Get Seating and Safety Restraints -> Belt-Minder Guide for Ford Focus 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2010)

Seating and Safety Restraints

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.

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 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver

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

Belt-Minder௡ feature.

If...

Then...

The driver’s and front

passenger’s safety belts are

buckled before the 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 Belt-Minder௡ feature will not

activate.

The driver’s or front

The Belt-Minder௡ feature is activated

- the safety belt warning light

illuminates and the warning chime

sounds for 6 seconds every 30

seconds, repeating for approximately

5 minutes or until the safety belts are

buckled.

passenger’s safety belt is not

buckled when the vehicle has

reached at least 3 mph (5

km/h) and 1-2 minutes have

elapsed since the ignition

switch has been turned to

ON...

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Seating and Safety Restraints

If...

Then...

The driver’s or front

The Belt-Minder௡ feature is activated

passenger’s safety belt becomes - the safety belt warning light

unbuckled for approximately 1 illuminates and the warning chime

minute while the vehicle is

traveling at least 3 mph (5

km/h) and more than 1-2

sounds for 6 seconds every 30

seconds, repeating for approximately

5 minutes or until the safety belts are

minutes have elapsed since the buckled.

ignition switch has been turned

to ON...

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.

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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.

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”

“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”.

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 air bag 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.

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2007 Focus (foc)

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Seating and Safety Restraints

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.

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) (automatic transmission)

• The ignition switch is in the OFF position

• The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled

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 RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT

START THE ENGINE)

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

minute)

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

warning light turns off.

3. For the seating position being disabled, at a moderate speed, buckle

then unbuckle the safety belt 9 times, 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.

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Seating and Safety Restraints

4. Within 10 seconds of the light turning on, at a moderate speed, 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 1 time per second for 3 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 4 times per second for 3 seconds, followed by 3 seconds with the

light off, then followed by the safety belt warning light flashing 1time

per second for 3 seconds again.

AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)

The supplemental restraint system is designed to work with the safety

belt to help protect the driver and right front passenger from certain

upper body injuries.

Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly or gently, and the risk of injury

from a deploying airbag is the greatest close to the trim covering

the airbag module.

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2007 Focus (foc)

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Seating and Safety Restraints -> Belt-Minder for Your Ford Focus 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2010)

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