
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[SS11501(ALL)00/96]
n
a system diagnostic module,
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[SS11601(ALL)03/96]
n
a readiness light and tone,
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[SS11701(ALL)03/96]
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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Seating and Safety Restraints
101
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[SS13600(ALL)02/96]
RWARNING
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.
*
[SS13700(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
Cargo should always be secured to prevent it from
shifting and causing damage to the vehicle or harm to
passengers.
*
[SS13800(ALL)01/96]
When possible, put children in the rear seat of your vehicle.
Accident statistics suggest that children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating
positions.
*
[SS13900(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions
included with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If
you do not install and use the safety seat properly, the
child may be injured in a sudden stop or collision.
*
[SS14000(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
Safety belts and seats can become hot in a vehicle that
has been closed up in sunny weather; they could burn a
small child. Check seat covers and buckles before you
place a child anywhere near them.
*
[SS14100(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets
unattended in your vehicle.
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102
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[SS14200(ALL)01/96]
Safety Seats for Children
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[SS14300(ALL)01/96]
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight
of the child. Always follow the safety seat manufacturer's
instructions when installing and using the safety seat.
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[SS14400(ALL)01/96]
Ford recommends the use of a child safety seat having a top
tether strap. Install the child safety seat in a seating position
which is capable of providing a tether anchorage. For more
information on top tether straps seeAttaching Safety Seats With
Tether Strapsin this chapter.
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[SS14500(ALL)03/96]
Your vehicle is equipped with a right front passenger air bag.
Air bags deploy with great force, faster than the blink of an eye.
Front passengers, especially children and small adults, must
never sit on the front edge of the seat, stand near the glove
compartment of the instrument panel, or lean over near the air
bag cover when the vehicle is moving. All occupants should sit
with their backs against the seatback, move the seat to the most
rearward position if possible and use the safety belts. Children
weighing less than 40 lbs. (18 kg) always should use child or
infant seats.
%*
[SS14600(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
When using forward-facing child seats move the
passenger seat as far back from the instrument panel as
possible. Never secure rear-facing infant seats in the front
seat.
[SS14700(ALL)12/95]
THE FORCE OF THE RAPIDLY INFLATING PASSENGER AIR
BAG COULD PUSH THE TOP OF THE REAR-FACING SEAT
AGAINST THE VEHICLE SEATBACK, ARMRESTS OR
CONSOLE. REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS MUST ALWAYS
BE SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT. Failure to follow these
instructions could result in serious injury.
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Seating and Safety Restraints
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[SS14800(ALL)01/96]
All child restraint systems are designed to be secured in vehicle
seats by lap belts or by the lap portion of a lap-shoulder belt.
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[SS14900(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
If you do not properly secure the safety seat, the child
occupying the seat may be injured during a collision or
sudden stop. An unsecured safety seat could also injure
other passengers.
*
[SS15000(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions
included with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If
you do not install and use the safety seat properly, the
child may be injured in a sudden stop or collision.
*
[SS15100(ALL)01/96]
When installing a child safety seat, be sure to use the correct
safety belt buckle for that seating position, and make sure the
tongue is securely fastened in the buckle. For a shoulder/lap
belt combination with a sliding tongue, make sure the retractor
is in the automatic locking mode.
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[SS15200(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Always keep the buckle release button pointing upward
and away from the child seat, with the tongue between
the child seat and the release button as shown in the
following illustration.
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Seating and Safety Restraints
113
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[SS17400(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions
included with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If
you do not install and use the safety seat properly, the
child may be injured in a sudden stop or collision.
[SS17500(ALL)12/95]
Installing Child Safety Seats in the Rear Center Seating
Position
[SS17600(ALL)04/96]
Some child safety seats may be too wide to fit in the rear center
seat. If you wish to install a child safety seat in the rear center
seating position, choose a child safety seat with a base that can
fit between the safety belt buckles. Otherwise, secure the child
safety seat in another seating position.
%*
[SS17700(ALL)04/96]
Attaching Safety Seats With Tether Straps
*
[SS17800(ALL)04/96]
Some manufacturers make safety seats that include a tether
strap that goes over the back of the vehicle seat and attaches to
an anchoring point. Other manufacturers offer the tether strap
as an accessory. Contact the manufacturer of your child safety
seat for information about ordering a tether strap.
[SS17900(ALL)12/95]
To install a tether from a child safety seat in the front seat,
route the tether strap under the vehicle seat head restraint and
hook the tether hook into the hole in the tongue of the center
rear lap belt. After the hook is in the hole, pull on the loose end
of the lap belt webbing to shorten the belt and tighten the
tether strap.
[SS18000(ALL)12/95]
To install a tethered child safety seat in the rear seat, you will
need tether anchorage hardware.
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[SS18100(ALL)12/95]
Tether anchorage hardware(Canadian vehicles only)
[SS18200(ALL)12/95]
All vehicles built for sale in Canada include a tether anchor
hardware kit for use with child safety seats. Attachment holes
(at each rear seating position) have been provided in your
vehicle to attach the anchor hardware, if required. Additional
kits can be obtained at no charge from any Ford or
Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
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[SS18300(ALL)12/95]
Tether anchorage hardware(U.S. vehicles only)
[SS18400(ALL)12/95]
All vehicles built for sale in the USA do not include a tether
anchor hardware kit for use with child safety seats. However,
attachment holes (at each rear seating position) have been
provided in your vehicle to attach the tether anchor hardware.
If tether anchorage hardware is required for the child safety
seat, use only the tether anchor kit available at no charge from
any Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer (Base part number 613D74).
%*
[SS18500(ALL)01/96]
Safety Belts for Children
*
[SS18600(ALL)01/96]
Children who are too large for child safety seats should always
wear safety belts. (See instructions with your child seat, or
contact its manufacturer, to determine maximum size of child
that will safely fit in the seat.)
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[SS18700(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
If safety belts are not properly worn and adjusted as
described, the risk of serious injury to the child in a
collision will be much greater.
*
[SS18800(ALL)01/96]
If the shoulder belt portion of one of the lap and shoulder belts
can be positioned so that it does not cross or rest in front of the
child's face or neck, the child should wear the lap and shoulder
belt. Moving the child closer to the center of the vehicle may
help provide a good shoulder belt fit.
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Seating and Safety Restraints
115
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[SS18900(ALL)01/96]
To improve the fit of lap and shoulder belts on children who
have outgrown child safety seats, Ford recommends use of a
belt-positioning booster seat that is labelled as conforming to all
Federal motor vehicle safety standards. Belt-positioning booster
seats raise the child and provide a shorter, firmer seating
cushion that encourages safer seating posture and better fit of
lap and shoulder belts on the child. A belt-positioning booster
should be used if the shoulder belt rests in front of the child's
face or neck, or if the lap belt does not fit snugly on both
thighs, or if the thighs are too short to let the child sit all the
way back on the seat cushion when the lower legs hang over
the edge of the seat cushion. You may wish to discuss the
specific needs of your child with your pediatrician.
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[SS19000(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
Do not use a belt-positioning booster with a lap-only
belt.
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[SS19100(ALL)01/96]
Lap belts and the lap belt portion of lap and shoulder belts
should always be worn snugly and below the hips, touching the
child's thighs.
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[SS19200(ALL)02/96]
RWARNING
Children should always ride with the seatback in the
fully upright position.
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117
Starting
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[TO00200(ALL)01/96]
Fuel-Injected Engines
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[TO00300(ALL)01/96]
When starting a fuel-injected engine,the most important thing
to remember is to avoid pressing down on the accelerator
before or during starting. Only use the accelerator when you
have problems getting your vehicle started. SeeStarting Your
Enginein this chapter for details about when to use the
accelerator while you start your vehicle.
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[TO00400(ALL)01/96]
Starting Your Vehicle
%*
[TO00500(ALL)01/96]
Preparing to Start Your Vehicle
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[TO00600(ALL)02/96]
RWARNING
Do not start your vehicle in a closed garage or in other
enclosed areas. Exhaust fumes can be toxic. Always open
the garage door before you start the engine.
*
[TO00700(ALL)01/96]
Before you start your vehicle, do the following:
*
[TO00800(ALL)01/96]1.
Make sure all occupants in the vehicle buckle their safety
belts. SeeSafety Restraintsin the Index for more details.
*
[TO00900(ALL)12/95]2.
Make sure your headlamps and other accessories are turned
off and the parking brake is set.
[TO01000(ALL)12/95]3.
If you have a manual transaxle,make sure that the parking
brake is fully set, push the clutch pedal to the floor, and put
the gearshift into Neutral before you turn the key.
(Remember, the starter will operate only if the clutch pedal
is pushed all the way to the floor.)
[TO02000(ALL)12/95]
If you have an automatic transaxle,make sure that the
gearshift is in P (Park) and the parking brake is set before
you turn the key.
*
[TO02100(ALL)02/96]
Before you start your vehicle, you should test the warning lights
on the instrument panel to make sure that they work. Refer to
theInstrumentationchapter.
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Starting
121
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[TO05000(ALL)01/96]
A computer system controls the engine's idle speed. When you
start your vehicle, the engine's idle speed normally runs high.
These faster engine speeds will make your vehicle coast slightly
faster than its normal idle speed. It should, however, slow down
after a short time. If it does not, have the idle speed checked.
*
[TO05100(ALL)01/96]
If the engine idle speed does not slow down automatically, do
not allow your vehicle to idle for more than 10 minutes. Have
the vehicle checked.
*
[TO05200(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
Extended idling at high engine speeds can produce very
high temperatures in the engine and exhaust system,
creating the risk of fire or other damage.
*
[TO05300(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass or
other dry ground cover. The emission system heats up
the engine compartment and exhaust system, which can
start a fire.
*
[TO05400(ALL)01/96]
If you consistently start your vehicle in subzero temperatures,
use an engine block heater (if your vehicle has this option).
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122
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[TO05500(ALL)01/96]
Engine Block Heater (If equipped)
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[TO05600(ALL)01/96]
Engine block heaters are strongly recommended if you live in a
region where temperatures reach-10ÊF (-23ÊC) orbelow. An
engine block heater warms the engine coolant, which improves
starting, warms up the engine faster, and allows the
heater-defrost system to respond quickly.
*
[TO05700(ALL)01/96]
To turn the heater on, simply plug it into a grounded 110-volt
outlet. Ford recommends that you use a 110-volt circuit that is
protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter.
*
[TO05800(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
To prevent electrical shock, do not use your heater with
ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater)
adapters.
*
[TO05900(ALL)01/96]
For best results, plug the heater in at least three hours before
you start your vehicle. Using the heater for longer than three
hours will not damage the engine, so you can plug it in at night
to start your vehicle the following morning.
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