Get Seating and Safety Restraints Guide for Ford Explorer SUV Third Generation (2002-2005)

Seating and Safety Restraints

SEATING

Notes:

Reclining the seatback can cause an occupant to slide under the

seat’s safety belt, resulting in severe personal injuries in the

event of a collision.

Do not pile cargo higher than the seatbacks to reduce the risk of

injury in a collision or sudden stop.

Adjustable head restraints

Head restraints help to limit head motion in the event of a rear collision.

The seats in your vehicle may have adjustable head restraints. Adjust

your head restraint so that it is located directly or as close as possible

behind your head.

The head restraints can be moved

up and down.

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Push control to lower head restraint.

Adjusting the front manual seat (if equipped)

Never adjust the driver’s seat or seatback when the vehicle is

moving.

Always drive and ride with your seatback upright and the lap

belt snug and low across the hips.

Lift handle to move seat forward or

backward.

Pull lever up to adjust seatback.

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Adjusting the front power seat (if equipped)

The control is located on the

outboard side of the seat cushion.

Press front to raise or lower the

front portion of the seat cushion.

Press rear to raise or lower the rear

portion of the seat cushion.

Press the control to move the seat

forward, backward, up or down.

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Memory seats/adjustable pedals/easy entry-exit feature

This system allows automatic

positioning of the driver seat and

adjustable pedals to two

programmable positions.

The memory seat control is located

on the instrument panel to the left

of the steering wheel.

• To program position one, move

the driver seat to the desired

position using the seat controls.

Press the SET control. The SET control indicator light will briefly

illuminate (5 seconds). While the light is illuminated, press control 1.

• To program position two, repeat the previous procedure using control

2.

A position can only be recalled when the transmission gearshift is in Park

or Neutral. A memory seat position may be programmed at any time.

The memory seat positions can also be recalled when you press your

remote entry transmitter UNLOCK control.

To program the memory seat to remote entry transmitter, refer to

Remote entry system in the Locks and security chapter.

The easy entry/exit feature automatically moves the drivers seat

backwards slightly (if room is available) when the key is removed from

the ignition. It will automatically move the seat forward to the original

position when the key is inserted into the ignition.

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Using the manual lumbar support

For more lumbar support, turn the

lumbar support control toward the

front of vehicle.

For less lumbar support, turn the

lumbar support control toward the

rear of vehicle.

Heated seats (if equipped)

To operate the heated seats:

• Push control located on the seat

to activate.

• Push again to deactivate.

The heated seat icon in the dual electronic automatic temperature

control (DEATC) will illuminate when activated.

REAR SEATS

Folding down the 60/40 rear seats (if equipped)

If the rear seat is equipped with adjustable head restraints, they should

be placed in the full down position before folding the seat back down.

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1. Press the lower release control

downward to unlatch the seatback.

2. Rotate the seatback downward

into the load floor position.

3. Press down on the top outboard

area of the seatback until a click is

heard. The seat is now latched in

the floor position.

To return the seat to the upright position:

• Press downward on the upper corner of the seatback and hold.

• Pull the release handle upward to unlatch the seat.

• Rotate the seatback upward until the seatback latches in the upright

position. The seatback will click when it is locked into position.

Folding down the 40/20/40 rear seats

Ensure that the headrest 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.

Move front passenger seat forward so that the second row seat headrest

clears the front seat.

For assistance, refer to the label located on the lower position of the

opening.

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1. Locate handle on the side of the

seat cushion by the door.

2. Push the handle up and push the

seatback toward the front of the

vehicle.

3. Press down on the top outboard

area of the seatback until a click is

heard.

To return the seat to the upright

position:

1. Push the handle up and lift the

seatback toward the rear of the

vehicle.

2. Rotate the seatback until you

hear a click, locking it in the upright

position.

Operating the 2nd row seat for E-Z Entry (if equipped)

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.

2. Push the handle all the way up

until the seat releases from the floor

and folds away.

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3. To return the seat to a seating

position, flip the seat into the

upright position.

4. Make sure the seat is latched to

the floor.

To exit the 3rd row seat, pull the

red access control lever up releasing

the seat from the floor and rotate

the seat up towards the front seat.

Always latch the vehicle seat to the floor, whether the seat is

occupied or empty. If not latched, the seat may cause injury

during a sudden stop.

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Folding the middle 2nd row seat (If equipped)

1. Locate the lever on the side of

the seatback.

2. Pull the lever up and push the

seatback toward the front of the

vehicle.

3. Press down on the top outboard

area of the seatback until a click is

heard.

To return the seatback to the

upright position:

1. Pull the lever and lift the

seatback toward the rear of the

vehicle.

2. Rotate the seatback until you

hear a click, locking it in the upright

position.

Third row seat (if equipped)

3rd row stow feature

The 3rd row seat has a tip/stow feature to increase cargo space without

removing the seat from the vehicle.

Lower the head restraints before putting the seat in the stowed position.

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To put seat in stowed position:

1. Pull the seat release lever located

on top of the seatback while

pushing the seatback down onto the

seat cushion.

2. The seatback will latch into place.

3. Push the closeout panel forward

over the space between the seats.

To put seat in upright position:

1. Pull back the slider panel on the

seatback to release the closeout

panel.

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2. Pull the seat release lever located

on top of the seatback while lifting

the seatback into the upright

position.

3. The seatback will latch into place.

The third row seat is equipped with combination lap and shoulder belts

in both seating positions. For information on the proper operation of the

safety restraints, refer to Safety Restraints in this chapter.

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 air bag-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 air bag supplemental restraints.

• Front safety belts with pretensioners, energy management retractors,

and safety belt usage sensors.

• Driver’s seat position sensor.

• Front crash severity sensor.

• Restraints Control Module (RCM).

• Restraint system warning light and back-up tone.

• The electrical wiring for the air bags, crash sensor(s), safety belt

pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position

sensor, and indicator lights.

How does the personal safety system work?

The Personal Safety System can adapt the deployment strategy of your

vehicle’s safety devices according to crash severity and occupant

conditions. A collection of crash and occupant sensors provides

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information to the Restraints Control Module (RCM). During a crash, the

RCM activates the safety belt pretensioners and/or either one or both

stages of the dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints based on crash

severity and occupant conditions.

The fact that the pretensioners or air bags did not activate for both front

seat occupants in a collision does not mean that something is wrong with

the system. Rather, it means the Personal Safety System determined the

accident conditions (crash severity, belt usage, etc.) were not

appropriate to activate these safety devices. Front air bags are designed

to activate only in frontal and near-frontal collisions, not rollovers,

side-impacts, or rear-impacts unless the collision causes sufficient

longitudinal deceleration.

Driver and passenger dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints

The dual-stage air bags offer the capability to tailor the level of air bag

inflation energy. A lower, less forceful energy level is provided for more

common, moderate-severity impacts. A higher energy level is used for

the most severe impacts. Refer to Air bag Supplemental Restraints

section in this chapter.

Front crash severity sensor

The front crash severity sensor enhances the ability to detect the

severity of an impact. Positioned up front, it provides valuable

information early in the crash event on the severity of the impact. This

allows your Personal Safety System to distinguish between different

levels of crash severity and modify the deployment strategy of the

dual-stage air bags and safety belt pretensioners.

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 air bag based on seat

position. The system is designed to help protect smaller drivers sitting

close to the driver air bag by providing a lower air bag output level.

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 air bag deployment and

safety belt pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage.

Refer to Safety Belt section in this chapter.

Front safety belt pretensioners

The safety belt pretensioners are designed to tighten the safety belts

firmly against the occupant’s body during a collision. This maximizes the

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effectiveness of the safety belts and helps properly position the occupant

relative to the air bag to improve protection. The safety belt

pretensioners can be either activated alone or, if the collision is of

sufficient severity, together with the air bags.

Front safety belt energy management retractors

The front safety belt energy management retractors allow webbing to be

pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and controlled manner in

response to the occupant’s forward momentum. This helps reduce the

risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s chest by limiting the load

on the occupant. Refer to Safety Belt section in this chapter.

Determining if the Personal Safety System is operational

The Personal Safety System uses a warning light in the instrument

cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer

to the Warning Light section in the Instrument Cluster chapter.

Routine maintenance of the Personal Safety System is not required.

The Restraints Control Module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits

and the circuits for the air bag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),

safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, and the driver

seat position sensor. In addition, the RCM also monitors the restraints

warning light in the instrument cluster. A difficulty with the system is

indicated by one or more of the following:

• The warning light will either flash or stay lit.

• The warning light will not illuminate immediately after the ignition is

turned on.

• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

periodically until the problem and warning light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the Personal

Safety System serviced at your dealership or by a qualified technician

immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in

the event of a collision.

Safety restraints precautions

Always drive and ride with your seatback upright and the lap

belt snug and low across the hips.

To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit where they

can be properly restrained.

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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.

All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always

properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag (SRS) is

provided.

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.

In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely

to die than a person wearing a safety belt.

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.

Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back

seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.

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.

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.

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• This safety belt system has a retractor assembly that is designed to

extend the seat belt webbing in a controlled manner. This helps

reduce the belt force acting on the user’s chest.

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

according to the procedures in Workshop Manual. 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.

• Front and rear seats

2. To unfasten, push the release button and remove the tongue from the

buckle.

• Front and rear seats

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All safety restraints in the vehicle are combination lap and shoulder

belts. All of the passenger combination lap and shoulder belts have two

types of locking modes described below:

Vehicle sensitive mode

This is the normal retractor mode, which allows free shoulder belt length

adjustment to your movements and locking in response to vehicle

movement. For example, if the driver brakes suddenly or turns a corner

sharply, or the vehicle receives an impact of approximately 8 km/h (5

mph) or more, the combination safety belts will lock to help reduce

forward movement of the driver and passengers.

Automatic locking mode

The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.

When to use the automatic locking mode

In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will

still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt. The automatic

locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.

This mode should be used any time a child safety seat is installed in a

passenger front or outboard rear seating position (if equipped). Children

12 years old and under should be properly restrained in the rear seat

whenever possible. Refer to Safety restraints for children or Safety

seats for children later in this chapter.

How to use the automatic locking mode

• Buckle the combination lap and

shoulder belt.

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• Grasp the shoulder portion and

pull downward until the entire

belt is pulled out.

• Allow the belt to retract. As the belt retracts, you will hear a clicking

sound. This indicates the safety belt is now in the automatic locking

mode.

How to disengage the automatic locking mode

Unbuckle the combination lap and shoulder belt and allow it to retract

completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and activate the

vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.

After any vehicle collision, the combination lap and shoulder belt

system at all passenger seating positions must be checked by a

qualified technician to verify that the “automatic locking retractor”

feature for child seats is still functioning properly, in addition to other

checks for proper seat belt system function.

BELT AND RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED if

the seat belt assembly “automatic locking retractor” feature or

any other seat belt function is not operating properly. In addition, all

seat belts should be checked for proper function. Failure to replace the

belt and retractor assembly could increase the risk of injury in

collisions.

Safety belt pretensioner

Your vehicle is equipped with safety belt pretensioners at the driver and

right front passenger seating positions.

The safety belt pretensioner is a device which removes excess webbing

from the safety belt system. The safety belt pretensioner uses the same

crash sensor system as the front air bag and Safety Canopy௢

supplemental restraint systems. When the safety belt pretensioner

deploys, webbing from the lap and shoulder belt is tightened.

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When the Safety Canopy௢ system or the front airbags are activated, the

safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger seating

positions will be activated when the respective seatbelt is properly

buckled.

The driver and the right front passenger seat belt system

(including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be

replaced if the vehicle is involved in a collision that results in

deployment of front air bags and/or Safety Canopy௢ and safety belt

pretensioners.

Refer to the Safety belt maintenance section in this chapter.

Safety belt height adjustment

Adjust the height of the shoulder

belt so the belt rests across the

middle of your shoulder.

To adjust the shoulder belt height,

squeeze the button and slide the

height adjuster up or down. Release

the button and pull down on the

height adjuster to make sure it is

locked in place.

Position the safety belt

height adjusters so that the

belt rests across the middle of

your shoulder. Failure to adjust

the safety belt properly could

reduce the effectiveness of the

seat belt and increase the risk of

injury in a collision.

Safety belt extension assembly

If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, there is a 20 cm (8

inch) safety belt extension assembly that can be added (part number

611C22). This assembly can be obtained from your dealer at no cost.

Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety

belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on

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the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too

short for you when fully extended.

Do not use extensions to change the fit of the shoulder belt

across the torso.

Safety belt warning light and indicator chime

The safety belt warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster and a

chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.

Conditions of operation

If...

Then...

The driver’s safety belt is not

buckled before the ignition

switch is turned to the ON

position...

The safety belt warning light

illuminates 1-2 minutes and the

warning chime sounds 4-8 seconds.

The driver’s safety belt is

buckled while the indicator

light is illuminated and the

warning chime is sounding...

The driver’s safety belt is

buckled before the ignition

switch is turned to the ON

position...

The safety belt warning light and

warning chime turn off.

The safety belt warning light and

indicator chime remain off.

BeltMinder

The BeltMinder feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt

warning function. This feature provides additional reminders to the

driver that the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently

sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning lamp in the

instrument cluster.

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If...

Then...

The driver’s safety belt is not

The BeltMinder feature is

buckled before the vehicle has

reached at least 5 km/h (3 mph)

and 1-2 minutes have elapsed

activated - the safety belt warning

light illuminates and the warning

chime sounds for 6 seconds every

since the ignition switch has been 30 seconds, repeating for

turned to ON...

approximately 5 minutes or until

safety belt is buckled.

The driver’s safety belt is buckled The BeltMinder feature will not

while the safety belt indicator light activate.

is illuminated and the safety belt

warning chime is sounding...

The driver’s safety belt is buckled The BeltMinder feature will not

before the ignition switch is turned activate.

to the ON position...

The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts:

(All statistics based on U.S. data)

Reasons given... Consider...

“Crashes are rare 36700 crashes occur every day. The more we

events”

drive, the more we are exposed to “rare” events,

even for good drivers. 1 in 4 of us will be

seriously injured in a crash during our

lifetime.

“I’m not going far” 3 of 4 fatal crashes occur within 25 miles of home.

“Belts are

uncomfortable”

We design our safety belts to enhance comfort. If

you are uncomfortable - try different positions for

the safety belt upper anchorage and seatback

which should be as upright as possible; this can

improve comfort.

“I was in a hurry” Prime time for an accident. BeltMinder reminds

us to take a few seconds to buckle up.

“Safety belts don’t Safety belts, when used properly, reduce risk of

work”

death to front seat occupants by 45% in cars,

and by 60% in light trucks.

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Reasons given... Consider...

“Traffic is light”

Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in single-vehicle

crashes, many when no other vehicles are around.

“Belts wrinkle my Possibly, but a serious crash can do much more

clothes”

than wrinkle your clothes, particularly if you are

unbelted.

“The people I’m

with don’t wear

belts”

Set the example, teen deaths occur 4 times more

often in vehicles with TWO or MORE people.

Children and younger brothers/sisters imitate

behavior they see.

“I have an air bag” Air bags offer greater protection when used with

safety belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to

inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers.

“I’d rather be

thrown clear”

Not a good idea. People who are ejected are 40

times more likely to DIE. Safety belts help

prevent ejection, WE CAN’T “PICK OUR CRASH”.

Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid the Belt

Minder chime. Sitting on the safety belt will increase the risk of

injury in an accident. To disable (one-time) or deactivate the Belt

Minder feature please follow the directions stated below.

One time disable

Any time the safety belt is buckled and then unbuckled during an

ignition ON cycle, the BeltMinder will be disabled for that ignition cycle

only.

Deactivating/activating the BeltMinder feature

Before following the procedure, make sure that:

• the parking brake is set

• the gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or the neutral

position (manual transmission).

• the ignition switch is in the OFF position

• all vehicle doors are closed

• the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled

• the parklamps/headlamps are in OFF position (If vehicle is equipped

with Autolamps, the Autolamps feature MUST be turned off.)

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Read steps 1 - 9 thoroughly before proceeding with the

deactivation/activation programming procedure.

BeltMinder deactivation/activation procedure

To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate/activate the Belt

Minder feature while driving the vehicle.

1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT

START THE ENGINE)

2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1–2

minutes)

• Steps 3–5 must be completed within 60 seconds or the procedure will

have to be repeated.

3. Buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times, ending with the

safety belt unbuckled. This can be done before or during BeltMinder

warning activation.

4. Turn on the parklamps/headlamps, turn off the parklamps/headlamps.

5. Buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times, ending with the

safety belt unbuckled.

• After step 5 the safety belt warning light will be turned on for three

seconds.

6. Within seven seconds of the safety belt warning light turning off,

buckle then unbuckle the safety belt.

• This will disable BeltMinder if it is currently enabled, or enable

BeltMinder if it is currently disabled.

7. Confirmation of disabling BeltMinder is provided by flashing the safety

belt warning light four times per second for three seconds.

8. Confirmation of enabling BeltMinder is provided by flashing the safety

belt warning light four times per second for three seconds, followed by

three seconds with the safety belt warning light off, then followed by

flashing the safety belt warning light four times per second for three

seconds again.

9. After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is

complete.

Safety belt maintenance

Inspect the safety belt systems periodically to make sure they work

properly and are not damaged. Inspect the safety belts to make sure

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there are no nicks, tears or cuts. Replace if necessary. All safety belt

assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front seat belt buckle

assemblies, buckle support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped), shoulder

belt height adjusters (if equipped), shoulder belt guide on seatback (if

equipped), child safety seat LATCH and tether anchors, and attaching

hardware, should be inspected after a collision. Ford Motor Company

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.

Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the safety belt

assembly under the above conditions could result in severe

personal injuries in the event of a collision.

Refer to Interior in the Cleaning chapter.

AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)

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Important SRS precautions

The SRS is designed to work with

the safety belt to help protect the

driver and right front passenger

from certain upper body injuries. Air

bags DO NOT inflate slowly; there is

a risk of injury from a deploying air

bag.

All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always

properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag (SRS) is

provided.

Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back

seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm (10 inches)

between an occupant’s chest and the driver air bag module.

Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air

bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.

To properly position yourself away from the air bag:

• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the

pedals comfortably.

• Recline the seat slightly one or two degrees from the upright position.

Do not put anything on or over the air bag module. Placing

objects on or over the air bag inflation area may cause those

objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso causing

serious injury.

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Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the air bag

supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. See your Ford or

Lincoln Mercury dealer.

Modifications to the front end of the vehicle, including frame,

bumper, front end body structure and non-Ford tow hooks may

effect the performance of the air bag sensors increasing the risk of

injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle with anything other

than authorized Ford accessories for your vehicle.

Additional equipment may affect the performance of the air bag

sensors increasing the risk of injury. Please refer to the Body

Builders Layout Book for instructions about the appropriate installation

of additional equipment.

Children and air bags

Children must always be properly

restrained. Accident statistics

suggest that children are safer when

properly restrained in the rear

seating positions than in the front

seating position. Failure to follow

these instructions may increase the

risk of injury in a collision.

Air bags can kill or injure a

child in a child seat.

NEVER place 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.

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How does the air bag supplemental restraint system work?

The air bag SRS is designed to

activate when the vehicle sustains

longitudinal deceleration sufficient

to cause the sensors to close an

electrical circuit that initiates air

bag inflation.

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. Front air bags are designed to inflate in frontal and

near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or rear-impacts unless

the collision causes sufficient longitudinal deceleration.

The air bags inflate and deflate

rapidly upon activation. After air bag

deployment, it is normal to notice a

smoke-like, powdery residue or

smell the burnt propellant. This may

consist of cornstarch, talcum

powder (to lubricate the bag) or

sodium compounds (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.

While the system is designed to help

reduce serious injuries, contact with

a deploying air bag may also cause abrasions, swelling or temporary

hearing loss. Because air bags must inflate rapidly and with considerable

force, there is the risk of death or serious injuries such as fractures,

facial and eye injuries or internal injuries, particularly to occupants who

are not properly restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time

of air bag deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be

properly restrained as far away from the air bag module as possible while

maintaining vehicle control.

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Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not

touch them after inflation.

If the air bag has deployed, the air bag will not function

again and must be replaced immediately. If the air bag is not

replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a

collision.

The SRS consists of:

• driver and passenger air bag modules (which include the inflators and

air bags).

• Safety canopy௢ system (if equipped). Refer to Safety canopy௢

system later in this chapter.

• one or more impact and safing sensors.

• a readiness light and tone.

• diagnostic module.

• and the electrical wiring which connects the components.

The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the

supplemental air bag electrical system warning (including the impact

sensors), the system wiring, the air bag system readiness light, the air

bag back up power and the air bag ignitors.

Determining if the system is operational

The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to

indicate the condition of the system. Refer to Air bag readiness section

in the Instrument cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the air bag is

not required.

A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:

• The readiness light will either

flash or stay lit.

• The readiness light will not

illuminate immediately after

ignition is turned on.

• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced

at your dealership or by a qualified technician immediately. Unless

serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a

collision.

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Safety Canopyி system (if equipped)

Do not place objects or

mount equipment on or

near the headliner at the siderail

that may come into contact with a

deploying Safety Canopy௢. Failure

to follow these instructions may

increase the risk of personal injury

in the event of a collision.

Do not lean your head on the door. The Safety Canopy௢ could

injure you as it deploys from the headliner.

Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Safety Canopy௢

system, its fuses, the A, B, or C pillar trim, or the headliner on a

vehicle containing a Safety Canopy௢. See your Ford or Lincoln

Mercury dealer.

All occupants of the vehicle including the driver should always

wear their safety belts even when an air bag SRS and Safety

Canopy௢ system is provided.

To reduce risk of injury, do not obstruct or place objects in the

deployment path of the inflatable Safety Canopy௢.

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How does the Safety Canopyி system work?

The design and development of the

Safety Canopy௢ system included

recommended testing procedures

that were developed by a group of

automotive safety experts known as

the Side Airbag Technical Working

Group. These recommended testing

procedures help reduce the risk of

injuries related to the deployment of

side airbags (including the Safety

Canopy௢).

The Safety Canopy௢ system

consists of the following:

• An inflatable nylon curtain with a

gas generator concealed behind

the headliner and above the doors

(one on each side of the vehicle).

• A headliner that will flex to open

above the side doors to allow Safety Canopy௢ deployment.

• The same warning light, electronic control and diagnostic unit as used

for the front airbags.

• Two side crash sensors mounted at the base of the B-pillar (one on

each side).

• Two side crash sensors located at the c-pillar behind the rear doors

(one on each side).

• Roll over sensor in the restraints control module (RCM).

The Safety Canopy௢ system, in combination with seat belts, can help

reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact

collision or rollover event.

Children 12 years old and under should always be properly restrained in

the second or third row seats (if equipped). The Safety Canopy௢ will

not interfere with children restrained using a properly installed child or

booster seat because it is designed to inflate downward from the

headliner above the doors along the side window openings.

The Safety Canopy௢ system is designed to activate when the vehicle

sustains lateral deceleration sufficient to cause the side crash sensor to

close an electrical circuit that initiates Safety Canopy௢ inflation or when

a certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.

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The Safety Canopy௢ is mounted to the roof side-rail sheet metal, behind

the headliner, above the first and second row seats. In certain lateral

collisions or rollover events, the Safety Canopy௢ system will be

activated, regardless of which seats are occupied. The Safety Canopy௢ is

designed to inflate between the side window area and occupants to

further enhance protection provided in side impact collisions and rollover

events.

The fact that the Safety Canopy௢ system did not activate 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. The

Safety Canopy௢ is designed to inflate in certain side impact collisions or

rollover events, not in rear impact, frontal or near-frontal collisions,

unless the collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration or rollover

likelihood.

Several Safety Canopy௢

system components get hot

after inflation. Do not touch them

after inflation.

If the Safety Canopy௢ system has deployed, the Safety

Canopy௢ will not function again. The Safety Canopy௢

system (including the A, B and C pillar trim) must be inspected

and serviced by a qualified technician in accordance with the

vehicle service manual. If the Safety Canopy௢ is not replaced, the

unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a collision.

Determining if the system is operational

The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to

indicate the condition of the system. Refer to the Air bag readiness

section in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the

air bag is not required.

Any difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the

following:

• The readiness light (same light as for front air bag system) will either

flash or stay lit.

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• The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is

turned on.

• A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

periodically until the problem and light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced

at your dealership or by a qualified technician immediately. Unless

serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a collision

or rollover event.

Disposal of air bags and air bag equipped vehicles (including

pretensioners)

See your local dealership or qualified technician. Air bags MUST BE

disposed of by qualified personnel.

SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN

See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety

restraints for children. Also see Air bag supplemental restraint system

(SRS) in this chapter for special instructions about using air bags.

Important child restraint precautions

You are required by law to use safety restraints for children in the U.S.

and Canada. If small children (generally children who are four years old

or younger and who weigh 18 kg [40 lbs] or less) ride in your vehicle,

you must put them in safety seats made especially for children. Check

your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements

regarding the safety of children in your vehicle. When possible, always

place children under age 12 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 position.

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.

Always follow the instructions and warnings that come with any infant or

child restraint you might use.

Children and safety belts

If the child is the proper size, restrain the child in a safety seat. Children

who are too large for child safety seats (as specified by your child safety

seat manufacturer) should always wear safety belts.

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Follow all the important safety restraint and air bag precautions that

apply to adult passengers in your vehicle.

If the shoulder belt portion of a combination lap and shoulder belt can

be positioned so it does not cross or rest in front of the child’s face or

neck, the child should wear the lap and shoulder belt. Moving the child

closer to the center of the vehicle may help provide a good shoulder belt

fit.

Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets unattended in

your vehicle.

Child booster seats

Children outgrow a typical convertible or toddler seat when they weigh

40 pounds and are around 4 years of age. Although the lap/shoulder belt

will provide some protection, these children are still too small for

lap/shoulder belts to fit properly, which could increase the risk of serious

injury.

To improve the fit of both the lap and shoulder belt on children who

have outgrown child safety seats, Ford Motor Company recommends use

of a belt-positioning booster.

Booster seats position a child so that safety belts fit better. They lift the

child up so that the lap belt rests low across the hips and the knees

bend comfortably. Booster seats also make the shoulder belt fit better

and more comfortably for growing children.

When children should use booster seats

Children need to use booster seats from the time they outgrow the

toddler seat until they are big enough for the vehicle seat and

lap/shoulder belt to fit properly. Generally this is when they weigh about

80 lbs (about 8 to 12 years old).

Booster seats should be used until you can answer YES to ALL of these

questions:

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• Can the child sit all the way back

against the vehicle seat back with

knees bent comfortably at the

edge of the seat without

slouching?

• Does the lap belt rest low across the hips?

• Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?

• Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

Types of booster seats

There are two types of belt-positioning booster seats:

• Those that are backless.

If your backless booster seat has a

removable shield, remove the

shield and use the lap/shoulder

belt. If a seating position has a

low seat back and no head

restraint, a backless booster seat

may place your child’s head (top

of ear level) above the top of the

seat. In this case, move the

backless booster to another

seating position with a higher seat back and lap/shoulder belts.

• Those with a high back.

If, with a backless booster seat,

you cannot find a seating position

that adequately supports your

child’s head, a high back booster

seat would be a better choice.

Both can be used in any vehicle in a seating position equipped with

lap/shoulder belts if your child is over 40 lbs.

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The shoulder belt should cross the chest, resting snugly on the center of

the shoulder. The lap belt should rest low and snug across the hips,

never up high across the stomach.

If the booster seat slides on the vehicle seat, placing a rubberized mesh

sold as shelf or carpet liner under the booster seat may improve this

condition.

The importance of shoulder belts

Using a booster without a shoulder belt increases the risk of a child’s

head hitting a hard surface in a collision. For this reason, you should

never use a booster seat with a lap belt only. It is best to use a booster

seat with lap/shoulder belts in the back seat- the safest place for children

to ride.

Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer of the

booster seat.

Never put the shoulder belt under a child’s arm or behind the

back because it eliminates the protection for the upper part of

the body and may increase the risk of injury or death in a collision.

Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child. They can

slide around and increase the likelihood of injury or death in a

collision.

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

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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.

When installing a child safety seat:

• Review and follow the information

presented in the Air bag

supplemental restraint system

(SRS) section in this chapter.

• Use the correct safety belt buckle

for that seating position (the

buckle closest to the direction the

tongue is coming from).

• Insert 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.

• Keep 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.

• Place seat back in upright position.

• Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer to Automatic

locking mode (passenger side front and outboard rear seating

positions) (if equipped) section in this chapter.

Ford recommends the use of a child safety seat having a top tether

strap. Install the child safety seat in a seating position with a tether

anchor. For more information on top tether straps, refer to Attaching

child safety seats with tether straps in this chapter.

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.

Rear-facing child seats or infant carriers should never be placed

in the front seats.

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Installing child safety seats with combination lap and shoulder

belts

Air bags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. NEVER place 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.

Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in the rear

seat whenever possible.

1. Position the child safety seat in a

seat with a combination lap and

shoulder belt.

2. Pull down on the shoulder belt

and then grasp the shoulder belt

and lap belt together.

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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.

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

pulled out 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.

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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 move the seat forward

and back to make sure the seat is

securely held in place. To check

this, grab the seat at the belt path

and attempt to move it side to side

and forward. There should be no

more than one inch of movement for

proper installation.

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.

Attaching child safety seats with tether straps

Most new forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which

goes over the back of the seat and hooks to an anchoring point. Tether

straps are available as an accessory for many older safety seats. Contact

the manufacturer of your child seat for information about ordering a

tether strap.

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The rear seats of your vehicle are equipped with built-in tether strap

anchors located behind the seats as shown below.

The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the following positions

(shown from top view):

• 5 passenger vehicle

• 7 passenger vehicle

Attach the tether strap only to the appropriate tether anchor as

shown. The tether strap may not work properly if attached

somewhere other than the correct tether anchor.

1. Position the child safety seat on the rear seat cushion.

2. Route the tether strap under the head restraint and between the head

restraint posts.

3. Locate the correct anchor for the selected rear seating position.

When placing a child safety seat in the 2nd row center seating position

of the 5 passenger vehicle, the tether straps may be attached to either of

the tether anchors located at the rear of the cargo area.

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• Behind 2nd row seat

• At the rear of the cargo area

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4. Clip the tether strap to the

anchor.

If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, the child safety seat

may not be retained properly in the event of a collision.

5. Refer to the Installing child safety seats in combination lap and

shoulder belt seating positions section of this chapter for further

instructions to secure the child safety seat.

6. Tighten the child safety seat tether strap according to the

manufacturer’s instructions.

If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child

being injured in a collision greatly increases.

Attaching safety seats with LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for

Children) attachments for child seat anchors

Some child safety seats have two rigid or webbing mounted attachments

that connect to two anchors at certain seating positions in your vehicle.

This type of child seat eliminates the need to use seat belts to attach the

child seat. For forward-facing child seats, the tether strap must also be

attached to the proper tether anchor. See Attaching safety seats with

tether straps in this chapter.

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Your vehicle has LATCH anchors for child seat installation at the seating

positions marked with the child seat symbol:

Never attach two LATCH child safety seats to the same anchor.

In a crash, one anchor may not be strong enough to hold two

child safety seat attachments and may break, causing serious injury or

death.

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The lower anchors for child seat

installation are located at the rear

section of the second row seat

between the cushion and seat back.

The LATCH anchors are below the

locator symbols on the seat back.

Follow the child seat manufacturer’s

instructions to properly install a

child seat with LATCH attachments.

Two plastic LATCH guides can be

obtained at no charge from any

Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.

They snap onto the LATCH lower

anchors in the seat to help attach a

child seat with rigid attachments.

The guides hold the seat trim away

to expose the anchor and make it

easier to attach some child seats.

Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child seat only to the

anchors shown.

If you install a child seat with rigid LATCH attachments, do not tighten

the tether strap enough to lift the child seat off the vehicle seat cushion

when the child is seated in it. Keep the tether strap just snug without

lifting the front of the child seat. Keeping the child seat just touching the

vehicle seat gives the best protection in a severe crash.

Each time you use the safety seat, check that the seat is properly

attached to the lower anchors and tether anchor. Try to move the child

seat from side to side. Also try to tug the seat forward. Check to see if

the anchors hold the seat in place.

If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child

being injured in a crash greatly increases.

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Seating and Safety Restraints for Your Ford Explorer SUV Third Generation (2002-2005)

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