Safety Belt System - 1st Row
Safety Belt System - 1st Row
Component Location
REFER to Component Location Description and Operation in Supplemental Restraint System.
Overview
WARNING: After a crash, the following safety belt components and attaching hardware must be inspected and tested to verify correct function:
- Retractors
- Buckles
- Child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
- ALR (Automatic Locking Retractor) feature for child safety seats (passenger seating positions only)
- BTS (Belt Tension Sensor) (if equipped)
- Front safety belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if equipped)
- Safety belt shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped)
Components that do not operate correctly or pass all Functional Tests in the Component Tests must be replaced with new components.
Safety belt assembly attaching areas must be inspected. Damaged or distorted attaching areas must be restored to their original structural integrity and a new safety belt assembly with new attaching hardware must be installed.
After deployment of the front safety belt pretensioners, a new safety belt system (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed.
Failure to follow this instruction may result in incorrect operation of the safety belt system and increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.
Each first row safety belt is a continuous-loop, 3-point system. The combination lap and shoulder belt (continuous-loop) uses a common slip tongue and retractor.
When replacing safety belt buckles and/or retractor assemblies, use only the replacement parts specified in the Ford Catalog Advantage or equivalent.
System Operation
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
The ALR (Automatic Locking Retractor) mode is used when locking a child seat in any passenger seating position. The ALR (Automatic Locking Retractor) mode automatically activates when the safety belt webbing is fully extracted from the retractor and then allowed to retract. As the safety belt webbing retracts back onto the spool, an audible clicking sound is made, indicating the safety belt retractor is in ALR (Automatic Locking Retractor) mode and the safety belt webbing cannot pull back out of the safety belt retractor. The ALR (Automatic Locking Retractor) mode disengages when the webbing is allowed to fully retract back into the retractor. For testing, REFER to Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor, Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Mode Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor, Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Mode or REFER to Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor, Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Mode, Inflatable Safety Belt Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor, Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) Mode, Inflatable Safety Belt.
Belt-Minder
The Belt-Minder(R) feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt warning function. This feature provides an additional reminder that the driver and/or front passenger safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning indicator in the IPC (Instrument Panel Cluster).
Either the driver or front passenger safety belt systems may activate the Belt-Minder(R) . If the Belt-Minder(R) warnings have expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the Belt-Minder(R) feature.
When a MyKey(R) is in the ignition, deactivation of Belt-Minder(R) and the 5-minute Belt-Minder(R) timer are overridden. The Belt-Minder(R) feature cannot be deactivated when a MyKey(R) is in use. Refer to the Owner's Literature for further information on MyKey(R) functionality.
The passenger Belt-Minder(R) feature is activated only when the OCS (Occupant Classification System) detects a passenger in the right front seat and the passenger weight exceeds a programmed limit. For information on the OCS (Occupant Classification System), REFER to Supplemental Restraint System Description and Operation.
To activate or deactivate the Belt-Minder(R) feature, REFER to Belt-Minder Deactivating and Activating Testing and Inspection.
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
The ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) is a vehicle-sensitive feature designed to activate and lock the safety belt webbing during hard braking, cornering, or an impact of approximately 24 kmh (14.9 mph). The ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) feature helps to reduce the forward movement of the driver and passengers. For testing, REFER to Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor, Road Test Inspection Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor, Road Test Inspection or REFER to Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor, Road Test Inspection, Inflatable Safety Belt Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor, Road Test Inspection, Inflatable Safety Belt.
Safety Belt Warning Chime
The conditions of operation for the driver and/or passenger safety belt warning indicator and chime operate as follows:
- If the driver and/or passenger safety belt is not buckled with the ignition ON, then the safety belt warning indicator illuminates for 1 to 2 minutes and the warning chime sounds for 4 to 8 seconds
- If the driver and/or passenger safety belt is buckled while the warning indicator is illuminated and the warning chime is sounding, then the indicator and chime turn off
- If the driver and/or passenger safety belt is buckled before the ignition is in the ON position, the safety belt warning indicator and chime remain off
Component Description
Safety Belt Buckle and Pretensioner
The safety belt buckle and pretensioner is a pyrotechnic device that removes excess webbing from the safety belts when deployed.
REFER to DTC Chart: Restraint Control Module (RCM) DTC Chart: Restraint Control Module (RCM) to diagnose any pretensioner DTCs (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) and REFER to Symptom Chart: Safety Belt System Symptom Related Diagnostic Procedures for any concerns regarding safety belt buckle function.
Safety Belt Height Adjuster
Safety belt height adjusters are used on both first row seats. They allow the seat occupant to change the height of the safety belt D-ring, which helps to increase comfort for the seat occupant. The height adjuster also makes it possible to match the safety belt geometry to the size of the seat occupant, which increases the effectiveness of the safety belt.
Safety Belt Retractor Adaptive Load Limiter
The adaptive load limiting safety belt retractor is a pyrotechnic device integrated with the safety belt retractor assembly that controls the tension of the front passenger safety belt when deployed.
REFER to DTC Chart: Restraint Control Module (RCM) DTC Chart: Restraint Control Module (RCM) to diagnose any adaptive load limiter DTCs (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) and REFER to Symptom Chart: Safety Belt System Symptom Related Diagnostic Procedures for any concerns regarding safety belt retractor function.
Safety Belt Retractor and Pretensioner
The safety belt retractor and pretensioner is a pyrotechnic device that removes excess webbing from the safety belts when deployed.
REFER to DTC Chart: Restraint Control Module (RCM) DTC Chart: Restraint Control Module (RCM) to diagnose any pretensioner DTCs (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) and REFER to Symptom Chart: Safety Belt System Symptom Related Diagnostic Procedures for any concerns regarding safety belt retractor function.