Seat Belt Systems: Description and Operation
SAFETY BELT SYSTEMWARNING: After any crash, all of the following safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware must be inspected by an authorized dealer to verify correct function:
- Retractors
- Buckles
- Belt tension sensor (BTS) (if equipped)
- Front safety belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if equipped)
- Safety belt shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped)
- Child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
- Automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature for child safety seats (passenger seating positions only)
If any safety belt assembly is damaged, does not operate correctly or does not pass all of the Functional Tests in the Diagnosis and Testing portion, a new safety belt assembly must be installed. If any safety belt assembly attaching areas are damaged or distorted, the sheet metal must be restored to its original structural integrity and new safety belt assembly and attaching hardware must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware may increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.
After any crash that results in deployment of the driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt pretensioners, new driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt systems (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt systems increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.
When installing new safety belt buckles and/or retractor assemblies, use only the replacement parts specified in the Ford Customer Service Division Master Parts and Accessories Catalog.
The active restraint system consists of the following serviceable components:
- Front safety belt shoulder height adjusters
- Front safety belt buckle and pretensioners, attached to the inboard side of the front seats
- Front safety belt retractors located behind the lower B-pillar trim panels
- Belt tension sensor (BTS), part of passenger front seat safety belt retractor
- Rear center safety belt retractor with cinch tongue, located in the parcel shelf
- Rear safety belt retractors (outboard)
- LH safety belt buckle part of the center safety belt retractor
- Rear safety belt buckle assembly (double buckle includes the RH and center safety belt buckles), attached to the floor pan
- Second row child safety seat tether anchors, at all 3 seating positions located on the parcel shelf
- Lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH) attachments at the 2 outboard rear seating positions, attached to the floor pan
Safety Belt Buckles
Front Safety Belt Buckle and Pretensioner
The front safety belt buckle is equipped with a pretensioner as part of an assembly and is secured to the seat. When the safety belt buckle and pretensioner assembly deploys, the buckle moves downward, pulling excess webbing from the lap and shoulder safety belts. If the safety belt buckle and pretensioner assembly is deployed, a new assembly must be installed.
Rear Safety Belt Buckles
The vehicle is equipped with 3 rear safety belt buckles. The LH safety belt buckle is a part of the rear center safety belt retractor and is not serviced separately. To remove the LH safety belt buckle, refer to Safety Belt Retractor - Rear, Center. The RH and center safety belt buckles are mounted to the floor pan. To remove the RH and center safety belt buckles, refer to Safety Belt Buckle - Rear.
Safety Belt Retractor
The safety belt retractors consist of the following features:
- Energy management (front only)
- Dual locking mode
- emergency locking retractor (ELR)
- automatic locking retractor (ALR) (all except driver seat and rear center)
- cinch tongue, rear center safety belt retractor only
- Belt tension sensor (BTS) (front passenger safety belt retractor only)
Energy Management Feature
The front safety belt retractors are equipped with the energy management feature that allows 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.
Dual Locking Mode Features
The emergency locking retractor (ELR) feature will allow the occupant freedom of movement, locking tight only on hard braking, hard cornering, or an impact of approximately 8 km/h (5 mph). The ELR mode helps to reduce the forward movement of the driver and passengers. The ELR mode is continuously in operation at all seating positions.
The automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature is used when locking a child seat in an outboard seating position or when a tight belt fit is desired. The ALR mode is automatically engaged when the webbing is fully extracted from the retractor and then allowed to retract. As the webbing is retracted back into the spool, an audible clicking sound is made indicating the retractor is in ALR mode and the webbing will not pull back out of the retractor. To disengage the ALR mode, let the webbing retract back into the spool. The ALR mode is disengaged when the webbing is free to move out and back into the retractor. The automatic locking mode must be used when installing a child safety seat in the front or rear passenger seating positions where dual locking mode retractors are provided.
Cinch Tongue (rear center safety belt retractor)
The rear center safety belt retractor is equipped with a locking cinch tongue. The locking cinch tongue will slide up and down the safety belt webbing when it is in the stowed position or while putting the safety belt on. When the locking cinch tongue is latched into the buckle, the cinch tongue will allow the lap portion of the safety belt to become shorter, but locks the webbing in place to restrict it from becoming longer. Before latching a cinch tongue into the buckle, the lap portion of the safety belt may have to be lengthened. To lengthen the lap belt, pull some webbing out of the safety belt retractor. 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. Provide enough lap belt length so the tongue can reach the buckle. To fasten a cinch tongue, pull the safety belt from the retractor so the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt crosses the occupant's shoulder and chest. Be sure the belt is not twisted. If the belt is twisted, remove the twist. For instructions on how to remove a twist, refer to Safety Belt Tongue Rotated on Belt. Insert the locking cinch tongue into the correct buckle for the seating position until a snap is heard and latching is felt. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on the tongue. Adjust the lap belt portion of the safety belt by pulling up on the shoulder belt until the lap belt fits snugly and as low as possible around the occupant's hips. Safety Belt Tongue Rotated On Belt
Belt Tension Sensor (BTS)
A belt tension sensor (BTS) is part of the passenger safety belt retractor anchor.
Child Safety Seat Tether Anchors
The outboard child safety seat tether anchors are welded to the parcel shelf. Only the center tether anchor is bolted to the parcel shelf and is serviceable.
Lower Anchors and Tethers For Children (LATCH)
The child safety seat lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH) system is a standardized and uniform attachment system for installing child safety seats in passenger vehicles. LATCH-equipped child safety seats have 2 lower attachments that connect to the vehicle portion of the LATCH system.
The vehicle portion of the system consists of 2 attachment points (6 mm wires) bolted to the floor pan at both second row outboard seating positions. The attachment points protrude from the bight line between the seat cushion and seat backrest.
If a child safety seat was in use during a collision, inspect the vehicle portion of the system for damage. If any of the attachment points (6 mm wires) are damaged, a new one must be installed. See the appropriate removal and installation procedure for service.
Safety Belt Warning System
The safety belt warning indicator illuminates and a chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.
The conditions of operation for the safety belt warning indicator and chime are as follows:
- If the driver safety belt is not buckled before the ignition key is turned to the ON position, the safety belt warning indicator illuminates for 1 to 2 minutes and the warning chime sounds for 4 to 8 seconds.
- If the safety belt is buckled while the warning indicator is ON and the chime is sounding, the warning indicator and warning chime turn OFF.
- If the safety belt is buckled before the key is turned to the ON position, the warning indicator will come on for 4 to 8 seconds with no chime.
Belt-Minder(R)
The Belt-Minder(R) 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 indicator, in the instrument cluster (IC), when the driver and front passenger safety belt is unbuckled.
The Belt-Minder(R) uses information from the occupant classification system (OCS) to determine if a front seat passenger is present and therefore potentially in need of a warning. To avoid activating the Belt-Minder(R) for objects placed in the front passenger seat, warnings will only be given to front seat occupants over a certain weight, as determined by the OCS.
Both the driver and passenger safety belt usages are monitored and either may activate the Belt-Minder(R). The warnings are the same for the driver and the front passenger. 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).
When the Belt-Minder(R) is activated, the safety belt warning indicator illuminates and the warning chime sounds for 6 seconds every 30 seconds, repeating for approximately 5 minutes or until the safety belts are buckled.
The Belt-Minder(R) uses 2 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.
To activate or deactivate the Belt-Minder(R), refer to Instrument Panel, Gauges And Warning Indicators.
