Get Seating and Safety Restraints -> SAFETY RESTRAINTS (Personal Safety System) Guide for Ford Focus 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2010)

Seating and Safety Restraints

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.

Note that the center rear safety belt cannot be pulled out until the

seatback has latched completely.

Folding the seat cushion and seatback forward

Fold the seat cushion forward.

Remove the head restraint(s) (if

equipped) of the rear seat, and fold

the seatback forward.

Stow the head restraint(s) in the

plastic retainers provided in the now

upright underside of the seat

cushion, as shown on the decal.

When returning the seats to their

original positions, make sure the

safety belts will function properly

and are positioned in front of the

seatback and that the head

restraints are properly reinstalled.

SAFETY RESTRAINTS

Personal Safety Systemி

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.

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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 crash severity sensor.

• Front passenger sensing system

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

• Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors.

• 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, and indicator lights.

How does the Personal Safety Systemி work?

The Personal Safety System௢ can adapt the deployment strategy of your

vehicle’s safety devices according to crash severity and conditions. A

collection of crash sensors provides information to the Restraints Control

Module (RCM). During a crash, the RCM activates the safety belt

pretensioners and/or either none, one, or both stages of the dual-stage

airbag supplemental restraints based on crash severity and conditions.

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

section in this chapter.

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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, like infants in

rear-facing child seats, 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.

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.

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

passenger front airbag. The system is designed to help protect small

(child size) occupants from airbag deployments when they are

improperly 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 the rear seat. The sensor also turns off the airbag

when the passenger seat is empty to prevent unnecessary replacement of

the airbag(s) after a collision.

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When the front passenger seat is occupied and the sensing system has

turned off the passenger’s frontal airbag, the “pass airbag off” indicator

will light and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal

airbag is off. See Front passenger sensing system in the airbags section

of this chapter.

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.

Refer to Safety Belt section in this chapter.

Front outboard 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 when the

vehicle is equipped with the Safety Canopy௢ system. 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 outboard 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 Systemி 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 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.

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• The warning 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 warning light are repaired.

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

Safety System௢ serviced at an authorized dealer immediately. Unless

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

collision.

Safety belt 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.

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

supplemental restraint system (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 seat belt.

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Seating and Safety Restraints

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.

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.

2. To unfasten, push the release

button and remove the tongue from

the buckle.

Energy management feature

• This vehicle has a safety belt system with an energy management

feature at the front outboard 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

pay out webbing in a controlled manner. This feature is designed to

help reduce the belt force acting on the occupant’s chest.

The front outboard and rear safety restraints in the vehicle are

combination lap and shoulder belts. The front passenger and rear seat

safety belts have two types of locking modes.

Vehicle sensitive mode

The vehicle sensitive mode is the normal retractor mode, allowing 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.

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 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

Ford Motor Company recommends that all passenger safety belt

assemblies and attaching hardware should be inspected by an

authorized dealer after any collision to verify that the Љautomatic

locking retractorЉ feature for child seats is still working properly. Safety

belt assemblies should be inspected by an authorized dealer and must

be replaced if either damage or improper operation is noted. Failure to

replace the belt and retractor assembly could increase the risk of

injury in a collision.

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

completely to disengage the automatic locking mode and activate the

vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode.

Front 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,

push 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.

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Three door models are equipped

with a safety belt parking feature for

the driver and front passenger. The

purpose of the parking feature is to

allow the driver or passenger to

reach the safety belt. Fasten your

safety belt as normal, and the belt

will slide to the front of the steel

bar along the bottom of the door.

Pull the safety belt backwards to

park for easier access or exit from

the rear seats.

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 pretensioner

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

front outboard passenger seating positions.

The safety belt pretensioner tightens the safety belts firmly against the

occupant’s body at the start of the crash.

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 and safety belt pretensioners.

Safety belt extension assembly

If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, there is a 8 inch

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

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

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.

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

across the torso.

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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

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

assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front safety 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 in use in vehicles involved in

a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and an

authorized dealer 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.

For proper care of soiled safety belts, refer to Interior in the Cleaning

chapter.

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

The safety belt warning light

buckled before the ignition switch illuminates 1-2 minutes and the

is turned to the ON position... warning chime sounds 4-8 seconds.

The driver’s safety belt is buckled The safety belt warning light and

while the indicator light is

illuminated and the warning

chime is sounding...

warning chime turn off.

The driver’s safety belt is buckled The safety belt warning light and

before the ignition switch is

turned to the ON position...

indicator chime remain off.

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Seating and Safety Restraints -> SAFETY RESTRAINTS (Personal Safety System) for Your Ford Focus 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2010)

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