child seat LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1996 Customer Assistance Guide

Safety RestraintsImportant Safety Belt Information
The use of safety belts helps to restrain you and
your passengers in case of a collision. In most
states and in Canada the law requires their use.
Safety belts provide best restraint when: the seatback is upright the occupant is sitting upright (not slouched) the lap belt is snug and low on the hips the shoulder belt is snug against the chest the knees are straight forward
To help you remember to fasten your safety belt, a
warning light may come on and a chime may sound.
See Safety Belt Warning Light and Chime in the
Warning Lights and Gauges chapter.See the following sections in this chapter for
directions on how to properly use these safety belts.
Also see Safety Restraints for Children in this
chapter for special instructions about using safety
belts for children./! WARNINGMake sure that you and your passengers wearsafety belts. Always drive and ride with yourseatback upright and the lap belt snug and lowacross the hips.9

/! WARNINGNever wear the shoulder belt under thearm. Never swing it around the neck overthe inside shoulder. Never use a single beltfor more than one person or across morethan one seating position. Each seatingposition in your vehicle has a specific safetybelt assembly which is made up of onebuckle and one tongue that are designed tobe used as a pair. Failure to follow theseprecautions could increase the risk and/orseverity of injury in a collision./! WARNINGNever drive or ride with a twisted orjammed safety belt. If you cannot untwistor unjam the safety belt, see the nearestqualified technician immediately.10/!\WARNINGTo reduce the risk of serious injury in acollision, children should always ride withthe seatback upright./!\WARNINGNever let a passenger hold a child on his orher lap while the vehicle is moving. Thepassenger cannot protect the child frominjury in a collision.Lock the doors of your vehicle before driving to lessen
the risk of the door coming open in a collision.

/!\ WARNINGPosition the shoulder belt height adjusterso that the belt rests across the middle ofyour shoulder. Be sure the shoulder beltis properly positioned on your shouldereach time you use the belt. If theshoulder belt is off your shoulder, on yourupper arm or neck, there is a greater riskof severe injury in a collision.Right Front or Rear Seating Positions
Your vehicle is equipped with a dual locking
mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of
the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for the
front seat passenger and rear seat passengers.14Dual locking mode refractors operate in two
ways:
Vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode
In this operating mode, the 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. The retractor can also be made to lock by
pulling on the belt.
Automatic locking mode
In this operating mode, the shoulder belt retractor
will be automatically locked and will remain locked
when the combination lap/shoulder safety belt is
buckled, and does not allow the occupant freedom
of movement. This mode provides the following: A tight lap/shoulder belt on the occupant. Child seat installation restraint.

/!\ WARNINGRear facing infant seats should never beplaced in the front seat.This mode must be used when installing a child
seat on the front passenger seat and rear seats
where dual locking refractors are provided. To
switch the retractor from the emergency locking
mode to the automatic locking mode, perform
the following steps:
1.Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt.
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).3.A clicking sound will contnue to be heard as
the belt is allowed to retract.
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 under Safety Seats
for Children in this chapter.
Lap Belts
The lap belt in the center of the front 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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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./!\ WARNINGFailure to follow these instructions will affectthe performance of the safety belts andincrease the risk of personal injury.Safety Belt Maintenance
Check the safety belt systems periodically to make
sure that they work properly and are not damaged.
All safety belt assemblies, including refractors,
buckles, front seat belt buckle support assemblies
(slide bar) (if equipped), child safety seat tether
bracket assemblies (if equipped), 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.
Cleaning the Safety Belts
Clean the safety belts with any mild soap solution that
is recommended for cleaning upholstery or carpets.
Do not bleach or dye the belt webbing because this
may weaken it.
Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS)
The driver and right front passenger air bags are
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS), provided at
these seating positions in addition to the
lap/shoulder belt, and are designed to supplement the
protection provided to properly belted occupants
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The Importance of Being Properly
Seated
In a collision, the air bag must inflate extremely
fast to help provide additional protection for
you. In order to do this, the air bag must inflate
with considerable force. If you are not seated in
a normal riding position with your back against
the seatback, the air bag may not protect you
properly and could possibly hurt you as it
inflates./!\ WARNINGIf a passenger is not properly seated andrestrained, an inflating air bag couldcause serious injury.In rear-facing infant seats, the infant's head is closer
to the air bag. The force of the rapidly inflating air
bag could push the top of the rear-facing seat
against the vehicle seatback or center armrests (if so
equipped), or center console (if so equipped).
Children weighing less than 40 lbs. (18 kg.) should
use child or infant seats. Forward facing child seats
must have the passenger seat moved as far back
from the instrument panel as possible.
Your vehicle is equipped with a right front
passenger air bag. Front passengers, especially
children and small adults, should never sit on the
edge of the seat, stand near the glove compartment
of the instrument panel, or lean over with their
faces near the glove compartment when the vehicle
is moving. All occupants should sit with their backs
against the seatback and use the safety belts.
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/!\ WARNINGREAR-FACING INFANT SEATSSHOULD NEVER BE USED IN THEFRONT SEAT. REAR-FACINGINFANT SEATS MUST ALWAYS BEPLACED IN THE REAR SEAT. Failureto follow these instructions could result inserious injury./!\ WARNINGDo not place objects or mount equipmenton or near the air bag cover on thesteering wheel or in front seat areas thatmay come in contact with a deploying airbag. Failure to follow this instructionmay increase the risk of personal injury inthe event of a collision.20For further information about the proper mounting
of equipment in the front seat of this vehicle, please
refer to Ford's brochure entitled Some Important
Information About Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System which can be obtained by calling Helm Inc.
at 1-800-782-4356. Ask for brochure FPS-8602.
For additional important safety information on the
proper use of seat belts, child seats, and infant seats,
please read the other sections of this part of the
Owner Guide, especially sections entitled Safety
Belts for Children and Safety Seats for Children.
How the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System Operates
The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
consists of the Driver and Passenger air bags,
impact sensors, a system diagnostic module, a
readiness light and tone, and the electrical wiring
which connects the components.

If any of these things happen, have the air bag
system serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-
Mercury dealer immediately. Unless serviced,
the air bag supplemental restraint system may
not function properly in the event of a collision./!\ WARNINGDo not attempt to service, repair, or modifythe Air Bag Supplemental Restraint Systemor its fuses. See your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.Disposal of air bags or air bag equipped
vehicles
For disposal of air bags or air bag equipped
vehicles, see your local Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer. Air bags MUST be disposed of by qualified
personnel.Safety Restraints for Children
In the U.S. and Canada, you are required by
law to use safety restraints for children. If
small children ride in your vehicle - this
generally includes children who are four years
old or younger and who weigh 40 pounds (18
kg) or less - you must put them in safety seats
that are made specially for children. Safety
belts alone do not provide maximum protection
for these children. Check your local and state
laws for specific requirements./!\ WARNINGNever let a passenger hold a child on his orher lap while the vehicle is moving. Thepassenger cannot protect the child frominjury in a collision.25

/!\ WARNINGPassengers should not be allowed to ride inthe cargo area. Persons not riding in a seatwith a fastened seat belt are much more likelyto suffer serious injury in a collision. Cargoshould always be secured to prevent it fromshifting and causing damage to the vehicle orharm to passengers.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.
26/!\ WARNINGCarefully follow all of the manufacturer'sinstructions included with the safety seat youput in your vehicle. if you do not install and usethe safety seat properly, the child may beinjured in a sudden stop or collision./!\ WARNINGSafety belts and seats can become hot in avehicle that has been closed up in sunnyweather; they could bum a small child. Checkseat covers and buckles before you place a childanywhere near them./!\ WARNINGNever leave a child unattended in your vehicle.

Safety Seats for Children
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.
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 see Attaching
Safety Seats With Tether Straps in this chapter.
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./!\WARNINGREAR-FACING INFANT SEATSSHOULD NEVER BE USED IN THEFRONT SEAT. REAR-FACING INFANTSEATS MUST ALWAYS BE PLACED INTHE REAR SEAT. Failure to follow theseinstructions could result in serious injury.When using forward-facing child seats inthe front seat, always move the passengerseat as far back from the instrument panelas possible. Failure to follow thesewarnings could result in injury to thechild.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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