seats Mercury Mountaineer 2009 s User Guide

If needed, when installing some high back child restraints, the head
restraints of the second row seating positions can be removed. Insert a
thin pointed object, such as a paper clip or pushpin, into the hole of
each head restraint guide and while lifting up remove the head restraint.
Store the head restraint in a secure location in the vehicle. To re-install
the head restraint, line the posts up in the holes on the seat back with
the head restraint strap facing the outside of the vehicle and push down
until the head restraint locks into place. Lift gently to ensure it is locked
into place.
Refer toSafety seats for childrenlater in this chapter.
WARNING:If the head restraint has been removed from a
seating position to accommodate a high back child restraint, the
head restraint must be re-installed prior to use of the seat by any other
occupant in order to reduce the risk of personal injury in the event of
a collision.
Folding down the 2nd row 60/40 seats and bucket seats
Ensure that the head restraint is in the down position and no objects
such as books, purses or briefcases are on the floor in front of the
second row seats before folding them down.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
166

1. Lower the head restraints by
pulling on the strap.
2. Locate the recline handle situated
on the side of the seat cushion by
the door.
3. Pull up on the handle and push
the seatback forward toward the
front of the vehicle.
To return the seat to the upright position (seats not equipped
with E-Z entry):
1. Pull up on the handle, and rotate
the seatback until you hear a click,
locking it in the upright position.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
167

2. Lift up on the head restraint until
it locks into its original position.
To return the seat to the upright position (E-Z entry equipped
seats):
1. Lift the seatback toward the rear
of the vehicle.
2. Rotate the seatback until you
hear a click, locking it in the upright
position.
3. If the seat is to be occupied, lift
up on the head restraint until it
locks into its original position.
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.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
168

Placing the 2nd row 60/40 seats in cargo mode (if equipped)
The 2nd row seats can be placed in a kneel down load floor position to
allow more cargo space.
To place the seats in the cargo mode:
1. Fold down the 2nd row seat. SeeFolding down the 2nd row 60/40
seats and bucket seatsabove.
2. Lift the cargo mode lever located
on the back of the seatback to kneel
the seat down and get a flat loading
floor.
Returning to the upright position from full lowered load floor
position
The seatback cannot be returned to the upright position until the seat is
returned from the kneel down position. To return the seat to the upright
position:
1. Push the seat rearward until the
latch is engaged. Use the cushion or
seatback to return to the fold-down
position. Do not use the recliner
handle as it could cause damage to
the handle.
2. Return the seatback to the
upright position.
Adjusting the 2nd row seat for E-Z Entry
The E-Z entry seat allows for easier entry and exit to and from the 3rd
row seat.
To enter the 3rd row seat:
1. Fold down the 2nd row seat and release the handle. Refer toFolding
down the 2nd row 60/40 seats and bucket seatsearlier in this section.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
169

tumble the seat again and re-latch it to the floor. Be sure that cargo or
other objects are not trapped underneath the seatback.
4. Lift up on the head restraint until
it locks into its original position.
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.
Note: In vehicles equipped with 3rd row seats, the 2nd row
recline/unlatch handle on the outboard sides of both 60% and 40% seats
should not be used as a grab handle to raise the entire seat up from
cargo mode (kneeling position), or to lower it from its tumbled position.
This handle is there only to recline the seat back and to unlatch the rear
seat/floor attachment, in order to tumble the seat in the forward
direction. To raise the seat up from the cargo mode (kneeling position),
the entire seat should be lifted up using the seat back or the seat
cushion area as a grabbing surface.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
171

Exiting the 3rd row
1. Lower the head restraints. See
Folding down the 2nd row 60/40
seats and buckets seatsearlier in
this section.
2. Pull on the lever/strap (as
equipped) located at the bottom
right of the seat back to release the
seat from the floor, and rotate the
seat up towards the front seat.
3. Follow the directions above to
return the seatback from the load floor and to the upright position.
3rd row folding seat (if equipped)
Before folding the third row seats,
fold the head restraints down by
pulling on the strap located under
the restraint.
Pull up on the handle located
behind the seatback while pushing
the seatback forward and down into
the seat cushion.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
172

Push the top of the control button
to return the seatback to its original
position.
The power fold down seats will operate for 30 minutes after the
ignition switch is in the 1 (off) position. The transmission must
be in P (Park), and the liftgate or liftgate glass must be open.
Similar to the battery saver feature, the power 3rd row seat will
be disabled 30 minutes after turning the vehicle off. If the power
3rd row seat is disabled after 30 minutes, the seat can be enabled
by opening any door, pressing the unlock control on the remote
entry transmitter, pressing any keyless keypad button (if
equipped), or turning the ignition key.
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.
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 safety belts with pretensioners, energy management retractors,
and safety belt usage sensors.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
174

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.
Front passenger sensing system
For airbags to do their job they must inflate with great force, and this
force can pose a potentially deadly risk to occupants that are very close
to the airbag when it begins to inflate. For some occupants, this occurs
because they are initially sitting very close to the airbag. For other
occupants, this occurs when the occupant is not properly restrained by
safety belts or child safety seats and they move forward during pre-crash
braking. The most effective way to reduce the risk of unnecessary
injuries is to make sure all occupants are properly restrained. Accident
statistics suggest that children are much safer when properly restrained
in the rear seating positions than in the front.
WARNING: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.
WARNING:Always transport children 12 years old and under in
the back seat and always properly use appropriate child
restraints.
The front passenger sensing system can automatically turn off the front
passenger airbag and passenger seat-mounted side airbag. The system is
designed to help protect small (child size) occupants from frontal airbag
deployments when they are seated or restrained in the front passenger
seat contrary to proper child-seating or restraint usage
recommendations. Even with this technology, parents areSTRONGLY
encouraged to always properly restrain children in the rear seat. The
sensor also turns off the passenger front airbag and passenger
seat-mounted side airbag when the passenger seat is empty.
Front safety belt usage sensors
The front safety belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger safety belts are fastened. This information
allows your Personal Safety System
to tailor the airbag deployment and
safety belt pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
176

Safety restraints precautions
WARNING:Always drive and ride with your seatback upright
and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit
in a rear seating position where they can be properly restrained.
WARNING: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.
WARNING:All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver,
should always properly wear their safety belts, even when an
airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) is provided.
WARNING:It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped
with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
WARNING:In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a safety
belt.
WARNING:Each seating position in your vehicle has a specific
safety belt assembly which is made up of one buckle and one
tongue that are designed to be used as a pair. 1) Use the shoulder belt
on the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder belt under the
arm. 2) Never swing the safety belt around your neck over the inside
shoulder. 3) Never use a single belt for more than one person.
WARNING:When possible, all children 12 years old and under
should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
178

WARNING: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.
WARNING:Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant
women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an
accident.
Energy management feature
•This vehicle has a safety belt system with an energy management
feature at the front seating positions to help further reduce the risk of
injury in the event of a head-on collision.
•This safety belt system has a retractor assembly that is designed to
extend the safety belt webbing in a controlled manner. This helps
reduce the belt force acting on the user’s chest.
WARNING:BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE
REPLACED if the safety belt assembly automatic locking
retractor feature or any other safety belt function is not operating
properly when checked by an authorized dealer. Failure to replace the
Belt and Retractor assembly could increase the risk of injury in
collisions.
Combination lap and shoulder belts
1. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle (the buckle closest to
the direction the tongue is coming from) until you hear a snap and feel it
latch. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened in the buckle.
2009 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
179