belt FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC 2001 Owner's Manual

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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121

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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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.
Installing child safety seat in the second row center seating
position with an automatic locking retractor
1. Place the child safety seat in the center seating position.
2. In a continuous motion, pull out enough webbing from the retractor to
route the tongue through the child seat.
3. While holding the webbing to prevent it from retracting, route the
webbing through the child seat according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. Be sure the belt webbing is not twisted.
4. Insert the tongue into the correct buckle for that seating position until
you hear and feel the buckle engage. Make sure the buckle is latched
securely by pulling on the webbing.
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5. If you have not pulled out enough webbing to reach, allow the
webbing to fully retract before attempting to pull it out again and repeat
steps 2 through 4.
6. Pull the webbing through the child seat toward the buckle while
pushing down with your knee on the child seat.
7. Allow the safety belt to retract to remove any slack in the belt. It will
make a clicking noise while doing this.
8. Before placing the child in the seat, forcibly tilt the seat forward and
back to make sure the seat is securely held in place.
9. Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each
use.
Attaching child safety seats with tether straps
Most new forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which
goes over the back of the seat and hooks to an anchoring point. Tether
straps are available as an accessory for many older safety seats. Contact
the manufacturer of your child seat for information about ordering a
tether strap.
The rear seats of your vehicle are equipped with built-in tether strap
anchors located behind the seats as described below.
The tether anchors in your vehicle are located behind sliding covers
marked with the tether anchor symbol (shown with title).
The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the following positions
(shown from top view):
Attach the tether strap only
to the appropriate tether
anchor as shown. The tether strap
may not work properly if attached
somewhere other than the correct
tether anchor.
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124

4. Slide open the tether anchor
cover.
5. Clip the tether strap to the
anchor and return the seat back to
its locked position.
If the tether strap is clipped
incorrectly, the child safety
seat may not be retained properly
in the event of a collision.
6. Refer to theInstalling child
safety seats in combination lap
and shoulder belt seating
positionssection of this chapter for
further instructions to secure the
child safety seat.
7. Tighten the child safety seat tether strap according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child
being injured in a collision greatly increases.
Seating and safety restraints
126

PREPARING TO START YOUR VEHICLE
Engine starting is controlled by the powertrain control system. This
system meets all Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment standard
requirements regulating the impulse electrical field strength of radio
noise.
When starting a fuel-injected engine, avoid pressing the accelerator
before or during starting. Only use the accelerator when you have
difficulty starting the engine. For more information on starting the
vehicle, refer toStarting the enginein this chapter.
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.
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.
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. SeeGuarding against exhaust fumesin
this chapter for more instructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you smell
exhaust fumes.
Important safety precautions
A computer system controls the engine's idle revolutions per minute
(RPM). When the engine starts, the idle RPM runs faster to warm the
engine. If the engine idle speed does not slow down automatically, have
the vehicle checked.
Before starting the vehicle:
1. Make sure all vehicle occupants have buckled their safety belts. For
more information on safety belts and their proper usage, refer to the
Seating and safety restraintschapter.
Starting
127

Make sure the corresponding lights illuminate or illuminate briefly. If a
light fails to illuminate, have the vehicle serviced.
²If the driver's safety belt is fastened, the
light may not illuminate.
STARTING THE ENGINE
NOTE:Whenever you start your vehicle, release the key as soon as the
engine starts. Excessive cranking could damage the starter.
1. Turn the key to 5 (START)
without pressing the accelerator
pedal and release as soon as the
engine starts. The key will return to
4 (ON).
2. If the temperature is above ±12É
C (10É F) and the engine does not
start within five seconds on the first
try, turn the key to OFF, wait 10
seconds and try again.
3. If the temperature is below -12É C (10É F) and the engine does not
start in 15 seconds on the first try, turn the key OFF and wait 10
seconds and try again. If the engine does not start in two attempts, press
the accelerator pedal all the way to floor and hold. Turn the key to
START position.
4. When the engine starts, release the key, then release the accelerator
pedal gradually as the engine speeds up.
5. After idling for a few seconds, apply the brake and release the parking
brake.
Cold weather starting (flexible fuel vehicles only)
As the outside temperature approaches freezing, ethanol fuel distributors
should supply winter grade (E
d85) ethanol (same as with unleaded
gasoline). If summer grade (E
d85) ethanol is used in cold weather
conditions, you may experience increased cranking times, rough idle or
hesitation until the engine has warmed up. Consult your fuel distributor
for the availability of winter grade (E
d85) ethanol.
High-quality blends of winter grade (E
d85) ethanol will produce
satisfactory cold weather starting and driving results. However, fuel
composition varies, and sub-optimal winter grade blends could produce
increased cranking times, rough idle or hesitation at temperatures below
3
2
1
5
4
Starting
129

If the steering wanders or pulls, the condition could be caused by any of
the following:
²underinflated tire(s) on any wheel(s)
²uneven vehicle loading
²high crown in center of road
²high crosswinds
²wheels out of alignment
²loose or worn suspension components
TRACTION-LOK AXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction on slippery surfaces, particularly when
one wheel is on a poor traction surface. Under normal conditions, the
Traction-Lok axle functions like a standard rear axle.
Extended use of other than the manufacturer's specified size tires on a
Traction-Lok rear axle could result in a permanent reduction in
effectiveness. This loss of effectiveness does not affect normal driving
and should not be noticeable to the driver.
To avoid injury, never run the engine with one wheel off the
ground, such as when changing a tire.
PREPARING TO DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
Your vehicle has special design and equipment features to make it
capable of performing in a wide variety of circumstances. These special
design features, such as larger tires and increased ground clearance, give
the vehicle a higher center of gravity than a passenger car.
Driving
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²4.0L SOHC V6 Engine
5. Ensure that the cables are clear of fan blades, belts, moving parts of
both engines, or any fuel delivery system parts.
Jump starting
1. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and run the engine at
moderately increased speed.
2. Start the engine of the disabled vehicle.
3. Once the disabled vehicle has been started, run both engines for an
additional three minutes before disconnecting the jumper cables.
Removing the jumper cables
Remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were
connected.
1. Remove the jumper cable from thegroundmetal surface.
+–+–
Roadside emergencies
177

WRECKER TOWING
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional towing
service or, if you are a member, your roadside assistance center.
It is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a wheel lift or flatbed
equipment. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford Motor Company has not
approved a slingbelt towing procedure.
On 4x2 vehicles, it is acceptable to tow the vehicle with the front wheels
on the ground (without dollies) and the rear wheels off the ground.
On 4x4 vehicles, it is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a
wheel lift and dollies or flatbed equipment with all the wheels off the
ground.
Roadside emergencies
180