Ford Escape Hybrid (2012 year). Manual — part 34

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

the event of a collision.

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.

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

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 minute and the warning
chime sounds 6 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.

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138

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

威, the Belt-Minder威 warning will not

expire. Refer to MyKey

威 in the Locks and security chapter.

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 to on...

The Belt-Minder

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 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.

Seating and Safety Restraints

139

If...

Then...

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 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 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 (40 km) of home.

⬙Belts are uncomfortable⬙

Your Ford safety belts are designed 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.

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140

Reasons given...

Consider...

⬙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.

⬙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⬙

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 air bag
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

威, 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

威. Refer to MyKey威 in the Locks and

security chapter.

Seating and Safety Restraints

141