Mercury Villager 1998 Owner's Manuals

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 underSafety Seats for
Childrenin this chapter.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment
Driver and right front passenger
You can adjust the shoulder belt height to one of five (5)
positions.
To adjust the belt down, pinch the release button and slide the
adjuster down. To adjust the belt up, pinch the release button and
slide the adjuster up.
Make sure the adjuster is firmly in one of the five positions. The
belt should be adjusted up or down until the belt rests across
the middle of your shoulder.
The shoulder belt height adjuster
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WARNING
Position the shoulder belt height adjuster so that the belt
rests across the middle of your shoulder. Be sure the
shoulder belt is properly positioned on your shoulder each
time you use the belt. If the shoulder belt is off your
shoulder, on your upper arm or neck, there is a greater risk
of severe injury in a collision.
Lap Belt Without a Retractor (for the three-passenger
bench seat)
The center seat of the three-passenger bench seat has a lap belt
without a retractor. To make the belt longer, tip the tongue at a right
angle to the belt and pull the belt over your lap until the
tongue reaches the buckle.
To fasten the belt, pull the belt across your hips and insert the
tongue into the correct buckle on your seat until you hear a snap
and feel it lock. Make sure the buckle is securely fastened.
Pull the loose end of the webbing and adjust the belt so that it
fits snugly and as low as possible around the hips:
mIf you need to lengthen the belt, unfasten it and repeat the
procedure above.
mIf you need to shorten the belt, pull on the loose end of the
webbing.
To store the belt:
Fasten the center tongue and buckle when not in use. This will
prevent the belt from falling between the seat and the seatback.
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Auxiliary Safety Restraint System for the Second Row
Bench Seat (7 passenger vehicle)
There is a unique safety restraint system for the outside seating
position of the second row bench seat. It is very important that you
read and understand this section before anyone rides in the
outside seating position (near the sliding door) of the
two-passenger bench seat.
The two-passenger bench seat in the second row has a safety
restraint system made up of two buckles and two tongues. There
is an anchor location at the bottom of the C-pillar and another
anchor location at the top of the C-pillar that attach each end of the
seat belt webbing to the bodyside.
One of the seat belt tongues has two ªwindowsº (or holes) and
the other has only one ªwindow.º The seat belt tongue with one
window attaches to the buckle mounted to the side of the seat.
The seat belt tongue with two windows should be pulled across the
passenger's chest and fastened to the buckle mounted in the
middle of the seat.
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139

A twisted belt may prevent the retractor from working
properly. If the unique safety belt system is twisted, disengage
the single window tongue from the buckle on the side of the seat,
remove the twist and re-install the tongue into the buckle until
you hear a snap and feel the latch engage.
The auxiliary safety retraint system for the second row bench seat
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NOTE: If the three-passenger bench seat is moved up to the
second-row position, the outside passenger (near the
sliding door) only needs to use the double window
tongue and the standard buckle. Because the
third-row seat is wider and is closer to the sliding door,
the single window tongue and the auxiliary buckle
are not necessary.
The auxiliary safety restraint system fastened
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Both tongues must be attached to their appropriate buckles
whenever someone is riding in that seating position, and when a
child safety seat has been installed.
When the two-passenger bench seat is removed from the vehicle,
you must detach the single window tongue from the auxiliary
buckle.
Third-row passengers must be very careful when exiting if the
auxiliary restraint system is being used by a second-row passenger.
It is important to step over the seat belt guide and belt
webbing to avoid tripping.
Unfastening the auxiliary safety restraint system
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Safety Belt Extension Assembly
A safety belt may be too short even when it is fully extended.
You can add about eight inches (20 cm) to the belt length with a
safety belt extension assembly. Safety belt extensions are
available at no cost (part number 611C22) from your dealer.
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions will affect the
performance of the safety belts and increase the risk of
personal injury.
Exiting a vehicle with the auxiliary safety restraint system
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143

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 retractors, buckles, front seat
belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if so equipped),
child safety seat tether bracket assemblies (if so 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.
Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS)
Important Air Bag Precautions
Your vehicle is equipped with a supplemental restraint system
designed to work with the safety belts to help protect you and your
right front seat passenger in the event of certain collisions
described in the sectionHow Does the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System Work?
WARNING
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should
always wear their safety belts.
144

WARNING
Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the
air bag covers that may come into contact with an inflating
air bag.
WARNING
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag
Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your Ford
or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
WARNING
If you are close to an inflating air bag, it could seriously
injure you. Sit against the seatback and position your seat
such that it is as far back from the steering wheel as
possible but still allows you to properly control the vehicle.
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145

Children and Air Bags
NOTE: For additional important safety information on the
proper use of seat belts, child seats, and infant seats,
please read the entire Safety Restraints chapter in this
owner guide.
WARNING
Children should always wear their safety belts.
How Does the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
Work?
The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System is designed to
activate when the vehicle is in a collision. The fact that the air
bags did not inflate in a collision does not mean that something is
wrong with the system. Rather, it means the forces were not of
the type sufficient to cause activation.
If the vehicle is in a moderate or severe frontal collision, the
system is activated and the air bags inflate rapidly. After the air
bag inflates, it will quickly deflate. After the air bag
deployment, you may notice a smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This is normal. The residue may consist
of cornstarch or talcum powder (which is used to lubricate the
air bag) or sodium compounds, such as sodium carbonates (e.g.
baking soda) that result from the combustion process that
inflates the air bag. Small amounts of sodium hydroxide may be
present which may irritate the skin and eyes, but none of the
residue is toxic. The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System will
reduce, but not eliminate all injuries in an accident.
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