child restraint Mercury Villager 1998 Owner's Manuals

Important 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:
mthe seatback is upright
mthe occupant is sitting upright (not slouched)
mthe lap belt is snug and low on the hips
mthe shoulder belt is snug against the chest
mthe knees are straight forward
To help you remember to fasten your safety belt, a warning light
may come on and a chime may sound. SeeSafety Belt Warning
Light and Chimein theInstrumentationchapter.
See the following sections in this chapter for directions on how to
properly use these safety belts. Also seeSafety Restraints for
Childrenin this chapter for special instructions about using safety
belts for children.
WARNING
Always drive and ride with your seatback upright and the
lap belt snug and low across the hips.
Seating and Safety Restraints
129

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:
mA tight lap/shoulder belt on the occupant.
mChild safety seat installation.
WARNING
Rear-facing child seats or infant carriers should never be
placed in the front seats.
This modemust be usedwhen installing a child safety seat on
the front passenger seat and rear outboard seats where dual locking
retractors 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, when allowed to
retract, a clicking sound is heard. At this time, the belt retractor
is in the automatic locking mode (child restraint mode).
3. A clicking sound will continue to be heard as the belt is
allowed to retract. This indicates that the retractor is in the
automatic locking mode.
136

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
Seating and Safety Restraints
137

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
142

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

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.
146

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 Ð this
generally includes children who are four years old or younger
and who weigh 40 pounds (18 kg) or less Ð 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.
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
To prevent the risk of injury, make sure children sit where
they can be properly restrained.
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.
Seating and Safety Restraints
151

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 seeAttaching Safety Seats With
Tether Strapsin this chapter.
When installing a child safety seat, be sure to use the correct
safety belt buckle for that seating position, make sure the tongue
is securely fastened in the buckle and there is tension in the
belt. For a shoulder/lap belt combination with a sliding tongue,
make sure the retractor is in the automatic locking mode. For
more information, seeUsing the Automatic Locking Mode Retractor
to Secure a Child Safety Seatlater in this chapter.
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.
Seating and Safety Restraints
153

WARNING
Always keep the buckle release button pointing upward
and away from the child seat, with the tongue between the
child seat and the release button as shown in the
following illustration.
WARNING
Failure to follow all instructions on the proper use of
child seats or the vehicle restraint systems can result in
serious injury or death in the event of a sudden stop or
collision.
Safety belt buckle placement for child seats
Seating and Safety Restraints
155

3. Pull on the belt until all of the stored belt is out of the retractor
and a click is heard.
4. Allow the belt to retract. A clicking sound will be heard as the
belt retracts. This indicates that the retractor is in the
automatic locking mode.
Routing the safety belt tongue through the child seat (captain's chair shown)
Seating and Safety Restraints
157