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crash, head restraints must be installed properly.

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Folding up the rear seats (SuperCab only) The rear seat has a split 60/40 cushion. Each seat cushion can be flipped up into a vertical storage position. 1. Pull control to release seat cushion. 2. Rotate seat cushion up until it locks into vertical storage position.

Returning the seat to seating position

WARNING: Make sure that cargo or any objects are not trapped underneath the seat cushion before returning the seat cushion to its original position, and that the seat cushion locks into place. Failure to do so may prevent the seat from operating properly in the event of a crash, which could increase the risk of serious injury.

1. Pull control on the side of the seat to release seat cushion from storage position. 2. Push seat cushion down until it locks into horizontal position.

Folding up the rear seats (SuperCrew vehicles only) The rear seat has a split 60/40 cushion. Each seat cushion can be flipped up into a vertical storage position. • Rotate seat cushion up by lifting on the corner until it locks into vertical storage position.

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Returning the seat to seating position

WARNING: Before returning the seat cushion to its original position, make sure that cargo or any objects are not trapped

underneath the seat cushion.

1. Pull control on the bottom of the seat cushion to release seat cushion from storage position. 2. Push seat cushion down until it rests into the horizontal position.

Armrest and cupholders (if equipped) Pull the strap located on the center seatback to access the armrest and cupholders. The cupholders are located inside the rear seat armrest. To open the cupholders: • Push in gently on the center of the plastic panel on the front edge of the armrest. The cupholders will partially open.

• Pull the cupholder fully open before using. To close the cupholders: • Push the front edge back into the seat until the cupholders are fully • Make sure there is nothing in the cupholders before attempting to

seated.

close them.

Make sure that the cupholders are fully seated before stowing the armrest.

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Rear heated seats (if equipped)

WARNING: Persons who are unable to feel pain to the skin because of advanced age, chronic illness, diabetes, spinal cord

injury, medication, alcohol use, exhaustion, or other physical conditions, must exercise care when using the seat heater. The seat heater may cause burns even at low temperatures, especially if used for long periods of time. Do not place anything on the seat that insulates against heat, such as a blanket or cushion, because this may cause the seat heater to overheat. Do not puncture the seat with pins, needles, or other pointed objects because this may damage the heating element which may cause the seat heater to overheat. An overheated seat may cause serious personal injury.

Note: Do not do the following: • Place heavy objects on the seat • Operate the seat heater if water or any other liquid is spilled on the

seat. Allow the seat to dry thoroughly.

The rear seat heat controls are located on the rear door armrest. To operate the heated seats: • Push the indicated side of the control for maximum heat. • Push again to deactivate.

• Push the indicated side of the control for minimum heat. • Push again to deactivate.

The heated seat module resets at every ignition run cycle. While the ignition is in the on position, activating the high or low heated seat switch enables heating mode. When activated, they will turn off automatically when the engine is turned off.

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The indicator light will illuminate when the heated seats have been activated.

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 classifications and 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 outboard safety belts with pretensioners, energy management • Driver’s seat position sensor. • Front crash severity sensor. • Front passenger sensing system • Passenger Airbag Off indicator light. • 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.

retractors, and safety belt usage sensors.

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 classification and 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 none, one, or both stages of the dual-stage airbag supplemental restraints based on crash severity and occupant classification 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 166

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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, 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.

WARNING: Airbags 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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WARNING: Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back seat and always properly use appropriate child

restraints.

WARNING: When possible, all children 12 years old and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.

The front passenger sensing system can automatically turn off the passenger front airbag when a rear facing child seat, a forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat is detected. Even with this technology, parents are STRONGLY encouraged to always properly restrain children in the rear seat. The sensor also turns off the passenger front airbag and passenger seat-mounted side airbag when the passenger seat is empty. 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 Airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) 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 usage sensors later 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. 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 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 retractors section in this chapter. 168

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

turned on.

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 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.

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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.

Center front safety belt (Regular Cab center and CrewCab rear center seating positions only)

WARNING: Always use both lap and shoulder safety belt in the Regular Cab center seating position.

If you carry large cargo behind the seat or items that might damage or soil the belt, detach the belt from the seat: • Release the mini-buckle by

inserting a key or similar object into the slot.

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If the belt has been disconnected to carry large objects behind the seat, reconnect it as follows: • Buckle the small tongue on the end of the belt into the mini-buckle on the driver’s side. The belt is now ready for use. This mini-buckle should stay buckled at all times unless cargo-carrying makes it necessary to detach the belt.

Safety belt with cinch tongue (Regular Cab center only) The cinch tongue will slide up and down the belt webbing when the belt is stowed or while putting safety belts on. When the lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled, the cinch tongue will allow the lap portion to be shortened, but pinches the webbing to keep the lap portion from getting longer. The cinch tongue is designed to slip during a crash, so always wear the shoulder belt properly and don’t allow any slack in either the lap or shoulder portions. Before you can reach and latch a combination lap and shoulder belt having a cinch tongue into the buckle, you may have to lengthen the lap belt portion of it. 1. To lengthen the lap belt, pull some webbing out of the shoulder belt retractor. 2. While holding the webbing below the tongue, grasp the tip (metal portion) of the tongue so that it is parallel to the webbing and slide the tongue upward.

3. Provide enough lap belt length so that the tongue can reach the buckle. How to fasten the cinch tongue (Regular Cab center only) 1. Pull the combination lap and shoulder belt from the retractor so that the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt crosses your shoulder and chest. 172

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2. Be sure the belt is not twisted. If the belt is twisted, remove the twist. 3. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for your seating position until you hear a snap and feel it latch. 4. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on the tongue.

WARNING: The lap belt should fit snugly and as low as possible around the hips, not across the waist.

WARNING: Front and rear seat occupants, including pregnant women, should wear safety belts for optimum protection in an

accident.

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.

While you are fastened in the safety belt, the combination lap/shoulder belt with a cinch tongue adjusts to your movement. However, if you brake hard, turn hard, or if your vehicle receives an impact of 5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the safety belt will become locked and help reduce your forward movement.

Lap belts Adjusting the lap belt (Front center seat position SuperCab and SuperCrew only)

WARNING: The lap belt should fit snugly and as low as possible around the hips, not across the waist.

The front center lap belt tongue is designed to fit only in the correct buckle. The tongue will not securely latch if you attempt to use it in any of the outboard seating position buckles. To ensure that you have used the correct buckle you should hear a snap and feel it latch.

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Seating and Safety Restraints • Front center lap belt The lap belt does not adjust automatically. Insert the tongue into the correct buckle (the buckle closest to the direction the tongue is coming from). To lengthen the belt, turn the tongue at a right angle to the belt and pull across your lap until it reaches the buckle. To tighten the belt, pull the loose end of the belt through the tongue until it fits snugly across the hips.

Shorten and fasten the belt when not in use.

For long term storage, the lap belt can be placed into a pocket found on the inside lid of the storage compartment. To store the lap belt, do the following: 1. Open the storage compartment lid.

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2. Place the lap belt into the pocket found on the inside lid of the storage compartment. 3. Fold the center buckle into the storage compartment. 4. Close the lid.

Before a passenger sits in the front center seat, make sure the lap belt and buckle are both placed in their in-use position, and no longer stowed. Always fasten your seat belt when riding in the front center seat. Energy management retractors Your vehicle has a safety belt system equipped with energy management retractors at the driver and front outboard passenger seating positions. An energy management retractor is a device which pays out webbing in a controlled manner. This feature is designed to help further reduce the risk of force-related injuries to the occupant. Safety belt systems equipped with an energy management retractor must be replaced if they were in use during a frontal collision which resulted in deployment of the frontal airbags. Refer to the Safety belt maintenance section in this chapter. The front and rear safety restraints in the vehicle are combination lap and shoulder belts. The front passenger outboard and rear outboard seat safety belts have two types of locking modes described below: 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. The front outboard safety belts can also be made to lock manually by quickly pulling on the shoulder belt. Rear safety belts (if equipped) can also be made to lock up by pulling quickly on the belt. 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.

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The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt, or the Regular Cab center safety belt. When to use the automatic locking mode • Anytime a child safety seat is installed in a front outboard passenger seating position in a Regular Cab/ SuperCab/ SuperCrew or any rear seating position of a SuperCab or SuperCrew. The Regular Cab front center seatbelt has a cinch mechanism. Refer to Safety belt with cinch tongue (Regular Cab center only) earlier in this chapter. Children 12 years old and under should be properly restrained in a 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 1. Buckle the combination lap and shoulder belt. • Right front passenger seat

• Rear seats (if equipped)

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2. Grasp the shoulder portion and pull downward until the entire belt is extracted.

3. 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 Disconnect 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.

WARNING: After any vehicle collision, the safety belt systems at all seating positions (except the driver position, which does

not have this feature) must be checked by an authorized dealer to verify that the automatic locking retractor feature for child seats is still functioning properly. In addition, all safety belts should be checked for proper 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 when checked by an authorized dealer. 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 removes some slack from the safety belt system at the start of a crash. The safety belt pretensioner uses the same crash sensor system as the front airbags and Safety Canopy威 System. When the safety belt pretensioner deploys, the lap and shoulder belt are tightened.

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When the Safety Canopy威 System 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 the right 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 or Safety Canopy威 System and safety belt pretensioners.

WARNING: Failure to replace the safety belt assembly under the above conditions could result in severe personal injuries in

the event of a collision.

Refer to the Safety belt maintenance section in this chapter.

Safety belt usage sensors The driver and front outboard passenger safety belt buckles are equipped with sensors that detect if the safety belts are fastened. The sensors provide information to the Personal Safety System威 which can then adapt the airbag deployment or safety belt pretensioner activation based upon safety belt usage.

WARNING: The Personal Safety System威 provides the most benefit to belted occupants. The system monitors and tailors the

airbag deployment based upon safety belt usage. Failure to properly wear your safety belt will increase your risk of injury.

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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, pull on the center 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.

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.

Then... The safety belt warning light illuminates 1-2 minutes and the warning chime sounds 4-8 seconds.

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... The driver’s safety belt is not buckled before the ignition switch is turned to the on position... 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 indicator chime remain off.

The safety belt warning light and warning chime turn off.

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Belt-Minder姞 The Belt-Minder威 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 lamp in the instrument cluster when the driver’s and front passenger’s safety belt is unbuckled. The Belt-Minder威 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威 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威 feature. The warnings are the same for the driver and the front passenger. If the Belt-Minder威 warnings have expired (warnings for approximately five minutes) for one occupant (driver or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the Belt-Minder威 feature. Note: If you are using MyKey™, the Belt-Minder威 warning will not expire. Refer to MyKey™ in the Locks and security chapter. When the Belt-Minder威 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威 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.

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If... The driver’s and front passenger’s safety belts are buckled... The driver’s or front passenger’s safety belt is not buckled when the vehicle has reached at least 6 mph and 1-2 minutes have elapsed since the ignition switch has been turned to ON... The driver’s or front passenger’s safety belt becomes unbuckled for approximately 1 minute while the vehicle is traveling at least 6 mph and 1-2 minutes have elapsed since the ignition switch has been turned to ON... The Belt-Minder威 feature is activated and the vehicle speed is less than 3 mph...

Then... The Belt-Minder威 feature will not activate.

The Belt-Minder威 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威 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威 feature is suspended - the safety belt warning light remains illuminated, but the warning chime does not sound. This time does not count towards the five-minute expiration time.

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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... “Crashes are rare events”

Consider... 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. 3 of 4 fatal crashes occur within 25
miles of home. 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威 reminds us to take a few seconds to buckle up. Safety belts, when used properly, reduce risk of death to front seat occupants by 45% in cars, and by 60% in light trucks. 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.

“I’m not going far”

“Belts are uncomfortable”

“I was in a hurry”

“Safety belts don’t work”

“Traffic is light”

“Belts wrinkle my clothes”

“The people I’m with don’t wear belts”

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Reasons given... “I have an airbag”

“I’d rather be thrown clear”

Seating and Safety Restraints

Consider... Airbags offer greater protection when used with safety belts. Frontal airbags are not designed to inflate in rear and side crashes or rollovers. 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威 chime. To

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

Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder姞 feature The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder威 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: If you are using MyKey™, the Belt-Minder威 cannot be disabled. Also, if the Belt-Minder威 has been previously disabled, it will be re-enabled after the use of MyKey™. Refer to MyKey™ in the Locks and security chapter. The driver and front passenger Belt-Minder威 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

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WARNING: While the design allows you to deactivate your Belt-Minder威, this system is designed to improve your chances of

being safely belted and surviving an accident. We recommend you leave the Belt-Minder威 system activated for yourself and others who may use the vehicle. To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate/activate the Belt-Minder威 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 30 seconds after the safety belt

warning light turns off.

3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times, ending in the unbuckled state. • After Step 3, the restraint system warning light (airbag 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威 feature for that seating position if it

is currently enabled. As confirmation, the restraint system warning light will flash four times per second for three seconds.

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

is currently disabled. As confirmation, the restraint system warning light will flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three seconds with the light off, then followed by the restraint system warning light flashing four times per second for three seconds again.

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. 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.

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AIRBAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS)

inflators and airbags).

The airbag supplemental restraint system is designed to work in conjunction with the safety belts to help protect the driver and front outboard passenger from certain upper body injuries. The term “supplemental restraint” means the airbags are intended as a supplement to the safety belts. Airbags alone cannot protect as well as airbags plus safety belts in impacts for which the airbags are designed to deploy, and airbags do not offer any protection in crashes for which they do not deploy. The airbag supplemental restraint system consists of: • driver and passenger dual stage airbag modules (which include the • side airbags and Safety Canopy威. Refer to Seat-mounted side airbag • one or more impact and safing sensors. • the same indicator light, RCM (restraints control module) and • Front passenger sensing system • Passenger airbag off indicator light. The airbag supplemental restraints are an integral part of the Personal Safety System. They are designed to be deployed in cases where the Personal Safety System has determined the occupant conditions and crash severity are appropriate to activate these devices. Refer to the Personal Safety System™ section in this chapter.

system and Safety Canopy威 system later in this chapter.

diagnostic unit used for the Personal safety system.

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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. Airbags DO NOT inflate slowly; there is a risk of injury from a deploying airbag.

WARNING: 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.

WARNING: When possible, all children 12 years old and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position.

WARNING: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends a minimum distance of at least 10 inches

(25 cm) between an occupant’s chest and the driver airbag module.

WARNING: Never place your arm over the airbag module as a deploying airbag can result in serious arm fractures or other

injuries.

pedals comfortably.

To properly position yourself away from the airbag: • Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the • Recline the seat slightly one or two degrees from the upright position. WARNING: Do not put anything on or over the airbag module. Placing objects on or over the airbag inflation area may cause those objects to be propelled by the airbag into your face and torso causing serious injury.

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WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the airbag supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. Contact your

authorized dealer as soon as possible.

WARNING: The front passenger airbag is not designed to offer protection to an occupant in the center front seating position.

WARNING: Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of the vehicle (including frame, bumper, front end body structure

and tow hooks) may affect the performance of the airbag system, increasing the risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle.

WARNING: Additional equipment may affect the performance of the airbag sensors increasing the risk of injury.

Children and airbags For additional important safety information, read all information on safety restraints in this guide. Children must always be properly restrained. Accident statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of injury in a collision.

WARNING: Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the seat all the way back.

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If two adults and a child occupy a Regular Cab, properly restrain the child in the center front unless doing so would interfere with driving the vehicle. This arrangement provides lap and shoulder belt protection for all occupants, and airbag protection for the adults. All occupants of the vehicle should always properly wear their safety belts. Ensure the child is properly restrained in an appropriate child seat or with the use of a booster. A child or infant properly restrained in the center front seat should not incur risk of serious injury from the airbags.

How does the airbag supplemental restraint system work? The airbag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains sufficient longitudinal deceleration. The fact that the airbags 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. Airbags are designed to inflate in frontal and near-frontal collisions, not rollover, side-impact, or rear-impacts. The airbags inflate and deflate rapidly upon activation. After airbag 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 airbag. 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, it may also cause minor abrasions, swelling or temporary hearing loss. Because airbags must inflate rapidly and with considerable force, there is the risk of death or serious injuries such as fractures, facial and eye injuries or 188

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internal injuries, particularly to occupants who are not properly restrained or are otherwise out of position at the time of airbag deployment. Thus, it is extremely important that occupants be properly restrained as far away from the airbag cover as possible while maintaining vehicle control.

WARNING: Several airbag system components get hot after inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.

WARNING: If the airbag has deployed, the airbag will not function again and must be replaced immediately. If the airbag is not replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a collision.

Front passenger sensing system The front passenger sensing system is designed to meet the regulatory requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208
and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the front passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions. The front passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of the front passenger’s seat and safety belt. The sensors are designed to detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the front passenger’s frontal airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or disabled (will not inflate). The front passenger sensing system will disable (will not inflate) the front passenger’s frontal airbag if: • the front passenger seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in • the system determines that an infant is present in a rear-facing infant • the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing

seat that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions,

the front seat,

child restraint that is installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions,

• the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat, • a front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of • a child or a small person occupies the front passenger seat. Note: When the passenger airbag off light is illuminated, the passenger (seat mounted) side airbag may be disabled to avoid the risk of airbag deployment injuries.

time,

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The front passenger sensing system uses a ⬙passenger airbag off⬙ or ⬙pass airbag off⬙ indicator which will illuminate and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal airbag is disabled. The indicator lamp is located in the center stack of the instrument panel just above the radio. Note: The indicator lamp will illuminate for a short period of time when the ignition is turned to the on position to confirm it is functional. When the front passenger seat is not occupied (empty seat) or in the event that the front passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may inflate), the indicator lamp will be unlit. The front passenger sensing system is designed to disable (will not inflate) the front passenger’s frontal airbag when a rear facing infant seat, a forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat is detected. • When the front passenger sensing system disables (will not inflate) the front passenger frontal airbag, the indicator lamp will illuminate and stay lit to remind you that the front passenger frontal airbag is disabled. • If the child restraint has been installed and the indicator lamp is not

lit, then turn the vehicle off, remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the restraint following the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions.

The front passenger sensing system is designed to enable (may inflate) the front passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger seat. • When the front passenger sensing system enables the front passenger frontal airbag (may inflate), the indicator will be unlit and stay unlit. If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger’s seat, but the ⬙passenger airbag off⬙ or ⬙pass airbag off⬙ indicator lamp is lit, it is possible that the person isn’t sitting properly in the seat. If this happens: • Turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in the • Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, • Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for about two minutes. This will allow the system to detect that person and enable the passenger’s frontal airbag.

with the person’s legs comfortably extended.

full upright position.

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advised to ride in the rear seat.

Occupant

Empty seat Small child in child safety seat or booster Small child with safety belt buckled or unbuckled Adult

Pass Airbag Off Indicator Lamp Unlit Lit

Lit

Unlit

Passenger Airbag

Disabled Disabled

Disabled

Enabled

WARNING: Even with Advanced Restraints Systems, children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating

position.

After all occupants have adjusted their seats and put on safety belts, it’s very important that they continue to sit properly. A properly seated occupant sits upright, leaning against the seat back, and centered on the seat cushion, with their feet comfortably extended on the floor. Sitting improperly can increase the chance of injury in a crash event. For example, if an occupant slouches, lies down, turns sideways, sits forward, leans forward or sideways, or puts one or both feet up, the chance of injury during a crash is greatly increased.

WARNING: Sitting improperly out of position or with the seat back reclined too far can take off weight from the seat cushion

and affect the decision of the front passenger sensing system, resulting in serious injury or death in a crash. Always sit upright against your seatback, with your feet on the floor.

The front passenger sensing system may detect small or medium objects placed on the seat cushion. For most objects that are in the front passenger seat, the passenger airbag will be disabled. Even though the passenger airbag is disabled, the ⬙pass airbag off⬙ lamp may or may not be illuminated according to the table below.

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Pass Airbag Off Indicator Lamp Unlit

Objects

Passenger Airbag

Lit

Disabled

Disabled

Small (i.e. three-ring binder, small purse, bottled water) Medium (i.e. heavy briefcase, fully packed luggage) Empty seat, or small to medium object with safety belt buckled In case there is a problem with the front passenger sensing system, the airbag readiness lamp in the instrument cluster will stay lit. DO NOT attempt to repair or service the system; take your vehicle immediately to an authorized dealer.

Disabled

Lit

WARNING: The front passenger airbag is not designed to offer protection to an occupant in the center seating position.

WARNING: An out of position front center occupant could affect the decision of the front passenger sensing system.

If it is necessary to modify an advanced front airbag system to accommodate a person with disabilities, contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center at the phone number shown in the Customer Assistance chapter of this Owner’s Guide.

WARNING: Any alteration/modification to the front passenger seat may affect the performance of the front passenger sensing

system.

Determining if the system is operational The SRS uses readiness lights in the instrument cluster or a tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer to Airbag readiness in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the airbag is not required. 192

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flash or stay lit.

A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following: • The readiness lights will either • The readiness lights 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 an authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a collision.

Seat-mounted side airbag system

WARNING: Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the airbag cover on the side of the seatbacks of the front

seats or in front seat areas that may come into contact with a deploying airbag. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.

WARNING: Do not use accessory seat covers. The use of accessory seat covers may prevent the deployment of the side

airbags and increase the risk of injury in an accident.

WARNING: Do not lean your head on the door. The side airbag could injure you as it deploys from the side of the seatback.

WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the airbag SRS, its fuses or the seat cover on a seat containing an

airbag. See an authorized dealer.

WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle should always wear their safety belts even when an airbag SRS is provided.

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How does the side airbag system work? The design and development of the side airbag 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. The side airbag system consists of the following: • An inflatable bag (airbag) with a gas generator concealed behind the • A special seat cover designed to allow airbag deployment. • The same warning light, electronic control and diagnostic unit as used • Crash sensors located on the front doors. • One crash sensor located on each side of the b-pillar, (SuperCab only). • One crash sensor located on each side of the c-pillar, (SuperCrew

outboard bolster of the driver and front passenger seatbacks.

for the front airbags.

only).

Side airbags, in combination with safety belts, can help reduce the risk of severe injuries in the event of a significant side impact collision. The side airbags are fitted on the outboard side of the seatbacks of the front seats. In certain lateral collisions, the airbag on the side affected by the collision will be inflated. The airbag was designed to inflate between the door panel and occupant to further enhance the protection provided occupants in side impact collisions. The airbag SRS is designed to activate when the vehicle sustains lateral deceleration sufficient to cause the sensors to close an electrical circuit that initiates airbag inflation. The fact that the airbags 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. Side airbags are designed to inflate in side-impact collisions, not roll-over, rear-impact, frontal or near-frontal collisions, unless the collision causes sufficient lateral deceleration. 194

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WARNING: Several airbag system components get hot after inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.

WARNING: If the side airbag has deployed, the

airbag will not function again. The side airbag system (including the seat) must be inspected and serviced by an authorized dealer. If the airbag 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 Warning lights and chimes in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the side airbag is not required. A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following: • The readiness light (same light as for front airbag system) will either • The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is • A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

flash or stay lit.

turned on.

periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced at your authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a collision.

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Safety Canopy姞 System

WARNING: 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威. Failure to follow these instructions may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.

WARNING: Do not lean your head on the door. The Safety Canopy威 could injure you as it deploys from the headliner.

WARNING: Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Safety Canopy威 System, its fuses, the A, B, or C pillar trim, or the headliner on a vehicle containing a Safety Canopy威. Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible.

WARNING: All occupants of the vehicle including the driver should always wear their safety belts even when an airbag SRS

and Safety Canopy威 System is provided.

WARNING: To reduce risk of injury, do not obstruct or place objects in the deployment path of the inflatable Safety Canopy威.

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How does the Safety Canopy姞 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威). The Safety Canopy System consists of the following: • An inflatable curtain with a gas generator concealed behind the headliner and in the corner or C pillar behind the doors. • A headliner designed to flex open • The same warning light, electronic control and diagnostic unit as used • Two crash sensors located on the C-pillar (one on each side) • Crash sensors located on the front doors. • Rollover sensor in the restraints control module (RCM). The Safety Canopy System, in combination with safety 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 row seats. 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 opening. The Safety Canopy System is designed to active when the vehicle sustains lateral deceleration sufficient to cause the RCM to initiate safety canopy inflation or when a certain likelihood of a rollover event is detected by the rollover sensor.

above the side doors to allow safety canopy deployment.

(SuperCab and SuperCrew only).

for the front airbags.

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The safety canopy is mounted to roof side-rail sheet metal, behind the headliner, above each row of seats. 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 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.

WARNING: Several Safety Canopy System components

get hot after inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.

WARNING: If the Safety Canopy System has deployed, the safety canopy will not function again unless replaced. The Safety Canopy System (including the A, B, C, and D pillar trim and headliner) must be inspected and serviced by an authorized dealer. If the safety canopy is not replaced, it will not function again, which will increase the risk of injury in a future 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 Warning lights and chimes in the Instrument Cluster chapter. Routine maintenance of the side airbag is not required.

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flash or stay lit.

A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following: • The readiness light (same light as for front airbag system) will either • The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is • A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat

turned on.

periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced at your authorized dealer immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a collision.

SOS Post-Crash Alert System™ The system automatically flashes the turn signal lamps and sounds the horn three times at four second intervals in the event of a serious impact that deploys an airbag (front, side, side curtain or Safety Canopy威) or the safety belt pretensioners. The system can be turned off when any one of the following actions are taken by the driver or any other person: • pressing the hazard control button, • or pressing the panic button on the remote entry transmitter. The feature will continue to operate until the vehicle runs out of power.

Disposal of airbags and airbag equipped vehicles (including pretensioners) Contact your authorized dealer as soon as possible. Airbags 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 Airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) in this chapter for special instructions about using airbags.

Important child restraint precautions

WARNING: Always make sure your child is secured properly in a device that is appropriate for their height, age and weight.

Child safety restraints must be purchased separately from the vehicle. Failure to follow these instructions and guidelines may result in an increased risk of serious injury or death to your child.

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WARNING: All children are shaped differently. The Recommendations for Safety Restraints are based on probable

child height, age and weight thresholds from NHTSA and other safety organizations or are the minimum requirements of law. Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and consult your pediatrician to make sure your child seat is appropriate for your child, and is compatible with and properly installed in the vehicle. To locate a child seat fitting station and CPST contact the NHTSA toll free at 1-888-327-4236 or on the internet at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov. In Canada, check with your local St. John Ambulance office for referral to a CPST or for further information, contact your provincial ministry of transportation, your local St. John Ambulance office at http://www.sfa.ca, or Transport Canada at 1–800–333–0371 (http://www.tc.gc.ca). Failure to properly restrain children in safety seats made especially for their height, age, and weight may result in an increased risk of serious injury or death to your child.

Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children

Recommended restraint type Use a child safety seat (sometimes called an infant carrier, convertible seat, or toddler seat). Use a belt-positioning booster seat.

Child size, height, weight, or age

Infants or toddlers

Children weighing 40 lb (18 kg) or less (generally age four or younger)

Children who have outgrown or no longer properly fit in a child safety seat (generally children who are less than 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall, are greater than age four (4) and less than age twelve (12), and between 40 lb (18 kg) and 80 lb (36 kg) and upward to 100 lb (45 kg) if recommended by your child restraint manufacturer)

Small children

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Recommendations for Safety Restraints for Children

Larger children

Child size, height, weight, or age

Children who have outgrown or no longer properly fit in a belt-positioning booster seat (generally children who are at least 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall or greater than 80 lb (36 kg) or 100 lb (45 kg) if recommended by child restraint manufacturer)

Recommended restraint type Use a vehicle safety belt having the lap belt snug and low across the hips, shoulder belt centered across the shoulder and chest, and seatback upright. • You are required by law to properly use safety seats for infants and • Many states and provinces require that small children use approved booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 4 ft 9 in. (1.45 meters) tall, or 80 lb (36 kg). Check your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements regarding the safety of children in your vehicle.

toddlers in the U.S. and Canada.

• When possible, always properly restrain children twelve (12) years of age and under in a rear seating position of your vehicle. Accident statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in a front seating position.

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Recommendations for attaching child safety restraints for children

Use any attachment method as indicated

below by “X”

LATCH (lower anchors only)

LATCH (lower anchors and top tether anchor)

Safety belt and top tether anchor

Safety belt and LATCH (lower anchors and top tether anchor)

Safety belt only

Restraint Type

Child Weight

Rear facing child seat Forward facing child seat Forward facing child seat

Up to 48 lb (21 kg) Up to 48 lb (21 kg) Over 48 lb (21 kg)

WARNING: Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the vehicle seat all the way back. When possible, all children age 12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position. If all children cannot be seated and restrained properly in a rear seating position, properly restrain the largest child in the front seat.

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WARNING: Always carefully follow the instructions and warnings provided by the manufacturer of any child restraint to

determine if the restraint device is appropriate for your child’s size, height, weight, or age. Follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions and warnings provided for installation and use in conjunction with the instructions and warnings provided by the vehicle manufacturer. A safety seat that is improperly installed or utilized, is inappropriate for your child’s height, age, or weight or does not properly fit the child may increase the risk of serious injury or death.

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, which may result in serious injury or death.

WARNING: 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.

WARNING: Always restrain an unoccupied child seat or booster seat. These objects may become projectiles in a collision or

sudden stop, which may increase the risk of serious injury.

WARNING: Never place, or allow a child to place, the shoulder belt under a child’s arm or behind the back because it reduces

the protection for the upper part of the body and may increase the risk of injury or death in a collision.

WARNING: Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets unattended in your vehicle.

Transporting children Always make sure your child is secured properly in a device that is appropriate for their age, height and weight. All children are shaped differently. The child height, age and weight thresholds provided are recommendations or the minimum requirements of law. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides education and

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training to ensure that all children ages 0 to 16 are properly restrained in the correct restraint system. Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and your pediatrician to make sure your seat is appropriate for your child and properly installed in the vehicle. To locate a child seat fitting station and CPST contact the NHTSA toll free at 1-888-327-4236 or on the internet at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov. In Canada, check with your local St. John Ambulance office for referral to a CPST or for further information, contact your provincial ministry of transportation, your local St. John Ambulance office at http://www.sfa.ca, or Transport Canada at 1–800–333–0371 (http://www.tc.gc.ca). Follow all the safety restraint and airbag precautions that apply to adult passengers in your vehicle. If the child is the proper height, age, and weight (as specified by your child safety seat or booster manufacturer), fits the restraint and can be restrained properly, then restrain the child in the child safety seat or with the belt-positioning booster. Remember that child seats and belt-positioning boosters vary and may be designed to fit children of different heights, ages and weights. Children who are too large for child safety seats or belt-positioning boosters (as specified by your child safety seat manufacturer) should always properly wear safety belts.

SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN

Infant and/or toddler seats Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the child. When installing a child safety seat: • Review and follow the information

presented in the Airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) section 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.

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Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. NEVER place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move the vehicle seat all the way back. Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position whenever possible. If all children cannot be seated and restrained properly in a rear seating position, properly restrain the largest child in the front seat.

Installing child safety seats with combination lap and shoulder belts Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use. Children 12 and under should be properly restrained in a rear seating position whenever possible. If all children cannot be seated and restrained properly in a rear seating position, properly restrain the largest child in the front seat. When installing a child safety seat with combination lap/shoulder belts: • Use the correct safety belt buckle for that seating position. • 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 help prevent accidental unbuckling.

• Place vehicle seat back in upright position. • Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer to step 5

below. This vehicle does not require the use of a locking clip.

WARNING: Depending on where you secure a child restraint, and depending on the child restraint design, you may block

access to certain safety belt buckle assemblies and/or LATCH lower anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of injury, occupants should only use seating positions where they are able to be properly restrained.

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If you are using a Regular Cab center seat, see Installing child safety seats in cinch tongue combination lap and shoulder belt seating position later in this chapter for instructions. Perform the following steps when installing the child seat with combination lap/shoulder belts: Note: Although the child seat illustrated is a forward facing child seat, the steps are the same for installing a rear facing child seat. 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 to remove slack. The belt will click as it retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking mode. 7. 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 5
and 6.

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8. Remove remaining slack from the belt. Force the seat down with extra weight, e.g., by pressing down or kneeling on the child restraint while pulling up on the shoulder belt in order to force slack from the belt. This is necessary to remove the remaining slack that will exist once the additional weight of the child is added to the child restraint. It also helps to achieve the proper snugness of the child seat to the vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean towards the buckle will additionally help to remove remaining slack from the belt. 9. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat is equipped). Refer to Attaching child safety seats with tether straps later in this chapter. 10. 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 and back. There should be no more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) of movement for proper installation.

11. Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) to make certain the child restraint is properly installed. Installing child safety seats in cinch tongue combination lap and shoulder belt seating position (front center seating position only) If you are using a regular cab center seat, see Center front safety belt (Regular Cab center seating position only) under Combination lap and shoulder belts earlier in this chapter for instructions on attaching the mini-buckle. The belt webbing below the tongue is the lap portion of the combination lap/shoulder belt, and the belt webbing above the tongue is the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder belt. 208

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WARNING: Always use both lap and shoulder safety belt in the Regular Cab center seating position.

1. Position the child safety seat in the Regular Cab center front seat.

2. If the center lap/shoulder safety belt has been disconnected from the seat to carry large cargo behind the seat, reconnect it by buckling the small buckle on the end of the belt into the mini-buckle on the driver’s side.

WARNING: Airbags can kill or injure a child in a child seat. If you must use a forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move

seat all the way back.

WARNING: Rear facing child seats should NEVER be placed in front of an active airbag.

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3. Slide the tongue up the webbing.

4. While holding both shoulder and lap portions next to the tongue, route the tongue and webbing through the child seat according to the child seat manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure that the belt webbing is not twisted.

5. 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.

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6. While pushing down with your knee on the child seat pull up on the shoulder belt portion to tighten the lap belt portion of the combination lap and shoulder belt.

7. Allow the safety belt to retract and remove any slack in the belt to securely tighten the child safety seat in the vehicle. 8. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat is equipped). Refer to Attaching child safety seats with tether straps later in this chapter. 9. Before placing the child into the child seat, forcibly pull the child seat forward and back to make sure that the seat is held securely in place. To check this, grab the seat at the belt path and attempt to move it side to side and forward and back. There should be no more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) of movement for proper installation.

10. Check from time to time to be sure that there is no slack in the lap/shoulder belt. The shoulder belt must be snug to keep the lap belt tight during a collision. 11. Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) to make certain the child restraint is properly installed. In Canada, check with your local St. John Ambulance office for referral to a CPST.

Installing child safety seats in the front row lap belt seating positions (SuperCab and SuperCrew)

WARNING: Installing a child safety seat in the front row lap seating position should be avoided if at all possible. The

passenger sensing system does not recognize child seats in the front center seating position.

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WARNING: Never place a rear-facing child seat in the front center seating position of a vehicle with rear seating positions.

1. Lengthen the lap belt. To lengthen the belt, hold the tongue so that its bottom is perpendicular to the direction of webbing while sliding the tongue up the webbing. 2. Place the child safety seat in the center seating position. 3. Route the tongue and webbing through the child seat according to the child seat manufacturer’s instructions. 4. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for the center seating position until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on the tongue. 5. Push down on the child seat while pulling on the loose end of the lap belt webbing to tighten the belt. 6. Before placing the child into the child seat, forcibly tilt the child seat from side to side and in forward direction to make sure that 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 and back. There should be no more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) of movement for proper installation. 7. Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) to make certain the child restraint is properly installed. In Canada, check with your local St. John Ambulance office for referral to a CPST.

Attaching child safety seats with LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) attachments The LATCH system is composed of three vehicle anchor points: two (2) lower anchors located where the vehicle seat back and seat cushion meet (called the “seat bight”) and one (1) top tether anchor located behind that seating position. LATCH compatible child safety seats have two rigid or webbing mounted attachments that connect to the two lower anchors at the LATCH equipped seating positions in your vehicle. This type of attachment method eliminates the need to use safety belts to attach the child seat, however the safety belt can still be used to attach the child seat if the lower anchors are not used. For forward-facing child seats, the top tether strap must also be attached to the proper top tether anchor, if a top tether strap has been provided with your child seat. See Attaching child safety seats with tether straps in this chapter for more information. 212

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Your vehicle is equipped with LATCH lower anchors for child seat installation at the following seating positions (LATCH is not available on F150 Regular cab) :

• F150 SuperCab and SuperCrew The LATCH anchors are located at the rear section of the rear seat between the cushion and seatback. Follow the child seat manufacturer’s instructions to properly install a child seat with LATCH attachments.

Follow the instructions later in this chapter on attaching child safety seats with tether straps. Attach LATCH lower attachments of the child seat only to the anchors shown.

WARNING: Never attach two 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.

WARNING: Depending on where you secure a child restraint, and depending on the child restraint design, you may block

access to certain safety belt buckle assemblies and/or LATCH lower anchors, rendering those features potentially unusable. To avoid risk of injury, occupants should only use seating positions where they are able to be properly restrained.

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Use of inboard lower anchors from the outboard seating positions (center seating use) The lower anchors at the center of the second row rear seat are spaced 652 mm (25.7 inches) apart. The standardized spacing for LATCH lower anchors is 280 mm (11 inches) center to center. A child seat with rigid LATCH attachments cannot be installed at the center seating position. LATCH compatible child seats (with attachments on belt webbing) can only be used at this seating position provided that the child seat manufacturer’s instructions permit use with the anchor spacing stated. Do not attach a child seat to any lower anchor if an adjacent child seat is attached to that anchor.

WARNING: The standardized spacing for LATCH lower anchors is 280 mm (11 inches) center to center. Do not use LATCH lower anchors for the center seating position unless the child seat manufacturer’s instructions permit and specify using anchors spaced at least as far apart as those in this vehicle.

Each time you use the safety seat, check that the seat is properly attached to the lower anchors and tether anchor, if applicable. Tug the child seat from side to side and forward and back where it is secured to the vehicle. The seat should move less than one inch when you do this for a proper installation. If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being injured in a crash greatly increases. Combining safety belt and LATCH lower anchors for attaching child safety seats When used in combination, either the safety belt or the LATCH lower anchors may be attached first, provided a proper installation is achieved. Attach the tether strap afterward, if included with the child seat. Refer to Recommendations for attaching child safety restraints for children in this chapter.

Attaching child safety seats with tether straps Many forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which extends from the back of the child safety seat and hooks to an anchoring point called the top tether anchor. 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, or to obtain a longer tether strap if the tether strap on your safety seat does not reach the appropriate top tether anchor in the vehicle. 214

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The passenger seats of your vehicle are equipped with built-in tether strap anchors located behind the seats as described below. The tether anchors in your vehicle may be loops of webbing above the seatback or an anchor bracket behind the seat on the rear edge of the seat cushion. The rear seat in the SuperCab and SuperCrew has three straps along the top of the seatback that function as both routing loops for the tether straps and anchor loops. The tether strap anchors in your vehicle are in the following positions (shown from top view): • F150 Regular Cab

• F150 SuperCrew and SuperCab

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. 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. Once the child safety seat has been installed using either the safety belt, the lower anchors of the LATCH system, or both, you can attach the top tether strap.

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Front seat tether strap attachment 1. Route the child safety seat tether strap over the back of the seat and under the head restraint. For vehicles with adjustable head restraints, route the tether strap under the head restraint and between the head restraint posts, otherwise route the tether strap over the top of the seatback. 2. Locate the correct anchor for the selected seating position. • You may need to pull the seatback forward to access the tether anchors. Make sure the seatback is locked in the upright position before installing the child seat.

3. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as shown. • Regular Cab passenger and center

seats (located on back panel)

If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, the child safety seat may not be retained properly in the event of a collision. 4. 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.

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Rear seat tether strap attachment There are three loops of webbing just above the back of the rear seat