Ford Freestyle (2007 year). Manual — part 36

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.

Third row comfort guide

Note: Before stowing the third row seat or folding the third row seat
back down, the center seat lap/shoulder belt needs to either have the
cross lap tongue stowed in the pocket on the belt or the entire belt
needs to be stowed in the roof.

The safety belt for the 3rd row
center occupant may be stowed in
the ceiling if it has been detached
from the seat to carry large cargo.
Remove the safety belt from the
stowage area on the ceiling and
buckle the small tongue on the end
of the safety belt to the mini-buckle
on the left side of the center seat
position.

belt guide.

• Slide the guide up or down along the head restraint post so that the

belt is centered on the occupant’s shoulder.

Safety belt extension assembly

If the safety belt is too short when fully extended, a 9 inch (23 cm) or
12 inch (31 cm) safety belt extension assembly can be added (part

Seating and Safety Restraints

146

numbers 611C22–A and 611C22–B respectively). These assemblies can
be obtained from an authorized dealer.

Use only extensions manufactured by the same supplier as the safety
belt. Manufacturer identification is located at the end of the webbing on
the label. Also, use the safety belt extension only if the safety belt is too
short for you when fully extended.

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

Safety belt maintenance

Inspect the safety belt systems periodically to make sure they work
properly and are not damaged. Inspect the safety belts to make sure
there are no nicks, tears or cuts, replacing if necessary. All safety belt
assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front safety belt buckle
assemblies, buckle support assemblies (slide bar-if equipped), shoulder
belt height adjusters (if equipped), child safety seat tether bracket
assemblies (if equipped), LATCH child seat tether anchors and lower
anchors (if equipped), and attaching hardware, should be inspected after
a collision. Ford recommends that all safety belt assemblies in use in
vehicles involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was
minor and an authorized dealer finds that the belts do not show damage
and continue to operate properly, they do not need to be replaced,
except as described in the Replacing the front safety belt assemblies
after a collision section of this chapter. Safety belt assemblies not in use
during a collision should also be inspected and replaced if either damage
or improper operation is noted.

Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the safety belt
assembly under the above conditions could result in severe

personal injuries in the event of a collision.

Refer to Interior in the Cleaning chapter.

Replacing the front safety belt assemblies after a collision

The front outboard safety belt assemblies have a special energy
management retractors designed to further reduce the risk of injury in
the event of a head-on collision. These retractors should be replaced if
they were used in any accident in which the front airbags deploy. If the
safety belt assemblies are not replaced, there may be increased risk of
injury in the event of a subsequent collision.

Seating and Safety Restraints

147

Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the safety belt
assembly under the above conditions could result in severe

personal injuries in the event of a collision.

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 1-2 minutes 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
indicator chime remain off.

BeltMinder

姞

The BeltMinder

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
light in the instrument cluster when the driver’s and front passenger’s
safety belt is unbuckled.

The BeltMinder

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
BeltMinder

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 BeltMinder

威 feature. The warnings are the same

Seating and Safety Restraints

148

for the driver and the front passenger. If the BeltMinder

威 warnings have

expired (warnings for approximately 5 minutes) for one occupant (driver
or front passenger), the other occupant can still activate the BeltMinder

威

feature.

If...

Then...

The driver’s and front
passenger’s safety belts are
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position or less than 1-2 minutes
have elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned ON...

The BeltMinder

威 feature will not

activate.

The driver’s or front passenger’s
safety belt is not buckled when
the vehicle has reached at least
3 mph (5 km/h) and 1-2 minutes
have elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned to ON...

The BeltMinder

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 the
safety belts are buckled.

The driver’s or front passenger’s
safety belt becomes unbuckled
for approximately 1 minute while
the vehicle is traveling at least
3 mph (5 km/h) and more than
1-2 minutes have elapsed since
the ignition switch has been
turned to ON...

The BeltMinder

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 the
safety belts are buckled.

Seating and Safety Restraints

149