child restraint FORD EXPLORER 2000 2.G User Guide

Disposal of air bags and air bag equipped vehicles
(including pretensioners)
For disposal of air bags or air bag equipped vehicles, see your local
dealership or qualified technician. Air bags MUST BE disposed of by
qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN
See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety
restraints for children. Also seeAir Bag Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS)in this chapter for special instructions about using air
bags.
Important child restraint precautions
You are required by law to use safety restraints for children in the U.S.
and Canada. If small children ride in your vehicle (generally children who
are four years old or younger and who weigh 18 kg [40 lbs] or less), you
must put them in safety seats made especially for children. Check your
local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements regarding the
safety of children in your vehicle.
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.
Always follow the instructions and warnings that come with any infant or
child restraint you might use.
When possible, always place children under age 12 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
position.
Children and safety belts
If the child is the proper size, restrain the child in a safety seat.
Children who are too large for child safety seats (as specified by your
child safety seat manufacturer) should always wear safety belts.
Follow all the important safety restraint and air bag precautions that
apply to adult passengers in your vehicle.
If the shoulder belt portion of a combination lap and shoulder belt can
be positioned so it does not cross or rest in front of the child's face or
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143

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.
Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets unattended in
your vehicle.
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 applicable 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 special needs of your child
with your pediatrician.
SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety seats
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions 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.
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144

When installing a child safety seat:
²Review and follow the information
presented in theAir Bag
Supplemental Restraint System
section in this chapter.
²Use the correct safety belt buckle
for that seating position (the
buckle closest to the direction the
tongue is coming from).
²Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle until you hear a
snap and feel it latch. Make sure
the tongue is securely fastened in
the buckle.
²Keep the buckle release button
pointing up and away from the
safety seat, with the tongue
between the child seat and the
release button, to prevent accidental unbuckling.
²Place seat back in upright position.
²Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer toAutomatic
locking mode(passenger side front and outboard rear seating
positions) (if equipped).
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, refer toAttaching safety seats with tether straps.
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.
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145

Installing child safety seats in combination lap and shoulder belt
seating positions
Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child seat.NEVERplace 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 seat all the
way back.
1. Position the child safety seat in a
seat with a combination lap and
shoulder belt.
Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in the rear
seat whenever possible.
2. Pull down on the shoulder belt
and then grasp the shoulder belt
and lap belt together.
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146

3. While holding the shoulder and
lap belt portions together, route the
tongue through the child seat
according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. Be sure
the belt webbing is not twisted.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle (the buckle closest to
the direction the tongue is coming
from) for that seating position until
you hear a snap and feel the latch
engage. Make sure the tongue is
latched securely by pulling on it.
5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp the
shoulder portion of the belt and pull
downward until all of the belt is
extracted and a click is heard.
6. Allow the belt to retract. The belt will click as it retracts to indicate it
is in the automatic locking mode.
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147

7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle and
pull up on the shoulder belt while
pushing down with your knee on the
child seat.
8. Allow the safety belt to retract to
remove any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly tilt the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
10. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is
in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt
out). If the retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat steps
two through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use.
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.
Tether anchorage hardware
A tethered seat can be installed in the front seat. Put the tether strap
over the seatback and attach it to an anchor bracket.
An anchor bracket can be installed on the rear edge of the front seat
cushion.
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148

The provision (attaching hole) is provided in the rear edge of the front
passenger seat cushion frame. The anchorbracket must be installed using
the instructions provided with the kit.
Tether anchorage hardware kits (part number 613D74) including
instructions, may be obtained at no charge from any Ford or
Lincoln/Mercury dealer.
Tighten the anchor according to specifications. Otherwise, the
safety seat may not be properly secured and the child may be
injured in a sudden stop or collision.
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149

A
Air bag supplemental
restraint system ........135±136, 140
and child safety seats ............137
description ......................136, 140
disposal ....................................143
driver air bag ..................138, 141
indicator light ...........10, 139, 142
operation .........................138, 141
passenger air bag ...........138, 141
side air bag ..............................140
Air cleaner filter .......................266
Air conditioning ..........................22
automatic temperature
control system ..........................25
rear seat controls .....................31
Air suspension ...........................158
description ..............................158
warning light .............................12
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................173
Ambulance packages ....................3
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................223
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ......................155±156
Anti-theft system
warning light .............................11
Armrests ....................................105
Audio system (see Radio) .........35
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .........................160, 163
fluid, adding ....................229, 231
fluid, checking ................229, 231
fluid, refill capacities ..............266fluid, specification ..................272
Auxiliary power point ...............104
Axle
lubricant specifications ..269, 272
refill capacities ........................266
traction lok ..............................176
B
Battery .......................................236
acid, treating emergencies .....236
charging system
warning light .............................11
jumping a disabled battery ....204
maintenance-free ....................236
replacement, specifications ...266
servicing ..................................236
voltage gauge ............................16
Belt minder ...............................131
Brakes ........................................155
anti-lock ...........................155±156
anti-lock brake system
(ABS) warning light .........10, 156
brake warning light ..................10
fluid, checking and adding ....221
fluid, refill capacities ..............266
fluid, specifications .........269, 272
lubricant specifications ..269, 272
parking ....................................156
shift interlock ..........................159
Break-in period .............................3
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....266
Cargo area shade ......................106
Cargo cover ...............................106
CD changer .................................77
Index
288

Certification Label ....................274
Child safety restraints ..............143
child safety belts ....................143
Child safety seats ......................144
in front seat ............................146
in rear seat ..............................146
tether anchorage hardware ...148
Cleaning your vehicle ...............259
engine compartment ..............260
exterior ............................260, 262
exterior lamps .........................263
instrument cluster lens ..........264
instrument panel ....................263
interior .............................263±264
mirrors .....................................265
plastic parts ............................262
safety belts ..............................264
washing ....................................259
waxing .....................................259
wheels ......................................262
windows ..................................265
wiper blades ............................263
woodtone trim ........................265
Climate control (see Air
conditioning or Heating) ............22
Clock ..........................41, 47, 57, 70
Clutch
fluid ..........................................222
operation while driving ..........166
recommended shift speeds ....167
Compass, electronic ....................92
calibration .................................94
set zone adjustment .................93
Console ......................................103
overhead ....................................90
rear ..........................................104
Controls
power seat ...............................120steering column ........................89
Coolant
checking and adding ..............223
refill capacities ................227, 266
specifications ..................269, 272
Cruise control
(see Speed control) ....................82
Customer Assistance ................189
Ford accessories for your
vehicle .....................................282
Ford Extended Service Plan...275
Getting assistance outside
the U.S. and Canada ..............281
Getting roadside assistance ...189
Getting the service
you need .................................275
Ordering additional owner's
literature .................................286
The Dispute Settlement
Board .......................................278
Utilizing the
Mediation/Arbitration
Program ...................................281
D
Daytime running lamps
(see Lamps) ................................21
Defrost
rear window ..............................33
Dipstick
automatic transmission
fluid ..................................229, 231
engine oil .................................217
Doors
door ajar warning .....................12
lubricant specifications ..........269
Driveline universal joint
and slip yoke .............................235
Index
289

Preparing to drive
your vehicle ...............................158
R
Radio ............................................35
Relays ........................................191
Remote entry system .......107±108
illuminated entry ....................112
locking/unlocking doors .........108
panic alarm .............................108
replacement/additional
transmitters .............................111
replacing the batteries ...........110
Reverse sensing system .............33
Roof rack ...................................188
S
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ....................13, 125±130
Safety defects, reporting ..........287
Safety restraints ................125±130
belt minder .............................131
cleaning the safety belts .......135,
264
extension assembly ................130
for adults .........................126±129
for children .............................143
warning light and
chime ...................10, 13, 130±131
Safety seats for children ..........144
Seat belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................................125
Seats ..........................................119
child safety seats ....................144
cleaning ...........................263±264
memory seat ...................109, 122SecuriLock passive
anti-theft system ...............116±117
Servicing your vehicle ..............212
Snowplowing .................................3
Spark plugs, specifications ......266,
272
Special notice ................................3
ambulance conversions ..............3
utility-type vehicles ....................3
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................269, 272
Speed control ..............................82
Speedometer ...............................14
Starting your vehicle ........150, 152
jump starting ..........................204
Steering wheel
controls ......................................89
tilting .........................................87
T
Tachometer .................................15
Tires ...........................199, 239±241
changing ..........................199±200
checking the pressure ............241
replacing ..................................242
rotating ....................................241
snow tires and chains ............243
tire grades ...............................240
treadwear ................................240
Towing ...............................179, 241
recreational towing .................187
trailer towing ..........................179
wrecker ....................................211
Traction-lok rear axle ...............176
Transfer case
fluid checking .........................235
Index
293