Ford E-350 (2012 year). Manual — part 25

Safety belt warning light and indicator chime
The safety belt warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster and a
chime sounds to remind the occupants to fasten their safety belts.
Conditions of operation

If...

Then...

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

The safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds 4-8 seconds.

The driver’s safety belt is buckled
while the indicator light is
illuminated and the warning chime
is sounding...

The safety belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.

The driver’s safety belt is buckled
before the ignition switch is turned
to the on position...

The safety belt warning light and
the warning chime will remain off.

Belt-Minder

姞

The Belt-Minder

威 feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt

warning function. This feature provides additional reminders to the
driver that the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently
sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning lamp in the
instrument cluster.

If...

Then...

The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled approximately 5 seconds
after the safety belt warning light
has turned off...

The Belt-Minder

威 feature is

activated - the safety belt warning
light illuminates and the warning
chime sounds for 6 seconds every
30 seconds, repeating for
approximately 5 minutes or until
safety belt is buckled.

The driver’s safety belt is buckled
while the safety belt indicator light
is illuminated and the safety belt
warning chime is sounding...

The Belt-Minder

威 feature will not

activate.

The driver’s safety belt is buckled
before the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position...

The Belt-Minder

威 feature will not

activate.

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102

The following are reasons most often given for not wearing safety belts:
(All statistics based on U.S. data)

Reasons given...

Consider...

“Crashes are rare events”

36700 crashes occur every day. The
more we drive, the more we are
exposed to “rare” events, even for
good drivers. 1 in 4 of us will be
seriously injured in a crash during
our lifetime.

“I’m not going far”

3 of 4 fatal crashes occur within 25
miles of home.

“Belts are uncomfortable”

We design our safety belts to enhance
comfort. If you are uncomfortable -
try different positions for the safety
belt upper anchorage and seatback
which should be as upright as
possible; this can improve comfort.

“I was in a hurry”

Prime time for an accident.
Belt-Minder

威 reminds us to take a few

seconds to buckle up.

“Safety belts don’t work”

Safety belts, when used properly,
reduce risk of death to front seat
occupants by 45% in cars, and by
60% in light trucks.

“Traffic is light”

Nearly 1 of 2 deaths occur in
single-vehicle crashes, many when
no other vehicles are around.

“Belts wrinkle my clothes”

Possibly, but a serious crash can do
much more than wrinkle your clothes,
particularly if you are unbelted.

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

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.

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103

Reasons given...

Consider...

“I have an airbag”

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

“I’d rather be thrown clear”

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 air bag
system

One-time disable
Any time the safety belt is buckled and then unbuckled during an
ignition on cycle, the Belt-Minder

威 will be disabled for that ignition cycle

only.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minder

姞 feature

Read Steps 1 - 5 thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The Belt-Minder

威 feature 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

• all vehicle doors and the hood are closed

• the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled

• the parking lamps/headlamps are in the off position

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.

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104

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. Buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times at a moderate speed,
ending with the safety belt in the unbuckled state.
• After Step 3 is complete, the safety belt warning light will be turned

on for three seconds.

• Belt-Minder威 will automatically exit programming mode without

changing its enable status if Step 4 does not occur within 10 seconds
of the end of Step 3.

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 safety belt 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 safety belt warning light will
flash four times per second for three seconds, followed by three
seconds with the light off, then followed by the safety belt warning
light flashing four times per second for three seconds again.

5. After receiving confirmation, the deactivation/activation procedure is
complete.

Safety belt extension assembly

If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, a safety belt extension
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.

Use the shortest extender assembly that will provide adequate fit.

WARNING: Do not use extensions to change the fit of the
shoulder belt across the torso.

Seating and Safety Restraints

105