belt FORD FREESTYLE 2009 Owners Manual

PERCHLORATE MATERIAL
Certain components of this vehicle such as airbag modules, seat belt
pretensioners, and button cell batteries may contain Perchlorate Material
– Special handling may apply for service or vehicle end of life disposal.
See www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
BREAKING-IN YOUR VEHICLE
Your vehicle does not need an extensive break-in. Try not to drive
continuously at the same speed for the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of
new vehicle operation. Vary your speed frequently in order to give the
moving parts a chance to break in.
Drive your new vehicle at least 1,000 miles (1,600 km) before towing a
trailer. For more detailed information about towing a trailer, refer to
Trailer towingin theTires, Wheels and Loadingchapter.
Do not add friction modifier compounds or special break-in oils since
these additives may prevent piston ring seating. SeeEngine oilin the
Maintenance and Specificationschapter for more information on oil
usage.
SPECIAL NOTICES
New Vehicle Limited Warranty
For a detailed description of what is covered and what is not covered by
your vehicle’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty, refer to theWarranty
Guide/Customer Information Guidethat is provided to you along with
yourOwner’s Guide.
Special instructions
For your added safety, your vehicle is fitted with sophisticated electronic
controls.
WARNING:Please read the sectionAirbag Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)in theSeating and Safety Restraints
chapter. Failure to follow the specific warnings and instructions could
result in personal injury.
WARNING:Front seat mounted rear-facing child or infant seats
shouldNEVERbe placed in front of an active passenger airbag.
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Introduction
6
ProCarManuals.com

Service Data Recording
Service data recorders in your vehicle are capable of collecting and
storing diagnostic information about your vehicle. This potentially
includes information about the performance or status of various systems
and modules in the vehicle, such as engine, throttle, steering or brake
systems. In order to properly diagnose and service your vehicle, Ford
Motor Company, Ford of Canada, and service and repair facilities may
access vehicle diagnostic information through a direct connection to your
vehicle when diagnosing or servicing your vehicle. For U.S. only (if
equipped), if you choose to use the SYNC
Vehicle Health Report, you
consent that certain diagnostic information may also be accessed
electronically by Ford Motor Company and Ford authorized service
facilities, and that the diagnostic information may be used for any
purpose. See yourSYNC
supplement for more information.
Event Data Recording
Other modules in your vehicle — event data recorders — are capable of
collecting and storing data during a crash or near crash event. The
recorded information may assist in the investigation of such an event.
The modules may record information about both the vehicle and the
occupants, potentially including information such as:
•how various systems in your vehicle were operating;
•whether or not the driver and passenger seatbelts were buckled;
•how far (if at all) the driver was depressing the accelerator and/or the
brake pedal;
•how fast the vehicle was traveling; and
•where the driver was positioning the steering wheel.
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Introduction
7
ProCarManuals.com

These are some of the symbols you may see on your vehicle.
Vehicle Symbol Glossary
Safety Alert
See Owner’s Guide
Fasten Safety BeltAirbag - Front
Airbag - SideChild Seat Lower
Anchor
Child Seat Tether
AnchorBrake System
Anti-Lock Brake SystemParking Brake System
Brake Fluid -
Non-Petroleum BasedParking Aid System
Stability Control SystemSpeed Control
Master Lighting SwitchHazard Warning Flasher
Fog Lamps-FrontFuse Compartment
Fuel Pump ResetWindshield Wash/Wipe
Windshield
Defrost/DemistRear Window
Defrost/Demist
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Introduction
10
ProCarManuals.com

Airbag readiness:If this light fails
to illuminate when the ignition is
turned to on, continues to flash or
remains on, have the system
serviced immediately by your authorized dealer. A chime will sound
when there is a malfunction in the indicator light.
Safety belt:Reminds you to fasten
your safety belt. A Belt-Minder

chime will also sound to remind you
to fasten your safety belt. Refer to
theSeating and Safety Restraints
chapter to activate/deactivate the Belt-Minder
chime feature.
Charging system:Illuminates when
the battery is not charging properly.
If it stays on while the engine is
running, there may be a malfunction
with the charging system. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. This indicates a problem with the electrical system or a related
component.
Engine oil pressure:Illuminates
when the oil pressure falls below the
normal range, refer toEngine oilin
theMaintenance and
Specificationschapter.
AdvanceTrac
(if equipped):
Illuminates when the AdvacneTrac

is active or has been disabled (by
the driver or as a result of a system
failure). If the light remains on, have
the system serviced immediately,
refer to theDrivingchapter for more information.
Low tire pressure warning:
Illuminates when your tire pressure
is low. If the light remains on at
start up or while driving, the tire
pressure should be checked. Refer
toInflating your tiresin theTires, Wheels and Loadingchapter. When
the ignition is first turned to on, the light will illuminate for three
seconds to ensure the bulb is working. If the light does not turn on or
begins to flash, have the system inspected by your authorized dealer. For
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Instrument Cluster
14
ProCarManuals.com

SEATING
WARNING:Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to
slide under the seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal
injuries in the event of a collision.
WARNING:Do not pile cargo higher than the seatbacks to
reduce the risk of injury in a collision or sudden stop.
WARNING:Before returning the seatback to its original
position, make sure that cargo or any objects are not trapped
behind the seatback. After returning the seatback to its original
position, pull on the seatback to ensure that it has fully latched. An
unlatched seat may become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or
collision.
Adjustable head restraints
WARNING:To minimize the risk of neck injury in the event of a
crash, the driver and passenger occupants should not sit in
and/or operate the vehicle, until the head restraint is placed in its
proper position. The driver should never adjust the head restraint
while the vehicle is in motion.
Head restraints help to limit head motion in the event of a rear collision.
Adjust your head restraint so that it is located directly or as close as
possible behind your head.
The head restraints can be moved
up by pulling up on the head
restraint.
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
155
ProCarManuals.com

Push release button to lower head
restraint.
Adjusting the front manual seat (if equipped)
WARNING:Never adjust the driver’s seat or seatback when the
vehicle is moving.
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
Lift handle to move seat forward or
backward.
Pull lever up to adjust seatback.
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
156
ProCarManuals.com

WARNING:Before returning the seatback to its original
position, make sure that cargo or any objects are not trapped
behind the seatback. After returning the seatback to its original
position, pull on the seatback to ensure that it has fully latched. An
unlatched seat may become dangerous in the event of a sudden stop or
collision.
Adjusting the front power seat (if equipped)
WARNING:Never adjust the driver’s seat or seatback when the
vehicle is moving.
WARNING:Do not pile cargo higher than the seatbacks to
reduce the risk of injury in a collision or sudden stop.
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING:Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to
slide under the seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal
injuries in the event of a collision.
WARNING:Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat
back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion
and affect the decision of the passenger sensing system, resulting in
serious injury or death in a crash. Always sit upright against your
seatback, with your feet on the floor.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of possible serious injury: Do not
hang objects off seat back or stow objects in map pocket (if
equipped) when a child is in the front passenger seat. Do not place
objects underneath the front passenger seat or between the seat and
the center console (if equipped). Check the “passenger airbag off” or
“pass airbag off” indicator lamp for proper airbag status. Refer toFront
passenger sensing systemsection for additional details. Failure to
follow these instructions may interfere with the front passenger seat
sensing system.
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
158
ProCarManuals.com

Adjusting second row bucket and bench seat back
Lift the handle to adjust seatback.
Using same control will fold the
seatback flat.
WARNING:Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to
slide under the seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal
injuries in the event of a collision.
Adjusting second row seats (if equipped)
Lift the control to adjust the seat
forward or backward.
Accessing the third row seats
Fold and tumble the second row seat to access the third row. Remove
items from the second row seat and ensure that no bulky objects such as
purses or briefcases are on the floor in front of the second row seats
before tumbling them.
Note:You may have to move the front row seat forward to allow the 2nd
row seat to be fully tumbled. Stow the head restraint by pushing the
head restraint release button while sliding the head restraint fully down.
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
162
ProCarManuals.com

WARNING:The third row
seat is NOT designed to be
used in tailgate mode. Placing the
seat in this position could result in
damage to the seat, surrounding
components, or injury.
WARNING:The tailgate
position is not a position
suitable for driving. Do not drive
the vehicle with the seat in the
tailgate position. The safety belts
are not functional when the seat is
in the tailgate position.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS
Personal Safety System
The Personal Safety System
provides an improved overall level of
frontal crash protection to front seat occupants and is designed to help
further reduce the risk of airbag-related injuries. The system is able to
analyze different occupant conditions and crash severity before activating
the appropriate safety devices to help better protect a range of
occupants in a variety of frontal crash situations.
Your vehicle’s Personal Safety System
consists of:
•Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints.
•Front outboard safety belts with pretensioners, energy management
retractors (first row only), and safety belt usage sensors.
•Driver’s seat position sensor.
•Front passenger sensing system
•“Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp
•Front crash severity sensor.
•Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors.
•Restraint system warning light and back-up tone.
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
170
ProCarManuals.com

•The electrical wiring for the airbags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position
sensor, front passenger sensing system, and indicator lights.
How does the Personal Safety Systemwork?
The Personal Safety System
can adapt the deployment strategy of your
vehicle’s safety devices according to crash severity and occupant
conditions. A collection of crash and occupant sensors provides
information to the Restraints Control Module (RCM). During a crash, the
RCM activates the safety belt pretensioners and/or either one or both
stages of the dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints based on crash
severity and occupant conditions.
The fact that the pretensioners or airbags did not activate for both front
seat occupants in a collision does not mean that something is wrong with
the system. Rather, it means the Personal Safety System
determined
the accident conditions (crash severity, belt usage, etc.) were not
appropriate to activate these safety devices. Front airbags are designed
to activate only in frontal and near-frontal collisions (not rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts) unless the collision causes sufficient
longitudinal deceleration. The pretensioners are designed to activate in
frontal and near-frontal collisions, and in side collisions and rollovers.
Driver and passenger dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints
The dual-stage airbags offer the capability to tailor the level of airbag
inflation energy. A lower, less forceful energy level is provided for more
common, moderate-severity impacts. A higher energy level is used for
the most severe impacts. Refer toAirbag supplemental restraints
(SRS)section in this chapter.
Front crash severity sensor
The front crash severity sensor enhances the ability to detect the
severity of an impact. Positioned up front, it provides valuable
information early in the crash event on the severity of the impact. This
allows your Personal Safety System
to distinguish between different
levels of crash severity and modify the deployment strategy of the
dual-stage airbags and safety belt pretensioners.
Driver’s seat position sensor
The driver’s seat position sensor allows your Personal Safety System
to
tailor the deployment level of the driver dual-stage airbag based on seat
position. The system is designed to help protect smaller drivers sitting
close to the driver airbag by providing a lower airbag output level.
2009 Taurus X(219)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
171
ProCarManuals.com