child restraint Mercury Sable 1999 s User Guide

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.
Seating and safety restraints
90

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.
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.
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.
Seating and safety restraints
91

Installing child safety seats in combination lap
and shoulder belt seating positions
1. Position the child
safety seat in a seat
with a combination lap
and shoulder belt.
An air bag can kill or injure a child in a child
seat. If you must use a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat, move seat all the way back.
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.
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.
Seating and safety restraints
92

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.
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.
Seating and safety restraints
93

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 seats in the lap belt
seating positions
1. Lengthen the lap belt. To lengthen the belt, hold
the tongue so that its bottom is perpendicular to the
direction of webbing while sliding the tongue up the
webbing.
2. Place the child safety seat in the center seating
position.
3. Route the tongue and webbing through the child
seat according to the child seat manufacturer's
instructions.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for
the center seating position until you hear a snap and
feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely
fastened to the buckle by pulling on tongue.
5. Push down on the child seat while pulling on the
loose end of the lap belt webbing to tighten the belt.
6. Before placing the child into the child seat,
forcibly tilt the child seat from side to side and in
forward direction to make sure that the seat is held
securely in place. If the child seat moves excessively,
repeat steps 5 through 6, or properly install the
child seat in a different position.
Attaching safety seats with tether straps
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.
Seating and safety restraints
94

Tether anchorage hardware
Attachment holes (at each rear outboard seating
position) have been provided in your vehicle to
attach anchor hardware, if desired. Tether anchorage
hardware kits (part number 613D74) including
instructions, may be obtained at no charge from any
Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer. All vehicles built for
sale in Canada include a tether anchor hardware kit.
Be sure to follow the child safety seat
manufacturer's instructions.
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.
If you have a station wagon, tether anchors are
already installed for each of the second row seating
positions.
1. Behind the second
seat, find the plastic
snap-on covers for the
floor anchors.
2. Use a screwdriver or
coin to snap the covers
off the anchor in a
rearward and upward
direction. Remove the
covers completely.
3. Snap the tether strap hook onto the U-shaped
tether anchor.
Seating and safety restraints
95

Accessory delay ........ 49
Air bag supplemental
restraint system ........ 83
and child
safety seats ............. 85
description .............. 84
disposal .................... 88
indicator light ......... 87
passenger air bag ... 86
Air conditioning
automatic
temperature control
system . 22,23,24,25,27
Anti-theft system . 60,67
arming the system .. 60
disarming a triggered
system ..................... 62
Automatic transaxle. 105
driving
with .......... 107,108,109
Brakes ...................... 101
anti-lock .......... 101,102
anti-lock brake
system (ABS)
warning light ......... 102
fluid, checking and
adding .................... 141
shift interlock ........ 105
Break-in period ........ 2,3
Cargo area shade ...... 55
Cargo cover ............... 55
Cargo net ................... 54
CD changer. 37,38,39,40
Cellular telephone
(see your Cellular
Phone Guide) ............ 52
Child safety seats
attaching with tether
straps ....................... 94
in rear seat ......... 92,94
tether anchorage
hardware ................. 95
Cleaning
your vehicle
.............. 175
engine
compartment ......... 176
exterior .................. 176
exterior lamps ....... 178
interior ................... 179
plastic parts .......... 178
washing .................. 175
waxing ................... 176
wheels .................... 176
wiper blades .......... 178
Console ...................... 52
Controls
power seat ............... 71
Coolant .................... 145
checking
and adding ............ 143
refill capacities ...... 145
Customer Assistance
Ford accessories
for your
vehicle ..... 198,199,200
Ford Extended
Service Plan .......... 190
Getting assistance
outside the
U.S. and Canada ... 197
Getting roadside
assistance .............. 189
Getting the service
you need ........ 191,192
Ordering additional
owner's literature . 203
The Dispute
Settlement Board . 193
194,195,196
Defrost
rear window ............ 18
Doors
central unlocking .... 50
Index
205

Lights, warning and
indicator ...................... 6
air bag ...................... 11
anti-lock brakes
(ABS) ........................ 9
anti-theft ................... 9
brake ........................ 10
charging system ...... 10
cruise indicator ....... 10
door ajar .................... 7
low coolant ................ 9
low fuel ...................... 8
oil pressure ............. 10
safety belt ................. 7
service engine soon .. 7
speed control .......... 44
turn signal indicator . 6
Locks
childproof ................ 51
Lumbar support,
seats ...................... 72,73
Mirrors ....................... 48
heated ...................... 51
side view mirrors
(power) ................... 50
Moon roof .................. 48
Motorcraft parts ...... 162
Octane rating .......... 161
Overdrive ................. 106
Parking brake .......... 103
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ............. 123
Power door locks ...... 50
Power steering ........ 104
fluid, checking and
adding ............. 146,147
Radio ................ 29,30,31
32,33,34,35,36
Relays ............... 119,125
Remote entry
system ................... 56,58
illuminated entry .... 58locking/unlocking
doors ........................ 57
replacement/additional
transmitters ............. 59
replacing the
batteries .................. 59
Roof rack ................. 117
Safety Compliance
Certification Label .. 187
Safety defects,
reporting .................. 204
Safety restraints ........ 80
cleaning the safety
belts .................. 83,179
extension
assembly .................. 82
for children ........ 88,89
lap belt ............... 78,79
warning light and
chime ....................... 82
Seat belts (see Safety
restraints) ............. 74,75
76,77,78
Seats .......................... 70
child safety seats .... 90
cleaning ................. 179
Servicing your
vehicle ............... 135,136
Spark plugs,
specifications ........... 180
Specification chart,
lubricants ................. 183
Speed control ............ 41
Starting your
vehicle .............. 96,97,98
jump
starting .... 129,130,132
preparing to start
your vehicle ....... 66,68
Steering wheel
tilting ....................... 46
Tires ........... 153,154,155
Index
207