Get Seating and Safety Restraints -> SAFETY RESTRAINTS Guide for Ford Explorer SUV Fifth Generation (2005-2011)

Seating and Safety Restraints

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.

• Driver’s seat position sensor.

• Front passenger sensing system

• “Passenger airbag off” or “pass airbag off” indicator lamp

• Front crash severity sensor.

• Restraints Control Module (RCM).

• Restraint system warning light and back-up tone.

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

pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position

sensor, front passenger sensing system, 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

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

RCM may activate the safety belt pretensioners and/or either one or both

stages of the dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints based on crash

severity and occupant conditions.

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The fact that the pretensioners or airbags 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 airbags 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 airbag supplemental restraints

The dual-stage airbags offer the capability to tailor the level of airbag

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 Airbag supplemental restraints

(SRS) 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 airbags 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 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.

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WARNING: 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.

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 are STRONGLY

encouraged to always properly restrain children in a rear seating

position. 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.

Front safety belt pretensioners

The safety belt pretensioners at the front outboard seating positions are

designed to tighten the safety belts firmly against the occupant’s body

during frontal collisions, and in side collisions and rollovers. This helps

increase the effectiveness of the safety belts. In frontal collisions, the

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

sufficient severity, together with the front airbags.

Front safety belt energy management retractors

The front outboard 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 Energy management feature

section in this chapter.

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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 lights and chimes 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 airbag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),

safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, front

passenger sensing system, 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, contact your

authorized dealer as soon as possible. Unless serviced, the system may

not function properly in the event of a collision.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

• 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 three

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 5 mph

(8 km/h) or more, the combination safety belts will lock to help reduce

forward movement of the driver and passengers.

Webbing extraction sensitive mode

The webbing sensitive locking mode locks the webbing and prevents

more belt from being pulled out if the belt is pulled out too quickly. The

belt will unlock when you stop pulling on it.

Automatic locking mode

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, except a

booster, is installed in passenger front or rear seating positions. Children

12 years old and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating

position 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 mode.

WARNING: After any vehicle collision, the combination lap and

shoulder belt system at all passenger seating positions must be

checked by an authorized dealer to verify that the “automatic locking

retractor” feature for child seats is still functioning properly, in addition

to other checks for proper safety belt system function.

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. In addition, all safety 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 tightens the safety belts firmly against the

occupant’s body at the start of the crash.

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When the Safety Canopy௡ System, seat-mounted side airbags, and/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.

WARNING: The driver and front passenger safety 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 airbags, seat-mounted side airbags and Safety

Canopy௡, and safety belt pretensioners.

Refer to the Child restraint and safety belt maintenance section in

this chapter.

Front safety belt height adjustment

Your vehicle has safety belt height

adjustments at the front outboard

seating positions. Adjust the height

of the shoulder belt so the belt rests

across the middle of your shoulder.

To adjust the shoulder belt height,

squeeze and hold the buttons on the

side and slide the height adjuster up

or down. Release the buttons and

pull down on the height adjuster to

make sure it is locked in place.

WARNING: 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 safety

belt and increase the risk of injury in a collision.

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Second row comfort guide

The second row outboard

lap/shoulder belt is equipped with a

belt comfort guide. This guide is

attached to the quarter trim panel

and is used to adjust the comfort of

the shoulder belt for smaller

occupants in the outboard second

row seats.

To adjust the comfort guide:

1. Slip the shoulder belt into the

belt guide.

2. Slide the guide up or down along

the webbing so that the belt is

centered on the occupant’s shoulder.

WARNING: Position the safety belt comfort guide so that the

belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Failure to adjust

the safety belt properly could reduce the effectiveness of the safety

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 an 8 inch

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

611C22). This assembly can be obtained from an authorized dealer.

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Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety

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

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

short for you when fully extended.

WARNING: 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.

Belt-Minderா

The Belt-Minder௡ feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt

warning function. This feature provides additional reminders by

intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning

light in the instrument cluster when the driver’s and front passenger’s

safety belt is unbuckled.

The Belt-Minder௡ feature uses information from the front passenger

sensing system to determine if a front seat passenger is present and

therefore potentially in need of a warning. To avoid activating the

Belt-Minder௡ feature for objects placed in the front passenger seat,

warnings will only be given to large front seat occupants as determined

by the front passenger sensing system.

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Both the driver’s and passenger’s safety belt usages are monitored and

either may activate the Belt-Minder௡ feature. The warnings are the same

for the driver and the front passenger. If the Belt-Minder௡ warnings have

expired (warnings for approximately five minutes) for one occupant

(driver or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the

Belt-Minder௡ feature.

When the Belt-Minder௡ feature is activated, the safety belt warning light

illuminates and the warning chime sounds for six seconds every

30 seconds, repeating for approximately five minutes or until the safety

belts are buckled.

The Belt-Minder௡ feature uses two different warning chimes. During the

first minute of activation, the warning chime will sound once every

second. The remaining warning chimes will sound twice every second

while the system is activated.

If...

Then...

The driver’s and front passenger’s The Belt-Minder௡ feature will not

safety belts are buckled before the activate.

ignition switch is turned to the on

position or less than 1-2 minutes

have elapsed since the ignition

switch has been turned on...

The driver’s or front passenger’s

The Belt-Minder௡ feature is

safety belt is not buckled when the activated - the safety belt warning

vehicle has reached at least 3 mph light illuminates and the warning

(5 km/h) and 1-2 minutes have

elapsed since the ignition switch

has been turned to on...

chime sounds for six seconds

every 30 seconds, repeating for

approximately five minutes or until

the safety belts are buckled.

The Belt-Minder௡ feature is

The driver’s or front passenger’s

safety belt becomes unbuckled for activated - the safety belt warning

approximately 1 minute while the light illuminates and the warning

vehicle is traveling at least 3 mph chime sounds for six seconds

(5 km/h) and more than

every 30 seconds, repeating for

1-2 minutes have elapsed since the approximately five minutes or until

ignition switch has been turned to the safety belts are buckled.

on...

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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 events”

36700 crashes occur every day. The

more we 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 (40 km) 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.

Prime time for an accident.

Belt-Minder௡ reminds us to take a few

seconds to buckle up.

“I was in a hurry”

“Safety belts don’t work”

Safety belts, when used properly,

reduce risk of death to front seat

occupants by 45% in cars, and by

60% in light trucks.

“Traffic is light”

Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in

single-vehicle crashes, many when

no other vehicles are around.

Possibly, but a serious crash can do

much more than wrinkle your clothes,

particularly if you are unbelted.

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.

“Belts wrinkle my clothes”

“The people I’m with don’t

wear belts”

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Reasons given...

Consider...

“I have an airbag”

Airbags 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”.

WARNING: Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a

latchplate into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minder௡ chime. To

do so may adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s airbag

system.

One-time disable

If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles

the safety belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minder௡ is disabled for

the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minder௡ feature will enable during

the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for

approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one-time

disable.

Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minderா feature

The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder௡ are

deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating

one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will

terminate the process.

Read Steps 1 - 4 thoroughly before proceeding with the

deactivation/activation programming procedure.

Note: The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder௡ features must be

disabled/enabled separately. Both cannot be disable/enabled during the

same key cycle.

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The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder௡ features can be

deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:

Before following the procedure, make sure that:

• The parking brake is set

• The gearshift is in P (Park)

• The ignition switch is in the off position

• The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled

WARNING: While the design allows you to deactivate your

Belt-Minder௡, this system is designed to improve your chances of

being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you

leave the Belt-Minder௡ system activated for yourself and others who

may use the vehicle. 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 on position. DO NOT START THE

ENGINE.

2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off (approximately one

minute).

• Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt

warning light turns off.

3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the

safety belt nine times at a moderate speed, ending in the unbuckled

state. Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt

warning light turns off.

• After Step 3, the safety belt warning light will be turned on for three

seconds.

4. Within approximately seven seconds of the light turning off, buckle

then unbuckle the safety belt.

• This will disable the Belt-Minder௡ feature for that seating position if it

is currently enabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will

flash four times per second for three seconds.

• This will enable the Belt-Minder௡ feature for that seating position if it

is currently disabled. As confirmation, the safety belt warning light will

flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three

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

light flashing four times per second for three seconds again.

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Seating and Safety Restraints -> SAFETY RESTRAINTS for Your Ford Explorer SUV Fifth Generation (2005-2011)

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Seating and Safety Restraints